Implementation Project: Transforming STEM Education at the University of the District of Columbia by Establishing a General Science Degree

在历史上的黑人学院和大学的实施项目-本科课程（HBCU-UP）提供支持，设计，实施，研究和评估全面的机构努力，以增加学生的数量和他们的准备质量，通过加强科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育和研究。该项目在哥伦比亚哥伦比亚特区大学（UDC），一个公共的，城市的，土地赠款HBCU，重点是开发一个普通科学学士学位（GSB）学位与支持活动，旨在留住学生。该学位旨在让本科生在许多专业的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）领域，包括STEM教师准备的就业市场和研究生院做好准备的灵活性。GSB学位旨在为学生提供一个探索和利用UDC艺术与科学学院，农业学院，城市可持续性和环境科学学院以及工程与应用科学学院的多样化课程的机会。该项目的总体目标是增加历史上边缘化群体追求科学事业的学生人数。目标是（1）创建和实施普通科学学士学位，（2）制定和执行GSB学位的专门招聘和招生计划，（3）提供全面的充实计划和环绕活动，包括学生研究，旨在保留STEM专业，以及（4）对该项目的影响进行教育研究。相关性混合方法研究的目的是显示，如果实施补充学习经验，并提供研究机会的GSB学位课程将改变学生的持久性和认知和身份作为STEM专业，并调查影响。该项目由一个内部指导委员会和一个外部咨询委员会以及形成性评估过程指导。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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来支持。

Implementation Projects in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) provide support to design, implement, study, and assess comprehensive institutional efforts to increase the numbers of students and the quality of their preparation by strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and research. This project at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), a public, urban, land-grant HBCU, focuses on developing a General Science Baccalaureate (GSB) degree with supporting activities aimed at retaining students. This degree seeks to allow flexibility in preparing undergraduate students for the job market and graduate school in many specialized science, technology, and engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM teacher preparation. The GSB degree seeks to provide students an opportunity to explore and take advantage of the diverse course offerings across UDC’s College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences, and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.The project's overall goal is to increase the number of students from historically marginalized groups pursuing science careers. The objectives are to (1) create and implement a General Science Baccalaureate degree, (2) develop and execute a dedicated recruitment and enrollment program for the GSB degree, (3) offer a comprehensive enrichment program and wrap-around activities, including student research, aimed at retention of STEM majors, and (4) conduct an education research study on the impacts of the project. The correlational mixed-method research study is designed to show if a GSB degree program that implements supplemental learning experiences and provides research opportunities will change a student's persistence and perceptions and identity as a STEM major and investigate the effects. The project is guided by an internal steering committee and an external advisory board, as well as by the process of formative evaluation.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.