NSF Award
2216438
This project aims to serve the national interest by engaging STEM faculty in developing Indigenous-focused course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). STEM faculty plan to develop multiple CUREs for undergraduate STEM courses and to engage in culturally responsive teaching approaches. A key goal of the project is to develop undergraduate STEM curriculum that has the potential to recruit and retain more Native American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in STEM majors and careers. Importantly, the project team includes scholars with expertise in both STEM and Indigenous culture. With a dedicated Indigenous focus, the project hopes to advance understanding of barriers to STEM and STEM careers faced by AI/AN students and their tribal communities. Resulting Indigenous-focused CUREs will be shared broadly with faculty and institutions across the country. <br/> <br/>Situated in the context of Fort Lewis College, which is a Native American, Non-Tribal Institution, this project aims to engage STEM faculty in developing, implementing, and assessing multiple Indigenous-focused CUREs to recruit and retain more AI/AN undergraduates to STEM degrees and careers. Goals of this project include creating professional development for STEM faculty in culturally responsive pedagogy, especially for AI/AN students. The intended outcome of the effort is for STEM faculty to develop multiple Indigenous-focused CUREs that would be offered in STEM curricula to sophomore-year students. Indigenous-focused CUREs developed will employ authentic and place-based research experiences to engage students in developing evidence-based reasoning and problem-solving skills in meaningful contexts across multiple STEM disciplines. The involvement of STEM scholars with dual expertise in STEM research and Indigenous culture is significant and will be key to the development and assessment of these Indigenous-focused CURE interventions. Further, the effort intends to build faculty skills in culturally responsive mentoring that would extend beyond the CURE courses developed. Evaluation of the project will be guided by an advisory board, as well as informed by scholars with education research expertise. The developed Indigenous-focused CUREs, along with evidence of their impact, will be disseminated to the broader undergraduate STEM education community and could be broadly influential. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.<br/><br/>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.
