Developing Scientific Practices with Flexible and Inclusive Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Utilizing Paper Microfluidics

该项目旨在通过开发，实施和评估灵活和包容性的基于课程的本科生研究经验（CURES）来服务于国家利益，以提高学生在四个不同机构的分析化学课程中的科学实践。CURE已被证明对大学生的坚持性、科学身份以及对课程内容和科学技能的学习有积极影响。来自肯塔基州中心学院、斯基德莫尔学院、新泽西学院和弗吉尼亚卫斯理大学的分析化学教师计划开发CURE和相关的教师专业发展资源，以支持其在其他机构的使用。将开发的CURE将采用廉价，安全和灵活的纸质微流体实验室材料，预计这将使其他机构的化学课程更容易采用。此外，项目团队计划调查CURE如何支持学生学习和参与科学实践。该合作项目旨在支持分析化学教师使用逆向设计开发CURE材料并评估学生学习。该项目的具体目标是：1）开发一个理论驱动的过程，用于设计灵活的多周CURE; 2）开发纸微流体技术和支持材料，用于CURE实施; 3）评估CURE经验对学生学习的影响。待开发的分析化学CURE将把传统的比色测定转化为带有手机检测的纸微流体格式，以测量颜色变化。项目团队计划设计CURE，以支持学生参与实验设计和执行，数据分析和解释以及科学交流的科学实践。学生学习的措施将被选择作为向后设计过程的一部分，预计将包括通过提高STEM（ELIPSS）的过程技能来加强学习和本科教育（VALUE）的有效学习评估。预计项目成果不仅包括课程材料和学生学习评估结果，还包括在CURE内进行的研究的科学成果。NSF改善本科STEM教育（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。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 seeks to serve the national interest by developing, implementing, and assessing flexible and inclusive Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) to enhance students’ engagement with scientific practices in analytical chemistry courses at four diverse institutions. CUREs have been shown to positively impact college students’ persistence, scientific identity, and learning of both course content and science skills. Analytical chemistry faculty members from Centre College of Kentucky, Skidmore College, The College of New Jersey, and Virginia Wesleyan University plan to develop the CUREs and associated instructor professional development resources to support their use at other institutions in the future. The CUREs to be developed will employ paper microfluidic laboratory materials that are inexpensive, safe, and flexible, which is expected to make them easier for chemistry courses at other institutions to adopt. Additionally, the project team plans to investigate how the CUREs support student learning and engagement in scientific practices.The collaborative project intends to support analytical chemistry faculty members in the use of backward design to develop the CURE materials and assess student learning. The specific aims of the project are to: 1) develop a theory-driven process for the design of flexible multi-week CUREs; 2) develop paper microfluidic technology and support materials for CURE implementation; and 3) assess the impact of the CURE experiences on student learning. The analytical chemistry CUREs to be developed will translate traditional colorimetric assays into a paper microfluidic format with cell phone detection to measure color changes. The project team plans to design the CUREs to support students in engaging in the scientific practices of experimental design and execution, data analysis and interpretation, and scientific communication. Measures of student learning will be selected as part of the backward design process and are expected to include Enhancing Learning by Improving Process Skills in STEM (ELIPSS) and Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics. The project deliverables are expected to include not only course materials and results of assessments of student learning, but also scientific results from the research conducted within the CUREs. The NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (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.