Establishing Community College Pathways to Environmental Science Through Research Opportunities and Professional Engagement along the Buffalo National River

本项目旨在通过重新设计典型的两年制大学环境科学教育模式，以提高社区大学学生的成功率、完成率和转学率，为国家利益服务。该项目将提供一个本科生研究项目。它将包括延长实地工作的时间，并利用环境伙伴认为至关重要的研究和监测项目参与应用科学。该研究项目还将包括一个整合科学思维、交流和分析的课程。这将有助于在北阿肯色学院（Northark）的学生、大学教师和环境专业人士之间建立联系。每学期将在方便的街区安排成对的辅导课，为实地调研提供延长的时间，并作为整合科学与非科学内容的平台。学院的温室，高隧道和规划的环境研究地块，将提供校园内和校园附近的研究设施。布法罗国家河上的地点将成为环境合作伙伴需要的多个研究和监测项目的起点。该项目的具体目标是：(1)将真实的基于项目的学习和本科研究嵌入到Northark现有的科学，工程和数学科学副学士学位中；(2)招募和留住多样化的学生群体；(3)在项目开发和培训中利用参与环境和教育的合作伙伴；(4)为项目教师提供专业发展。活动旨在促进对技术和干预措施的理解，以提供深入的本科研究经验和专业联系。该项目将采用基于证据的策略，通过结构良好的协作学习、相关项目以及与教师和专业环境科学家的持续互动，为女性、第一代、低收入和西班牙裔/拉丁裔学生提供支持。该提案的主要活动将被设计成可被其他两年制学院扩展和适应。该项目还将为该州的环境监测提供急需的资源。Northark将通过在学院以及地方、州、地区和国家会议上的演讲，与学院的其他学科和项目分享该项目的所有成果。具体而言，Northark团队将与其他社区学院分享该项目通过本科生研究和沉浸式实地工作来加强体验式学习的策略。美国国家科学基金会关于在两年制高等教育机构推进本科STEM教育的创新和影响的项目描述支持在两年制大学推进STEM教育计划的项目。该项目描述促进了两年制大学本科STEM教育的创新和循证实践。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 redesigning the typical two-year college model of environmental science education to improve the success, completion, and transfer rates of community college students. The project will provide an undergraduate research program. It will include extended time for field work and involvement in applied science using research and monitoring projects deemed critical by environmental partners. The research program will also include a curriculum that integrates science-thinking, communications, and analytics. This will support building connections between North Arkansas College (Northark) students, university faculty, and environmental professionals. Each semester, pairs of complementary courses will be scheduled in convenient blocks to provide extended time for field research and serve as a platform to integrate science and non-science content. The College’s greenhouse, high-tunnel, and planned environmental studies plot, will provide on- and near-campus research facilities. Sites on the Buffalo National River will be the launching points for multiple research and monitoring projects needed by environmental partners. The project’s specific goals are to (1) embed authentic project-based learning and undergraduate research into Northark’s existing Associate of Science in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, (2) recruit and retain a diverse group of students, (3) utilize engaged environmental and educational partners in program development and training, and (4) provide professional development for program faculty. Activities are designed to advance the understanding of techniques and interventions required to provide in-depth undergraduate research experiences and professional connections. The project will incorporate evidence-based strategies to support women, first generation, low income, and Hispanic/Latino students with well-structured collaborative learning, relevant projects, and ongoing interaction with faculty and professional environmental scientists. The key activities of this proposal will be designed to be scaled and adapted by other two-year colleges. This project will also provide much needed resources for environmental monitoring in the state. Northark will share all results from this project with other disciplines and programs in the college, on its media outlets, through presentations at the college and at local, state, regional, and national conferences. Specifically, the Northark team will share the project’s strategies for enhancing experiential learning through undergraduate research and immersive field work with other community colleges. The NSF program description on Advancing Innovation and Impact in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-year Institutions of Higher Education supports projects that advance STEM education initiatives at two-year colleges. The program description promotes innovative and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges.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.