Community College Undergraduate Research: A Model of Integration

生物科学（61）.“社区学院本科研究：建立一个整合的模式”涉及到设计，实施和评估的模式，将本科研究纳入社区学院科学课程。该项目涉及使用正在进行的研究计划组合中包含的科学原理，为新生生物课程开发基于探究的教育材料（如基于问题的学习模块和案例研究）。这些材料，然后被扩展到一个学分，可转让，先进的预科课程内的本科研究经验。预科课程的课程包括培训学生作为同行领导者，以支持从新生课程中出现的新学生项目的发展，并支持创造一个研究和教育相结合的教育环境。该项目涉及五所社区学院，一所四年制学校，四个环境研究组织和一个州政府机构的合作。拟议项目的智力价值在于建立一个可采用的模式，支持社区大学努力转向以探究为基础和以项目为基础的课程，让社区大学的学生从事本科研究，并与四年制大学科学课程及其本科研究工作建立联系。该项目解决了许多与在社区学院一级进行本科生研究相关的障碍。项目评估正在使用各种方法来解决项目在实现其主要目标方面的成功，其中包括改善学生的学习，增加教师和学生对研究的参与，增加参与教师对基于调查的方法的使用，以及增加参与社区学院和四年制机构的教师之间的互动水平。该提案的更广泛影响包括：高度重视提高社区学院一级的科学教育质量，因为在社区学院一级，来自代表性不足群体的学生人数不成比例;建立一个社区学院教师网络，致力于基于项目的学习和本科生研究;提高社区学院的能力，使未来的科学家具备进行科学研究所需的技能。传播项目成果的计划包括在国家会议上介绍情况和举办讲习班，以及在地方和区域会议上由学生介绍情况。

Biological Sciences (61). "Community College Undergraduate Research: Building a Model of Integration" involves the design, implementation and evaluation of a model for integrating undergraduate research into a community college science curriculum. The project involves the use of scientific principles contained within a portfolio of ongoing research programs to develop inquiry-based educational materials (such as problem-based learning modules and case studies) for freshman biology courses. These materials are then being expanded into an undergraduate research experience within a credit-bearing, transferable, advanced sophomore-level course. The sophomore-level course curriculum includes training students as peer-leaders to support the development of new student projects emerging from the freshman courses and supports the creation of an educational environment where research and education are integrated. The project involves a collaboration of five community colleges, one four-year school, four environmental research organizations, and a state government agency. The intellectual merit of the proposed project lies in establishing an adoptable model that supports community college efforts to shift to inquiry-based and project-based coursework, to get community college students engaged in undergraduate research, and to make connections to four-year college science programs and their undergraduate research efforts. The project addresses many of the barriers associated with conducting undergraduate research at the community college level. Project evaluation is using a variety of approaches to address the success of the project in achieving its major objectives, which include improving student learning, increasing the involvement of both faculty and students in research, increasing the use of inquiry-based approaches by participating faculty, and increasing the level of interaction between the faculty at the participating community colleges and four-year institutions. The broader impacts of the proposal include its strong focus on improving the quality of science education at the community college level, where there are disproportionate number of students from underrepresented groups; the establishment of a network of community college faculty dedicated to project-based learning and undergraduate research; and an increase in the capacity of community colleges to prepare future scientists with the skills necessary to conduct scientific research. Plans for dissemination of project results include presentations and workshops at national meetings and student presentations at local and regional conferences.