Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research Education to Promote Student Engagement and Success

将本科研究教育制度化以促进学生的参与和成功

• 批准号: 1821351
• 负责人: Laurie McConnico
• 金额: $ 25.65万
• 依托单位: Cuesta College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-03-01 至 2024-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1821351&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Institutionalizing; Undergraduate; Research; Education; Promote

Research demonstrates that undergraduate research experiences help to develop students' problem-solving skills, connect the classroom to careers, and improve student motivation. Studies focused on students from historically underrepresented groups show that participation in undergraduate research experiences improves their persistence in STEM and helps to validate their identity as scientists. Cuesta College, a two-year institution, will provide undergraduate research experiences in multiple STEM disciplines. As suggested by previous research, it is expected that participating in undergraduate research will increase student engagement, improve their problem-solving skills, increase retention, and improve their success after college. A multi-disciplinary Faculty Inquiry Group will identify best practices and promote the value of undergraduate research to faculty and students.The overarching goal of this project is to create a culture of undergraduate research involving multiple STEM disciplines to increase student engagement and better prepare students to succeed. The project will involve faculty from biology, engineering, astronomy, chemistry, and math, who will incorporate course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) into their courses. A Faculty Inquiry Group will build a knowledge base about how to offer effective undergraduate research experiences and will use that information to recruit other college faculty to incorporate CUREs into their courses. This core group of interdisciplinary faculty innovators will develop and test research experiences using different settings, modes, and methods. A successful CURE in astronomy will serve as a model to other disciplines and faculty involved in the astronomy CURE will assist CURE-developers in other disciplines. Economics will join the team to connect the project to the social sciences. Measures of student success will include scientific knowledge, understanding of research practices, and sense of belonging to the discipline. The project will provide professional development opportunities to all faculty to share knowledge about effective CURES and to encourage participation. The Faculty will be trained to mentor student researchers and to encourage them to publish or present their results. College administration will address policies and procedures, such as articulation agreements and faculty workload, to remove barriers to the implementation of undergraduate research experiences. The concept of a robust, college-wide undergraduate research program at a two-year institution is innovative. The project will monitor changes in faculty perceptions and attitudes about undergraduate research experiences and document challenges and benefits of implementing CUREs, which may include affects on faculty workload, advancement, and job satisfaction. Results of this project can provide insights about the capacity of community colleges to implement and expand CUREs.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.

研究表明，本科研究经验有助于培养学生解决问题的能力，将课堂与职业联系起来，并提高学生的学习动机。针对历史上代表性不足的群体的学生的研究表明，参与本科研究经历可以提高他们对STEM的坚持，并有助于验证他们作为科学家的身份。Cuesta College是一所两年制学院，将提供多个STEM学科的本科研究经验。 正如以前的研究所建议的那样，预计参与本科研究将增加学生的参与度，提高他们解决问题的能力，提高保留率，并提高他们在大学毕业后的成功率。一个多学科的教师调查小组将确定最佳实践，并促进本科研究的价值，教师和学生。该项目的总体目标是创造一种涉及多个STEM学科的本科研究文化，以提高学生的参与度，更好地为学生的成功做好准备。该项目将涉及来自生物学，工程学，天文学，化学和数学的教师，他们将把基于课程的本科生研究经验（CURES）纳入他们的课程。一个教师调查小组将建立一个关于如何提供有效的本科生研究经验的知识库，并将利用这些信息招募其他大学教师将CURE纳入他们的课程。这个跨学科创新教师的核心小组将使用不同的设置，模式和方法开发和测试研究经验。一个成功的天文学治愈将作为一个模型，以其他学科和教师参与天文学治愈将协助治愈开发人员在其他学科。经济学将加入该团队，将该项目与社会科学联系起来。衡量学生成功的标准将包括科学知识，对研究实践的理解以及对学科的归属感。该项目将为所有教师提供专业发展机会，分享有关有效治疗的知识，并鼓励参与。该学院将接受培训，指导学生研究人员，并鼓励他们发表或介绍他们的成果。 学院行政部门将解决政策和程序，如衔接协议和教师的工作量，以消除本科研究经验的实施障碍。一个强大的，大学范围内的本科研究计划在两年制机构的概念是创新的。 该项目将监测教师对本科研究经验的看法和态度的变化，并记录实施CURE的挑战和好处，其中可能包括对教师工作量，进步和工作满意度的影响。该项目的结果可以提供有关社区学院实施和扩大CURE的能力的见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是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的支持。