Over-All Project and Fall 2008 NMNEI Workshop
Needs Assessment Survey

Goals of the New Mexico Nanoscience Education Initiative ( Project Abstract)

The goals of the Initiative are: (1) to use faculty development in an effort to integrate nanoscience into the undergraduate curriculum in New Mexico post secondary institutions; (2) to foster a shared, initiative-related teaching enterprise by developing a state level educational network that unites faculty at community colleges with faculty at research universities; (3) to provide participating faculty with training in nanoscience and nanoscience-related course development; (4) to develop a network of Initiative-commited New Mexico science educators who will collaborate in the development of cross disciplinary and cross institutional  synergistic strategies; (5) to address the learning needs of nontraditional students, many of which are first generation college students and/or members of underrepresented minority groups; and, (6) to develop the intercollegial foundation that will permit development of a future, broader scale Phase 2 project.

Purposes of the Survey
The purposes of this survey are:  (1) to collect demographic data on within- and out-of-network, project participants;
(2) to identify and assess current practices, project implementation philosophy, and strategies of instruction (pedagogy)
across the NMNEI network; (3) to assess the needs of project participants in regards to Initiative-related continuing education (training) and infrastructure (including network development and intellectual collaboration); and (4) to identify workshop topics that will address the needs of project participants and/or that will showcase "best practices" at the upcoming Fall 2008 NMNEI Workshop.

Survey Format
The survey is divided into five major sections:  (1) demographics; (2) assessment of current project implementation philosophy, practices, and pedagogy; (3) evaluation of existing project infrastructure; (4) project participant training/development needs assessment; and (5) workshop and workshop logistics needs assessment.

Procedure
 Complete all  fields of the survey and click on "submit."   The survey should take about 20-25 minutes to complete.

For More Information
If you have any questions or concerns about this survey, please contact Vince Lombraña at (505) 439-3775 or at
lombrana@nmsua.nmsu.edu. 

I. Demographics

    1. I am a teacher/administrator/researcher at a: two-year school four-year school other (please explain below)
  
         

        If you wish to identify yourself, please do so below (give your name, title, and institution).

       

    2.  Gender:  male female  
 
    3.  I am primarily a:  

        researcher
          teacher
          researcher/teacher
          administrator
          researcher/administrator
          teacher/administrator
          other (please elaborate below)

               

      4. I am a/an

           NMNEI principal investigator
           NMNEI advisory committee member
           NMNEI network collaborator
           NMNEI network participant
           out-of-network participant
           other (please elaborate below)
           
                
  
        5. OPTIONAL - Please tell us about your ethnicity.
         
             
             
             Are you a first generation college faculty (e.g., the first professor in your immediate family)?

              No Yes

       6. How many grants have you managed?

             

       7. In managing your grant(s), do you collaborate across departments?

              No Yes Not Applicable

         8. In managing your grant(s), do you collaborate across colleges?

              No Yes Not Applicable

         9. Have you tried collaborating with community college faculty on one or more grants?

              No Yes Not Applicable

       10.  Do you feel that you can take on new projects at this point in time?

              No Yes Not Applicable

       11. How many grant-related projects are you currently involved in?

             

       12. How much time do you spend on:

              A. your job?  

              B. grant-related reporting?  

              C. grant management?  
          
        13. Please rate the level of administrative support your institution provides for research.
                          
              

        14.  Please rate the level of interest in nanoscience among your students.  
       
           

II. Assessment of Current Project Implementation Philosophy, Practices, and Pedagogy

  15. Please rate the teaching goals in the following list.  Assess each goal's importance to what you deliberately have your
        students accomplish, rather than the goal's general worthiness or overall importance to your institution's mission (The list
        of goals is a subset of goals listed in the "Teaching Goals Inventory", T.A. Angelo and K.P. Cross, Classroom
        Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers). For each goal, choose only one response on the 1 to 5
        rating scale. In relation to the course(s) you are focusing on, indicate whether each goal you rate is:

                1 == not applicable; this is a goal I never try to achieve.
                2 == unimportant; this is a goal that I rarely try to achieve.
                3 == important; this is a goal I sometimes try to achieve.
                4 == very important; this is a goal that I often try to achieve.
                5 == essential; this is a goal that I always/nearly always try to achieve.

                In the courses that I teach, I consider it important that the students               
  • develop analytical skills. 
  • develop problem solving skills.
  • develop the ability to draw reasonable inferences from observations.
  • develop the ability to think critically.
  • develop the ability for independent thinking.
  • develop the ability to distinguish between fact and opinion.
  • develop appropriate study skills, strategies, and habits.
  • develop an openness to new ideas.
  • develop the capacity to make informed ethical choices.
  • develop an informed concern about the impact of science and technology on societal evolution.  
  • cultivate a sense of responsibility for one's own behavior.
  • develop an informed historical perspective on scientific and technological innovations.
  • develop the ability to work with others.
  • develop leadership skills.
  • improve scientific and technological literacy among students.
  • other.
    • (describe below).

     
       
    16.  In order to achieve the aforementioned goals in your classes, how important do you consider it to          
  • convey concepts and theories in this subject.
  • convey an understanding of perspective and values on the subject.
  • convey techniques and methods to gain new knowledge on the subject.
  • other.
    • (describe below)
     
1 == unimportant
2 == slightly important
3 == important
4 == very important.
5 == essential
     17. How do you see your primary role as a teacher? 
  • teaching students facts and principles of the subject matter.
  • providing a role model for students.
  • helping students to develop higher-order thinking skills.
  • preparing students for jobs/careers.
  • fostering student development and personal growth.
  • helping students develop basic learning skills.
  • other.
1 == unimportant
2 == slightly important
3 == important
4 == very important
5 == essential  
                      (describe below)
                     

     18. Have you included nano-bio themes in some of the courses that you have taught or are currently teaching?

          No. Yes.  Please provide one or more examples and list the names of the course(s).
                                     

     19. Which of the following teaching strategies/materials have you used in incorporating nanoscience into your
            course(s)?

