Collaborative Project: RISE - Research-based Interdisciplinary STEM Education

北西雅图社区学院(NSCC)和中央华盛顿大学的合作者正在开发一种将跨学科和以研究为基础的课程制度化的模式。该项目的目标是：(A)提供进步和创新的STEM课程，显著改善不同学生群体为高级课程和科学职业做准备；(B)为太平洋西北地区的合作奠定基础，重点是社区大学水平的STEM教育的卓越；以及(C)为我们理解学生在大学早期的研究和跨学科背景下如何思考、学习和解决问题做出重大贡献。“思维是有价值的”框架，在这个框架中，发展学科内部和跨学科的思维倾向被视为学术成功的关键，这一框架嵌入了课程改革的设想。合作者将利用本科研究和跨学科经验作为载体，在大学经历的第一年和第二年培养有意义的思考机会。形成性和终结性评估将解决三个问题：(A)该项目是否提供了参加跨学科和研究型STEM课程的学生和教职员工新的“思维习惯”的证据？(B)跨学科和以研究为基础的课程是否改善了教学实践和学生的学习成果？和(C)该项目是否影响到其他社区学院和大学？教师/管理员评审小组、学生课堂评估、学生/教职员工访谈和机构演示将用于记录、分析和更新项目结果。新材料和成果的传播将通过与实践教师的直接伙伴关系、用于分发课程的网络存在以及在整个项目期间在全国会议上发表演讲，对广泛的教育工作者产生影响。

Collaborators at North Seattle Community College (NSCC) and Central Washington University are developing a model for institutionalizing an interdisciplinary and research-based curriculum. The project goals are to (a) provide progressive and innovative STEM curriculum that significantly improves preparation of diverse student populations for upper level courses and careers in science, (b) establish the foundation for a Pacific Northwest Collaboration focused on excellence in STEM education at the community college level, and (c) make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge regarding our understanding of how students think, learn, and problem solve in a research and interdisciplinary context early in their college experience. The "thinking is valued" framework, in which developing thinking dispositions within and across disciplines is seen as the key to academic success, is embedded in the curricular changes envisioned. The collaborators will use undergraduate research and interdisciplinary experiences as vehicles to cultivate meaningful thinking opportunities in the first and second years of the college experience. Formative and summative evaluation will address three questions (a) Does the project provide evidence of new "habits of thinking" from students and faculty who participate in the interdisciplinary and research-based STEM curricula? (b) Does interdisciplinary and research-based curriculum enhance teaching practices and student learning outcomes? and (c) Is the project reaching other community colleges and universities? A combination of faculty/administrator review panels, student classroom assessment, student/faculty/staff interviews, and institutional presentations will be used to document, analyze, and update project findings. Dissemination of new materials and results will impact a wide range of educators through direct partnerships with practicing faculty, a web presence that serves to distribute curriculum, and presentations at national meetings throughout the duration of the project.