Implementation Project: Strategic Plan for the Integration of Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Programs (SPIN-UP)

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project at J F Drake State Technical College builds on a very successful previous implementation project and has the goals to expand the number and diversity of STEM educational opportunities for students, to expand the number of minority, female, and first-generation students entering and completing postsecondary STEM education opportunities at Drake State, and to increase the percentage of students retained in and completing postsecondary STEM education programs at Drake State.The project includes twelve elements to further improve the college's STEM programs and to prepare students for study at 4-year institutions and high-demand, high-wage careers in STEM. They are: nanotechnology integrated across the curriculum, development of a chemistry program, faculty professional development in nanotechnology and chemistry, interactive, 3-D visualization learning objects and a 3-D classroom for STEM courses, Summer Bridge activities emphasizing nanotechnology, summer technology camps for middle school students, a Summer Technology Institute to introduce nanotechnology to secondary school educators, a first-year student coaching program shown to be effective in raising second-year and long-term retention rates, supplemental instruction that places peer mentors and tutors in classrooms to assist faculty and students, faculty and student research projects that can be presented at conferences, virtual learning communities utilizing interconnection between the College's Blackboard Learning Management System and various social network systems, and research on the effectiveness of student coaching, supplemental instruction, and interactive, 3-D learning objects on the retention and learning outcomes of minority, female, first-generation, and economically under-resourced students. This project will prepare veterans, minorities, women, first-generation students, and economically under-resourced students for a broad range of new and exciting, high-wage, high-demand STEM careers.