Chemical Education Today edited by
Association Report: 2YC3
John Kenkel Southeast Community College Lincoln, NE 68520-1227
The MATRIX
Multicultural Alliance for Technology, Research, and Information Exchange by Raymond E. Turner
It is generally understood that community colleges are a potential source of future scientists and engineers. While there may be noticeable glitches in our approach to reforming science and engineering education at community colleges, few can argue that reform is necessary in order to address a national shortage of scientists and engineers. There are numerous examples of efforts being made to address this problem.1 While these efforts should be applauded, minority students in depressed neighborhoods are being left behind for a number of identifiable reasons (1–7). Not least among them are the lack of support for undergraduate research and the failure to use technology to share teaching and learning resources at institutions where excellence in science and engineering are not institutional goals. We hope that the MATRIX model presented here will energize community colleges to create a science research culture. In the MATRIX model, community colleges could become educational hubs that reach out to all types of community-based learning centers much like what has been described for rural areas (8). Working together, these hubs have the potential to nurture future scientists and engineers through on- and off-campus programs. Community colleges could also establish competitive research internships with senior colleges and universities that share their vision. At Roxbury Community College (RCC), we have accepted this mission. The result is an array of collaborative partnerships culminating in a virtual scientific learning community that we have called MATRIX (Multicultural Alliance for Technology, Research, and Information Exchange). In previous articles we have attempted to define two of the three components of our model, ATOMS and FUSION (9, 10). In this final article of the series, we address MATRIX, an interactive learning environment suitable for a 21st-century scientific learning community. It is the core component of the trilogy but by its very nature a work in progress. ATOMS (Advanced Training Opportunities for Minorities in Science), our initial project in this series, was designed to utilize the much-needed faculty and laboratory resources of research universities by having them provide internships to RCC students. The objective of the ATOMS internships is to provide advanced training opportunities for students after their second year at the community college. While the project was a success, the areas of research that the faculty mentors selected were often of little interest to student participants. As a result, ATOMS was changed to reflect a broader range of research opportunities—space science, materials science, engineering, chemistry, and environmental health. This expansion of opportunities and funding sources evolved from the community college culture and our experience. FUSION (Facilitating Urban Science Initiatives by www.JCE.DivCHED.org
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Organizational Networking) was selected as the project’s acronym to reflect how ATOMS had to be sustained by creating new partnerships and introducing research areas that had an appeal to students. In reaching out to other community colleges, it became clear that the students needed to conceptualize science and have a common knowledge base that would ensure success in a research-rich environment. We accomplished this with two major projects that use the Internet for information exchange: one is the NSF-funded Molecular Literacy project2 and the other is Virtlab.3 These Web-based core curriculum projects are interactive and allow for academic resource sharing without needing a consensus among faculty. (Community college faculty, in our experience, are often unwilling to endorse our vision of creating a scientific learning community.) A matrix is by definition an array. The idea that partnership and collaboration appeared to be a good way to create a model for sustaining a scientific learning community came from considering each element in the array. The learning community includes internships, sharing Web-based learning resources, and the formation of multi-cultural alliances. MATRIX encompasses all of the components we found necessary to function—it is a Web-based virtual curriculum for science and engineering designed to better prepare students for the undergraduate research experience.4 It exists because of the strategies we present here. Materials and Methods The MATRIX model was developed at RCC, one of two Commonwealth of Massachusetts community colleges based in Boston. RCC, a minority-serving institution, is a model site for beta-testing curricula designed to prepare minority students for undergraduate research before they are placed into a competitive research environment (10). The ATOMS program, the hands-on research component of MATRIX, has shown that students are more likely to succeed if they are sufficiently prepared and screened prior to entering a researchrich environment. Students are first exposed to a rigorous science curriculum where every science course has a laboratory component. After careful screening, students are selected to participate in authentic research at local universities (9). After more than a decade of results, the model has proved to be a very effective predictor of success for RCC students. However, despite the success of the ATOMS program, we are faced with recruitment problems, and there are not enough qualified students to maintain the pipeline and meet demand. Partnerships formed with other metro-Boston community colleges increased the pool of eligible candidates. Sharing online resources is made possible through our statewide MITI network.5 We reasoned that through the use of
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Association Report: 2YC3 technology, we could create a metropolitan research culture based on collaboration and partnership. We designated this component of MATRIX as FUSION. The location of the centers (Figure 1) make them ideal for the wireless capability of WiMax technology.6 This allows all sub-hubs within the sphere of influence to gain access to MATRIX resources. The Timothy Smith Trust Fund, city of Boston, provides funding for 41 such sites, including a site at RCC. Since collaboration with these sites is voluntary, CORE testing is severely limited at this time. The Timothy Smith Trust Fund provides upgrades for software, hardware, and furniture for all computer education sites every three years until 2019. After this time the unspent funds accumulated by the Trust will be divided among the existing sites as a final installment. In order to better prepare students for their undergraduate research experience, we focus on developing their conceptual understanding of science and engineering. We use molecular modeling and simulations to achieve our objective. Finally, partnerships were expanded to include free access to educational software and faculty training opportunities. The MATRIX is an array of partnerships and activities where available resources are shared. A common, flexible, Web-based curriculum designed to better prepare students for their undergraduate research experience is a work in progress. While participating colleges have their own program requirements, the MATRIX CORE provides interdisciplinary learning activities and pedagogy that are believed to improve students’ conceptualization of science and engineering. These activities serve as a prelude to their hands-on research experience through summer internships.
