Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences for Place-Bound Students to Promote Student Persistence

该项目旨在通过开发和调查一种模式，让来自不同背景的学生参与本科研究，为国家利益服务。该项目以新墨西哥州中部社区学院为中心，这是一所两年制西班牙裔服务机构，主要研究人员将实施和审查混合本科研究体验（URE），包括基于综合课程的本科研究体验（CURE）和传统的学徒制本科研究体验，并提供津贴支持。混合URE模型解决并建立在学生的地方约束和文化经验，高影响力的做法，核心能力教学模块和专业发展活动。特别是，研究经验将侧重于推进有关城市热岛效应（UHI）的知识，其中阿尔伯克基是该国经历这种现象的十大城市之一。因此，该项目有可能通知有兴趣培养本科生的研究经验的学生谁带来的地方约束的经验知识，调查当地的研究问题的机构。该项目还将为国家综合热健康信息系统（NIHHIS）提供系统收集的信息，从而进一步将研究置于社会重要背景下。该项目有三个目标：（1）加强学生对STEM的坚持;（2）发展学生的内容知识，促进研究实践;（3）加强学生对STEM的学习，提高学生对STEM的兴趣。以及（3）创建一个操作框架（STEM内容和实施），以实现强大的为期一年的基于课程的本科研究经验。受地方限制的学生通常有家庭和文化责任，并面临挑战，参加传统的学徒研究经验。然而，以课程为基础的本科研究经验提供了一个实际的选择。在这个项目中，每年有10名学生将参加为期一年的一系列特别项目课程，并将获得可观的津贴支持。一项混合方法的文化响应研究将调查预期产出和成果，项目活动与成果和执行的一致性，以及对逻辑模型的忠诚度。该研究将对学生产品进行文件分析，对机构数据进行定量分析，评估学生的知识和技能，对访谈数据进行定性分析，并分析保留率和毕业率。从每种类型的数据收集和分析的结果将通知项目改进，文件成果的问责制，并推进知识和本科研究经验的理解。此外，学生研究小组在新墨西哥州的阿尔伯克基收集的数据将有助于记录热岛效应。在两年制大学本科STEM教育的推进创新和影响计划描述支持研究和开发项目，支持两年制大学的教育和研究工作。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 developing and investigating a model for engaging students from diverse backgrounds in undergraduate research. The project is centered at Central New Mexico Community College, a 2-year Hispanic Serving Institution, where the principal investigators will implement and examine a hybrid undergraduate research experience (URE) consisting of an integrated course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and a traditional apprenticeship undergraduate research experience with stipend support. The hybrid URE model addresses and builds upon the place-bound and cultural experiences of the students, high impact practices, core competency instructional modules, and professional development activities. In particular, the research experiences will focus on advancing knowledge about the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, of which Albuquerque is one of the top ten cities in the country experiencing this phenomenon. As such, the project has the potential to inform institutions interested in fostering undergraduate research experiences for students who bring place-bound experiential knowledge to investigate local research problems. The project will also contribute systematically collected information to the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS), thus further situating the research in a societally important context. The project has the potential to contribute to student success and retention in STEM, to advance knowledge about CUREs and UREs broadly, contribute to the national investigation of UHI effect, and the development of a hybrid model of CUREs for community colleges.The project has three objectives: (1) To strengthen students’ persistence in STEM; (2) to develop students’ content knowledge to promote research practices; and (3) to create an operational framework (STEM content and implementation) to enable a robust year-long course-based undergraduate research experience. Place-bound students typically have family and cultural responsibilities and face challenges to participating in traditional apprenticeship research experiences. However, course-based undergraduate research experiences provide a practical alternative. For this project ten students per year will participate in a year-long series of special project courses and will receive significant stipend support. A mixed methods culturally responsive study will investigate expected outputs and outcomes, alignment of project activities to outcomes and implementation, and fidelity to the logic model. The study will conduct document analyses of student products, quantitative analysis of institutional data, assessment of student knowledge and skills, qualitative analysis of interview data, and analyses of retention and graduation rates. Findings from each type of data collection and analysis will inform project improvement, document outcomes for accountability, and advance knowledge and understanding of the undergraduate research experience. Additionally, data collected in Albuquerque, New Mexico by student research teams will contribute to documenting the UHI effect. The Advancing Innovation and Impact in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two Year Institutions program description supports research and development projects supporting education and research efforts 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.