This Central Resource Project seeks to develop a virtual web-based framework to better prepare current and future TUES principal investigators in the development, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of their projects. The project builds upon the Interactive Web-Based Workshop (IWBW) model developed and used extensively by engineering and computer science NSF Program Directors (PDs) to provide professional development for engineering and computer sciences faculty. Five workshops that have already been tested are being refined for use across other STEM disciplines (these include: Introduction to the TUES Program; Proposal Writing Strategies; Project Evaluation; Making an Impact: Building Transportable Projects; and Broader Impacts and Project Evaluation). Three other topics are also are being considered for future development, including: faculty development for dissemination, project transportability and dissemination, and increasing participation of underrepresented groups.
Each of the Interactive Web-Based Workshops (IWBWs) is 90 minutes long and is being offered multiple times over the course of the two-year project. The workshop sessions are evenly distributed throughout the combined Spring 2013, Fall 2013, and Spring 2014 timeframe. Each workshop involves pre- and post-assignments, discussion communities as well as Q&A opportunities with current NSF PDs during the on-line sessions. The materials for the workshops are being developed by the project team, in collaboration with former and current NSF PDs and leaders in STEM undergraduate education and evaluation.
The project is specifically helping TUES grantees and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty at colleges and universities (including community colleges) to better understand how they can: 1) improve existing NSF TUES undergraduate STEM education projects, 2) work with an evaluator to plan and implement effective evaluations that document the impacts of TUES projects, 3) design educational research and development projects with broad impact; including faculty change, dissemination and broadening participation, and 4) develop, create and implement TUES-specific or other undergraduate STEM education projects.
BROADER SIGNIFICANCE
This project is engaging the more than 750 current NSF TUES-funded projects, which represent about 379 institutions, as well as additional faculty members who intend to submit TUES proposals. Special efforts are being conducted to engage STEM faculty from community colleges and from minority-serving institutions (MSIs). Colleges and universities (as well as individual faculty) can participate in one or more workshops - but are being strongly encouraged to participate in all 8 workshops.
The specific resources and products being developed by this project include: eight virtual workshops focused on TUES project development, implementation, and evaluation; a project website, hosting IWBW descriptions and presenters, resources, evaluation instruments, registration, and other project related information; ten on-going virtual focus groups (PI Forums) organized during the TUES PI Conference and facilitated by the project to discuss specific STEM education topics; and an online monthly electronic TUES newsletter, including announcements from projects that are recruiting collaborators, field test sites, or faculty workshop participants.
