Are New Approaches to SMET Education Making a Difference? A Report to the Community

在过去的十年里，人们无与伦比地关注着本科生SMET项目的转型，同时也做出了非凡的承诺，为整个科学和教育界的个人和机构提供了财政支持、时间、精力和专业知识。为了及时对这一投资进行公开核算，该项目致力于准备和打印一份综合报告，题为：新方法是否有所不同？对谁，我们如何知道？一份给社区的报告。该报告将确定领导国家在课堂和实验室开发、实施和评估新方法的个人和机构，并分析和报告他们所做的努力。该报告将用数据说明学生如何更有效地学习，因为他们对自己的学习负责。它将描述新的空间是如何出现的，以支持改进的学习社区和更好地适应新的教育技术。它将报告教师如何通过努力将研究与教育相结合来提升他们的职业生涯。预计该出版物将及时完成发行，赶在1999年秋季在华盛顿特区举行的庆祝万花筒计划十周年的大型聚会之前分发，并预测下一个十年本科科学、数学、工程和技术的改革。然而，该出版物的预期受众远远超过预期的1000人。它包括所有与确保本科生MMET社区服务于学生和社会的利益有关的人；家长和校友；地方和国家政府的民选官员；以及学术、企业、基金会和工业社区的领导人。该出版物利用了从主要改革者那里收集的新数据，一个编辑委员会的经验和专业知识，对过去十年万花筒项目收集的文件的分析，以及从支持国家科学基金会和改善本科教育的公共和私人资助者项目中产生的材料和数据。

The last decade has been one of unparalleled attention to transforming undergraduate SMET programs, accompanied by an extraordinary commitment of financial support, time, energy, and expertise of individuals and institutions across the scientific and educational communities. In order to make a timely public accounting of this investment, this project is engaged in preparing and printing a synthesis report entitled; "Are New Approaches Making a Difference? To Whom, and How Do We Know? A Report to the Community."The report will identify individuals and institutions leading the Nation in developing, implementing, and assessing new approaches in classrooms and labs, and analyze and report on their efforts. The report will illustrate with data how students are learning more effectively as they take responsibility for their own learning. It will describe how new spaces are emerging that support improved learning communities and better accommodate new educational technologies. It will report how faculty careers are enhanced through their efforts to integrate research and education. The publication is expected to be completed in time for distribution before the major gathering to be held in the Washington, DC area in the Fall of 1999 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Project Kaleidoscope and to anticipate the next decade of reform in undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. The intended audience for the publication, however, is far greater than the 1,000 persons expected to attend. It includes all those with a stake in ensuring that the undergraduate SMET community serves the interests of students and society; parents and alumni; elected officials in local and national governments; and leaders in academic, corporate, foundation, and industrial communities. The publication is drawing on new data gathered from leading reformers, the experience and expertise of an editorial board, an analysis of files assembled by Project Kaleidoscope over the past decade, and materials and data emerging from programs supported the National Science Foundation and public and private funders of improvements in undergraduate education.