I-Corps L: CyberMentoring Network (CMN) for Broadening the Participation of Underrepresented Students in STEM

通过美国国家科学基金会创新团队学习计划(i-Corps L)，该项目将开发扩大网络管理网络的规模和影响的方法。该网络将提供一套创新的基于网络的移动工具，以解决STEM学生的准备、留住和毕业问题。网络教学网络专门适用于没有正式网络根据学生的具体需求指导学生的情况。扩大STEM中传统上代表性不足的群体的个人参与的关键之一是向学生提供做出明智决定所必需的随时可用的信息，并帮助高等教育机构识别、招聘、指导、留住和安置潜在的STEM学生。通过提供学生资源和接触STEM领域的从业者导师，学生将能够更好地理解他们的课程对他们的职业生涯的适用性。此外，网络教学网络将影响学生的社交网络、STEM领域工作的社会资本以及他们为研究生和专业学校做准备。将首先在为少数群体服务的机构中实施网络监测网络。网络监测网络将有助于扩大STEM中任职人数不足的群体的个人参与，从而有助于加强STEM的劳动力。一年级学生在从高中过渡到拥有STEM专业的高等教育机构的过程中遇到的困难最大。这些学生往往落在后面，因为他们可能没有为大学STEM课程做好充分的准备，或者因为他们可能对课程的学科领域和/或快节奏感到害怕。网络教学网络将利用基于网络的移动工具，以满足STEM学生的需求。这些工具旨在指导和支持少数族裔和代表性不足的学生访问、研究、组织、跟踪和实现他们的职业选择。网络教学网络为学生提供了一种从任何地理位置与同行和STEM导师(包括教育工作者和从业者)进行交流和互动的简单方式，创建了一个支持网络，并访问了STEM职业信息。

Through the NSF Innovation Corps for Learning Program (I-Corps L), this project will develop ways to increase the scale and impact of the CyberMentoring Network. This network will provide a suite of innovative web-based and mobile tools to address the preparation, retention, and graduation of STEM students. The CyberMentoring Network is specifically adapted for cases in which there are no formal networks in place to mentor students based on their specific needs. One of the keys to broadening participation of individuals from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in STEM is to provide students with readily available information essential to making informed decisions and to assist institutions of higher education identify, recruit, mentor, retain, and place prospective STEM students. By offering students resources and access to mentors who are practitioners in the STEM field, students will be better able to understand the applicability of their coursework to their professional career. Furthermore, the CyberMentoring Network will impact students' social networks, social capital for work in STEM fields, and their preparation for graduate and professional school. Implementation of the CyberMentoring Network will be initially in minority serving institutions. The CyberMentoring Network will be instrumental in broadening the participation of individuals from groups underrepresented in STEM and thus, contribute to the strengthening of the STEM workforce. First-year students tend to experience the most difficulties in transitioning from high school to higher education institutions with STEM majors. These students tend to fall behind because they may not be well prepared for college STEM courses or because they may feel intimidated by the subject areas and/or fast-pace of the programs. The CyberMentoring Network will utilize web-based and mobile tools tailored to the needs of STEM students. These tools are designed to mentor and empower minority and underrepresented students to access, research, organize, track, and realize their career options. CyberMentoring Network provides students with an easy way to communicate and interact from any geographic location with peers and STEM mentors (both educators and practitioners), create a support network, and access information about STEM careers.