University of Maryland, Baltimore County

About: University of Maryland, Baltimore County is a education organization based out in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 8749 authors who have published 20843 publications receiving 795706 citations. The organization is also known as: UMBC.

Online communities: focusing on sociability and usability

Abstract: 1 Background Millions of people meet online to chat, to find like-minded people, to debate topical issues, to play games, to give or ask for information, to find support, to shop, or just to hang-out with others. They go to chat-rooms, bulletin boards, join discussion groups or they create their group using instant messaging software. Short messaging (also known as ‘texting’) is also gaining popularity in some parts of the world. These online social gatherings are known by a variety of names including ‘online community’, a name coined by early pioneers like Howard Rheingold, who describes these online communities as ‘cultural aggregations that emerge when enough people bump into each other often enough in cyberspace’ (Rheingold, 1994, p. 57). 1.1 The scope of this chapter There is no accepted definition of online community. The term means different things to different people (Preece, 2000) so this chapter starts by examining definitions and descriptions of online community from different disciplines, and briefly traces how the topic has emerged. Section 2 outlines research from social psychology, sociology, communications studies, computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) and human-computer interaction (HCI) that informs our understanding of why people interact they way they do in online communities. Section 3 brings many of these ideas together in the context of design and evaluation of online communities, outlines a design methodology and proposes a frame work for supporting social interaction (i.e., sociability) and designing usability. Section 4 returns to research and briefly reviews

African American college students excelling in the sciences: College and postcollege outcomes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program

Abstract: This paper describes and assesses the effectiveness of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). The Program is designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who pursue graduate and professional degrees in science and engineering. Until 1996 the program admitted African American students exclusively, and the current study focuses only on students from that group. The Meyerhoff students have achieved higher grade point averages, graduated in science and engineering at higher rates, and gained admittance to graduate schools at higher rates than multiple current and historical comparison samples. Student survey and interview data revealed that a number of program components were viewed as being especially important contributors to students' academic success: Program Community, Study Groups, Summer Bridge Program, Financial Support, Program Staff, and Research Internships and Mentors.fl 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 37: 629 - 654, 2000 In a world increasingly driven by technology, living the American Dream requires more advanced education than ever. Literacy and skills in science and technology are becoming increasingly important; in fact, our economy's future appears tied, at least in part, to the strength of a technology-based workforce. More than three decades ago, the United States Government made a commitment to help African Americans achieve educational parity with the White majority. Although the commitment remains intact, the goal remains unattained (National Task Force on Minority High Achievement, 1999). In 1986, only 1.1% of American citizens receiving doctorates in science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM) were African Americans, even though African Americans represent 12% of the United States population. In 1992, the percentage receiving SEM doctorates was 1.2%, and by 1995 it had increased to only 2.0% (NSF, 1996a, 1996b), despite the fact that proportionately higher numbers of African Americans aspire initially to science graduate degrees than do Caucasians (Elliott, Strenta, Adair, Matier, & Scott, 1995).