Collaborative Research: Beyond Active Learning: Learning Assistant (LA) Supported Pedagogies in Large Lecture Science Courses

协作研究：超越主动学习：学习助理 (LA) 支持大型讲座科学课程的教学法

• 批准号: 1525343
• 负责人: Jeffrey Boyer
• 金额: $ 35.97万
• 依托单位: North Dakota State University Fargo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-15 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1525343&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Beyond; Active; Learning

The University of Colorado at Denver, North Dakota State University Fargo, and Florida International University have received an NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources Design and Development tier award to observe, characterize, and interpret the active learning methods employed in a large sample of Learning Assistant (LA) supported and non-LA supported science courses at the three universities. The research will investigate how active learning methods and undergraduate LA support contribute to the learning gains, achievement, retention, and persistence of over 10,600 Biology students, 8,800 Chemistry students, and 7,600 Physics students during each year of the four-year project. The Project will provide critical evidence on active learning as it 1) examines a large number of students and faculty in three STEM disciplines (Chemistry, Biology, and Physics) at three large public universities, 2) provides deep understanding of how active learning and LA support promotes student success, 3) examines student success through a variety of measures, 4) provides critical insight into the learning of underrepresented/minority (URM) students in STEM, and 5) directly informs the large International Learning Assistant Alliance, which currently consists of fifty-five (55) universities.This research project is based on the strong evidence that the implementation of active learning methods in undergraduate science courses can lead to increased student outcomes, including retention and persistence to graduation. It is based also on the evidence that LAs can support the use of active learning methods in the large lecture science courses. While examining the interaction of active learning methods and Learning Assistant support in undergraduate science courses, the PI team will seek answers to the following four research questions: What are the activities employed in undergraduate science courses? How can these activities be understood in terms of a cognitive process framework? How are LAs involved in supporting these activities? How does engaging in these activities with and without LA support contribute to student level outcomes? Observational data will be collected at both the course and student levels, using both extant instruments (e.g. the Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM) and new student survey instruments that probe student perceptions of instructional effectiveness. In addition student learning outcome data will be gathered using established concept inventories (e.g. the Force Concept Inventory). The results of this work will contribute to our knowledge on student learning and interaction in STEM classrooms and on effective strategies to retain students in STEM disciplines.

科罗拉多大学丹佛分校、北达科他州州立大学法戈分校和佛罗里达国际大学获得了NSF提高本科生STEM教育：教育和人力资源设计与开发等级奖，以观察、表征和解释这三所大学学习助理（LA）支持和非LA支持的科学课程中采用的大量主动学习方法。该研究将调查如何积极的学习方法和本科LA支持有助于学习收益，成就，保留，并超过10，600名生物学学生，8，800名化学学生和7，600名物理学学生在四年制项目的每一年的持久性。该项目将提供关于主动学习的关键证据，因为它1）检查了三个STEM学科的大量学生和教师（化学，生物和物理）在三个大型公立大学，2）提供了如何积极学习和LA支持促进学生成功的深刻理解，3）通过各种措施检查学生的成功，4）为STEM中代表性不足/少数民族（URM）学生的学习提供了重要见解，5）直接通知大型国际学习助理联盟，目前共有55个（55）这项研究项目是基于强有力的证据表明，在本科科学课程中实施主动学习方法可以导致提高学生的成绩，包括保留和毕业的坚持。它也是基于证据表明，LAs可以支持在大型讲座科学课程中使用主动学习方法。在研究本科科学课程中主动学习方法和学习助理支持的相互作用时，PI团队将寻求以下四个研究问题的答案：本科科学课程中采用的活动是什么？ 如何在认知过程框架中理解这些活动？ 地方当局如何参与支持这些活动？如何参与这些活动，有和没有洛杉矶的支持有助于学生水平的成果？观察数据将在课程和学生层面收集，使用现有的工具（例如本科STEM课堂观察协议）和新的学生调查工具，探索学生对教学效果的看法。此外，学生的学习成果数据将使用建立的概念清单（如力量概念清单）收集。这项工作的结果将有助于我们在STEM课堂上的学生学习和互动知识，以及在STEM学科中留住学生的有效策略。