Undergraduate Service Learning Experiences with Data: Mathematics in the Community

本科生数据服务学习经验：社区中的数学

• 批准号: 2021512
• 负责人: Michelle Friend
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: University of Nebraska at Omaha
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-10-01 至 2024-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2021512&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Undergraduate; Service; Learning; Experiences; Data

This project aims to serve the national interest by transforming how undergraduate students engage with and learn mathematics in a new first-year general education (GenEd) course. In this course students will analyze and create visualizations of data in order to answer authentic questions from non-profit community partners. By developing data literacy and visualization skills critical in an information-dense society, students will meet general education requirements in quantitative literacy. Researchers expect that students will increase in confidence and interest in mathematics and data science. Meaningful interactions with community partners will enable students to develop an increased commitment to community engagement and enhanced workforce skills, such as: leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills. The course is also expected to engage students who may have lower interest and self-efficacy in mathematics, thus broadening participation in data science.The project aims to increase understanding of the effectiveness and feasibility of service learning as a context to improve student outcomes in GenEd mathematics courses. Service learning is a method of engaged teaching and learning that emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving by connecting course content with real-world experiences. Through inquiry-based learning the project will engage students in authentic inquiry, solving real-world problems and documenting learning through regular reflection. The project will investigate the educational impact of the GenEd course in terms of students’ interest and engagement in mathematics and other STEM disciplines. Retention in the university and future course-taking behavior will also be examined. A within-subject design will be used to measure how the course changes student attitudes towards STEM by having students complete a pre-course survey and a corresponding post-course survey using validated measures of self-efficacy, interest, and STEM attitudes. In addition, the research team will work with instructors of other GenEd mathematics courses to implement a between-subject design to compare courses. Comparisons will look both at absolute outcomes (e.g. comparing interest in future STEM-course taking at the end of the semester between each course) and also at changes from the beginning to the end of the semester (e.g. gains in mathematical self-efficacy). The team will apply a mixed-methods approach that uses quantitative data to measure progress towards participation targets and qualitative data that provides insights into the research questions as well as insights into the successes and challenges of the overall project. Data collection will consist of semi-structured interviews and focus groups, project documents, reflections, classroom observations, surveys, and university enrollment data. Project results and deliverables will be shared with other institutions through a public website as well as publications. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program 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.

该项目旨在通过改变本科生在新的一年级通识教育（GenEd）课程中参与和学习数学的方式，为国家利益服务。在本课程中，学生将分析和创建数据可视化，以回答来自非营利社区合作伙伴的真实问题。通过培养在信息密集的社会中至关重要的数据素养和可视化技能，学生将在定量素养方面满足通识教育的要求。研究人员期望学生对数学和数据科学的信心和兴趣会增加。与社区合作伙伴有意义的互动将使学生对社区参与有更多的承诺，并提高劳动力技能，如：领导能力、沟通能力和批判性思维能力。该课程还有望吸引那些对数学兴趣和自我效能感较低的学生，从而扩大他们对数据科学的参与。该项目旨在提高对服务学习的有效性和可行性的理解，以提高学生在GenEd数学课程中的学习成绩。服务性学习是一种通过将课程内容与现实世界的经验联系起来，强调批判性思维和解决问题的参与式教学方法。通过探究性学习，该项目将让学生参与真实的探究，解决现实世界的问题，并通过定期反思来记录学习。该项目将调查GenEd课程在学生对数学和其他STEM学科的兴趣和参与方面的教育影响。在大学的留校和未来的课程学习行为也将被审查。课程内设计将用于测量课程如何改变学生对STEM的态度，方法是让学生完成课前调查和相应的课后调查，使用有效的自我效能感、兴趣和STEM态度测量。此外，研究小组将与其他GenEd数学课程的教师合作，实施学科间设计，以比较课程。比较将着眼于绝对结果（例如，在学期结束时比较每门课程对未来stem课程的兴趣）和从学期开始到结束的变化（例如，数学自我效能的提高）。该团队将采用混合方法，使用定量数据来衡量参与目标的进展情况，并使用定性数据来提供对研究问题以及对整个项目的成功和挑战的见解。数据收集将包括半结构化访谈和焦点小组、项目文件、反思、课堂观察、调查和大学入学数据。项目成果和可交付成果将通过公共网站和出版物与其他机构共享。NSF IUSE: EHR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。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。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。