Collaborative Research: Level II Preparing Undergraduates for Research in STEM-related fields Using Electrophysiology (PURSUE)

该项目旨在通过增加参与认知神经科学研究的大学生数量来服务于高质量STEM教育的国家利益。 根据调查数据，目前在高校中，很少有本科生参与认知神经科学的研究项目。 此外，那些在这些实验室工作的本科生参与了基本的数据收集工作。有了必要的知识和数据分析的实践经验，更多的本科研究人员可以为认知神经科学研究做出更大的贡献。 该项目旨在通过建立一套开放获取的教学和学习资源来实现这一目标，这些资源是由主要研究人员在以前的NSF支持下开发的。 这些资源包括可以纳入现有课程的独立模块，以及整个本科课程。 该项目将评估和改进这些资源，使它们更容易被不同的教师和不同的机构使用。 此外，该项目将培训和支持教师有效利用资源。 这种培训将包括通过教师学习社区提供的支持。该项目有可能通过增加使用循证教学资源来改善本科生STEM学习，通过支持改进课程来扩大STEM学习的机构能力，并通过让学生参与高质量的研究经验来准备STEM劳动力。 该项目的具体目标是：1）完善，评估和修订一套认知电生理学培训材料; 2）通过课程设计研讨会促进课程实施并扩大认知电生理学教学/研究社区，特别是为STEM中代表性不足的人群服务的教师;以及3）通过建立一个网站和电生理学数据库，增加课程材料的传播和获取。课程材料的有效性将通过教师调查和学生的学习成果（前测后测设计与队列比较组）进行评估。研讨会的成功和影响将通过教师参与调查和年度调查跟踪教学，指导和研究活动进行评估。研究结果将在会议上以及神经科学和教育期刊上传播。该项目有可能改善数千名本科生和研究生的培训。在线获取材料使来自世界各地不同学院和大学的教师，特别是那些资源有限的教师，能够为代表性不足的人群增加培训和研究机会，而无需购买或维护电生理设备。此外，它可以增加本科生参与真实研究经验的机会，从而导致师生共同撰写的出版物，更好地培训学生进入研究生院和STEM劳动力。该项目得到了NSF改善本科STEM教育计划的支持：教育和人力资源，该计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest in high-quality STEM education by increasing the number of college students who participate in cognitive neuroscience research. Based on survey data, few undergraduates are currently involved in cognitive neuroscience research projects at colleges and universities. In addition, those undergraduates who are working in these laboratories are involved at a basic, data-collecting level. With the necessary knowledge and hands-on experience with data analysis, more undergraduate researchers could contribute more substantially to cognitive neuroscience research. This project aims to achieve this goal by building upon a set of open-access teaching and learning resources that were developed by the principle investigators with previous NSF support. These resources include stand-alone modules that can be incorporated into existing courses, as well as an entire undergraduate course. The project will evaluate and improve these resources to make them easier to use by different faculty and at different institutions. In addition, the project will train and support faculty in effective use of the resources. This training will include support provided through a faculty learning community. This project has the potential to improve undergraduate STEM learning by increasing the use of evidence-based teaching resources, to broaden institutional capacity for STEM learning by supporting improvements to courses, and to prepare the STEM workforce by engaging students in high-quality research experiences. The specific objectives of this project are to: 1) refine, assess, and revise a set of cognitive electrophysiology training materials; 2) facilitate course implementation and broaden the cognitive electrophysiology teaching/research community through course-design workshops, especially for faculty serving populations that are under-represented in STEM; and 3) increase dissemination and accessibility of course materials through development of a website and database of electrophysiology data. Efficacy of course materials will be assessed via faculty surveys and student learning outcomes (pretest-posttest design with cohort comparison group). Workshop success and impact will be evaluated via faculty participant surveys and annual surveys tracking teaching, mentoring, and research activities. Results will be disseminated at conferences and in neuroscience and education journals. This project has the potential to improve the training of thousands of undergraduate and graduate students. The online accessibility of materials allows faculty from diverse colleges and universities worldwide, particularly those with limited resources, to increase training and research opportunities for underrepresented populations without the need to purchase or maintain electrophysiology equipment. Additionally, it can increase opportunities for undergraduates to engage in authentic research experiences that lead to faculty-student co-authored publications, better training students for graduate school and the STEM workforce. This project is supported by the NSF Improving Undergraduate STEM Education Program: Education and Human Resources, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.