Catalyst Project: Culturally Responsive and Backward-Design-based Bimodal Units and Assessments as Learning Tools in College Physics

催化剂项目为历史悠久的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)提供支持，以努力建立教职员工的研究能力，以加强科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)本科教育和研究。预计该奖项将进一步提高教职员工的研究能力，改善学院的研究和教学，并让本科生参与研究经验。塔斯基吉大学寻求开发基于反向设计的双峰可教单元，允许在线和面对面教学模式之间的无缝切换，并在选定的本科物理课程中实施，以帮助实现公平并促进学生的学习结果，而不受性别、种族和经济背景的影响。这项研究将由两个主要问题推动：(1)如何构建可教单元和材料，以实现面授和在线教学之间的无缝切换，并在文化上量身定制，以减少科学和技术科目中的误解，以及b)提高学生在历史黑人学校攻读物理和其他科学专业的动机？(2)文化定制的具有多样性成分的双峰教学单元是否增强了a)学生联系概念的能力，b)解决科学问题的信心，以及c)教师对科学教学方法的适应？该项目将分两个阶段在三个不同的物理讲座和相应的实验室实施。在第一阶段，可教授的单元将在混合设置中实施。在第二阶段，将使用不同的评估作为学习工具。根植于科学教学原则的可教单元将向教师和学生提供关于学习、设计活动和评估的反馈，以帮助不同的学生创建和实现代表科学本质的学习目标。这些教材和活动，包括来自未被充分代表的社区的人物和熟悉的例子，预计将激励学生攻读物理和其他基础科学专业。这项研究的评估和调查数据将有助于更深入地理解最大限度地保持不同学生的知识保留的交付和评估类型。该项目将提高教师的意识，并促进教师在为学生成功创建课程内容时纳入与文化相关的多样化教学材料的必要性。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。

Catalyst Projects provide support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to work towards establishing research capacity of faculty to strengthen science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate education and research. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, improve research and teaching at the institution, and involve undergraduate students in research experiences. Tuskegee University seeks to develop bimodal teachable units based on backward design that will allow seamless switching between online and in-person teaching modes, to be implemented in selected undergraduate physics courses to help achieve equity and promote student learning outcomes regardless of gender, race, and economic background.The research will be driven by two overarching questions: (1) How can teachable units and materials be structured for a seamless switch between in-person and online instruction and culturally tailored to a) reduce misconceptions in science and technology subjects, and b) improve student motivation to pursue Physics and other science majors at Historically Black Institutions? (2) Do culturally tailored bimodal teachable units with diversity components enhance a) students’ ability to connect concepts, b) confidence in tackling science problems, and c) the faculty’s adaptation of scientific teaching methodologies? The project will be implemented in three different physics lectures and their corresponding laboratories in two phases. In phase I, teachable units will be implemented in a hybrid setup. During phase II, diverse assessments will be used as a learning tool. The teachable units rooted in scientific teaching principles will provide feedback to instructors and students about learning, design activities, and assessments to help diverse students create and achieve learning goals representing the nature of science. The instructional materials and activities, including characters from underrepresented communities and familiar examples, are expected to motivate the students to pursue physics and other fundamental science majors. The assessment and survey data from this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the delivery and assessment types that maximize knowledge retention among diverse students. The project will create awareness and foster self-examination among instructors regarding the need to include culturally relevant and diverse instructional materials during course content creation for student success.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.