"Enhancing STEM Student Success by Connecting Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences to the Local Ecology and Community"

摘要为1928405从改善本科STEM教育的支持：西班牙裔服务机构（HSI计划），这个轨道1项目旨在通过从事学生作为研究人员改造STEM课程。 具体来说，学生将做研究，以确定放牧对当地，农村，公共土地的影响。该项目旨在通过将实践研究项目添加到课程课程中来改变第一年和第二年的STEM课程，包括生物学，化学，地球科学和统计学。 这种研究经验通常被称为？课程为基础的本科研究经验，？或治愈。为了加强项目？Sangre de Cristo国家遗产区的代表将通过与教师和学生的接触与该项目合作。 通过这种参与，该项目将把圣路易斯山谷的遗产和传统土地使用做法纳入STEM课程。通过将STEM与当地联系起来，培训教师进行文化敏感的教学，并发展学生领导的同行指导，该项目旨在提高学生的参与度，这是众所周知的，以提高STEM的持久性，保留率和毕业率。该项目将通过让学生作为研究人员参与学徒模式来开发基于地方的CURE。 该课程将研究放牧对公共土地的生态影响，以增强学生在STEM方面的体验和动力。该项目将提供教师发展文化相关的教学实践，以及辅导同侪导师，以帮助建立学生？通过基于资产的方法在STEM中实现归属感和有效性。该项目将调查：1）在农村西班牙裔服务机构的地方为基础的CURE学徒模式的有效性;和2）同侪指导和文化上敏感的教学实践的影响。该项目位于被指定为Sangre de Cristo国家遗产区的地理和文化独特地区的中心，将与当地非营利机构，政府代表和社区成员合作，他们的家庭世代居住在这片土地上。将STEM内容与当地联系起来可以增强学生在STEM中的动机，并扩大学生和教师对当地遗产的认识。该项目的准实验研究包括分析STEM学科比较组的入学率、通过率、保留率和学位完成率以及心理因素的纵向数据。该项目将通过在区域和国家会议上的介绍，分享关于在对文化敏感的教学环境中制定基于地点的CURE的有效战略的新知识。HSI计划旨在加强本科STEM教育，并建立HSI的能力。HSI计划支持的项目也将产生关于如何实现这些目标的新知识。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。

Abstract for 1928405With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 1 project aims to transform STEM courses by engaging students as researchers. Specifically, the students will do research to determine the impacts of grazing on local, rural, public lands. The project seeks to transform first- and second-year STEM courses, including biology, chemistry, geosciences, and statistics by adding hands-on research projects into the course curricula. Such research experiences are often called ?course-based undergraduate research experiences,? or CUREs. To enhance the project?s relevance to the community, representatives from the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area will collaborate with the project by engaging with the faculty and the students. Through this engagement, the project will bring the heritage and traditional land use practices of the San Luis Valley into the STEM courses. By connecting STEM with the local area, training faculty in culturally responsive teaching, and developing student led peer-mentoring, this project seeks to enhance student engagement, which is known to increase persistence, retention, and graduation rates in STEM.The project will develop place-based CUREs by engaging students as researchers in an apprenticeship model. The CURES will examine the ecological impacts of grazing on public lands to enhance the student experience and motivation in STEM. The project will provide faculty development in culturally relevant teaching practices as well as coaching for peer-mentors to help build students? sense of belonging and efficacy in STEM via an asset-based approach. The project will investigate: 1) the effectiveness of an apprenticeship model of place-based CUREs at a rural Hispanic-serving Institution; and 2) the impacts of peer-mentoring and culturally responsive teaching practices. Located at the center of a geographically and culturally distinct region designated as the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, the project will engage with local non-profit agencies, governmental representatives, and community members whose families have lived on the land for generations. Connecting STEM content with the local area may enhance student motivation in STEM as well as broaden awareness of the local heritage among students and faculty. The project's quasi-experimental study includes analyzing longitudinal data in enrollment, pass rates, retention, and degree completion, as well as psychological factors, across comparison groups in STEM disciplines. The project will share new knowledge of effective strategies on developing place-based CUREs in a culturally responsive teaching environment through presentations at regional and national conferences. The HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these goals.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.