Kathleen Ogata Department of Math and Sciences

   

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A  view  from  the  campus  

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   Location:  at  the  base  of  Diamond  State  Park  Established:  1964  Total  Programs  offered:  45  Undergraduate  enrollment:    8,376  (Fall  2013)  Mean  age:  24.6  years  Student  diversity  (full-­‐time    Students)    Figures  from  the  Institutional  Research  &    Analysis  Office,  Fall  2013  and  Office  of    Human  Resources,    http://www.hawaii.edu/campuses/kapiolani.html  

       Where  it  began  In  an  effort  to  increase  the  persistence  and  transfer  of  our  Native  Hawaiian  students  to  four-­‐year  institutions,  Kapi‘olani  Community  College  (KCC)  offers  a  six  week  course  during  the  summer  to  strengthen  their  math  skills  and  to  introduce  them  to  fun  science  activities:    

1.  Summer  bridge  I-­‐experience  for  high  school  graduates  before  entering  their  first  year  of  college  (3  hrs  math  and  3hrs  exposure  to  biological  and  physical  sciences  or  engineering    research  experience/day).  

2.  Summer  bridge  II-­‐for  students  who  have  completed  the  first  year  of  college  (higher  level  math  and  science).  

         Problem:  students  ask  the  question:    “Why  do  I  need  to  study  math  and  science”?    

 A  best  practice  is  continued    exposure  to  undergraduate  research  experience  (URE)  in  courses.  

 

Con7nua7on  of  student  engagement  through  URE  Three  courses  were  developed  at  KCC  to  maintain  and  deepen  students  engagement  through  URE  (embedded  in  the  curriculum)  to  connect  academic  learning  with  real-­‐life  experiences.    

The  three  courses  are:  

SCI  197  Introduction  to  Science      RI  (research  intensive  courses)  SCI  295  (similar  to  independent  study)  

SCI  197  Introduc7on  to  Science      � One  credit  course  taught  by  a  team  of  Science  faculty  � Available  to  the  summer  bridge  students  in  their  first  semester  at  KCC.  

� Develops  skills  for  student  success  in  class:  how  to  search  for  information  and  reading  literature,  collect  data,  make  simple  calculations,  connecting  facts  to  explain  the  world  around  them,  and  develop  study  habits.  The  skills  were  taught  through  fun  activities:  health  exercises,  biology,  and  I  taught  one  session  in  the  course  on  the  flame  test  and  making  ice  cream.  

�  Fulfills  an  elective  in  the  ASNS  (Associate  of  Science  in  Natural  Science)  degree  program.  ASNS  degree  at  KCC  was  designed  expedite  transfer  to  college  (designated  academic  counselor,  scholarships,  etc).  

RI  and  SCI  295  The  courses  are:  �  Student-­‐centered;    available  to  all  students  �  Inquiry-­‐based  �  Focused  on  undergraduate  research  experience  (URE).  � Many  discipline  specific  laboratory  courses  in  the  Math  and  Sciences  Department  have  the  RI  designation  

� These  courses  are  assessed  through  SALG  (student  assessment  of  their  learning  gains)-­‐the  focus  is  on  what  the  student  feels  they  learned  in  the  course  versus  ecafe  (evaluation  of  the  instructor).  

             

Steps  in  the  Scientific  Method:  1.  Literature  research  on  specific  topics  and      methods  employed  2.  Formulate  a  hypothesis  3.  Design  methods  to  test  the  hypothesis  4.  Collect  and  analyze  data  as  appropriate  5.  Document  and  formally  present  the  results  of  hypothesis  testing  to  an  audience.  

From  the  RI  and  SCI  application  form    

         Problem-­‐based  Process  (engineering,  computer  &  other  sciences)  

1.  Define  the  problem,  and  conduct  literature      research  on  specific  topics  and  methods  employed  

2.  Brainstorm  ideas  and  select  a  solution  to  the  problem  

3.  Design  a  prototype/process  to  test  the  solution  4.  Collect  and  analyze  data  as  appropriate  5.  Document  and  formally  present  the  results  of      prototype  testing  or  scientific  process  to  an  audience  

From  the  RI  and  SCI  application  form  

 

 RI  (research  intensive  course)  � Problem-­‐based  learning  where  solution  to  a  problem  requires  application  of  discipline  content.  