Results
Molecular Literacy as the Basis for CORE Through a partnership with Concord Consortium,2 we are able to participate in their three-year project to enhance science and technology teaching in grades 10–14 by providing molecular literacy content in support of careers in biotechnology and nanotechnology. According to the Consortium: [T]he project is developing new materials that use highly interactive molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics models, and embeds these models in learning activities that are appropriate for both core science courses and specialized courses teaching biotechnology and nanotech-nology workplace competencies. In developing these materials, the Concord Consortium works with its partner, Middlesex Community College (Bedford, MA) as well as its feeder high schools, additional community colleges (including Roxbury Community College, Parkland College, and Mt.
List 1. MATRIX Programs, Participating Institutions, and Funding Sources Participating Community Colleges*
Roxbury Community College* Mass Bay Community College* Massasoit Community College Bunker Hill Community College Middlesex Community College Program Type
Boston Undergraduate Research Center (BURC) MIT Center for Materials Science and Engineering Massachusetts Space Science Consortium Concord Consortium Outreach, Harvard School of Public Health Current and Pending Funding Sources
NSF-URC NSF-REU NSF ATE NASA (pending) Institutions of Faculty Mentors
Boston University MIT Harvard University University of Massachusetts, Boston Northeastern University Figure 1. A GIS image of an approximately 25-square mile area showing computer education centers in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. Yellow markers indicate the location of each computer education center. Each site is in close proximity to Roxbury Community College, located in the left center of the photograph (marked RCC).
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Tufts University NOTE: *Although all five community colleges were invited to participate, only these two sent students for 2005 internships.
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Wachusetts Community College), biotechnology and nanotechnology companies, and CORD, an educational non-profit organization based in Texas, which will provide national dissemination.
In addition to molecular literacy, MATRIX participants, upon request, also have access to the Web-based science simulation modules in chemistry, physics, and biotechnology that are being developed by Virtlab.3 Taken together, these educational products make up CORE. In 2005 we held our first teacher training session at RCC. Stipends are provided by the NSF-ATE grant to Concord Consortium. RCC is also represented on the Consortium’s Board of Advisors. Students from RCC are prepared to enter college-level science courses through the college’s general science program. Once students reach college level, they are expected to do well and they undergo additional screening before entry into Level 1 CORE. Upon successfully completing the Web-based molecular modeling and simulation modules, students receive a final orientation. CORE II involves mentoring by the host and the feeder institutions. The result is that students from a variety of community colleges can be triaged to various institutions for their summer research experiences. In some cases the feeder school has a research internship requirement and students will do an unpaid internship. List 2. 2005 Summer Research Topics • Nanosphere Lithography To Create a Template for Epitaxy • Water Modeling of a New Titanium Extraction Process • Controlling Surface Wettability with Polymer Coatings
This year (2005) is the first time we have been effective in reaching out to other community colleges. The colleges joined the Boston Undergraduate Research Center (BURC) based at Boston University.7 The other MATRIX programs are also available, students from Mass Bay Community College and RCC are active participants this year. The community colleges in List 1 are members of BURC only, although all institutions are invited to share in all research programs and gain access to the free Web-based CORE software. NSF funding comes from several sources, such as the Undergraduate Research Center (pilot grant), the Research Experience for Undergraduates, and the Advanced Technology Education program. We expect both the amount of our funding and the number of partnerships to increase. The Massachusetts Space Science Consortium8 has about ten partners and more than 30 consortium members. Roxbury Community College is a member of the consortium and has already placed students in research projects at the MIT-based activity. The consortium is now expanding to other community colleges in the region. The goal is to expand research opportunities for community college students through collaboration and partnership. List 2 gives a sample of the research themes selected by students from RCC and Mass Bay Community College at host institutions, but does not include topics from MIT’s Space Grant Consortium (MASGC).9 All students are selected on the basis of merit and must present their research as a poster or a publication. Since other community colleges in the region have joined BURC, we expect more topics and students next year. Discussion
• The Development and Application of Femtosecond Spectroscopy for the Study of the Structure and Dynamics in a Wide Range of Materials
The most challenging part of MATRIX is getting people to contribute to and use the CORE curriculum effectively. In our experience, there has been great resistance to adopting and adapting the work of others even within the college’s own faculty ranks. Our future goal is to beta-test what is already provided on the Web and establish appropriate pedagogy for the portal. It is our belief that as technology becomes more widespread and commonplace, more and more people will log into our portal and help improve the learning matrix as a dynamic learning portal. Since this is a work in progress, we welcome participation by those outside of our geographic location in our effort to improve the pedagogy and content of the CORE.
