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Moderator: Princy Quadros Mennella, Westfield State University

Adapting Course-Based Research in Virtual Learning Environments as a new channel to make STEM Education Accessible to All Students

Franco Delogu, Associate Professor of Psychology, Lawrence Technological University

Bhubanjyoti Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor of Physics, Lawrence Technological University

Matthew Cole, Associate Professor, Lawrence Technological University

Course-based Research Experience (CURE) is an effective pedagogical model to increase enrollment, retention and graduation of historically underserved populations of students. The CURE model makes research activity an integral part of a regular course, so all students enrolled in the course can be included in the intervention, eliminating selection and self-selection constraints to research accessibility.

In the last five years, an interdisciplinary CURE program at Lawrence Technological University transformed a significant portion of its traditional course offerings into CURE based courses, involving a large number of faculty (N ~ 30) and modifying a large number of courses (N ~ 40).

While the Covid-19 health crisis limited the ways to implement CRE, the emergency also provided new opportunities to explore new settings for CURE. Dr. Delogu and colleagues will describe some multidisciplinary examples of how Covid-related constraints and the forced adaptation to virtual learning can be transformed into new channels to support inclusivity in research and amplify accessibility to all students in post-pandemic academia.

NSF HBCU-UP TIP DaBuGs Course Sudden Pivot to No Contact Course and Summer 2020 Internship Program - A Success

Catherine Key, Associate Professor of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina Central University

Tanina Bradley, Adjunct Assistant Professor, North Carolina Central University

Eric Saliim, Fab Lab Manager and Adjunct Professor, North Carolina Central University

When Covid-19 shut down universities across the country, a National Science Foundation HBCU-UP Targeted Infusion Project called Engaging Undergraduates in STEM (EU-STEM) through Drosophila Behavioural Genetics (DaBuGs) suddenly found itself pivoting from hands-on to online. In March 2020, the grant's P.I. found herself gender sorting flies at her dining room table and video recording the behavioral response of fruit flies to ethanol and posting the videos on YouTube for students to analyze. For the summer the whole grant-funded team of Fab Lab manager, electrical engineer and behavioral geneticist delivered their 6-week summer internship as a no-contact program where students were not allowed on campus, but were mentored virtually with a once per week no-contact pick up of 3D-printed devices and Dros0phila organisms to have a fairly successful internship!

Transitioning STEM Outreach to a Virtual Environment: Challenges and Successes

Jennie Aizenman, Director, Center for the Advancement of STEM Education, Bridgewater State University

Kim McCoy, Associate Director, Center for the Advancement of STEM Education, Bridgewater State University

Erin Schofield, Outreach Lab Technical Assistant, Bridgewater State University

Nicole Glen, Professor and Chair, Elementary and Early Childhood Education , Bridgewater State University

Maria Armour, Biology Lab Instructor, Bridgewater State University

The Center for the Advancement of STEM Education (CASE) at Bridgewater State University (BSU) promotes STEM interest and literacy both regionally and internationally. Each year, approximately 22,000 participants engage in CASE programs, most of which take place on campus or at K-12 schools. However, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, all University programs, including STEM outreach had to abruptly shift to a virtual environment.

In this presentation, we will discuss two examples of how CASE programs transitioned to a virtual format, yet maintained hands-on, interactive learning opportunities. First, a virtual Open Lab Week was offered as an asynchronous program, where participants collected supply kits from BSU prior to program launch, then completed hands-on activities at their own pace, using online modules developed by faculty, staff and students. Additionally, CASE staff and College of Education and Health Sciences faculty and students developed virtual Science Academy classes. These week-long classes provided elementary and middle school students the opportunity to engage in scientific exploration using provided supply kits, and then discuss findings and ask questions through daily Zoom sessions with program instructors. Through integration of STEM service learning in several BSU courses, undergraduate and graduate students developed and delivered curriculum for both programs. At this session, faculty and staff will discuss student feedback about their engagement in virtual STEM outreach. Finally, we will discuss program elements that we plan to maintain, even after in-person programming resumes.