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生计划（HBCU-UP）通过有针对性的输液项目支持开发，实施和基于证据的创新模式和方法的研究，以提高HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们可以追求STEM研究生课程和/或职业。莫尔豪斯学院将实施一个有针对性的灌输项目，题为：创建一个信贷在线科学素养预科新生夏桥计划。这个高度创新的项目将创建一个新的基于问题的学习产品类别，旨在通过使用虚拟实验室来模拟研究体验，以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成果包括增加学生？批判性思维能力，内在动机，自我管理能力，实用科学素养和坚持STEM职业的意图。将通过修改题为“吃脑阿米巴”的跨学科研究模拟案例研究（RSCS）来创建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是一个教师指导的经验，要求学生通过承担研究科学家的角色来解决研究案例研究。RSCS食脑阿米巴将由虚拟的具体会话代理（ECA）而不是现场教师导师提供便利。这个计算机生成的角色是从一个真实的个人的脸创建的，并展示了许多与人类面对面交谈相同的属性，包括产生和回应语言和非语言交流的能力。一个具体的会话代理研究模拟（ECA-RS）的案例研究将通过结合ECA技术与全面的，跨学科的食脑阿米巴RSCS。在网上课程中增加食脑阿米巴ECA-RS将使其过渡到一个学分课程，将在新生前科学素养夏桥计划期间免费提供，以激励新生前参加。该计划在莫尔豪斯学院的成功实施将提高非裔美国学生的保留率和最终毕业率，这些学生将获得STEM学位并进入国家STEM劳动力队伍。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

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.