Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research throughout the Chemistry Laboratory Curriculum

本项目旨在通过调查基于多年课程的本科研究经历（CUREs）对本科化学实验课程的影响，为国家利益服务。发展让学生参与基于发现的科学体验的机会是国家的优先事项。CUREs通过用真实的研究经验取代传统的“烹饪书”实验室活动来实现这一目标。虽然治疗方法是在各种情况下发展起来的，但大多数关于其有效性的研究都是针对个别疗程进行的。这个项目旨在通过调查一个多年的、有顺序的CURE课程如何影响学生的学习，来推进关于CURE的知识。这个项目将把整个实验课程转变为以本科生研究为中心。预计这一转变将改善学生的招聘、保留以及随后对其他研究经历的参与，特别是对于那些尚未在STEM中得到公平代表的群体的学生。这些努力也将为化学实验课程的循证改革提供一个案例研究，以补充化学讲座课程改革的努力。CURE课程将在位于Geneseo的纽约州立大学学院（SUNY）的四门化学实验课程中开发，这是一所主要的本科院校。CUREs将在参与者第一年的实验课程中引入，并在跨越四年的实验课程中建立脚手架，包括普通，有机和无机化学，以及高级顶点课程。这个项目与之前CURE项目的不同之处在于，它将让学生在四年的本科化学课程中学习研究技能，而不仅仅是一次经历。具体的STEM教育研究问题将探讨多年的、有序的CURE课程对学生学习成果、学生对研究过程的理解以及学生开展有意义的研究项目的能力的影响。这些结果将与外部项目评估者合作进行调查，使用间接评估学生对他们的学习收获的看法，通过全国验证的CURE调查和直接评估，通过比较学生的课程成绩，实验室作业和考试，以及参与课程变化前后的其他研究经验。该项目的预期成果包括：培养更有准备的STEM劳动力、更坚持追求学士学位后教育、更多样化的STEM社区，以及改进STEM教育实践。该项目的成果将在STEM教师的专业发展研讨会上，通过纽约州立大学范围内的在线平台，以及在区域会议上的演讲和STEM教育期刊上的出版物中传播。本项目是为响应“亲爱的同事信：鼓励新加入改善本科STEM教育的机构参与：教育和人力资源计划：（NSF 20-034）”而提交的，由NSF IUSE: EHR计划资助，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。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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 by investigating the impact of multi-year course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in an undergraduate chemistry laboratory curriculum. Developing opportunities to engage students in discovery-based science experiences is a national priority. CUREs achieve this goal by replacing traditional “cook-book” laboratory activities with authentic research experiences. Although CUREs have been developed in a variety of contexts, most research on their effectiveness examines individual courses. This project intends to advance knowledge about CUREs by investigating how a multi-year, sequenced CURE curriculum affects student learning. This project will transform the entire laboratory curriculum to center on undergraduate research. It is expected that this transformation will improve student recruitment, retention, and subsequent participation in other research experiences, especially for students from groups that are not yet equitably represented in STEM. These efforts will also provide a case study of evidence-based change to the chemistry laboratory curriculum that is designed to complement efforts to reform the chemistry lecture curriculum.CURE curricula will be developed in four chemistry laboratory courses at the State University of New York College (SUNY) at Geneseo, a primarily undergraduate institution. The CUREs will be introduced in participants’ first-year laboratory courses and be scaffolded in a multi-year sequence spanning a four year laboratory curriculum including general, organic, and inorganic chemistry, plus a senior capstone course. This project differs from previous CURE examples in that it will engage students in learning research skills during all four years of the undergraduate chemistry program, instead of just a single experience. The specific STEM education research questions will explore the impacts of a multi-year, sequenced CURE curriculum on student learning outcomes, student understanding of the research process, and students’ ability to carry out a meaningful research project. These outcomes will be investigated in collaboration with an external project evaluator using both indirect assessments of student perceptions of their learning gains from a nationally validated CURE survey and direct assessment through comparison of students’ course grades, laboratory assignments and exams, and participation in other research experiences before and after the curriculum change. Expected outcomes of the project include a better prepared STEM work force, greater persistence in pursuing post-baccalaureate education, a more diverse STEM community, and improved STEM educational practices. Results from this project will be disseminated locally in professional development workshops for STEM instructors, via a SUNY-wide online platform, and through presentations at regional conferences and publications in STEM education journals. This project was submitted in response to the "Dear Colleague Letter: Stimulating Participation from Institutions New to the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources Program: (NSF 20-034)" and is funded by the NSF IUSE: EHR program, which supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students.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.