NSF PR 97-10 - February 11, 1997
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NSF Rewards Universities which Link Discovery and
Education
Picture an ideal university: it has a pervasive culture
promoting collaborative research between professors
and students; there are internet links between research
labs, libraries and students; and there is an emphasis
on discovery-based learning techniques throughout
science and engineering curricula.
This should be the norm. Often, however, it is not.
A top priority of the National Science Foundation
(NSF) is to stimulate new thinking at colleges and
universities on how to better link research with education.
NSF has taken a major step to meet this priority by
announcing its first-ever Recognition Awards
for the Integration of Research and Education
(RAIRE) made to ten research-intensive universities
which have made substantial commitments to integrating
research and education.
NSF has named the Universities of Arizona, Delaware,
Michigan, Missouri and Oregon, along with Carnegie
Mellon, Duke and Kansas State Universities, the University
of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) and The State
University of New York at Stony Brook (SUNY) to receive
the recognition awards. In addition to setting a climate
which has set the tone and agenda for change, these
universities have produced significant achievements
beyond individual and department contributions.
NSF is awarding grants of $500,000 for three years
to these institutions. The grants allow considerable
flexibility for institutions to continue innovative
work built upon past achievements. Grants are also
flexible on how universities may document, communicate
and share outcomes of their efforts nationwide through
such venues as articles, reports, web sites, workshops,
conferences and other outlets.
Representatives of the winning institutions will be
officially honored in a ceremony at a meeting of the
National Science Board on Feb. 21 at NSF headquarters
in Arlington, Va.
NSF officials say that links between research and
education are more important now than ever because
today's students will spend much of their careers
in the 21st Century coping with open-ended challenges
and opportunities requiring highly developed analytical
skills.
More than 100 of 137 eligible research-oriented institutions
applied for the recognition awards.
Editors: Information on the Recognition Awards
for the Integration of Research and Education
may be found on the NSF Home Page at http://www.nsf.gov
by clicking on two sites, Office
of the Director (OSTI),
and on FastLane
(where awards are listed and information on projects
is located).
Recognition Awards for the Integration
of Research and Education
A select group of ten universities have been chosen
for the National Science Foundation's (NSF) first-ever
Recognition Awards for the Integration of Research
and Education.
The awards recognize demonstrated leadership, innovation
and achievement in developing programs institution-wide
which integrate research and education activities.
Grants given under the Recognition Awards are for
three years, at $500,000 each.
The University of Arizona. This state university
has: revised its tenure and promotion guidelines to
consider science (and math) education scholarship;
established a Science and Education Promotion and
Tenure Committee which ensures that education issues
are considered on a par with research performance
in promotion and tenure decisions; and demonstrated
a commitment to infusing research into the undergraduate
experience in both lower and upper divisions, particularly
in the biology program.
The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA).
This large urban university with its enormous and
diverse student enrollment, is using a systemic approach
to integrate research and education through: discovery-based
courses through its Office of Instructional Development;
and facilitating one-on-one collaborative research
between faculty and first- and second-year students
from underrepresented groups, as well as students
from two-year colleges.
Carnegie Mellon University. This private university
in Pittsburgh, Penn. has made cross-disciplinary problem-solving
a core activity in the undergraduate curriculum. A
Center for Teaching Excellence and a Center for Innovation
in Learning encourage and support faculty efforts
to use problem-solving as a vehicle for learning.
Students are able to pursue indepen-dent research
and study through courses, paid work-study, senior
honors programs and internships. The university provides
significant support for undergraduate research projects
and organizes a student research symposium at which
200 student projects were recently presented.
The University of Delaware. The university
systematically engages as many under- graduates as
possible in meaningful research projects with faculty.
All senior research theses are read and evaluated
by a Faculty Board. Recognizing that not all students
will have access to true research experiences, the
university provides discovery-based courses for all
students. More than 90 percent of the science and
mathematics faculty participate, as do more than 60
percent of the total faculty.
Duke University. Duke integrates research and
education into all aspects of university life. A Center
for Teaching and Learning has developed discovery-based
courses and encourages transfer of cognitive research
results into classroom practices. A Preparing Future
Faculty program seeks to introduce graduate students
to effective teaching methods. A new science building
juxtaposes classroom teaching and faculty research.
Teaching effectiveness is now a consideration in faculty
salary, promotion and tenure decisions. Campus networking
(including dorm rooms) provides access to Web-based
course resources and linkages to faculty research.
Kansas State University. This Midwest institution
has focused efforts to integrate research and discovery-based
learning into the undergraduate education of future
K-12 teachers and into post-graduate development of
in-service K-12 teachers. Innovative curricula in
genetics and quantum physics are serving as examples
of the university's vision to expand this approach
to all students.
The University of Michigan. The university
is engaging students in research experiences early
in their undergraduate careers by implementing institution-wide
change. Special encouragement is given to female and
minority students, groups that are traditionally underrepresented
in science and engineering. First and second year
students are electing to become and remain science
majors in increasing numbers because of Michigan's
collaborative research with faculty and graduate students
and the creation of living/learning/research communities.
The University of Missouri. The university
is integrating research and education through comprehensive,
systemic programs such as: discovery-based courses
for all undergraduates; preparing all future K-12
teachers to use discovery-based learning methods;
providing all honors students and science majors with
a "crowning point" experience; mechanisms to encourage
and support faculty members who participate in these
integrative activities; and establishing residential
learning communities that promote and reinforce group
research.
The State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony
Brook. SUNY's research collaboration between students
and faculty has been enhanced by an undergraduate
research office. Undergraduate research programs for
first-year women and minority students have led to
increased retention in these traditionally underrepresented
groups. Graduate students are trained to use research
and discovery-based activities in their teaching.
The University of Oregon. The university has
found innovative uses for interactive computer courseware,
shared research data libraries made available for
exploration by students as well as computer networking
and advanced educational technology. These learning
tools -- simulations, interactive courseware, and
access to data from faculty research -- can provide
discovery-based learning opportunities to non-science
students in large introductory science survey courses,
thereby increasing the level of scientific literacy
of the entire undergraduate student body.
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