RCN-UBE: Advancing CURE Teaching Assistant Professional Development via the CURE TAPESTRy Network

该项目旨在通过让生物学本科课程研究经验（CUREs）的促进者参与为实验室协调员和助教（TAs）设计的新的专业发展资源和机会的创建和评估，从而服务于国家利益，他们自己负责领导CUREs。CURE以研究为导向的本质给那些教授他们的人提出了一套独特的教学挑战，需要独特的专业发展机会。鉴于目前还没有关注CURE TA PD的社区，而且关于CURE TA PD的文献也很有限，本项目旨在建立CURE助教专业发展以提高科学教学、研究和指导能力（TAPESTRy）网络，主要目标是提高CURE TA PD的知识和最佳实践。具体而言，该项目将：(1)建立CURE TAPESTRy网络，并通过招聘对实验室协调员和TAs PD的专业发展感兴趣的不同人士来促进网络的发展；(2)通过文献综述和全国调查，描述当前治愈TAs PD机会的现状；(3)为CURE TA PD促进者创建、实施和评估一项为期一年的创新奖学金计划，在该计划中，研究员将创建和评估CURE TA PD资源；(4)生成经过实地测试的CURE TA PD资源库，供从业人员和研究人员免费使用；(5)开发、推出并评估针对CURE TA PD引导员的edX“培训师”大规模开放在线课程（MOOC）。通过促进CURE助教的专业发展，CURE TAPESTRy网络将有助于助教的专业发展，同时培养教学知识和智力资本，以帮助本科生发展他们的研究技能。该项目由生物基础设施司生物科学理事会和本科教育司教育和人力资源理事会共同资助，作为其应对《本科生物学教育的愿景与变革：行动呼吁》（http://visionandchange/finalreport/）所提出的挑战的努力的一部分。该项目还得到了NSF IUSE:HSI计划的支持，该计划的目标是提高STEM本科教育的质量，提高攻读STEM副学士学位或学士学位的学生的招聘、保留和毕业率。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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by engaging facilitators of biology course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in the creation and evaluation of novel professional development resources and opportunities designed for laboratory coordinators and teaching assistants (TAs) who are, themselves, responsible for leading CUREs. The research-oriented nature of a CURE presents a unique set of instructional challenges for those that teach them, requiring distinct professional development (PD) opportunities. Given that no community currently exists that focuses on CURE TA PD and the literature on CURE TA PD is limited, this project aims to establish the CURE Teaching Assistant Professional Development to Enhance Scientific Teaching, Research, and Mentoring Capacity (TAPESTRy) network, with the primary goal of advancing CURE TA PD knowledge and best practices. Specifically, this project will: (1) establish the CURE TAPESTRy network and cultivate growth in the network through recruitment of diverse individuals interested in professional development for laboratory coordinators and TAs PD; (2) characterize the current landscape of PD opportunities for CURE TAs through a literature review and national survey; (3) create, implement, and evaluate an innovative year-long fellowship program for CURE TA PD facilitators, in which fellows will create and assess CURE TA PD resources; (4) generate a curated repository of field-tested CURE TA PD resources, which will be freely available to practitioners and researchers; and (5) develop, launch, and assess an edX “train-the-trainer” massively-open online course (MOOC) for CURE TA PD facilitators. By promoting PD for CURE TAs, the CURE TAPESTRy network will contribute to the professional growth of TAs while simultaneously cultivating the pedagogical knowledge and intellectual capital needed to assist undergraduates in developing their research skills. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange/finalreport/).This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE:HSI program, which has the goals of enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education, and increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.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.