Establishing Community College Pathways to Environmental Science Through Research Opportunities and Professional Engagement along the Buffalo National River

North Arkansas College, Harrison AR

Investigators

Abstract

This project aims to serve the national interest by redesigning the typical two-year college model of environmental science education to improve the success, completion, and transfer rates of community college students. The project will provide an undergraduate research program. It will include extended time for field work and involvement in applied science using research and monitoring projects deemed critical by environmental partners. The research program will also include a curriculum that integrates science-thinking, communications, and analytics. This will support building connections between North Arkansas College (Northark) students, university faculty, and environmental professionals. Each semester, pairs of complementary courses will be scheduled in convenient blocks to provide extended time for field research and serve as a platform to integrate science and non-science content. The College’s greenhouse, high-tunnel, and planned environmental studies plot, will provide on- and near-campus research facilities. Sites on the Buffalo National River will be the launching points for multiple research and monitoring projects needed by environmental partners. The project’s specific goals are to (1) embed authentic project-based learning and undergraduate research into Northark’s existing Associate of Science in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, (2) recruit and retain a diverse group of students, (3) utilize engaged environmental and educational partners in program development and training, and (4) provide professional development for program faculty. Activities are designed to advance the understanding of techniques and interventions required to provide in-depth undergraduate research experiences and professional connections. The project will incorporate evidence-based strategies to support women, first generation, low income, and Hispanic/Latino students with well-structured collaborative learning, relevant projects, and ongoing interaction with faculty and professional environmental scientists. The key activities of this proposal will be designed to be scaled and adapted by other two-year colleges. This project will also provide much needed resources for environmental monitoring in the state. Northark will share all results from this project with other disciplines and programs in the college, on its media outlets, through presentations at the college and at local, state, regional, and national conferences. Specifically, the Northark team will share the project’s strategies for enhancing experiential learning through undergraduate research and immersive field work with other community colleges. The NSF program description on Advancing Innovation and Impact in Undergraduate STEM Education at Two-year Institutions of Higher Education supports projects that advance STEM education initiatives at two-year colleges. The program description promotes innovative and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges. 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.