Designing Interdisciplinary Tools to Assess Diverse Learners' Approaches to Problem-Solving: a Cross-State Collaboration in New Mexico

本计划测试线上个案研究的适应性和可接受性，以协助学生团体运用“问题导向学习”来掌握生物和化学的复杂概念。新墨西哥大学（University of New Mexico）的一组教师在该校的生物化学课程中成功地使用了这种方法。为了了解这种方法是否可以在不同类型的机构中使用，他们正在与圣胡安学院的教师合作，帮助他们在圣胡安生物和化学入门专业的学生中开发和实施这种方法。圣胡安学院是新墨西哥州西北部的一所乡村社区学院，也是联邦政府指定的一所为美国原住民服务的非部落机构。它的学生群体中也有相当多的西班牙裔学生。尽管两所学校之间存在着巨大的物理和文化距离，但通过使用研讨会来开发案例研究以及圣胡安教师使用电子通信手段的持续支持和指导，合作取得了成功。进行案例研究的学生小组也使用电子工具来调查案例，并对旨在测试他们在几个不同学习领域的掌握程度的评估做出反应。当需要时，也可以通过电子方式提供教师协助。因此，距离不再是这个学习型社区发展的障碍。该项目由EHR/DUE和EPSCoR项目提供支持。

This project tests the adaptability and adoptability of on-line case studies as the basis for student groups to use Problem-based Learning to master complex concepts in biology and chemistry. A group of faculty from the University of New Mexico has used this approach successfully in biochemistry courses there. To learn whether the approach can be used at different types of institutions, they are collaborating with faculty at San Juan College to help them to develop and implement it among the San Juan students of introductory biology and chemistry. San Juan College is a rural community college in northwestern New Mexico, and is a federally designated Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution. Its student population also includes a significant Hispanic presence. Despite the significant physical and cultural distance between the two schools, the collaboration succeeds by the use of workshops for development of the case studies and ongoing support and mentoring of the San Juan faculty using electronic means of communication. Groups of students working on the case studies also use electronic tools to investigate the cases and to respond to assessments designed to test their mastery in several different domains of learning. When needed, faculty assistance can also be provided electronically. Distance thus becomes far less an obstacle in development of this learning community. Support for this project is provided by EHR/DUE and by the EPSCoR program.