Broadening Participation Research Grant: Improving Minority Student Mathematics Performance and Persistence in STEM Majors Through Cognitive Training

扩大参与研究资助：通过认知训练提高少数族裔学生的数学成绩和对 STEM 专业的坚持

• 批准号: 1137535
• 负责人: Oliver Hill
• 金额: $ 34.28万
• 依托单位: Virginia State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1137535&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Broadening; Participation; Research; Grant; Improving

Virginia State University's Broadening Participation Research in STEM Education Project entitled - Improving Minority Student Mathematics Performance and Persistence in STEM Majors Through Cognitive Training - is a joint effort among investigators from the departments of Psychology, Biology, and Mathematics & Computer Science. The overall goal of this research project is to develop and assess the efficacy of cognitive training interventions on working memory performance in minority STEM students which leads to improved mathematics performance. Specific aims include the following: institute and assess the impact of cognitive skills training on working memory and mathematics performance in minority STEM students; develop a model of the mediating and moderating effects of psychosocial and cognitive variables on treatment effects among these students; assess neural changes brought about by each of these interventions through pre- and post- f-MRI scans; and assess the sustainability of the gains through scans one and two years after the initial training.Direct training of cognitive skills such as attention, working memory, and processing speed, represents a unique method of developing the underlying cognitive architecture needed for success in STEM, and this research will both demonstrate the efficacy of these interventions, as well as allow for a more detailed mapping of the neural correlates of the training for mathematical performance. This project will provide the necessary data to facilitate the dissemination and implementation of these unique educational interventions, and will have an impact on increasing the number of minority students prepared to enter a STEM career. It will also allow for the training of a large number of minority undergraduate and graduate assistants, which will impact the number of minority students pursuing a research career in neuroscience.

弗吉尼亚州立大学的 STEM 教育项目扩大参与研究，题为“通过认知训练提高少数族裔学生在 STEM 专业中的数学表现和持久性”，是来自心理学、生物学以及数学与计算机科学系的研究人员的共同努力。该研究项目的总体目标是开发和评估认知训练干预措施对少数 STEM 学生工作记忆表现的有效性，从而提高数学表现。具体目标包括：建立并评估认知技能训练对少数 STEM 学生工作记忆和数学成绩的影响；建立一个模型，研究心理社会和认知变量对这些学生的治疗效果的中介和调节作用；通过 f-MRI 扫描前和后评估每种干预措施带来的神经变化；并在初始训练一年和两年后通过扫描评估收益的可持续性。认知技能（例如注意力、工作记忆和处理速度）的直接训练代表了开发 STEM 成功所需的基础认知架构的独特方法，这项研究将证明这些干预措施的有效性，并为数学表现训练的神经相关性提供更详细的映射。该项目将提供必要的数据，以促进这些独特的教育干预措施的传播和实施，并将对增加准备进入 STEM 职业的少数族裔学生数量产生影响。它还将允许培训大量少数族裔本科生和研究生助理，这将影响从事神经科学研究的少数族裔学生的数量。