CC* PLANNING: RE-CONSTRUCTING THE CAMPUS CYBERINFRASTRUCTURE OF A SMALL, LIBERAL ARTS HBCU IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE STEM INNOVATION AND INTEGRATION

Texas College, Tyler TX

Investigators

Abstract

Texas College is undertaking a planning activity allowing it to complete an assessment of its current infrastructure, to identify the elements needed to evolve campus cyberinfrastructure (CI) to better support STEM research and education, to understand and document campus-wide CI needs of researchers and students driving future CI improvements, and to produce an initial campus CI plan. Impact of this planning grant extends beyond Texas College’s need for a carefully researched and prepared roadmap for technological infrastructure enabling a more advanced future. This activity also is an initial step toward improving the quality of the STEM and non-STEM education produced at Texas College. Alternate learning styles can be accommodated via technology. Students with STEM knowledge gaps can experience near-instant remediation. Culturally concordant examples can be tailored to reflect various sociocultural backgrounds within a classroom. Flight simulations can be used to teach Physics and Physical Sciences. With a sufficient cyberinfrastructure, major barriers are removed from the intellectual expansion in how teaching and learning occurs. 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.