Using Advanced Technology to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Science Labs at Two-Year Colleges

该项目将通过增强全国八所两年制学院学生的入门STEM实验室体验来服务于国家利益。实验室经验是科学教育不可或缺的一部分，并为学生提供实践机会，以了解自然世界和发展科学和技术职业所需的技能。该项目将设计、实施和评估一系列创新，这些创新基于使用先进的热成像技术来可视化化学和物理现象。它将利用低成本，易于使用的热成像相机，以确保开发的材料是可获得的和负担得起的。与热成像相关的科学知识和分析技能将适用于学生未来的工作，因为热成像的采用在工业中不断加速。该项目将由未来智能研究所（IFI）领导，与哈罗德华盛顿学院，亚利桑那西部学院和恐怖角社区学院合作。来自全国各地的另外五所两年制学院（约翰逊县社区学院、圣地亚哥城市学院、斯科茨代尔社区学院、特拉基梅多斯学院和威克技术社区学院）将为这项研究提供额外的实地测试地点。最终，该项目旨在吸引来自为高度多样化的学生群体提供服务的机构的大量学生和教师参与高科技实验室活动，这些活动还利用旨在实现公平和包容的教学战略。 该项目的目标是：1）在实验室环境中设计和实施由先进技术授权的科学和教学创新; 2）建立一个实践社区，以支持技术的持续教师专业发展; 3）进行多管齐下的研究，以改进产品并产生对STEM教育社区有意义的知识。在项目期间，将使用基于设计的方法来实现对设想的创新的迭代改进。此外，本研究将探讨热成像技术如何影响学生对STEM的理解和兴趣，开发的技术如何支持实验室教学的改进，以及如何让两年制教师参与成功的实践社区。这些问题将采用基于混合方法的定性和定量工具相结合的方法进行探讨。一个由五名成员组成的咨询委员会将监督项目活动，一名外部评价员将与项目小组合作，定期提供形成性和总结性反馈。结果将通过出版物、演示文稿、开源平台和专业网络广泛传播。NSF关于在两年制高等教育机构中推进本科STEM教育的创新和影响的项目描述支持在两年制大学中推进STEM教育计划的项目。该计划描述促进了两年制大学本科STEM教育的创新和循证实践。该项目还得到了NSF IUSE：HSI项目的支持，该项目的目标是提高本科STEM教育的质量，并提高攻读STEM副学士或学士学位学生的录取率、保留率和毕业率。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 will serve the national interest by enhancing the introductory STEM laboratory experience for students at eight two-year colleges across the country. Laboratory experiences are an indispensable part of science education and provide hands-on opportunities for students to understand the natural world and develop skills needed for scientific and technical careers. The project will design, implement, and assess a package of innovations based on using advanced thermal imaging technology to visualize chemical and physical phenomena. It will leverage low-cost, easy-to-use thermal cameras to ensure the materials developed are accessible and affordable. The scientific knowledge and analytical skills related to thermal imaging will be applicable to students' future work as the adoption of thermal imaging continues to accelerate in industry. The project will be led by the Institute for Future Intelligence (IFI), in partnership with Harold Washington College, Arizona Western College, and Cape Fear Community College. Five additional two-year colleges from around the country (Johnson County Community College, San Diego City College, Scottsdale Community College, Truckee Meadows College, and Wake Technical Community College) will provide additional field test sites for the study. Ultimately, this project aims to engage a large number of students and faculty from institutions that serve highly diverse student populations in high-tech laboratory activities that also leverage pedagogical strategies aimed at equity and inclusion. The project goals are to: 1) Design and implement scientific and pedagogical innovations empowered by advanced technology in the laboratory setting; 2) Build a community of practice to support continuous faculty professional development with technology; and 3) Conduct a multipronged research study to improve the products and generate knowledge significant to the STEM education community. Iterative improvement of the envisioned innovations over the duration of the project will be accomplished using a designed-based method. Additionally, this study will explore how thermal imaging techniques impact students' understanding and interest in STEM, how the technology developed supports improvement of laboratory instruction, and how to engage two-year faculty in a successful community of practice. These questions will be probed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative instruments based on a mixed-methods approach. A five-member advisory board will oversee project activities and an external evaluator will partner with the project team to provide both formative and summative feedback at regular intervals. The results will be disseminated broadly via publications, presentations, open-source platforms, and professional networks. 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 project is also supported by the NSF IUSE:HSI program, which has the goals of enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education, and increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.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.