Collaborative Research for Novice Undergraduates

描述(由申请者提供)：本科生可能会因为接触基础实验室研究而对科学产生兴趣。在科学家的实验室做学徒的暑期研究经验在这方面可能是有效的，但愿意参与研究的科学家人数往往太少，无法容纳这种环境中的大量学生。这个拟议的项目将使用亚特兰大佐治亚州立大学为期10周的暑期研究项目来检验这样一种假设，即在专门的教学实验室进行协作学习体验将对学生的结果产生与传统研究学徒相同或更大程度的积极影响。在四年的时间里，研究团队每年都会与当地项目合作，从全国各地的机构招募和录取本科生参与研究，重点是来自代表性不足群体(即xxx)的学生。被认为在试点研究中有效的计划后勤将在拟议的项目中复制，包括招聘、津贴、住房和交通。通过进行假设驱动的教育研究，我们将填补目前关于干预措施有效性的关键空白，这些干预措施旨在感兴趣、激励学生，并为他们在生物医学科学领域的研究生涯做好准备，特别是关注来自代表性不足群体的学生。为了检验我们的假设，我们将调整、开发和/或验证定量和定性评估工具。自我效能感调查将揭示学生对自己学习科学、进行科学研究和在与科学相关的职业中取得成功的能力的信念。掌握测验将探索基本科学内容、知识和过程技能的获得。实验室观察、参与者和导师访谈、焦点小组讨论以及对研究报告的评估将描述夏季研究计划如何、为什么以及对哪些参与者小组有效。到2016年，将每年进行一次长期跟踪，以确定研究经验对长期成就和职业决定的影响，其中成就定义为课程成绩和标准化的职业前测试分数，职业决定定义为选择与科学相关的课程、专业、职业前测试和毕业后学术或专业职位。到项目结束时，我们将确定本科生研究计划的组成部分，以促进多样化的学生群体在生物医学和行为研究领域取得进展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Undergraduate students may be attracted to science by exposure to basic laboratory research. A summer research experience as an apprentice in a scientist's laboratory can be effective in this regard, but the pool of willing scientists is often too limited to accommodate large numbers of students in such environments. The proposed project will use a 10-week summer research program based at Georgia State University in Atlanta to test the hypothesis that a collaborative learning experience in a dedicated teaching laboratory will positively affect student outcomes to the same or greater degree than traditional research apprenticeships. Every year for four years, the Research Team will partner with local programs to recruit and admit undergraduate students from institutions nationwide to participate in the study, with focus on students from underrepresented groups (i.e. xxx). Program logistics deemed effective in pilot studies would be replicated in the proposed project, including recruitment, stipends, housing, and transportation. By conducting hypothesis-driven education research, we will fill a critical gap in current knowledge about the effectiveness of interventions intended to interest, motivate, and prepare students for research careers in the biomedical sciences, with particular focus on students from underrepresented groups. In order to test our hypothesis, we will adapt, develop, and/or validate quantitative and qualitative assessment tools. Self-efficacy surveys will reveal student beliefs about their abilities to study science, conduct scientific research, and succeed in science-related careers. Mastery quizzes will probe acquisition of basic science content knowledge and process skills. Laboratory observations, participant and mentor interviews, focus group discussions, and assessment of research presentations will describe how, why, and for which participant subgroups the summer research program is effective. Long-term follow-up will be conducted yearly through 2016 to determine the impact of the research experience on long-term achievement and career decisions, with achievement defined as course grades and standardized pre-professional test scores, and career decisions defined as choice of science-related courses, majors, pre-professional tests, and post-baccalaureate academic or professional positions. By the end of the project, we will have identified components of undergraduate research programs that foster the progress of a diverse student population toward careers in biomedical and behavioral research.