| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 2, 2011 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 2, 2011 |
| Award Number: | 1043079 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Terry S. Woodin
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | June 1, 2011 |
| End Date: | May 31, 2014 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $249,998.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $249,998.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ALBUQUERQUE NM US 87131-0001 (505)272-6264 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1 UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO ALBUQUERQUE NM US 87131-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
S-STEM-Schlr Sci Tech Eng&Math, TUES-Type 1 Project, EPSCoR Co-Funding |
| Primary Program Source: |
04001112DB NSF Education & Human Resource 1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
This project tests the adaptability and adoptability of on-line case studies as the basis for student groups to use Problem-based Learning to master complex concepts in biology and chemistry. A group of faculty from the University of New Mexico has used this approach successfully in biochemistry courses there. To learn whether the approach can be used at different types of institutions, they are collaborating with faculty at San Juan College to help them to develop and implement it among the San Juan students of introductory biology and chemistry. San Juan College is a rural community college in northwestern New Mexico, and is a federally designated Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution. Its student population also includes a significant Hispanic presence. Despite the significant physical and cultural distance between the two schools, the collaboration succeeds by the use of workshops for development of the case studies and ongoing support and mentoring of the San Juan faculty using electronic means of communication. Groups of students working on the case studies also use electronic tools to investigate the cases and to respond to assessments designed to test their mastery in several different domains of learning. When needed, faculty assistance can also be provided electronically. Distance thus becomes far less an obstacle in development of this learning community. Support for this project is provided by EHR/DUE and by the EPSCoR program.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The overall goal of the UNM/SJC TUES Project was to introduce problem-based learning (PBL) strategies to community college faculty and students. This grant facilitated dissemination of problem-solving practice and assessment tools to San Juan College (SJC) science faculty through: 1) a three-workshop series that offered step-by-step training for the development and implementation of relevant On-Line Cases (OLCs) to be used in the SJC School of Science (SoS) classes in Biology, Chemistry, and General Science; 2) training for the development of corresponding Individual Problem-Solving Assessments (IPSAs); 3) ongoing support during implementation and subsequent improvement of these products; 4) creation of a complete online workshop and repository, offering trainings as well as fully developed, ready for use, OLCs and IPSAs.
In addition, the project paved the way for institutional changes. The following specific examples of impact were identified by UNM/SJC TUES participants:
- Collaboration
- UNM/SJC TUES has resulted in more interaction among faculty at SJC, as well as between SJC and UNM educators
- Sharing materials, techniques, and experiences assisted faculty in curriculum development and delivery, and provided for more uniform delivery of the curriculum across courses
- SJC faculty began to seek collaborations with student support programs and curriculum development groups on campus; together faculty and programs are changing the way faculty teach at SJC
- Increased Understanding and Implementation of PBL strategies
- There is increased awareness of the fact that students can benefit from these techniques
- Increased Understanding of Student Barriers to Success
- There is increased awareness by faculty and administrators of barriers to student participation and success with online teaching approaches
- Faculty are getting involved in institution-wide efforts to address barriers to student success
- Collective Vision
- Faculty are asking questions centering on how they can motivate students and increase student participation
- Faculty seem determined to develop techniques that help students learn
- Impact Across Campus
- The project has resulted in other disciplinary faculty being introduced to and adopting PBL techniques.
- Additional instructors (in Biology) will be using fully developed OLCs and IPSAs in the Fall 2014 semester
- Training sessions offered to faculty across campus are utilizing PBL concepts
- Faculty are seeking exposure to and training in complementary new teaching approaches
Last Modified: 08/05/2014
Modified by: Veronica Evans
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