� Applicable  to  the  SENCER  (Science  Education  for  New  Civic  Engagements  and  Responsibilities)  model  in  which  course  content  addresses  a  capacious  topic.    

� Reduced  class  size    � RI  courses  were  introduced  in  Fall  2013  for  chemistry,  microbiology,  and  physics  

Examples  of  RI  courses  CHEM  161L    RI-­‐General  Chemistry  I  Lab  EE  296      RI-­‐Sophomore  Project  ME  213      RI-­‐Intro  to  Engineering            Design  MICR  230          WI*-­‐RI-­‐Molecular  Biology    PHYS  170L  RI-­‐General  Physics  Lab  I  *WI  is  a  writing  intensive  course  

CHEM  161L  RI  �  The  course  is  focused  on  finding  a  method  to  generate  biodiesel  (BD)  from  waste  vegetable  oil  (WVO).  Students:  

         -­‐Search  and  decide  on  the  best  method            -­‐execute  the  procedure  (titration,  transesterification,              

washing,  drying)    -­‐test  the  quality  of  their  BD  product  

�  Schedule  of  the  course  includes  traditional  laboratory  experiments    such  as  significant  figures,  physical  and  chemical  properties,  and  specific  heat.  

�  Students  present  their  posters  at  the  end  of  the  semester  in  a  public  venue.  

I  will  present  a  workshop  at  1:35  pm  in  Imiloa  131  on  BD  and  at  2:40  pm  in  Imiloa  131  on  bioethanol  production    

 SCI  295  (similar  to  independent  study)  � Requires  instructor’s  approval  for  students  to  register  

� Faculty  mentor  and  student  develop  a  project  and  submit  an  application  to  the  RI/SCI  committee.  The  committee  ensures  that  hallmarks  are  met  and  that  the  SALG  assessment  tool  is  used.    

� 0.  2  FTE/student    is  credited  to  the  instructor  to  compensate  the  faculty  for  their  time  on  the  project.  

�  the  FTE  credits  can  be  accrued  over  time  and  paid  as  release  time  or  as  salary.  

   

   

SCI  295  courses  SCI  295BL    STEM  research  Experience  in    

       Biology/Marine  Biology  SCI  295BT    STEM  Research  Experience  in  Botany  WI-­‐SCI  295CH    STEM  Research  Experience  in  

     Chemistry  SCI  295EC    STEM  Research  Experience  in  Ecology  SCI  295EN  STEM  Research  Experience  in  

       Engineering  SCI  295MI  STEM  Research  Experience  in  

       Microbiology  

SCI  295CH    examples  of  student  projects  

Projects  on  sustainability  1.  Production  of    BD  from  WVO:  2.  Production  of  bioethanol  from  invasive  

algae  or  switch  grass.  3.  Isolation  of  and  biological  affects    of  active  

compounds  in  Hawaii  plants  used  in  native  medicinal  practices  (la‘au  lapa‘au).  This  project  is  involves  botany  (Mike  Ross)    and  Hawaiian  culture  (Ms  Keolani  Noa).  

 

Ins7tu7onaliza7on  � Chancellor  Leon  Richards  declared  2014  as  the  year  of  undergraduate  research.  

� A  committee  that  was  composed  of  faculty  from  many  disciplines  was  formed  to  suggest  guidelines  for  URE  hallmarks.  The  committee  also  brainstormed  ways  to  support  URE.  

�  Faculty  from  Math  and  Sciences  shared  the  requirements  for  RI  and  SCI  courses  

� Our  Department  Chair  has  garnered  support  from  the  other  chairs  and  the  administration  for  URE.    

Acknowledgements  v The  students  v The  faculty  who  enjoy  research  and  are                        willing  to  donate  their  time  and  enthusiasm  for  research.  

v Support  of  the  administration:                Maria  Bautista,  Department  Chair              Louise  Pagotto,  Vice-­‐Chancellor  of  

 Academic  Affairs          Leon  Richards,  Chancellor