Improving and Expanding Student Experiences in Introductory Biology Courses with Online Learning Modules

专业：生物科学（61）该项目旨在解决HBCU生物专业学生的保留问题（40%的生物专业学生被其他专业录取）。由宾夕法尼亚州立大学开发的在线学习模块材料，经过完善，适合于一个群体，目前正在进行调整，以供不同群体的学生使用，同时保留与最初设计者相同的目标。 该项目正在将非裔美国学生特别感兴趣的病例（如镰状细胞性贫血）添加到当前网络上的病例中。 此外，正在重新设计生命科学入门课程，以包括使用这些新案例和其他案例作为课堂讨论、家庭作业和每月结构化同行监督小组讨论的基础。一个涉及对照组的强有力的评估计划进一步表明了该项目的智力价值，使用同伴促进者直接使来自目前在科学领域代表性不足的一个群体的学生骨干参与有助于提高学生对科学的学习和兴趣的活动。 目前正在州和国家两级广泛开展宣传工作。 PI正在通过现有的一系列州组织分发材料，包括旨在鼓励在IT开发材料（北卡罗来纳州教学与技术协作（TLTC）和专业发展门户）的教师之间传播的全州会议。 MERLOT等国家平台以及在适当的专业会议和国家期刊上介绍研究结果也被用作传播机制。 该项目由生物科学局共同资助。

Discipline: Biological Sciences (61)This project is designed to address the problem of retention of biology majors at an HBCU (40% of incoming biology majors are being lost to other majors). Materials, on-line learning modules developed by Pennsylvania State University, perfected for one population are being adapted for use by a different population of students while retaining the same aims as the original designers. This project is adding cases of particular interest (eg Sickle Cell Anemia) to African American students to the cases currently on the web. In addition Introductory life science courses are being redesigned to include use of these new cases and others as a basis for in class discussion, homework assignments and monthly structured peer-monitored group discussions. A strong evaluation plan involving control groups is a further indication of the intellectual merit of this project.The use of peer facilitators directly involves a cadre of students from a group currently underrepresented in the sciences in activities that help increase students learning of and interest in the sciences. Dissemination is being done broadly at both the state and national levels. The PIs are distributing materials through an existing series of state organizations including a statewide conference designed to encourage dissemination among faculty of IT developed materials (North Carolina Teaching and Learning with Technology Collaboration (TLTC) and the UNC Professional Development Portal). National platforms such as MERLOT and presentation of findings at appropriate professional meetings and in national journals are also being employed as dissemination mechanisms. This project is co-funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences.