TSIP: FPCC GIS Enhancement Project

部落学院和大学计划(TCUP)的一个目标是提高服务于国家土著学生的特定高等教育机构的科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教学和研究能力。扩大这些机构提供的STEM课程可以扩大学生在STEM相关领域追求富有挑战性和回报的职业的机会，提供可能具有文化意义的领域的研究性学习，并鼓励社区和世代对科学和数学教育的欣赏。通过留住有资格证书的STEM教员的人才，显著增强了能力增长的可持续性。这个项目与这一目标直接一致。派克堡社区学院(FPCC)正在通过增加应用科学地理信息系统技术证书来扩大其地理和环境科学课程的能力。该证书将使FPCC学生为相关工作做好准备，从而满足劳动力需求。该证书以体验式学习环境为核心，作为增加未被充分代表的原住民大学生参与STEM学习领域和最终STEM职业生涯的根本途径。该项目将现有的地理信息系统和环境科学课程工作与体验式学习过程中的动手技术相结合，以提高FPCC学生对STEM相关领域的兴趣和参与。此外，向学生提供可用于保护、保存和监测部落文化资源的工具，创造了一个有用的环境。此外，为部落成员或后代的学生提供学习STEM的机会可以加强部落治理、监督和经济福祉。这一奖项反映了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。

A goal of the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (TCUP) is to increase the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instructional and research capacities of specific institutions of higher education that serve the nations indigenous students. Expanding the STEM curricular offerings at these institutions expands the opportunities of their students to pursue challenging rewarding careers in STEM-related fields, provides for research studies in areas that may be culturally significant, and encourages a community and generational appreciation for science and mathematics education. Sustainability of capacity gains is significantly enhanced by retaining the talent of credentialed STEM faculty. This project aligns directly with that goal.Fort Peck Community College (FPCC) is expanding its capacity in geography and environmental sciences classes by adding a GIS Technology Certificate in Applied Science. The certificate will prepare FPCC students for relevant employment, thereby addressing workforce needs. The certificate is centered on an experiential-based learning environment as the underlying approach to increase the participation of underrepresented Native college students in the STEM fields of study and eventually STEM careers. The project combines existing GIS and environmental science course work with hands-on technology in experiential-based learning processes to heighten the interest and participation of FPCC students in STEM-related fields. Further, giving students tools that can be used to protect, preserve, and monitor the cultural resources of the tribes creates an environment of usefulness. Moreover, providing opportunities in STEM studies for students who are tribal members or descendants can strengthen tribal governance, oversight, and economic well-being.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.