Integrating Innovative Biological Research Data into Biostatistics – Fostering STEM Interest and Retention

该项目旨在通过制定课程安排和教学战略来服务于国家利益，以增加在劳动力中充分准备利用生物统计学技能的STEM专业人员的数量。具体地说，该项目将提高两所历史悠久的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)--菲斯克大学和田纳西州立大学--的本科生STEM学生的生物统计学技能。生物统计学方面的技能对于STEM领域的学生分析、解释和预测各种学科的结果至关重要。该项目旨在提高学生从事STEM研究的兴趣，通过应用课程工作深化学生的学习，并通过在通常困难的课程--生物统计学中提供支持来提高学生的入学成绩。本项目将设计和研究一门包含四个突出要素的生物统计学课程。首先是使用翻转教室，强调简短的点播讲座、后续测验和实时技术演示。其次是使用真实数据集的实际操作练习。第三，让学生参与小组讨论，以支持小组学习。第四是利用全面的基于数据的项目，这些项目提供了用通俗易懂的语言解释生物统计学的机会。通过这个项目的完成，参与的学生将有更多的能力有效地使用生物统计学来协助研究实验室的分析和追求自己的研究兴趣。项目研究将把新开发的课程与传统的生物统计学课程进行比较，特别是探索满足学生需求的方法，并确定关键生物统计技能的潜在增长。此外，HBCU在支持非裔美国学生进入STEM劳动力市场方面发挥了重要作用，该项目的研究和传播活动将在为少数群体服务的机构和其他服务于不同学生群体的学校产生关于生物统计学教育有效方法的新知识。该项目的目标是促进参与和改善学生对生物统计学的学习，这将特别有助于增加HBCU学生的机会。为了实现这一目标，有三个目标：(1)实施一门以研究为重点的课堂和计算机实验室作业相结合的生物统计学课程；(2)开发一种可复制的翻转课堂教学方法来教授生物统计学；以及(3)评估用于改善HBCU未来生物统计学学生成果的战略的价值。目标1将通过开发和迭代改进具有真实数据的课程项目、小型点对点讨论小组以及参与正在进行的研究项目来实现。目标2将通过为两个HBCU的学生量身定做翻转课堂方法，并创建将向全国其他机构公开提供的材料和工具包来实现。为了达到目标3，将进行一项混合方法研究，通过比较参加项目生物统计课程的学生和参加传统生物统计课程的匹配对照组，比较生物统计学内容的增长、掌握情况和对STEM职业的兴趣。主要数据来源包括内容评估、访谈、经过验证的调查工具和学生学业成绩数据。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。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。

This project aims to serve the national interest by developing coursework and teaching strategies that will increase the number of STEM professionals who are well-prepared to utilize biostatistics skills in the workforce. Specifically, this project will increase undergraduate STEM students’ biostatistics skills at two Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs), Fisk University and Tennessee State University. Skills in biostatistics are essential for students in STEM fields to analyze, interpret, and predict outcomes across a broad collection of disciplines. This project is intended to increase students’ interests in pursuing STEM research, deepen students’ learning through applied course work, and improve students’ matriculation by providing support in an often difficult course, biostatistics. This project will design and study a biostatistics course with four prominent elements. First is the use of flipped classrooms that emphasize short on-demand lectures with follow-up quizzes and real-time technical demonstrations. Second is hands-on practice using real data sets. Third is engaging students in small group discussions for supportive group learning. Fourth is the use of comprehensive data-based projects that provide opportunities to interpret biostatistics in plain language. By the completion of this project, participating students will have an increased capacity to use biostatistics effectively for assisting with analyses in research labs and pursuing their own research interests. Project research will compare the newly developed course to a traditional biostatistics course, in particular exploring ways to meet students' needs and identify potential growth of critical biostatistics skills. Furthermore, HBCUs have a prominent role in supporting African-American students’ journeys to the STEM workforce and the project's research and dissemination activities will generate new knowledge on effective approaches in biostatistics education at minority-serving institutions and other schools serving diverse student populations.The goal of this project is to foster engagement and improve student learning of biostatistics, which will specifically contribute increased opportunities for students at HBCUs. To achieve this goal, there are three objectives: (1) implement a biostatistics course with integrated research-focused classroom and computer lab assignments; (2) develop a replicable flipped classroom approach to teaching biostatistics; and (3) assess the value of the strategies used to improve outcomes for future biostatistics HBCU students. Objective 1 will be met through the development and iterative improvement of course projects with authentic data, small peer-to-peer discussion groups, and participation in ongoing research projects. Objective 2 will be met by tailoring the flipped classroom approach to students at two HBCUs and creating materials and toolkits that will be publicly available to other institutions nationwide. Objective 3 will be met by conducting a mixed-methods research study to compare growth of biostatistics content mastery and interests in STEM careers by comparing students enrolled in the project biostatistics course and a matched control group taking traditional biostatistics courses. Major data sources include content assessments, interviews, validated survey instruments and student academic outcome data. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program 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.