Collaborative Research: Expanding and Evaluating Ecological Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences Supported by a National Network of Scientists and Educators

该项目旨在通过评估以证据为基础的做法，让学生在整个本科课程的真实生态研究服务于国家利益。研究机会使学生能够参与科学过程，并帮助他们发展劳动力准备和评估潜在的职业。通过在教学中嵌入研究，以课程为基础的本科研究经验（CURES）为大量学生提供研究机会。该项目将评估一套以社区为基础的CURE模块，旨在帮助学生在整个本科生活中培养科学技能。这些模块为学生提供了重复的机会，对松鼠的行为生态学进行真实的研究。 这些动物对许多人来说本质上是有趣的，可以在广泛的环境中进行研究。 这些治疗得到了一个国家网络（松鼠网）的支持，该网络为寻求增加治疗采用的教师提供工具和培训。 该网络还为学生和教师提供了跨课程和机构进行沟通和合作的机会。该项目旨在提高对科学、技术、工程和数学教学循证方法的理解，并通过广泛实施CURE模块来改善对多样化科学工作者的教育，该项目旨在评估将CURE模块纳入课程并通过网络支持学生和教师的影响。该项目有两个目标：（1）传播和支持一套可广泛转移的教学模块和工具包，使教师能够轻松地将基于现场的行为生态学CURE嵌入课程中;（2）评估网络CURE模块如何影响学生在内容知识，技能和自我认同方面的收获，作为一个科学家跨越多个不同的机构。参与的教师将接受使用开放式教学模块的培训，并通过数字资源（例如，教学材料;学生收集数据的在线数据库）和现场设备贷款。通过在不同机构的多门课程中搭建模块，该项目将研究CURE模块实施的具体功能如何影响学生在各种背景和学生人口统计数据中的成绩。学生的成果将进行评估，从验证的调查工具，侧重于科学技能，归属感的社区，并作为一个科学家的自我认同。结构方程模型将用于评估CURE参与对学生内容知识，分析技能和参与变化框架的理论的影响。该项目将通过实证测试重复的CURE和属于全国性的研究网络是否会提高学生的成绩，来指导STEM教学和学习中循证实践的实施和改进。该项目得到了NSF改善本科STEM教育计划的支持：教育和人力资源，该计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。 该奖项反映了NSF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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by evaluating evidence-based practices for engaging students in authentic ecological research across the undergraduate curriculum. Research opportunities enable students to engage in the scientific process, as well as help them to develop workforce readiness and to evaluate potential careers. By embedding research within instruction, Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) provide research opportunities to large numbers of students. This project will evaluate a set of community-based CURE modules intended to help students build scientific skills throughout their undergraduate experience. The modules provide students with repeated opportunities to conduct authentic research on the behavioral ecology of squirrels. These animals are intrinsically interesting to many people and can be studied across a wide range of environments. These CURES are supported by a national network (Squirrel-Net) that provides tools and training for instructors who seek to increase CURE adoption. The Network also provides opportunities for students and faculty to communicate and collaborate across courses and institutions. This project seeks to enhance understanding of evidence-based approaches to STEM instruction and to improve the education of a diverse scientific workforce through broad implementation of the CURE modules.The project aims to assess the impacts of scaffolding CURE modules within curricula and supporting students and instructors through a network. The project goals are twofold: (1) disseminate and support a set of broadly transferable teaching modules and toolkits to allow instructors to easily embed field-based, behavioral ecology CUREs within courses; and (2) assess how networked CURE modules impact student gains in content knowledge, skills, and self-identification as a scientist across multiple and varied institutions. Participating instructors will be trained in the use of open-access teaching modules and supported through digital resources (e.g., instructional materials; an online database of student-collected data) and field equipment loans. By scaffolding modules among multiple courses at diverse institutions, this project will examine how specific features of CURE module implementation affect student outcomes across a variety of contexts and student demographics. Student outcomes will be evaluated with assessments derived from validated survey instruments focused on scientific skills, sense of belonging to a community, and self-identity as a scientist. Structural equation modeling will be used to evaluate the impacts of CURE participation on student content knowledge, analytical skills, and engagement following a theory of change framework. This project will guide the implementation and improvement of evidence-based practices in STEM teaching and learning by empirically testing whether repeated CUREs and belonging to a nationwide research network improves student outcomes. This project is supported by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program: Education and Human Resources, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.