The US National Science Foundation: The Undergraduate Curriculum and Undergraduate Research

1. The US National Science Foundation: The Undergraduate Curriculum and Undergraduate Research Rosemary R. Haggett Acting Deputy Assistant Director Education and Human Resources November 24, 2006

2. Setting the Context The context of science funding, policy and higher education in the USA: • The need for ensuring high quality, cutting edge research, and • The need to educate the next generation of scientists and engineers • The need to improve the public understanding of science

3. Investing in America’s Future The National Science Foundation Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011 10/06

4. NSF Strategic Plan Timeline American Competitiveness Initiative (Feb ’06) September 2006 February 2007 Comments from Public, NSF Staff, NSB, Advisory Committees, Others… NSB 2020 Vision (Dec ’05) Strategic Plan FY2006-2011 NSF Budget Request FY2008 www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf0648/nsf0648.jsp

5. NSF in a Changing Landscape The NSF Strategic Plan responds to the… • Globally increasing pace, scope, and impact of fundamental science and engineering • Escalating need to improve math/science education and technical workforce development • Emerging new modes of inquiry and new tools for investigation • Need for continued excellence in NSF as a capable and responsive organization

6. Vision and Mission Vision(New) • Advancing discovery, innovation and education beyond the frontiers of current knowledge, and empowering future generations in science and engineering. Mission(NSF Act of 1950) • To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense.

7. Strategic Goals • Discovery • Learning • Research Infrastructure • Stewardship

8. Interrelated Strategic Outcome Goals

9. Investment Priorities -- Learning • Build strong foundations and foster innovation to improve K-12 teaching, learning, and evaluation in science and mathematics • Advance the fundamental knowledge base on learning, spanning a broad spectrum from animals and humans to machines • Develop methods to effectively bridge critical junctures in STEM education pathways • Prepare a diverse, globally-engaged STEM workforce • Integrate research with education, and build capacity • Engage and inform the public in science and engineering through informal education

10. Future Investment Considerations Integration of research with education strengthens connections between learning and inquiry Deciding factors include: • Whether investments present a rich environment for encouraging future scientists, engineers and educators. • Whether they provide opportunities for teachers and students to participate in research activities at the K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral level

11. How NSF Describes its Expectations • What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? • What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?

12. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? • How important is the activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? • How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? • To what extent does the activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? • How well conceived and organized is the activity? • Is there sufficient access to resources?

13. What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? • How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? • How well does the activity broaden participation of underrepresented groups (gender, ethnicity, disability geography)? • To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education such as facilities, instrumentation, networks and partnerships? How well conceived and organized is the activity? • Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? • What may be the benefits of the activity to society?

14. Challenges • Nation needs robust science & engineering enterprise for prosperity. • Strong undergraduate foundation in STEM is critical component of a robust science and engineering enterprise for a globally competitive workforce. • The national undergraduate educational enterprise of the United States must transform to respond to a rapidly changing global environment.

15. NSF Transformational Initiativesfor Undergraduate Education • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) seeks to expand student participation in all kinds of research— whether disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or educational in focus. The REU program is a major contributor to the NSF goal of developing a diverse, internationally competitive, and globally-engaged science and engineering workforce.

16. R.I.S.E. - Research Internships in Science of the Environment at Arkansas State U. The Program for Environmental Science at Arkansas State University (ASU) provides a 10-week summer research experience for 10 highly motivated traditionally under-represented minority undergraduate students interested in environmental research. The principal objectives are to promote the professional development of undergraduate researchers and instill a better appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. Robyn Hannigan, Founder of Arkansas State University's RISE program.

17. NSF Transformational Initiativesfor Undergraduate Education • The Undergraduate Research Center (URC) Program goals are (1) to expand the reach of undergraduate research to include first- and second-year college students; and (2) to enhance the research capacity, infrastructure, and culture of participating institutions, thereby strengthening the nation’s research enterprise.

18. URC: The Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE)PI: Gabriela Weaver, Purdue University • Project Goals: • To create laboratory modules for students in first- and second-year chemistry courses across all of the nine CASPiE institutions. (Approximately 500 students each semester.) • Teach fundamental chemistry skills and concepts through the use of authentic interdisciplinary research projects. • Incorporate Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL). • Provide students in the CASPiE institutions with online access to automated, research-quality instrumentation, and help faculty members in those institutions develop research projects that exploit this capability.

19. Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) Transformational Initiatives • Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement Program (CCLI) • Create new learning materials and teaching strategies • Develop faculty expertise • Implement educational innovations • Assess learning and evaluate innovations • Conduct research on STEM teaching and learning

20. SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs) Collaborative Learning in Physics Robert J. Beichner, North Carolina State UniversityJeffrey Saul, University of Central Florida • Studio-Style classes (round tables) where students work in teams observing and studying physical phenomena in an inquiry-based format. • Lecture and Lab are integrated and taught as one. • Effective up to 100 students—avoids the lecture hall problem. • Promotes teamwork, problem-solving, communication skills, synthesis and evaluation of one another’s ideas. • Faculty utilize a semi-Socratic dialogue method, engaging students at every table. • SCALE-UP students out-performed passive lecture students on the FCI test (project evaluation results are available).

21. SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs) Collaborative Learning in Physics Source: Beichner, R. J., & Saul, J. M. (2004). Introduction to the SCALE-UP (Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment Undergraduate Programs) Project. Invention and impact: Building excellence in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. (NSF Grant No. 034373, pp. 61-65). Washington, DC: AAAS.

22. Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) Transformational Initiatives • The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program supports sustained and comprehensive approaches to broadening participation at the baccalaureate level. These approaches facilitate the production of students who are well prepared in STEM and motivated to pursue graduate education.

23. California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering & Mathematics (CAMP) • CAMP Project supported by 8 campuses in the University of California System. Undergraduates supported through.... • Faculty and Peer Mentoring • Laboratory Research Experiences • Peer-facilitated Course Workshops • Community-college Transfer Support • K-12 Teaching Opportunities • Graduate School Preparation

24. Sample LSAMP Outcomes • 65% of LSAMP participants pursued STEM graduate degrees compared to 45% among the comparison groups (Caucasian and Asian students) • 45% of LSAMP participants completed a graduate degree in a STEM field compared to 20% among national comparison groups. • Project Staff members believe that using the Alliance approach had an impact on participating institutions by changing the culture, policies, and practices to encourage recruitment, retention, and graduation.

25. Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) • Innovative Models for International Collaborative Research and Education • New Knowledge and Discoveries • Involvement of Partners from Different Nations and Cultural backgrounds to Promote Global Engagement • 5-year awards of up to $2.5M each

26. PIRE: AfricaArray • A multi-faceted educational and outreach effort that strives to catalyze cultural change • Collaborative and sustainable international education and research projects • A diverse S&E workforce • e-Education and field courses • Foreign language requirement • Development of tutorials for undergraduates • Faculty collaborations • Web seminars • Joint funding

27. Contact Information:Dr. Rosemary HaggettActing Deputy Assistant DirectorDirectorate for Education and Human ResourcesNational Science Foundation4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 805Arlington, Virginia 22230Phone: 703-292-8601Fax: 703-292-9179www.nsf.gov