Implementation of a Biological Case Study Curriculum at a Minority - Serving Institution

生命科学——生物学（61）本项目采用并实施了为哈佛医学院（HMS）医学生开发的“新途径”案例研究模式，用于少数民族服务机构（MSI）的本科细胞和分子生物学课程的教学。为了配合最近在旧金山成立的加州再生医学研究所，该项目旨在开发以干细胞概念和方法为中心的基于案例的模块。智力优势几项研究表明，当现实生活场景被用来教授科学和数学时，代表性不足的少数民族学生更投入于这些学科的学习。同样，使用“新途径”案例研究模型训练的医学生对医学概念表现出更大的兴趣，因为这些概念与现实世界的相关性增加了。本项目考察了参加“新途径”类型课程的少数族裔学生在多大程度上更多地参与了细胞和分子生物学概念的学习，并在科学本质上得到了更好的训练。学生的态度和学习是通过学期前和学期后的调查来评估的。所得结果与HMS医学院学生的结果进行了比较。通过这种方式，“新途径”案例研究方法的有效性在一个与最初开发该方法的学生群体明显不同的学生群体中得到了衡量。更广泛的影响通过实施课程创新，利用最先进的技术培养少数民族本科生的科学本质，这些活动满足了国家对科学工作队伍更多样化的需求。该项目旨在(1)将基于调查案例的学习整合到MSI的本科课程中，并测试其有效性；(2)结合以研究为基础的实验室实验，培养本科生的科学实践能力；(3)与“新途径”模式的开发者之一协商，举办一个关于“案例模块教学生物学”的研讨会，为其他教师提供必要的基于调查案例学习的专业发展，以扩大拟议活动在学科内的影响；(4)对建议的活动进行形成性和总结性评估，作为科学教育硕士学生论文工作的一部分。

Life Science - Biological (61) This project adapts and implements the "New Pathway" case-studies model, developed for medical students at the Harvard Medical School (HMS), to the teaching and learning in undergraduate cell and molecular biology courses at a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). To coordinate with the recent establishment of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, this project aims to develop case-based modules centered on stem cell concepts and methodology. INTELLECTUAL MERITSeveral studies have demonstrated that underrepresented minority students are more engaged in the learning of science and mathematics when real-life scenarios are used to teach these disciplines. Similarly, medical students trained using the "New Pathway" case-study model expressed greater interest in the medical concepts due to the increased real-world relevance. This project examines the extent to which underrepresented minority students enrolled in "New Pathway"-type courses are more engaged in the learning of cell and molecular biology concepts and are better trained in the nature of science. Student attitudes and learning are assessed via pre- and post-semester surveys. The results obtained are compared to the outcomes found for medical students at HMS. In this way, the efficacy of the "New Pathway" case-study approach is measured for a student population significantly different from the one for which it was originally developed. BROADER IMPACTThe activities address a national need for greater diversity in the scientific work force by implementing curricular innovations that train undergraduate minority students in the nature of science using state-of-the-art technology. The project is designed to (1) integrate investigative case-based learning in undergraduate courses at an MSI and to test its efficacy; (2) incorporate research-based laboratory experiments that train undergraduate students in the actual practice of science; (3) conduct a workshop on the use of "Case Modules to Teach Biology" in consultation with one of the developers of the "New Pathway" model, giving other faculty members the necessary professional development in investigative case-based learning needed to broaden the impact of the proposed activities within the discipline; and (4) conduct formative and summative evaluations of the proposed activities as part of the thesis work for a Science Education Master's student.