Community College Undergraduate Research: A Model of Integration

生物科学(61)。“社区大学本科生研究：构建整合模式”涉及将本科生研究整合到社区大学理科课程中的模式的设计、实施和评估。该项目涉及使用一系列正在进行的研究方案中包含的科学原理，为一年级生物课程开发以探究为基础的教材(如基于问题的学习模块和案例研究)。然后，这些材料将被扩展为一门有学分、可转让的高级二年级课程的本科生研究体验。二年级课程课程包括将学生培养为同行领导者，以支持从一年级课程中产生的新学生项目的发展，并支持创造一个研究和教育相结合的教育环境。该项目涉及五所社区大学、一所四年制学校、四个环境研究组织和一个州政府机构的合作。拟议项目的智力价值在于建立了一个可采用的模式，支持社区大学转向基于探究和基于项目的课程教学，让社区学院的学生参与本科生的研究，并将其与四年制大学理科课程和他们的本科生研究工作联系起来。该项目解决了在社区大学层面进行本科生研究的许多障碍。项目评估使用各种方法来解决项目在实现其主要目标方面的成功，其中包括改善学生的学习，增加教职员工和学生对研究的参与，增加参与的教职员工对基于探究的方法的使用，以及提高参与社区学院和四年制院校的教职员工之间的互动水平。该提案的更广泛影响包括，它非常注重提高社区学院一级的科学教育质量，因为在社区学院，来自代表性不足群体的学生数量不成比例；建立了一个社区学院教员网络，专门从事基于项目的学习和本科生研究；以及提高社区学院的能力，以培养具有开展科学研究所需技能的未来科学家。传播项目成果的计划包括在国家会议上作专题介绍和讲习班，以及在地方和区域会议上作学生专题介绍。

Biological Sciences (61). "Community College Undergraduate Research: Building a Model of Integration" involves the design, implementation and evaluation of a model for integrating undergraduate research into a community college science curriculum. The project involves the use of scientific principles contained within a portfolio of ongoing research programs to develop inquiry-based educational materials (such as problem-based learning modules and case studies) for freshman biology courses. These materials are then being expanded into an undergraduate research experience within a credit-bearing, transferable, advanced sophomore-level course. The sophomore-level course curriculum includes training students as peer-leaders to support the development of new student projects emerging from the freshman courses and supports the creation of an educational environment where research and education are integrated. The project involves a collaboration of five community colleges, one four-year school, four environmental research organizations, and a state government agency. The intellectual merit of the proposed project lies in establishing an adoptable model that supports community college efforts to shift to inquiry-based and project-based coursework, to get community college students engaged in undergraduate research, and to make connections to four-year college science programs and their undergraduate research efforts. The project addresses many of the barriers associated with conducting undergraduate research at the community college level. Project evaluation is using a variety of approaches to address the success of the project in achieving its major objectives, which include improving student learning, increasing the involvement of both faculty and students in research, increasing the use of inquiry-based approaches by participating faculty, and increasing the level of interaction between the faculty at the participating community colleges and four-year institutions. The broader impacts of the proposal include its strong focus on improving the quality of science education at the community college level, where there are disproportionate number of students from underrepresented groups; the establishment of a network of community college faculty dedicated to project-based learning and undergraduate research; and an increase in the capacity of community colleges to prepare future scientists with the skills necessary to conduct scientific research. Plans for dissemination of project results include presentations and workshops at national meetings and student presentations at local and regional conferences.