MENTORS Project: Models of Educational Networking To Optimize Rural Science

描述(由申请人提供)：本申请涉及广泛的挑战领域(12)科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教育，以及特定的挑战主题12-CA-104：发展新兴技术CURE的劳动力。拟议的Mentors(优化农村科学的模范教育网络)项目的目标直接回应了该领域和主题的既定目标，因为Mentors的目标是：“在新兴和先进技术领域创建一条未得到充分服务的学生和研究人员的渠道”；“增加来自未得到充分服务的人群的科学家数量”，并通过“增加少数族裔和未得到充分服务的学生的培训和教育机会”来“加强癌症研究”，以“增强未来研究人员队伍的多样性”。目前，从事生物医学研究、技术开发和医疗保健服务的学生数量不足。进入这些领域的学生缺乏来自不同族裔、种族和经济背景的学生，这一点尤其令人担忧。专家报告称，学生对这些职业的兴趣减弱，至少在一定程度上是因为对科学和医疗职业需要什么缺乏理解，以及对回报和所需能力的误解。人们普遍认为，为了有效地解决科学领域缺乏多样性的问题，教育和招生计划不能从大学层面开始，也不能完全集中在学生身上。解决这一迫切需求的方案不能忽视中学教育经历的影响。与热衷于基础、转化和临床癌症研究的科学家进行早期、积极的互动，可以对学生的职业选择产生重要和持久的影响。相反，没有趣味的内容和/或糟糕的高中教学可能会对未来的选择非常不利。因此，我们对这一挑战的回应采用了更全面的方法，包括为来自不同背景的高中生提供现场研究经验，以及与课堂教师合作，以提高对研究和技术机会的认识，并提高基于探究的课堂教学的能力。课堂教学的重点将放在科学、职业和技术教育(CTE)的整合上。自然科学和技术教育的结合利用科学概念与其在现实世界中的应用之间的联系，专门处理职业发展问题。理科课程教授生物和化学概念，学生必须理解这些概念才能获得工作成功并做出明智的决策。CTE通过强调职业和职业培训，清楚地展示了科学知识如何应用于各种健康、科学和技术职业。今天的CTE课程不再只专注于职业和技术培训，而是现在为学生提供了参与实践经验的机会，以加强对一系列职业的准备。CTE课程越来越多地被农村、少数民族和服务不足的学生用作确保职业成功的途径。为了满足鼓励和培养下一代基础、转化型和临床癌症研究人员的迫切需求，我们在德克萨斯大学系统的五个校区组建了一支经验丰富、合作精神强的教职员工团队，参与了导师计划。 该项目旨在关注得克萨斯州未得到充分服务的少数民族高中生，特别是农村学区的高中生，这些学区往往缺乏必要的资源和机会来丰富教育。为了实现这些目标，导师计划包括以下具体目标：1.为高中生提供亲身实践的现场研究体验，以刺激他们对各种健康、科学和技术职业的追求。导师将为高中生提供现场体验和带薪研究实习的机会，这些实习将提供与从事基础、翻译和临床研究的生物医学研究科学家、技术和卫生保健专业人员互动的机会，特别是那些关注健康差距的人。2.利用现有的由高中教师、研究人员和实验室科学家组成的协作网络，他们将共同制定和传播课堂教学、活动和实地体验计划，以加强学生的准备。该项目将提供付费教育工作者奖学金和专业发展讲习班，以支持教师参与合作开发和传播以研究为灵感的课堂材料，旨在加强学生为科学、卫生和技术职业做准备。3.利用一项小型赠款方案，支持在服务不足的农村和少数族裔教室中融入STEM-CTE。该项目将开发一个小型赠款计划，允许高中教师团队申请资金，以支持在其学校实施全面的STEM-CTE整合计划。 与公共卫生相关：导师项目将通过促进招募少数族裔和未得到充分服务的学生进入科学和临床职业，为生物医学研究和公共卫生做出重要贡献。此外，德克萨斯州的许多农村地区医疗服务不足，医疗保健专业人员严重短缺。通过积极地让学生参与刺激职业发展的活动，高中毕业率将会上升，更多的学生将接受中学后培训，为他们在医疗保健提供和研究方面的职业生涯做好准备。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application addresses broad Challenge Area (12) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, and specific Challenge Topic 12-CA-104: Developing the Workforce in Emerging Technologies CURE. The goals of the proposed MENTORS (Model Education Networks to Optimize Rural Science) Project are directly responsive to stated goals of this area and topic, because MENTORS aims to: "create a pipeline of underserved students and investigators in the fields of emerging and advanced technologies;" "increase the number of scientists from underserved populations" and "enhance cancer research" through "increased training and educational opportunities for minority and underserved students" to "enhance the diversity of the pool of future investigators." Currently, there are insufficient numbers of students pursuing careers in biomedical research, technology development and healthcare delivery. The lack of students from diverse ethnic, racial and financial backgrounds entering these fields is particularly concerning. Experts report that waning student interest in these careers is due, at least in part, to a lack of understanding about what scientific and medical careers entail and misconceptions about the rewards and required aptitudes. There is general consensus that in order to effectively address the lack of diversity in science, educational and recruitment programs cannot begin at the college level and cannot focus entirely on students alone. Programs to address this urgent need cannot ignore the influence of educational experiences in secondary school. Early, positive interactions with scientists enthusiastically engaged in basic, translational and clinical cancer research can have important and lasting impacts on student career choices. Conversely, uninteresting content and/or poor teaching in high school can be very detrimental to future choices. Accordingly, our response to this CHALLENGE employs a more comprehensive approach that includes on-site research experiences for high school students from a variety of backgrounds, as well as collaboration with classroom teachers to increase awareness of the opportunities in research and technology and improve the capacity for inquiry-based classroom instruction. The classroom instructional efforts will be focused on the integration of science and Career and Technology Education (CTE). The integration of natural science and CTE specifically addresses career development by making use of the connection between science concepts and their real world application. Science classes teach the biological and chemical concepts that students must understand for job success and informed decision-making. CTE, through an emphasis on career and job training, provides a clear demonstration of how science knowledge is applied to a variety of heath, science and technical careers. Today's CTE classes are no longer focused exclusively on vocational and technical training, but now provide an opportunity for students to participate in hands-on experiences to enhance preparation for a range of careers. CTE classes are increasingly utilized by rural, minority and underserved students as a pathway to ensure career success. To address this urgent need to encourage and prepare the next generation of basic, translational and clinical cancer researchers, we have assembled an experienced and collaborative team of faculty and staff on five campuses of the University of Texas system to participate in the MENTORS Project. The Project is designed to focus underserved and minority high school students in TX, particularly those in rural school districts, where there is often a lack necessary resources and opportunities for educational enrichment. To accomplish these goals, the MENTORS Project includes the following Specific Aims: 1. To provide hands-on, onsite research experiences for high school students to stimulate pursuit of a broad variety of health, science and technology careers. MENTORS will provide opportunities for high school students to participate in onsite field experiences and paid Research Internships that will provide the opportunity to interact with biomedical research scientists, technical and health care professionals engaged in basic, translational and clinical research, particularly those focusing on health disparities. 2. To engage an existing collaborative network of high school teachers and research and laboratory scientists who will work together to develop and disseminate classroom lesson, activity and field experience plans that enhance student preparation. The Project will provide paid Educator Fellowships and professional development workshops to support teacher participation in the collaborative development and dissemination of research-inspired classroom materials, designed to enhance preparation of students for science, health and technology careers. 3. To utilize a mini-grant program to support STEM-CTE integration in rural underserved and minority classrooms. The Project will develop a mini-grant program that will allow high school teacher teams to apply for funds to support implementation of a comprehensive STEM-CTE integration program in their schools. Public Health Relevance: The MENTORS project will make a crucial contribution to biomedical research and public health by enhancing recruitment of minority and underserved students into scientific and clinical careers. Furthermore, many rural areas in Texas are medically underserved and have critical shortages of healthcare professionals. By actively engaging students in activities that stimulate career development, high school graduation rates will rise and more students will pursue post secondary training to prepare them for careers in health care delivery and research.