• Synthesis of Complex Natural Products and Natural Product-like Molecules
Acknowledgments
• Water Soluble Metal Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery • Engineering a Simultaneous Optical–Mechanical Chamber for Living Cells • Investigating the Mechanism of Action of Nonheme Iron Metalloproteins • Quantum Effects in Condensed Phase Chemical Dynamics
• Investigating the Interplay Between Biological Systems and Redox-Active Species • Organic Synthesis and the Isolation and Structure Determination of Bioactive Natural Products NOTE: Research themes selected by students at host institutions. Sample topics presented here do not include topics from the Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium.
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Many thanks to Ann Backus of Harvard School of Public Health; Jeffrey Hoffman, Michael Rubner, and Susan Rosevear of MIT; Terrence Gomes, President of Roxbury Community College; David S. Barkley of Virtlab; Boris Berenfeld of Concord Consortium; Robert and Barbara Tinker of Middlesex Community College; Standish Hartman of Boston University; and John Kenkel of Southeastern Community College, Lincoln, NE.
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Association Report: 2YC3 Notes 1. Information about the NSF-supported curriculum initiative projects may be found at their respective Web sites: ChemLinks: http://chemlinks.beloit.edu/; Modular Chem Consortium: http:// mc2.cchem.berkeley.edu/; Molecular Science: http://www.molsci. ucla.edu/; New Traditions: http://newtraditions.chem.wisc.edu/; Peer Led Teaching and Learning: http://www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~chemwksp/ index.html (all sites accessed Oct 2005). 2. Concord Consortium, Concord, MA, has developed molecular modeling software for many years. More recently, the Consortium received an NSF ATE grant to develop molecular literacy in biotechnology and nanotechnology for grades 10–14. RCC is one of the community colleges selected to test the software and set up a training facility; see http://molit.concord.org/ (accessed Oct 2005). See also the article in this issue on p 77. 3. David S. Barkley has given RCC permission to access Virtlab’s chemistry simulation products; see http:// www.nsimonco.com/virtlab.htm (accessed Oct 2005). 4. Ray Turner spoke about the “Virtual CORE Curricula for 21st Century Learning” at the 10th Annual Council on Undergraduate Research Conference, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, June 23–26, 2004. 5. The Massachusetts Information Turnpike Initiative provides statewide connectivity for the 24 colleges of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. All state and community colleges share courseware through a learning portal, Massachusetts Colleges Online, at http://www.mco.mass.edu (accessed Oct 2005). 6. WiMax technology could benefit rural and urban areas where wired infrastructure does not exist. WiMax can transmit network signals over a 30-mile radius while sharing data rates of up to 70 Mbit/s. This would be ideal for technology hubs such as the one described in this report. 7. RCC and Boston University have formed a partnership to create the Boston Undergraduate Research Center (BURC). This effort is supported by an NSF planning grant (Award# CHE0418884). 8. The Massachusetts Space Science Consortium is supported by grants from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The consortium recently included RCC as one of its partners and is currently expanding its consortium part-
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ners to include more community colleges; see http://www.mit.edu/ activities/masgc/phaseI.html (accessed Oct 2005). 9. RCC is a new member of the Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium, MASGC; see http://www.mit.edu/activities/masgc/ phaseI.html (accessed Oct 2005). In this program students work on assigned projects at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in laboratories in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, with resources from MASGC.
Literature Cited 1. Karukstis, Kerry K. Community-Based Research: A New Paradigm for Undergraduate Research in the Sciences. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 15. 2. Moore, John W. Community of Effort. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 343. 3. Oliver-Hoyo, Maria T.; Allen, Dee Dee. Attitudinal Effects of a Student-Centered Active Learning Environment. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 944. 4. Miller, Larry S.; Nakhleh, Mary B.; Nash, John J.; Meyer, Jeanne A. Students’ Attitudes toward and Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Instrumentation. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 1801. 5. Moore, John W. Scientists, Engineers, and Community Colleges. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 1239. 6. Martínez-Jiménez, P.; Pontes-Pedrajas, A.; Climent-Bellido, M. S.; Polo, J. Learning in Chemistry with Virtual Laboratories. J. Chem. Educ. 2003, 80, 346. 7. Report on a Study of Access to Higher Education through Distance Education; Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: Austin, TX, 2000. 8. Rural Colleges Called “Ideal Hubs” for Economic Development. Chronicle of Higher Education 1991, 37, (40), A14. 9. Turner, Raymond E. Spinning ATOMS Draws Energy from FUSION. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 1246. 10. Turner, Raymond E. Using Technology To Create a Scientific Learning Community. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 717.
Raymond E. Turner is Executive Dean (retired), Roxbury Community College; at present he is Research Affiliate, Center for Materials Science & Engineering, MIT, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139;
[email protected].
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