Astrobiology in the Secondary Classroom Project: An interdisciplinary curriculum developed by a collaboration of scientists and educators from three different minority communities.

田纳西州立大学的这项提案是对一项为期3年的探索性研究的支持，该研究的重点是提高居住在城市社区或部落保留地的不同学生的科学素养的内容、文化意义和建议。具体地说，这项建议旨在加强现有的跨学科高中科学课程--中学天体生物学(ASC)，该课程由少数民族研究所天体生物学合作(MIAC)的大学教授、课堂教师和NASA Goddard的科学家以创新的方式开发，并进行研究，以确定这些材料在5个地点的三个不同的代表性不足的学生群体中的有效性，这些学生在STEM领域经历了成就差距。这些网站包括NASA科学、工程、数学和航空航天学者(SEMAA)(1)在佛罗里达州迈阿密戴德县公立学校系统；(2)在田纳西州立大学，纳什维尔的HBCU；(3)在新墨西哥州的拉斯克鲁塞斯公立学校系统，以及两个关于美洲印第安人保留地的项目；(4)在欧文斯谷大松派尤特部落的放学计划；以及(5)在纳瓦霍民族的钦勒联合学校第24区。五个地点每个地点将有两名教师和最多40名学生参加，总共有10名教师和大约200名学生。将开发已经进行了大量研究并支持这一领域研究的模块。改进将集中在程序匹配和更多地使用研究科学家提供的数据集。其目标和目的是(1)测试、验证和修改中学天体生物学(ASC)课程，对STEM活动中代表性不足的高中生进行测试、验证和修改；(2)培训和支持实施ASC课程的教师；(3)通过分析真实的科学数据，包括文化差异，检查学生的参与和学习情况；以及(4)确定ASC材料在培养日益复杂的学生、批判性思维、解决问题、决策、设计和交流方面的成功，因为学生在STEM领域经历了成绩差距。

This Tennessee State University proposal is a request for support for a 3-year exploratory research study focused on the content, cultural significance, and recommendations for increasing scientific literacy in diverse students living in either urban communities or on tribal reservations. Specifically, this proposal is designed to enhance an existing interdisciplinary high school science curriculum -Astrobiology in the Secondary Classroom (ASC), developed by university professors from the Minority Institution Astrobiology Collaborative (MIAC), classroom teachers, and partnership with scientists from NASA Goddard in an innovative way and conduct research to determine the effectiveness of these materials in three different underrepresented student populations African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americas experiencing an achievement gap in STEM areas at 5 sites. These sites include the NASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Aerospace Academics (SEMAA) (1) in the Miami Dade County Public School System in Florida; (2) at Tennessee State University, an HBCU in Nashville; (3) in the Las Cruces Public School System in New Mexico along with two programs on America Indian Reservations; (4) at Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley after school program; and (5) The Chinle Unified School District No. 24 in the Navajo Nation. Two teachers and up to 40 students will participate at each of the five sites, totaling 10 teachers and approximately 200 students. Modules will be developed that have been heavily researched and support the research in this area. Improvements will focus on program alignment and increased use of data sets made available by research scientists. The goals and objectives are (1) to test, validate, and modify the Astrobiology in Secondary Classroom (ASC) curriculum with high school students who are underrepresented in STEM activities; (2) train and support teachers who implement the ASC Curriculum; (3) examine the students' involvement and learning through analysis of real scientific data including cultural differences; and (4) determine the success of the ASC materials in fostering inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, design, and communication at increasing levels of complexity with student populations experiencing an achievement gap in STEM areas.