Targeted Infusion Project: Expanding Educational Cyber-Infrastructure at Delaware State University

历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)通过有针对性的灌输项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以改善HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们能够攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。特拉华州立大学将实施一个名为：在特拉华州立大学扩展教育网络基础设施的项目。该项目旨在将网络学习策略整合到生物课程中，以改善教学，提高学生在STEM领域的成绩、留存率和毕业率。项目目标包括扩大该机构的远程学习基础设施；采用网络学习方法来加强生物教学；以及采用技术支持的以学生为中心的倒排课堂教学方法。在倒置课堂中，通常在课堂内进行的学习活动，如讲课，发生在课外，而通常在家里完成的学习活动，如解决问题，在家庭作业中应用课程概念，成为课堂工作的重点。这一方法已被证明是一种对所有类型的学习者来说都是一种强大和授权的教学模式。重新设计的生物课将让学生进行较低水平的认知工作，如在课外获取知识和理解，并专注于较高形式的认知工作，如在课堂上应用、分析、综合和/或评估，在那里他们得到同伴和教师的支持。允许学生像访问与个人兴趣相关的内容一样访问课程内容的教学方法有可能增加他们对材料的参与度，同时能够控制他们访问的速度和时间可以使他们对自己的学习拥有所有权。教育文献表明，当学生积极、投入、有目的地学习时，他们的学习效果最好。该项目将评估这种课程交付模式在支持学生学习和支持各种课程和教师的课程表现方面的有效性。如果该项目在学生学习和课程成功方面产生积极的结果，从入门到高级的生物课程的反向版本，它将为校园和其他HBCU的STEM系提供一个强大的模式。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. Delaware State University will implement a project entitled: Expanding Educational Cyber-Infrastructure at Delaware State University. The project aims to integrate cyberlearning strategies into the biology curriculum to improve instruction and increase student achievement, retention and graduation in STEM fields. Project objectives include expanding the institution's distance learning infrastructure; adapting cyberlearning approaches to enhance biology instruction; and adapting the technology-supported inverted classroom student-centered approach to teaching. In an inverted classroom, learning activities that are normally carried out inside the classroom, such as lecturing, take place outside of class, and learning activities that are normally completed at home, such as solving problems and applying the course concepts in homework assignments, become the focus of in-class work. This approach has been shown to be a powerful and empowering mode of instruction for all types of learners. Redesigned biology classes will have students doing the lower levels of cognitive work such as gaining knowledge and comprehension outside of class, and focusing on the higher forms of cognitive work such as application, analysis, synthesis, and/or evaluation in class, where they have the support of their peers and instructor. A teaching approach that allows students to access course content in the same way that they access content related to their personal interests has the potential to increase their engagement with the material, while being able to control the pace and timing of their access can give them ownership of their learning. Educational literature has demonstrated that students learn best when they are active, engaged and learning for a purpose. The project will assess the efficacy of this course delivery model for supporting student learning and course performance over a wide variety of courses and instructors. If the project yields positive outcomes in student learning and course success with inverted versions of the biology courses from the introductory to the advanced level, it will provide a powerful model for STEM departments on campus and at other HBCUs.