Transforming Introductory Undergraduate Science Courses

转变本科科学入门课程

• 批准号: 0205947
• 负责人: Richard McCray
• 金额: $ 30.5万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-06-01 至 2007-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0205947&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Transforming; Introductory; Undergraduate; Science; Courses

This project addresses three questions: 1) How can we transform introductory math and science courses to provide a more interactive experience for students within the financial constraints of a large state university? 2) In what ways can information technology be used effectively to improve undergraduate science education? and 3) How can research departments and schools of education work together effectively to recruit and train talented students into careers in K-12 math and science education? The author of this proposal has developed a transformed section of introductory undergraduate astronomy that emphasizes inquiry-based and collaborative learning with the aid of web-based information technology. Key elements of the transformed class include: a) Replacing lectures with content delivery through a web-based hypertext that is rich in multimedia simulations and links for exploration; b) Dividing a large (~200 students) class into "learning teams" of ~12 students each who meet once a week in a computer classroom to prepare answers to pre-posed "discussion questions" and so work collaboratively on team projects; c) Software and course design to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous communication among students in learning teams; d) Blocks of instruction for inquiry-based collaborative learning using Java-based simulations; and e) The employment of undergraduate learning assistants to supervise the learning teams. The author has also worked with faculty from other science and math research departments and faculty of the school of education in a collaboration with Sun Educational Systems to employ undergraduate and graduate students, programmers, and in-service teachers in summer internships at Sun to develop Java-based blocks of instruction intended for secondary school math and science education and to test these blocks in local school districts. The current project extends this work in the following directions: a) The author is continuing to improve and develop the transformed astronomy course, making the resources available and easy to use for other faculty members in the department; b) The author is working with the administration faculty in other math and science departments at the University of Colorado to help them adopt some of the methodology of the transformed course, including software and the employment of undergraduate learning assistants for their own introductory courses; c) The author is working with the administration, faculty in science and mathematics research departments, faculty in the School of Education, and with Sun Educational Systems to develop an attractive undergraduate curriculum to recruit and train talented students for careers in K-12 science and mathematics education.

该项目解决了三个问题：1）我们如何改变入门数学和科学课程，为在大型州立大学的财务限制内为学生提供更具互动的体验？ 2）可以通过哪些方式有效地使用信息技术来改善本科科学教育？ 3）研究部门和教育学校如何有效地招募和培训有才华的学生从事K-12数学和科学教育的职业？该提案的作者开发了一个转型的入门本科天文学部分，该部分强调基于Web的信息技术，强调基于询问的协作学习。转换类别的关键要素包括：a）通过基于Web的超文本替换内容传递的讲座，该超文本丰富了多媒体模拟和探索链接； b）将一个大的（约200名学生）班级分成约12名学生的“学习团队”，每个学生每周在计算机教室中开会一次，以准备预先提出的“讨论问题”的答案，从而在团队项目上进行协作； c）软件和课程设计，以促进学习团队中学生之间同步和异步交流； d）使用基于Java的模拟的基于查询的协作学习的指导块； e）雇用本科学习助理来监督学习团队。作者还与其他科学和数学研究部门的教师以及教育学院的教师合作，与Sun Educational Systems合作，在Sun的暑期实习中雇用本科和研究生，程序员和服务中的教师，以开发基于Java的基于Java的教学块，该教学块用于中学数学和科学教育，并测试了这些在地方学区的学区。当前的项目将这项工作扩展到以下方向：a）作者继续改善和开发转型的天文学课程，使资源可用，易于用于该系的其他教职员工； b）作者正在与科罗拉多大学其他数学和科学系的行政学院合作，以帮助他们采用转型课程的某些方法论，包括软件和雇用本科学习助手的介绍课程； c）作者正在与教育学院的科学和数学研究部门，科学和数学研究部门的政府，教职员工合作，并与太阳教育系统一起开发有吸引力的本科课程，以招募和培训有才华的学生从事K-12科学和数学教育的职业。