STEM Course Transformation: Cultivating a Culture of Entrepreneurial Mindset and Undergraduate Research

在改进的本科生STEM教育：拉美裔服务机构(HSI计划)的支持下，这个Track 1项目旨在增加STEM学位的数量和代表人数不足的少数族裔(URM)学生，同时改变STEM本科生的体验。在加州州立大学CHICO，低级别课程的低通过率阻碍了学生在STEM中的进步，尽管URM达到了类似的录取标准，但他们的复读率高于非URM同龄人。由于STEM学生的最大流失率发生在头两年，该项目针对低通过率的大入学课程，实施旨在提高学生成功的高影响力实践。高影响力的做法包括增加学生对研究体验和创业活动的参与，认识到这种体验可能会给城市管理人员带来不成比例的好处，同时支持STEM身份的形成、保留，以及为所有学生增加专业准备和社会融合。在芝加哥州立大学，CHICO将实施基于课程的本科生研究体验(CURE)，包括将创业技能发展整合为基于课程的本科生研究体验和创业(CURE-E)模式。教师培训和发展是该项目的一个主要特点。暑期学院提供了一个互动研讨会，向教师介绍基于探究的学习、评估策略、习语和教育技术。教员将参加持续的专业学习社区会议，在以前的暑期学院接受培训的归国教员将分享他们的经验和最佳实践。通过提高保留率和毕业率，该项目有可能通过增加受过培训的STEM专业人员的数量来帮助填补关键的空白并扩大美国STEM劳动力的参与度。该项目的具体目标是将CURE-E模式实施到15个STEM障碍课程中；STEM创业工具包；教职员工和学生研究和创新研讨会；CURE-E暑期学院的教师培训和发展；以及教育研究和项目评估活动。为了了解CURE-E模式如何改变STEM本科生的课堂体验，研究将重点放在领导使用LifeGrid方法重新设计和实施STEM障碍课程的教师身上。该研究工具用于收集和分析定性数据，特别是教师在实施CURE-E模型时的外部和内部经验。预期结果包括提高本科生STEM教育质量，显示URM学生和非URM学生在STEM中的成绩差距缩小；提高本科生保留率和毕业率；以及对采用CURE-E模式的教师专业发展的研究文献做出贡献。HSI计划旨在加强本科生STEM教育和HSI的能力建设。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。

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this Track 1 project aims to increase the number of STEM degrees and underrepresented minority (URM) student representation, while at the same time transforming the STEM undergraduate experience. At California State University, Chico, low pass rates in lower division courses impede student progression in STEM, and URMs experience higher repetition rates than their non-URM peers despite having met similar admission criteria. With the largest attrition of STEM students occurring in the first two years, the project targets large enrollment courses with low pass rates to implement high impact practices designed to increase student success. High impact practices include increasing student participation in research experiences and entrepreneurial activities, recognizing that such experiences may yield disproportionate benefits to URMs while supporting STEM identity formation, retention, and increasing professional preparation and social integration for all students. CSU, Chico will implement Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) including the integration of entrepreneurial skills development as the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience and Entrepreneurship (CURE-E) model. Faculty training and development is a central feature of the project. A summer institute offers an interactive workshop to introduce faculty to inquiry-based learning, assessment strategies, rubrics, and educational technologies. Faculty members will participate in ongoing professional learning community sessions, and returning faculty trained in previous summer institutes will share their experiences and best practices. By increasing retention and graduation rates, this project has the potential to help fill critical gaps and broaden participation in the US STEM workforce by increasing the number of trained STEM professionals.Specific aims of this project are the implementation of the CURE-E model into 15 STEM barrier courses; STEM entrepreneurship toolkit; faculty and student research and innovation symposium; faculty training and development in the CURE-E summer institute; and educational research and project evaluation activities. To understand how the CURE-E model transforms classroom experiences for STEM undergraduate students, the research will focus on the faculty leading the re-design and implementation of the STEM barrier courses using the LifeGrid methodology. This research tool is used to collect and analyze qualitative data, specifically the instructors’ external and internal experiences as they implement the CURE-E model. Expected outcomes include enhanced quality of undergraduate STEM education showing a decreased achievement gap between URM students and non-URM students in STEM; increased undergraduate retention and graduation rates; and contributions to the research literature on professional development of instructors adopting the CURE-E model. 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 aims.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.