RCN-UBE: Cell Biology Education Consortium

改变自然科学的教学方式和扩大本科生研究经验的必要性已经在文献中得到了很好的证明。实现这些变化的一个机制是纳入基于课程的本科生研究经验。虽然孤立的群体正在将细胞培养技术引入这些经验，但没有协调一致的努力来汇编资源并提供培训，使创建基于细胞培养的可定制研究项目更容易在较小的，主要是本科院校和社区学院实施，因为教师的时间和资源有限。细胞生物学教育联盟（CBEC）将通过创建教师，学生和资源网络来解决这些主要不足，这些资源将提供基础设施，以促进独特的学生驱动的研究经验的开发和实施。通过创建符合课程学习目标和学生预期成果的项目，这些活动将有助于加强课堂内外的批判性思维技能。CBEC的主要活动将是开发“单元模块”，包括书面和视频协议以及课堂实施策略和评估。Cell Blocks将由小型机构的教师和学生开发，使他们有可能适应类似的学校。由于细胞块将有类似的基本组成部分，他们将能够混合和匹配，以回答新的问题。多个单元块的实施将作为学期研究项目的基础，为独立的学生研究项目提供基础。网络教师将有机会通过创建新的细胞块专业发展，获得所有细胞块模块和相关用品，和网络的机会。学生将能够在科学家社区内进行互动，扩大他们的经验，创建自己的独立研究项目，通过代金券系统建立资金记录，并参与专业发展经验。这些活动有可能增加研究生阶段和劳动力中进入STEM研究领域的学生人数。此外，由于将努力从少数民族服务机构招聘教师，拟议的网络将对STEM中代表性不足的本科生产生显著影响。该项目由生物基础设施司生物科学理事会和本科教育司教育和人力资源理事会共同资助，作为其努力应对本科生物学教育中的愿景和变革所带来的挑战的一部分：行动呼吁（http：//visionandchange/finalreport/）。共同资助是由既定的计划，以刺激竞争力的研究（EPSCoR）。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

The need for changing how the natural sciences are taught and the expansion of undergraduate research experiences has been well-documented in the literature. One mechanism to accomplish these changes is the incorporation of course-based undergraduate research experiences. While isolated groups are introducing cell culture techniques into such experiences, there has been no coordinated effort to compile resources and provide training that makes creating customizable cell-culture-based research projects easier to implement at smaller, primarily undergraduate institutions and community colleges where faculty time and resources are limited. The Cell Biology Education Coalition (CBEC) will address these major shortfalls through the creation of a network of faculty, students, and resources that will provide an infrastructure to facilitate the development and implementation of unique student-driven research experiences. By creating projects that align with a curriculum's learning goals and desired student outcomes, these activities will help strengthen critical thinking skills in and beyond the classroom.The primary activity of CBEC will be the development of "Cell Blocks," modules consisting of written and video protocols and classroom implementation strategies and assessments. Cell Blocks will be developed by faculty and their students at small institutions making it likely that they will be adaptable at similar schools. Because the Cell Blocks will have similar basic components, they will be able to be mixed and matched to answer novel questions. The implementation of multiple Cell Blocks will serve as the basis for semester-long research projects that provide the foundation for independent student research projects. Network faculty will have opportunities for professional development through the creation of new Cell Blocks, access to all Cell Block modules and associated supplies, and networking opportunities. Students will be able to interact within a community of scientists to expand on their experiences and create their own independent research projects, establish a funding record through a voucher system, and participate in professional development experiences. Such activities have the potential to increase the number of students entering STEM research fields at the graduate level and in the workforce. Additionally, because efforts will be made to recruit faculty from minority-serving institutions, the proposed network will have a pronounced effect on undergraduates underrepresented in STEM. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, 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/finalreport/). Co-funding was provided by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.