Broadening Participation Research Grant: Improving Minority Student Mathematics Performance and Persistence in STEM Majors Through Cognitive Training

扩大参与研究资助：通过认知训练提高少数族裔学生的数学成绩和对 STEM 专业的坚持

• 批准号: 1137535
• 负责人: Oliver Hill
• 金额: $ 34.28万
• 依托单位: Virginia State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1137535&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Broadening; Participation; Research; Grant; Improving

Virginia State University's Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education Project entitled - Improving Minority Student Mathematics Performance and Persistence in STEM Majors Through Cognitive Training - is a joint effort among investigators from the departments of Psychology, Biology, and Mathematics & Computer Science. The overall goal of this research project is to develop and assess the efficacy of cognitive training interventions on working memory performance in minority STEM students which leads to improved mathematics performance. Specific aims include the following: institute and assess the impact of cognitive skills training on working memory and mathematics performance in minority STEM students; develop a model of the mediating and moderating effects of psychosocial and cognitive variables on treatment effects among these students; assess neural changes brought about by each of these interventions through pre- and post- f-MRI scans; and assess the sustainability of the gains through scans one and two years after the initial training.Direct training of cognitive skills such as attention, working memory, and processing speed, represents a unique method of developing the underlying cognitive architecture needed for success in STEM, and this research will both demonstrate the efficacy of these interventions, as well as allow for a more detailed mapping of the neural correlates of the training for mathematical performance. This project will provide the necessary data to facilitate the dissemination and implementation of these unique educational interventions, and will have an impact on increasing the number of minority students prepared to enter a STEM career. It will also allow for the training of a large number of minority undergraduate and graduate assistants, which will impact the number of minority students pursuing a research career in neuroscience.

维吉尼亚州立大学的“扩大STEM教育参与研究”项目名为“通过认知训练提高STEM专业少数民族学生的数学成绩和持久性”，是来自心理学、生物学和数学与计算机科学系的研究人员的共同努力。本研究项目的总体目标是开发和评估认知训练干预对少数民族STEM学生工作记忆表现的影响，从而提高数学成绩。具体目标包括：研究和评估认知技能训练对少数族裔STEM学生工作记忆和数学表现的影响；在这些学生中建立一个社会心理和认知变量对治疗效果的中介和调节作用模型；通过f-MRI扫描评估每种干预措施带来的神经变化；并在初始训练后的一到两年通过扫描评估收益的可持续性。直接训练认知技能，如注意力、工作记忆和处理速度，是发展STEM成功所需的潜在认知架构的一种独特方法，这项研究将证明这些干预措施的有效性，并允许对数学表现训练的神经相关关系进行更详细的映射。该项目将提供必要的数据，以促进这些独特的教育干预措施的传播和实施，并将对增加少数民族学生准备进入STEM职业产生影响。它还将允许培训大量少数民族本科生和研究生助理，这将影响从事神经科学研究事业的少数民族学生的数量。