RCN-UBE Incubator: ALIVE, a platform for facilitating Authentic Learning In Virtual tropical Environments

热带生物群落在全球水、碳和养分循环中发挥着重要作用，并支撑着地球生物多样性的很大一部分。尽管热带生态系统在生态学上具有重要意义，但在本科生物学教科书和课程中却鲜有涉及。热带生态学的研究人员已经开发了一套丰富的学习材料，可以适用于课堂，但与本科生物学教育工作者网络传播这些学习材料的手段目前还不存在。这个孵化器项目的目标是1）开始发展真实的学习在虚拟热带环境（ALIVE）网络，组织和进行为期两天的研讨会，汇集了热带生态学，教育工作者，媒体专家和数据库工程师的研究人员;和2）写并提交一份关于真实的基于课堂的本科生研究经验（CURES）在热带生态学的评论/概念文件。该项目的长期目标是，ALIVE网络将开发一个基于网络的平台，以传播其开发的热带生态学学习材料，并促进课堂上的学生与热带实地研究人员之间的直接交流。虽然CURES可以解决为学生提供基于研究的经验的挑战，他们的发展往往是超出了许多教师，特别是基于国际研究的CURES。因此，有必要建立一个平台，将热带生物学研究与最佳教学做法结合起来。新的教育材料和社区，促进学生，教育工作者和热带领域的研究人员之间的沟通，将提高学生在本科课程的参与，并扩大文化，种族和地理的观点。虽然海外留学项目可以向学生介绍热带生物学，但只有相对较小比例的学生可以参加。来自代表性不足和/或社会经济弱势群体的学生可能最没有能力参与，从而扩大了这些学生的机会差距。将热带生态学的真实研究纳入课堂活动将创造公平的竞争环境，使所有学生都能在课堂上获得国际研究的经验。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。

Tropical biomes play major roles in global water, carbon, and nutrient cycling and support a large proportion of the Earth's biodiversity. Despite their ecological importance, tropical ecosystems receive scant coverage in undergraduate biology textbooks and courses. Researchers in tropical ecology have developed a rich set of learning materials that could be adapted for the classroom, but a means for networking with undergraduate biology educators to disseminate these learning materials does not currently exist. The goals of this Incubator project are to 1) begin developing the Authentic Learning In Virtual tropical Environments (ALIVE) network by organizing and conducting a two-day workshop that brings together researchers in tropical ecology, educators, media specialists, and database engineers; and 2) write and submit a review/concept paper about authentic classroom-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in tropical ecology. The long-term vision of the PIs is that the ALIVE network will develop a web-based platform to disseminate the tropical ecology learning materials it develops and that facilitates direct communication between students in the classroom and tropical field researchers.This Incubator project aims to enhance undergraduate biology by integrating two practices, the use of CUREs and internationalization of curricula. Although CUREs can address the challenge of providing students research-based experiences, their development is often beyond the reach of many faculty, especially for CUREs based on international research. There is thus a need for a platform that integrates research in tropical biology with best practices in pedagogy. New educational materials and a community that fosters communication between students, educators, and tropical field researchers will enhance student engagement in undergraduate courses and broaden cultural, ethnic, and geographic perspectives. Although study-abroad programs can introduce students to tropical biology, only a relatively small proportion of students can participate. Students from underrepresented and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged groups may be the least able to participate, thus widening the opportunity gap for these students. Incorporating authentic research in tropical ecology into classroom-based activities will level the playing field, enabling all students to gain experience in international research in the classroom.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.