Strategies: Building IT and Career Self-Efficacy in Young Women by Entering and Measuring the Universe: The Universe Quest

加州大学空间科学实验室将与阿萨学院和社区科学中心、北方加州女童子军和太平洋天文学会合作实施宇宙探索项目。其他项目合作伙伴包括Sightspeed Video Conferencing和领先的视频游戏开发商Quest G。宇宙探索将为奥克兰和里士满代表性不足的180名13-16岁的女孩提供一个独特的机会，在用现代技术研究宇宙的背景下学习IT技能。这个为期三年的项目包括天文学实践活动;图像处理和SQL查询开发;双月家庭会议;技术讲座（现场和通过视频会议）;社区服务;技术公司实习;和领导力发展。年轻女性也将有机会在多用户的宇宙探索互联网游戏中创作旅程和挑战。 为了达到更广泛的参与者群体，在第二年和第三年的女孩将通过周末和后续会议在科学的劳伦斯大厅（140名学生在劳伦斯大厅和40名学生在密集的阿萨轨道）宇宙探索介绍。宇宙探索助教将从加州大学伯克利分校抽调，包括攻读科学和技术学位的年轻女性。该项目使参与者接触到IT职业生涯的多种途径。全面的评估计划衡量IT技能、自我效能感和STEM职业兴趣，而纵向研究将跟踪学生12个月，以确定科学职业效能感和STEM职业兴趣如何随着时间的推移而变化，以及这种变化如何与扩大参与UQ相关。 虽然这个项目将直接接触180名女孩，提供密集和介绍性的经验，但完成的宇宙探索游戏将不仅广泛传播给北方加州的女童子军，而且作为女孩围棋技术倡议的一部分，传播给全国300多万女孩。

The University of California's Space Sciences Laboratory, in collaboration with ASA Academy and Community Science Center, Girl Scouts of Northern California, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, will implement the Universe Quest (UQ) project. Additional project partners include Sightspeed Video Conferencing and Quest G, a leading video game developer. Universe Quest will provide a total of 180 girls ages 13-16 from underrepresented populations in Oakland and Richmond with a unique opportunity to learn IT skills in the context of studying the universe with modern technology. The three year project includes hands-on astronomy activities; image processing and SQL query development; bi-monthly family sessions; technology talks (live and via videoconferencing); community service; internships at technology companies; and leadership development. Young women will also have a chance to author journeys and challenges in a multi-user Universe Quest Internet game. To reach a broader group of participants, in years 2 and 3 girls will be introduced to Universe Quest through weekend and follow-up sessions at the Lawrence Hall of Science (140 students at the Lawrence Hall and 40 students in the intensive ASA track). Universe Quest Teaching Assistants will be drawn from UC-Berkeley and include young women pursuing science and technology degrees. This project exposes participants to multiple paths in IT careers. A comprehensive evaluation plan measures IT skills, self-efficacy, and STEM career interests, while a longitudinal study will track students for 12 months to ascertain how science career efficacy and STEM career interest change over time and how the change is related to extended participation in UQ. Although this project will directly reach 180 girls with intensive and introductory experiences, the completed Universe Quest game will be disseminated broadly not only to Girl Scouts of Northern California, but to more than 3 million girls nationally as part of the Girls Go Tech initiative.