http://www.astro.washington.edu/premap/
SummaryThe primary goal of Pre-MAP is to increase the retention of students traditionally underrepresented in science, math, and technical majors.
We have documented our curriculum and best practices for your downloading pleasure:▫Overview of Pre-MAP▫Research Seminar Curricula ▫Guide for Research Mentors▫Guide for Academic Mentors (in prep)
Phil Rosenfield: [email protected]
Pre-MAP Mission Statement
The primary goal of Pre-MAP is to increase the retention of students traditionally underrepresented in science, math, and technical majors.
To achieve this goal, Pre-MAP: • engages students in discipline-specific research• provides advising, mentoring, and academic
support •while building a sense of community among
participants
http://www.astro.washington.edu/premap/
First Quarter Seminar
•Pre-MAP students take a seminar (concurrent with an introductory astronomy course) which teaches astronomy research methods, and starts them on research projects.
•The goal is to excite students about getting involved in research, and to give them confidence in participating in Astronomy.
http://www.astro.washington.edu/premap/
Program Goals after Seminar
GoalsEach
QuarterSecond-
Third YearsGraduation
Research and Skills
Continue project Improve research skills
Desirability of hire Improve research skills
Presentations and Publications Improve research skills
Science Degree and
Career
Class schedule prepares for science degree
Formulate college and career goal
Graduate with science degree Academic successActive member of field
Undergrad Experience
Increase in self-confidence
Change in perception of University community membership
Positive experience at UW Use of mentors and advisers
Overview of Pre-MAP
Pre-MAP Seminar
Teaching GoalMethods to Obtain
Goal1. Allow students to have a
scientific research experiencePair students with research mentors for a short (5 week) research experience
2. Teach students programming concepts for their research
projects
Teach three programming objectives: Read data, Write data, Plot data
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific
research
Assign reading and writing to investigate science communication (from informal to formal)
4. Get students off to a successful start in their
science major
Teach effective study habits, time management, how to approach exams and problem sets. Create a nurturing learning environment among their peers, graduate students and faculty members by having informal group building activities.
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Pre-MAP Seminar
Teaching GoalMethods to Obtain
Goal1. Allow students to have a
scientific research experiencePair students with research mentors for a short (5 week) research experience
2. Teach students programming concepts for their research
projects
Teach three programming objectives: Read data, Write data, Plot data
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific
research
Assign reading and writing to investigate science communication (from informal to formal)
4. Get students off to a successful start in their
science major
Teach effective study habits, time management, how to approach exams and problem sets. Create a nurturing learning environment among their peers, graduate students and faculty members by having informal group building activities.
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific research
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Mass Media(Positive)
Mass Media (Fear)
Scientific Journal
Their Research
Dept. Presentation
A Cosmic Perspective by Neil DeGrasse Tyson
1. What is the purpose of scientific research?
2. How should the public view scientific research?
3. What type of person does the author portray as a scientist; who does science?
A scientist is one that works to enlighten, understand, reason, and offer guidance to those that do not have the same opportunities to think and feel the same...
Example of student work:
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific research
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Mass Media(Positive)
Mass Media (Fear)
Scientific Journal
Their Research
Dept. Presentation
The Sky is FallingBy Gregg Easterbrook
In this article, he presents the purpose of scientific research to the public as being necessary if we want to stay out of danger. The purpose is to make the general public aware that these things could occur.
1. What is the purpose of scientific research?
2. How should the public view scientific research?
3. What type of person does the author portray as a scientist; who does science?Example of student work:
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific research
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Mass Media(Positive)
Mass Media (Fear)
Scientific Journal
Their Research
Dept. Presentation
Discovery of a Candidate Inner Oort Cloud Planetoid, Brown et al., ApJ 2004, 617, 645
Goals1. They have a good
first experience reading a scientific paper
2. They feel they understand the paper and that they taught themselves.
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific research
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Mass Media(Positive)
Mass Media (Fear)
Scientific Journal
Their Research
Dept. Presentation
1. The Elevator Pitch2. One‐line Elevator
Pitch3. Describe your
research to someone who doesn’t know any science.
3. Introduce students to the many aspects of scientific research
Pre-MAP Curriculum Guide
Mass Media(Positive)
Mass Media (Fear)
Scientific Journal
Their Research
Dept. Presentation
4. Get students off to a successful start in their science majorStudy Skills Self-Evaluation Techniques
Academic Mentor Guide (in prep)
Find out as soon as possible what studying habits workGoal
•How to do a problem set •Getting the most out of group study sessions •How to structure exam studying •How to take a test, explaining the physics-
exam curve
4. Get students off to a successful start in their science majorStudy Skills Self-Evaluation Techniques
Academic Mentor Guide (in prep)
Loose credit only for a lack of knowledge on the subjectGoal
•Go through the test and tally up how many points lost/issue•poor studying, silly mistake, misunderstood
the question, didn’t know the material •How did you study for that question? How did
you know that? Example...
www.astro.washington.edu/premap/
Questions?
Phil Rosenfield: [email protected]
The primary goal of Pre-MAP is to increase the retention of students traditionally underrepresented in science, math, and technical majors.
We have documented our curriculum and best practices for your downloading pleasure:▫Overview of Pre-MAP▫Research Seminar Curricula ▫Guide for Research Mentors▫Guide for Academic Mentors (in prep)
1. Successful Research Experience
Pre-MAP research mentors are volunteer faculty members, post-docs, or graduate students working on their own or in
teams with students in the second half of the research seminar
In a successful research project, students:1. complete a task they understand and feel like they
have participated in research2. feel confident presenting preliminary results at the end
of the course3. feel they could continue their work in the following
quarter for research credit
Research Mentor Guide