Targeted Infusion Project: Creation of a for Credit Online Scientific Literacy Pre-Freshmen Summer Bridge Program

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU- up）通过有针对性的输液项目支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。莫尔豪斯学院将实施一项针对性的灌输项目，名为：创建一个学分在线科学素养预科新生暑期桥梁项目。这个极具创新性的项目将创造一类新的基于问题的学习产品，旨在通过使用虚拟实验室模拟研究经验来促进学生对科学研究过程的理解。这种虚拟研究体验的预期结果包括增加学生？批判性思维技能、内在动机、自我管理技能、实用的科学素养以及坚持STEM职业的意图。通过修改一个名为“大脑吃阿米巴”的跨学科研究模拟案例研究（RSCS），将创建一个新的基于问题的学习产品类别，以注入在线科学素养课程。RSCS是一种由教师指导的体验，要求学生通过扮演研究科学家的角色来解决研究案例研究。RSCS大脑进食阿米巴将由虚拟具体化对话代理（ECA）而不是现场教师导师来促进。这个电脑生成的角色是根据真人的脸创造的，并展示了许多与人类面对面交谈相同的特性，包括产生和回应口头和非口头交流的能力。将ECA技术与综合性、跨学科的食脑变形虫RSCS相结合，创建一个具体化的对话代理研究模拟（ECA- rs）案例研究。将“食脑变形虫ECA-RS”添加到在线课程中，将使其转变为一门学分课程，该课程将在大一预科科学素养暑期桥梁项目期间免费提供，以激励大一预科学生参与。该项目在莫尔豪斯学院的成功实施将提高获得STEM学位的非裔美国学生的保留率和最终毕业率，并进入全国STEM劳动力市场。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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. Morehouse College will implement a Targeted Infusion Project entitled: Creation of a for Credit Online scientific Literacy Pre-freshmen Summer Bridge Program. This highly innovative project will create a new category of problem-based learning products designed to facilitate student understanding of the scientific research process by using a virtual laboratory to simulate a research experience. Anticipated outcomes from this virtual research experience include increasing students? critical thinking skills, intrinsic motivation, self-management skills, utilitarian scientific literacy and intent to persist in STEM careers. The new category of problem-based learning products that will be created to infuse into the online Scientific Literacy course will occur by modifying an interdisciplinary research simulation case study (RSCS) entitled Brain Eating Amoeba. The RSCS is a faculty mentored experience that requires a student to solve a research case study by assuming the role of a research scientist. The RSCS Brain Eating Amoeba will be facilitated by a virtual embodied conversational agent (ECA) instead of a live faculty mentor. This computer-generated character is created from the face of a real individual and demonstrates many of the same properties as human face-to-face conversation, including the ability to produce and respond to verbal and nonverbal communication. An embodied conversational agent-research simulation (ECA-RS) case study will be created by combining ECA technology with the comprehensive, interdisciplinary Brain Eating Amoeba RSCS. The addition of the Brain Eating Amoeba ECA-RS to the online course will enable its transition to a for-credit course that will be offered at no cost during the Pre-Freshmen Scientific Literacy Summer Bridge Program as an incentive for pre-freshmen to participate. The successful implementation of this program at Morehouse College will increase retention and ultimately graduation rates of African American students graduating with STEM degrees and entering into the national STEM workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.