Collaborative Research: Using Tutorial-Based Active E-Learning to Broaden Participation and Enhance Scientific Computing Skills in a Seismology Context

该项目旨在通过提高高级本科生的计算思维和科学计算技能来服务于国家利益。它将通过开发一个大招生、异步、开放访问、在线计算的研讨会来做到这一点。这种培训对于确保未来的科学家发展他们解决国家重要的计算机和数据密集型科学问题所需的知识和技能非常重要，例如气候变化。该项目将为1200多名高级本科生提供地震学方面的计算培训。培训将建立和完善一种基于试点教程的、活跃的电子学习体验，称为地震学技能建设研讨会。该项目还旨在创造一种更成功、更具包容性和更令人满意的在线学习体验，可以输出到其他STEM学科。由于研讨会在网上免费提供高级课程作业，因此可能会增加不同本科生和其他学习者对计算的参与度。事实上，根据试点研讨会的数据，该项目将惠及来自受新冠肺炎疫情影响特别大的社区的许多学生。通过其研究努力，该项目旨在增加对不同学生群体如何参与以辅导为基础的积极电子学习方法并从中受益的了解。通过确定研讨会的特点，吸引不同的受众并促进保留、学习和满意度，该项目还可以定义一个框架，供其他STEM社区用来开发类似的技术培训工作。2020年，由国家科学基金会资助的大学财团--地震学社区数据和设备设施--提供了一个初步的地震学技能建设研讨会。试点研讨会是为应对新冠肺炎疫情而推出的，覆盖了700多名学生，远远超出预期，而且比典型的面对面计算课程具有更高的多样性。通过试点讲习班，项目组确定了挑战，并收集了关于讲习班成效的数据。这个项目将调查由此产生的研究问题，这些问题在地震学内外都很重要：1)这种在线科学计算培训模式在多大程度上提高了参与者的学习和行为？2)在线科学计算培训模式对高级本科生的保留和表现有哪些关键影响，新的干预措施能否提高效率？3)基于教程的主动电子学习方法的要素对学习的贡献有多大？4)如何优化地震学技能建设研讨会的价值及其在地震学学习生态系统中的定位，以确保可持续性？这些问题将通过一项为期多年的混合方法研究调查加以解决，其中包括开发用于在学科范围内对计算思维和方案编制进行总结性评估的工具，改进作业问题类型的特征以审查业绩趋势，以及对参与者的活动和业绩数据进行相关性分析。将对课程和社区焦点小组进行专家审查，以确保地震学技能培养讲习班的可持续性。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。该项目处于参与学生学习轨道中，IUSE计划通过该轨道支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 improving computational thinking and scientific computing skills of advanced undergraduate students. It will do so by developing a large-enrollment, asynchronous, open access, online computational workshop. Such training is important to ensure that future scientists develop the knowledge and skills they need to tackle computer- and data-intensive scientific problems of national importance, such as climate change. This project will provide more than 1200 advanced undergraduates with computational training in a seismological context. The training will build on and refine a pilot tutorial-based, active e-learning experience called the Seismology Skill Building Workshop. The project also aims to generate a more successful, inclusive, and satisfying online learning experience that can be exported to other STEM disciplines. Because the workshop offers advanced coursework online without fees or prerequisites, it is likely to increase the participation of diverse undergraduates and other learners in computing. In fact, based on data from the pilot workshop, this project will reach many students from communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its research efforts, the project intends to increase understanding about how diverse groups of students engage with and benefit from the tutorial-based active e-learning approach. By identifying workshop features that attract diverse audiences and promote retention, learning, and satisfaction, the project can also define a framework that other STEM communities can use to develop similar technical training efforts.A preliminary Seismology Skill Building Workshop was offered in 2020 by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, an NSF-funded university consortium that operates the seismology community data and equipment facility. The pilot workshop was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and reached more than 700 students, many more than anticipated and with higher diversity than typical in-person computing courses. Through the pilot workshop, the project team identified challenges and gathered data about workshop effectiveness. This project will investigate the resulting research questions, which are important within and beyond seismology: 1) To what extent does this online scientific computing training model enhance participant learning and behavior? 2) What are the key influences on retention and performance for advanced undergraduates in the online scientific computing training model and can new interventions improve efficacy? 3) To what degree do the elements of the tutorial-based active e-learning approach contribute to learning? 4) How can the value of the Seismology Skill Building Workshop and its positioning within the seismology learning ecosystem be optimized to ensure sustainability? These questions will be addressed through a multi-year, mixed methods research investigation that includes development of instruments for summative assessment of computational thinking and programming within a disciplinary context, improved characterization of assignment question types to examine performance trends, and correlation analysis of participant activity and performance data. Expert reviews of the curriculum and community focus groups will be conducted to ensure sustainability of the Seismology Skill Building Workshop. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. This project is in the Engaged Student Learning track, through which the IUSE 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.