Transforming Introductory Undergraduate Science Courses

这个项目解决了三个问题：1）在大型州立大学的财政限制下，我们如何改造数学和科学入门课程，为学生提供更具互动性的体验？2)如何有效地利用信息技术来改善本科科学教育？3）研究部门和教育学院如何有效地合作，招募和培养有才华的学生进入K-12数学和科学教育的职业生涯？该提案的作者开发了一个改造部分的介绍本科天文学，强调探究为基础的协作学习与基于网络的信息技术的帮助。转变后的课程的关键要素包括：a）通过基于网络的超文本（具有丰富的多媒体模拟和探索链接），用内容交付取代讲座; B）将大量的（约200名学生）分成由约12名学生组成的“学习小组”，每个小组每周在计算机教室开会一次，准备预先提出的“讨论问题”的答案，并就小组项目进行协作; c）软件和课程设计，以促进学习团队中学生之间的同步和异步交流; d）使用基于Java的模拟进行基于探究的协作学习的教学块;以及e）雇用本科生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，雇用本科生和研究生，程序员和在职教师在Sun进行暑期实习，以开发用于中学数学和科学教育的基于Java的教学模块，并在当地学区测试这些模块。目前的项目在以下方面扩展了这项工作：（a）作者正在继续改进和开发经过改造的天文学课程，使系内其他教员能够方便地使用这些资源; 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，帮助他们采用改造后课程的一些方法论，包括软件和雇用本科生学习助理为自己的入门课程; c）作者正在与行政部门，教师在科学和数学研究部门，教师在教育学院，并与太阳教育系统开发一个有吸引力的本科课程，招募和培养有才华的学生的职业生涯在K-12科学和数学教育。

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.