RCN-UBE Incubator: Engaging Novice Undergraduates in Scientific Discovery Through Research Deconstruction

这个RCN-UBE孵化器项目将开始在2年制和4年制大学建立一个STEM教育工作者网络，采用研究解构法，这是研究人员开发的一种教学策略，用于教授本科生科学探究的过程。 由于研究解构不需要实验室基础设施，它提供了一种低成本，可扩展的方法，可供各种机构，包括社区学院。 让学生参与科学探究是减少STEM专业学生流失的重要策略，这是一个全国性的问题，威胁着美国作为全球科技领导者的未来。 为教育工作者提供可持续的探究式教学选择，特别是在两年制大学，可能有助于增加未来STEM专业人员的数量和多样性。外部评估和STEM保留数据表明，该方法在教授学生科学过程和提高STEM的持久性方面是有效的。 为了确定这些教育效益在2年制校园中可以复制的程度，并确定在社区学院环境中实施所需的适应措施，调查人员将与合作伙伴社区学院合作，开发一个试点研究解构课程。 形成性评估将用于评估情感和认知学习的收益，并与社区学院教师的咨询团队协商，确定第二门课程的必要调整。 这些研究结果和在研究型大学实施研究解构的网络参与者的研究结果将在一个讲习班上分享，以确定最佳做法。 为了提高对教学法的认识，当地STEM教师将被邀请参加研讨会，演讲的视频记录将在网站上发布，以便向更广泛的教育界分发。 该孵化器的成果将为未来的努力提供信息，因为该网络将扩大到包括更多的2年制和4年制学院。该项目由生物科学局（BIO），生物基础设施司和教育和人力资源局（EHR）共同资助，本科教育部作为他们努力解决本科生物学教育的愿景和变革所带来的挑战的一部分：行动呼吁（http：//visionandchange.org/finalreport/）。

This RCN-UBE incubator project will begin building a network of STEM educators at 2- and 4-year colleges employing research deconstruction, a pedagogical strategy developed by the investigators to teach undergraduate students the process of scientific inquiry. As research deconstruction requires no laboratory infrastructure, it offers a low-cost, scalable approach that may be accessible to a wide variety of institutions, including community colleges. Engaging students in scientific inquiry is an important strategy for reducing attrition of students from STEM majors, a national problem that threatens the future of the U.S. as a global leader in science and technology. Providing educators with sustainable options for inquiry-based instruction, particularly at 2-year colleges, may help to increase the number and diversity of future STEM professionals.External assessment and STEM retention data from implementation over a 10-year period at suggest the approach is effective in teaching students the process of science and increasing persistence in STEM. To determine the extent to which these educational benefits can be reproduced at a 2-year campus and identify adaptations necessary for implementation in a community college setting, the investigators will work with partner community colleges to develop a pilot research deconstruction course. Formative assessment will be used to evaluate affective and cognitive learning gains and, in consultation with an advisory team of community college faculty, identify necessary adaptations for a second course offering. These findings and those of network participants implementing research deconstruction at research universities will be shared at a workshop to identify best practices. To increase awareness of the pedagogy, local STEM faculty will be invited to the workshop, and video recordings of the presentations will be posted on a website for distribution to the broader education community. Outcomes from this incubator will inform future efforts as the network is expanded to include more 2- and 4-year colleges.This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange.org/finalreport/).