Integrating an Artificial Intelligence-Driven, Culturally Responsible Digital Graphic Novel Curriculum into STEM Introductory Biology Courses

将人工智能驱动、对文化负责的数字图画小说课程融入 STEM 生物学入门课程

• 批准号: 2234281
• 负责人: Shayla Williams
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Albany State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-03-01 至 2026-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2234281&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Integrating; Artificial; Intelligence; Driven; Culturally

This project aims to serve the national interest by implementing a novel approach to engage and retain students in STEM. Traditional classroom-focused programs often fail to adequately stimulate interest in STEM and STEM-based research, especially for minority groups underrepresented in their pursuit of STEM fields of study. However, hands-on focused classrooms have been shown to increase minority and female participation in STEM. The use of graphic novels is another hands-on, practical proven technique, as such artifacts are a learning medium that combines both text and visuals to improve student performance. However, the creation of a custom graphic novel can be time-consuming. Thus, this project will focus on using an artificial intelligence/natural language processing (AI/NLP) approach to develop a digital graphic novel curriculum that is personalized to the cultural background and challenge level of the user. The target group of students comprises freshman and sophomores taking a Principles of Biology course because the first two years of college are considered potential “leaks” in the STEM pipeline. The proposed research will develop a prototype of the front-end student experience and workflows for digital interaction with a graphic novel curriculum through an intuitive, web-based interface design. An educational curriculum, content, and engaging humor will be integrated with navigation tools to enable transitions into, within, and between different graphical-comedic lessons. The envisioned web app will be developed, tested, and produced on Amazon Web Services. Platform architecture will be composed of three components: electronic data sourcing, student web interface, and a back-end AI engine. This approach will address a paucity of data on the impact of using an effective learning modality such as graphic novels with a predominately historically disadvantaged population in the STEM fields. The success of this project will create a reproducible method for effectively designing, producing, and integrating a customized, culturally responsive graphic novel using an AI/NLP-driven platform into inquiry-based STEM classes, as well as determining its efficacy and impact on student learning gains and STEM course retention. Project findings may have additional implications for increasing minority STEM participation in upper class biology courses and for disciplines outside of biology. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through its 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.

该项目旨在通过实施一种新颖的方法来吸引和留住 STEM 学生，从而服务于国家利益。传统的以课堂为中心的项目往往无法充分激发人们对 STEM 和基于 STEM 的研究的兴趣，特别是对于在追求 STEM 研究领域的少数群体而言。然而，事实证明，注重实践的课堂可以增加少数族裔和女性对 STEM 的参与。图画小说的使用是另一种经过实践检验的实用技术，因为此类作品是一种结合文本和视觉效果的学习媒介，可以提高学生的表现。然而，定制图画小说的创作可能非常耗时。因此，该项目将专注于使用人工智能/自然语言处理（AI/NLP）方法来开发针对用户的文化背景和挑战水平进行个性化的数字图画小说课程。目标学生群体包括选修生物学原理课程的一年级和二年级学生，因为大学的前两年被认为是 STEM 管道中潜在的“漏洞”。 拟议的研究将开发前端学生体验和工作流程的原型，通过直观的、基于网络的界面设计与图画小说课程进行数字交互。教育课程、内容和引人入胜的幽默将与导航工具相结合，以实现不同图形喜剧课程之间、内部和之间的过渡。设想的 Web 应用程序将在 Amazon Web Services 上开发、测试和生产。平台架构将由三个组件组成：电子数据源、学生网络界面和后端人工智能引擎。这种方法将解决使用有效学习方式（例如图画小说）对 STEM 领域历史上弱势群体的影响的数据匮乏问题。该项目的成功将创建一种可复制的方法，使用人工智能/自然语言处理驱动的平台，有效地设计、制作和集成定制的、文化响应的图画小说到基于探究的 STEM 课程，并确定其功效和对学生学习收益和 STEM 课程保留的影响。项目研究结果可能对增加少数群体 STEM 参与高年级生物学课程以及生物学以外的学科产生额外影响。 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。通过其参与的学生学习轨道，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 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。