          Activities
          Animations
          Case Studies
          Mini Course(s)
          Fact Sheets
          Lecture Presentations
          Lessons
          Modules
          Pod Casts
          Power Point Presentations
          Reading Assignments
          Simulations
          Tutorials
          Videos
          Web Resources
  Other
   Please Describe Below:

     20. If you had access to nanoscience teaching materials, in which of the following formats would you prefer
           them to be in:          

          Activities
          Animations
          Case Studies
          Mini Course(s)
          Fact Sheets
          Lecture Presentations
          Lessons
          Modules
          Pod Casts
          Power Point Presentations
          Reading Assignments
          Simulations
          Tutorials
          Videos
          Web Resources
  Why? (please answer below):

     
    21. How can we individually and collaboratively best meet the goals and objectives of the Initiative?
          (Project Summary)

          

     22. Are you currently assessing student learning of  course-integrated nanoscience concepts and topics?

          Yes No

            If "yes," how are you assessing student learning?
            If  "no," why aren't you assessing student learning?

           

          

III. Evaluation of Existing NMNEI Infrastructure              

      A. The NMNEI Web site

           23. How often do you visit the web site?

                  never
                  rarely
                  occasionally
                  frequently   
 Please Comment Below:

           24. How useful is the web site if and when you do visit it?               

                 I don't visit it
                 it's not useful
                 it's somewhat useful
                 it's useful
                 it's very useful
 Please Comment Below:

           25. What features of the web site do you find especially useful?

                  
     
            26. How can we improve the web site?

                   

        B. The Nanoscience Resources Page

             27. How often do you visit the Nanoscience Resources page?

                   never
                   rarely
                   occasionally
                   frequently   
 Please Comment Below:

             28. How useful is the Nanoscience Resources page if and when you do visit it?               

                   I don't visit it
                   it's not useful
                   it's somewhat useful
                   it's useful
                   it's very useful
 Please Comment Below:

             29. What features of the Nanoscience Resources page do you find especially useful?

                   
     
              30. How can we improve the Nanoscience Resources page?

                    

        C. The 2007 NMNEI Workshop

             31. How useful did you find the 2007 workshop?

                  it was not useful
                  it was somewhat useful
                  it was useful
                  it was very useful

              32. List the strengths of the 2007 workshop.
 
                    

              33. List the weaknesses of the 2007 workshop.

                                         

              34. How would you improve the 2007 workshop?

                                         
         
         D. The NMNEI People

              35. How often have you contacted one or more of the following about the Initiative?

      • the Principal Investigators
      • members of the Advisory Board
      • Peggy Maki
      • the Network Collaborators
      • the Network Participants
 I never contacted them
I contacted them once or twice
I contacted them several times
I contacted them often
 
              36. How useful were these contacts in helping you implement the Initiative on your campus?

                    not useful
                    somewhat useful
                    useful
                    very useful

          E. Institutional "Buy In" of the Initiative

               37. To what extent has your campus "bought into" the Initiative?         Please use the scale below.

                     1 == no "buy in"
                     2 == little "buy in"
                     3 == some "buy in"
                     4 == considerable "buy in"

               38. What obstacles to institutional "buy in" of the Initiative do you see on your campus?

                     
                     
               39.  How can we help to promote institutional "buy in" of the Initiative on your campus?

                     


IV. Project Participant Training and Development Needs Assessment

        40. Rate each of the following training and development goals using the following scale:

              1 == not applicable
              2 == unimportant
              3 == important
              4 == very important
              5 == essential
          

        41. In developing teaching activities that include nanoscience and/or nanotechnology themes it would
              be beneficial for me to obtain:  (please rank each component on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most important)
                  
                
  V. Workshop and Workshop Logistics Needs Assessment

         42.  A workshop on integrating nanoscience/nanotechnology themes into my existing course(s) would be most
                  beneficial to me IF:   (please rank each component on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most important)                 
  • I would get feedback on my approach in incorporating nanoscience/nanotechnology themes into my teaching
  • I could present  how I incorporate these themes in my existing course(s) 
  • I could present course materials that I have developed and used in one or more of my      classes
 43. If I were to give a talk at the 2008 NMNEI Workshop, the title of my presentation would be:

        

            44. Which gateway for the exchange/dissemination of information works best for you?

                   I get more background information through presentations
                   I get more background information through discussion in smaller groups
                   I learn about repositories of online teaching materials
                   it helps to distinguish progress from hype
                   other (please list below)
 
                   
 
             45. Identify topics that you would like to have addressed at the Fall 2008 workshop.

                   
                   
             46. When and where would you like the Fall 2008 workshop to take place?

                   
   
             47. How long should the Fall 2008 workshop be?

                   one day long
                   two days long
                   three days long
                   other
                   
                    Please Comment
                   
               
               48. When exactly should we hold the Fall 2008 workshop? (Check your calendar)

                     


Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.  The results of the survey will be used in planning the 2008 workshop and in strengthening the over-all efficacy of the Initiative.

Comments/Suggstions/Concerns Regarding the Over-All Project and Fall 2008 NMNEI Workshop Needs Assessment Survey: