LSAMP: Puerto Rico-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, Phase III: Constructing Permanent Pathways to Graduate Studies

波多黎各少数民族参与路易斯斯托克斯联盟(PR-LSAMP)是由波多黎各大学科学与工程资源中心、波多黎各大学系统、美洲大学系统、波多黎各天主教大学和波多黎各理工大学组成的联盟。在1999-00学年，这些机构的MMET招生人数为27,441人，占岛上MMET本科生总数的90%。99%的学生是西班牙裔，80%是低收入学生。PR-LSAMP的目标是提高少数民族大学生的数量和质量，他们成功地完成了学士/商务学士学位，并进入并完成了SMET领域的研究生学位。在第一阶段和第二阶段(1991-92年至1999-2000年)，PR-LSAMP机构在SMET获得了21,878个学士学位，比基准年增加了62%，从1991年的1,709个年度学位增加到1999-2000年的2,771个。这是通过双管齐下的方法实现的：(1)增加SMET学科的入学人数，(2)通过实施一系列战略来提高SMET项目的有效性和效率，以提高保留率和毕业率。在第三阶段，PR-LSAMP将在这些成就的基础上：(1)进一步将SMET产量曲线从2,771提高到3,600，这是第一阶段基线数字1,709的两倍多；(2)将从普遍定期审议机构毕业的MBA毕业生进入研究生院的比例提高到50%，从私立机构毕业的毕业生增加到25%，以及(3)将PR-LSAMP机构的MBA毕业生从地方或全国完成SMET博士学位的人数从239人增加到300人。在PR-LSAMP的第一阶段和第二阶段，PR-LSAMP的核心是修订SMET课程，以“少即是多”的方式强调理解的深度，促进基于探究和使用互动演示的积极学习，将技术融入学习过程，以及基础广泛的数学技能的发展。合作学习和在课程范围内发展学习/学习技能等教学战略也在SMET各学科中得到实施。与此次课程修订相结合，PR-LSAMP为本科生提供了指导和研究机会，以增加他们继续从事SMET职业生涯的动机，并提高他们攻读研究生的资格。在第一和第二阶段，总共发放了2363笔研究津贴，平均每年262笔。由于这些持续的缺陷，课程效率指数(学生必须参加SMET课程才能令人满意地通过的平均次数)从平均2.5次降至1.7次。普遍定期审议机构理科的平均毕业率从48%上升到62%，而普遍定期审议的工程学平均毕业率从53%上升到81%。私立院校的平均毕业率上升至49%。科学和数学课程成绩满意的加权平均数也从47.5%上升至59.3%。就工程学课程而言，加权平均数从74%增加到83%。对于第三阶段PR-LSAMP，PR-LSAMP提出了以下额外战略，以完成SMET课程的永久学习：1)发展基于网络的互动学习，以掌握难以教授的科学和数学概念；(2)开发电子模块，以扩展本科生的跨学科能力，进一步加强他们为研究生学习做准备；3)通过持续的学术和技术援助以及年度最佳实践会议，扩大已被证明成功地改善学生在SMET课程中的表现的教/学策略；4)培养学生的信息技术技能，使他们能够在职业生活中更有效、更关键地使用正确和有效的信息。为了增加攻读SMET本科学位的学生的数量，PR-LSAMP将开发一个预科到学院的衔接部分，引导学生进入研究生院学习，并进一步增加进入研究生院并完成SMET博士学位的学生数量，PR-LSAMP将扩大其研究和指导计划，与研究生教育联盟和教授指导计划(AGEP)协调，为更多的学生提供关键技能和指导，以改善他们对研究生学习的准备和动力。该项目的成果将通过在区域和国家科学会议上的陈述在专业界广泛传播。编写的课程材料将通过CD格式和WWW提供给其他机构。公众将可以通过其网站获得关于PR-LSAMP的最新信息。

The Puerto Rico Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PR-LSAMP) is an alliance of the Resource Center for Science and Engineering of the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Puerto Rico System, the Inter American University System, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.During the academic year 1999-00, these institutions had a SMET enrollment of 27,441,or 90% of the SMET undergraduate population on the Island. Ninety-nine percent of the student population is Hispanic and 80% are low-income students. The goal of thePR-LSAMP is to increase the quantity and quality of minority college students who successfully complete a BS/BE degree and enter and complete a graduate degree ina SMET field. During Phase I and II (1991-92 to 1999-00), PR-LSAMP institutionsawarded 21,878 BS degrees in SMET, with a 62% annual increment from baseline year,from 1,709 annual degrees in 1991 to 2,771 in 1999-2000. This was achievedfollowing a two-prong approach: (1) increasing enrollment in SMET disciplines, and(2) improving retention and graduation rates by implementing a series of strategies to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of SMET programs. In Phase III, PR-LSAMPwill build upon these achievements to: (1) further increase the SMET production curve from 2,771 to 3,600, which more than doubles the Phase I baseline figure of 1,709; (2) increase to 50% the percent of BS SMET graduates from UPR institutions who entergraduate school, and to 25% for those graduating from the private institutions, and (3) increase the number of BS graduates from PR-LSAMP institutions that complete a PhDdegree in SMET, either locally or nationally, from 239 to 300 by the end of year 5.During Phase I and Phase II the core of PR-LSAMP was the revision of the SMETcurriculum to emphasize for depth of understanding with a "less is more approach",to promote active learning based on inquiry and the use of interactive demonstrations, to incorporate technology to the learning process, and the development of broad-based mathematics skills. Teaching strategies such as cooperative learning and thedevelopment of Study/Learning Skills within the Context of a Course were alsoimplemented across SMET disciplines. Jointly with this curriculum revision,PR-LSAMP offered undergraduate SMET students mentoring and research opportunitiesto increase their motivation to remain in SMET careers and enhance their qualificationfor pursuing graduate studies. During Phase I and II a total of 2,363 research stipends were awarded, for an average of 262 stipends per year. As a result of these sustainedefforts, the Index of Course Efficiency (the average number of times students have to take a SMET course to satisfactorily pass it), was reduced from an average of 2.5 to 1.7. The average graduation rate at UPR institutions increased from 48% to 62% in science, while the average graduation rate for engineering at UPR increased from 53% to 81%. At private institutions the average graduation rate increased to 49%.Also the weighted average for satisfactory grades in science and mathematics courses increased from 47.5% to 59.3%. In the case of Engineering courses, the weighted average increased from 74% to 83%.For Phase III PR-LSAMP proposes the following additional strategies to completethe construction of permanent pathways to graduate studies in SMET: 1) thedevelopment of interactive web-based learning to master hard to teach concepts in science and mathematics; (2) the development of electronic modules to expand theinterdisciplinary capabilities of undergraduate SMET students to further enhancetheir preparation for graduate studies; 3) the scaling-up of the teaching/learning strategies that have proven successful in improving student performance inSMET courses, through ongoing academic and technical assistance to faculty and an Annual Best Practices Conference; and 4) the development of Information Technology skills in SMET students so they are capable of making effective and more critical use ofaccurate and valid information in their professional lives. To increase the number ofstudents pursuing undergraduate degrees in SMET, PR-LSAMP will develop a Pre-Collegeto College Bridging Component that will induct students into research experiences, and to further enhance the number of students entering graduate school and completing a PhD in SMET, PR-LSAMP will expand its research and mentoring program toprovide a larger number of students with key skills and guidance to improve their preparation and motivation for graduate studies, in coordination with the Alliancefor Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Program. The results of theproject will be disseminated widely in the professional community through presentationsat regional and national scientific meetings. Curricular materials developedwill be available to other institutions through CD format and the WWW. The generalpublic will have access to updated information on the PR-LSAMP through its website.