Targeted Infusion Project: Infusion of POGIL, Technology and Research into the Chemistry Curriculum to Increase Students' Success

历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)通过有针对性的灌输项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以改善HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们能够攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。Tougaloo学院的这个项目旨在通过整合POGIL(面向过程的指导性探究学习)并引入网络和研究实验室来重新设计两门重要的把关课程的教学方法，特别是普通化学和有机化学，以加强现有的STEM课程，以弥合共同的科学主题并加强合作。该项目的核心是通过提高STEM相关领域的招生、留校率、毕业率和就业安置来吸引非裔美国学生。这一目标灌输项目的目标是改善把关课程的表现，从而全面增加科学方面的留存，并通过采用新的教学方法来加强STEM课程，这种方法促进所有理科专业学生在两门最重要的课程上有更深的知识，从而增加研究生院和专业学院的招生人数。为了更好地为21世纪的挑战和职业做好准备，理科专业的三个具体目标是：1)通过在教学中注入POGIL，更新普通化学和有机化学课程的课程内容和教育经验；2)通过网络/虚拟实验室的注入，加强普通化学I的实验室课程，使有积极性的学生能够掌握，从而提高下一步实验课程的成功；3)通过普通化学II和有机化学II实验室的研究干预，扩大学生的参与度。研究型实验室将培训理科专业的学生，为他们未来在全国研究密集型机构的研究实习机会，从而打开进入研究生院的大门。我们的课程重新设计将为文理学院提供一个具有巨大潜力的模式，以扩大STEM领域中代表不足的群体的机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Tougaloo College aims to redesign the pedagogy for teaching two important gatekeeping courses, specifically General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry by integrating POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) and introducing cyber and research labs for enhancing the existing STEM courses to bridge common scientific themes and increase collaborations. This project is centered on engaging African-American students by increasing recruitment, retention, graduation rates and job placement in STEM-related fields. The goals of this Target Infusion Project are to improve the performance in gate-keeping courses leading to an overall increase in retention in the sciences and to strengthen STEM curricula through incorporation of new pedagogical approaches, which promote a greater depth of knowledge in the two most important courses taken by all science majors, leading to an increased enrollment in graduate and professional schools. The three specific objectives to better prepare science majors for 21st-century challenges and careers are 1) Update program content and educational experiences in General and Organic Chemistry courses by infusing POGIL in the teaching pedagogy; 2) Enhance the laboratory courses of General Chemistry I by the infusion of cyber/virtual-labs which will enable motivated students to achieve mastery thus increasing success in the next lab courses; 3) Broaden engagement of students by research interventions in General Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II labs. The research-based labs would train the science majors for their future research internships at research intensive institutions nationwide, thereby opening up the door toward graduate school. Our curriculum redesign will provide a model with the enormous potential for liberal arts colleges to have a major impact on broadening the opportunities for underrepresented groups in STEM fields.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.