Collaborative Project: RISE - Research-based Interdisciplinary STEM Education

北西雅图社区学院（NSCC）和中央华盛顿大学（Central Washington University）的合作伙伴正在开发一种将跨学科和研究型课程制度化的模式。该项目的目标是(a)提供进步和创新的STEM课程，显著改善不同学生群体对高级课程和科学职业的准备，(b)为太平洋西北合作建立基础，专注于社区大学水平的卓越STEM教育，以及(c)对我们对学生如何思考，学习的理解的知识体系做出重大贡献。在他们大学生活的早期，在研究和跨学科的背景下解决问题。在“重视思考”的框架中，在学科内部和跨学科中发展思维倾向被视为学术成功的关键，这一框架嵌入了设想的课程变化中。合作者将以本科研究和跨学科经验为载体，在大学一、二年级培养有意义的思考机会。形成性和总结性评估将解决三个问题(a)该项目是否为参与跨学科和研究型STEM课程的学生和教师提供了新的“思维习惯”的证据？（二）跨学科和以研究为本的课程是否能改善教学实践和学生的学习成果？(c)该项目是否已推广到其他社区学院和大学？教师/管理员评审小组，学生课堂评估，学生/教师/工作人员访谈和机构介绍的组合将用于记录，分析和更新项目发现。新材料和成果的传播将通过与实践教师的直接合作、用于分发课程的网络存在以及在整个项目期间在全国会议上的演讲，影响广泛的教育工作者。

Collaborators at North Seattle Community College (NSCC) and Central Washington University are developing a model for institutionalizing an interdisciplinary and research-based curriculum. The project goals are to (a) provide progressive and innovative STEM curriculum that significantly improves preparation of diverse student populations for upper level courses and careers in science, (b) establish the foundation for a Pacific Northwest Collaboration focused on excellence in STEM education at the community college level, and (c) make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge regarding our understanding of how students think, learn, and problem solve in a research and interdisciplinary context early in their college experience. The "thinking is valued" framework, in which developing thinking dispositions within and across disciplines is seen as the key to academic success, is embedded in the curricular changes envisioned. The collaborators will use undergraduate research and interdisciplinary experiences as vehicles to cultivate meaningful thinking opportunities in the first and second years of the college experience. Formative and summative evaluation will address three questions (a) Does the project provide evidence of new "habits of thinking" from students and faculty who participate in the interdisciplinary and research-based STEM curricula? (b) Does interdisciplinary and research-based curriculum enhance teaching practices and student learning outcomes? and (c) Is the project reaching other community colleges and universities? A combination of faculty/administrator review panels, student classroom assessment, student/faculty/staff interviews, and institutional presentations will be used to document, analyze, and update project findings. Dissemination of new materials and results will impact a wide range of educators through direct partnerships with practicing faculty, a web presence that serves to distribute curriculum, and presentations at national meetings throughout the duration of the project.