Science and Language: A Transitional and Integrative Approach to the Learning of Science

该项目旨在解决进入学术界后在科学方面表现不佳的非裔美国女性的需求。该项目的目标是匹兹堡的弱势少数族裔女性，学生们经常发现科学课程是他们学术道路上的障碍，也是失败的地方。尽管有很高的动机和渴望在科学上取得成功，但许多学生在科学学习技能不足、多年离开中学数学和科学课程以及缺乏信心的综合影响下苦苦挣扎。然而，这些学生有能力和潜力追求科学事业。该项目的一个具体目标包括：设计一门《科学与语言》课程，以一种非传统的方式审查科学，将4学分的科学班与3学分的写作班相结合，使学生将写作作为学习科学的工具，并将科学作为发展写作技能的内容；2)促进学生从以前的课程作业到科学学习的过渡；3)最大限度地将科学原理、现实生活中的情景和非裔美国女性熟悉的问题联系起来；4)让学生设计自己的实验；5)让学生参与协作教学和同伴辅导体验，在这种体验中，他们作为教师学习内容；6)在学生和教师之间建立伙伴关系，在设计学习方法方面提供灵活性。该项目的目标是：1)仿照乌里·特雷斯曼的数学课程设计生物学学习小组，进一步整合课程内容，培养学术科学界的经验；2)设计一个包括卡洛学习中心和希尔学院新的同行辅导计划在内的辅导支持的“安全网”；以及3)收集数据进行评估。计划中的科学与语言课程首先帮助学生在熟悉科学的过程中消除焦虑等障碍，方法是回顾一部科幻电影，分析一份关于美国科学教育状况的报告，并审查与科学有关的文章和课文。在写作课上，学生通过阅读和讨论、书面摘要、提纲、摘要、论文和实验报告来探索科学的探究性、科学的人文因素以及科学作为语言的作用。正在进行的科学课程和实验室与正在进行的写作课程平行。这门课的理科部分要求学生参与和学生设计的实验，而不是传统的实验室和教师主导的讲座。学生学习自然科学的主要主题，如DNA与遗传、相互依存与生态、多样性与进化。评估和评估在项目中被给予最高的优先地位。活动包括：1)利用收集到的有关学生出勤率、参与度、学习小组的成功等数据，监督该计划的实施情况；2)评估包括录音的访谈，学生在完成课程前和完成后的情况，以确定对自尊、推理能力和学业表现的影响。将收集有关学生的人口统计特征(年龄、种族、子女数量等)和学术背景的额外数据。计划的成果传播包括地方、区域和国家介绍和会议；出版物；以及非正式接待学院的科学教师观摩课程。科学和语言课程是一个建议的解决方案，旨在扭转非裔美国成年女性在入门科学方面的失败。它汇集了关于如何教授科学的已知知识，学生如何最好地学习科学，以及我们自己在教授科学方面的经验，目的是提供一种多方面的成功方法。如果这门课程“奏效”，它为专业和非专业学生打开了通向理科的大门，并可以为理科不及格的学生提供一个榜样。该模式本身可以很容易地适应其他机构，并在没有过高成本或对联邦资金依赖的情况下实施。

This project is designed to address the needs of African-American women who do poorly in science upon entering the academic world. Students in the Program, which targets disadvantaged minority women in Pittsburgh, often find science courses a roadblock in their academic path and a place for failure. Despite a high level of motivation and eagerness to succeed in science, many students struggle with the combined effects of inadequate science study skills, years of separation from secondary math and science courses, and a lack of confidence. Yet these students have ability and the potential to pursue careers in science. A specific objective of the project includes designing a "Science and Language" course that 1) examines science in a non-traditional way by integrating a 4-credit science class with a 3-credit writing class so that students use writing as a tool to learn science and use science as the content in developing writing skills; 2) facilitate students' transition between previous course work and their study of science; 3) maximize connections among science principles, real-life situations, and issues familiar to African-American women; 4) engage students in designing their own experiments; 5) engage students in collaborative teaching and peer tutoring experiences in which they learn as teachers of the content; and 6) creates a partnership between students and instructors that provides flexibility in designing approaches to learning. The project's objectives are: 1) to design Biology Study Groups modeled after those of Uri Treisman in math to further integrate the course's content and foster an experience of an academic science community; 2) to design a "safety net" of tutorial support involving Carlow's Learning Center and Hill College's new Peer Tutoring Program, and 3) to collect data for evaluation. The planned Science and Language course begins by helping students eliminate barriers such as anxiety as they become conversant with science through reviewing a science-fiction film, analyzing a report on the state of Science Education in the U.S. and examining essays and texts related to science. In the writing class, students explore the investigative nature of science, the human element of science, and science as language through reading and discussions, written summaries, outlines, abstracts, essays and lab reports. On-going science classes and laboratories parallel the ongoing writing class. The science half of the class requires student participation and student-designed experiments with de-emphasis on canned labs and instructor-dominated lectures. Students study major themes in Natural Science such as DNA and Heredity, Inter-dependence and Ecology, Diversity and Evolution. Assessment and evaluation are given the highest priority in the project. Activities include 1) monitoring the program as it is implemented with data collected regarding student attendance, participation, success of study groups, etc., and 2) assessment of included taped interviews, student's before and after completion of the course to determine impact in the ares of self-esteem, reasoning ability, and academic performance. Additional data will be collected regarding demographic characteristics of the students (age, race, number of children, etc. and academic background. Planned dissemination of results include local, regional, and national presentations and conferences; publications; and informal hosting of teachers of science at the College to observe the courses. The Science and Language course is a proposed solution to reverse the failure of African-American adult women in introductory science. It pulls together what is known about how to teach science, how students best learn science and our own experiences in teaching it, with the goal of offering a multifaceted approach for success. If this course "works" it opens the door to science for majors and non- majors and can serve as a model for students failing in science. The model itself can be easily adapted to other institutions and implemented without excessive cost or dependence on Federal funding.