GSE/RES: Red Light, Green Light Signals? Defining Family and School Influences on Rural, American Indian Girls' Early STEM Interests

俄克拉荷马州立大学(OSU)的多学科研究人员智力Merita团队将与当地公立学校官员合作，衡量三年来年轻学生STEM兴趣、成就和态度的变化，并将这些变化与可识别的家长/教师影响联系起来。这项研究的目标是确定低收入、农村美国原住民男孩和女孩早期对科学和数学兴趣的显著预测因素，以便为鼓励女孩STEM兴趣的课堂实践提供指导。具体地说，这项研究将(1)确定和检验俄克拉荷马州农村人口(主要是美国原住民)3-5年级学生科学和数学兴趣和成绩变化对家庭和学校的影响，以及(2)生成案例研究，说明在这一特殊人群中对女孩STEM兴趣的影响。目标学校地区包括大量低社会经济地位(SES)学生(那些有资格享受免费和降价餐食的学生)和美国原住民。这项研究中的35所学校是(1)切诺基、波尼和奥萨奇印第安族的小型乡村学校，(2)位于研究基地附近。这项研究包括了800名3-5年级的学生(其中大约45%是美国原住民学生)，每个年级的女孩和男孩的数量都差不多。美国原住民咨询委员会将提供指导，以确保文化意识和敏感性为方法和分析提供信息。方法包括观察方案、调查工具、焦点小组和学生测试分数。广泛影响研究成果和新战略将在国家会议、专业出版物以及部落团体和政策制定者中广泛传播。这项研究将作为第一项以研究为基础的研究，研究家庭和学校对美国农村原住民群体STEM兴趣的影响。将加强教育基础设施，为不同的学生提供研究机会，与农村学校建立新的伙伴关系，扩大准备在STEM解决性别和少数群体平等问题的教育工作者网络。将衡量长期的创新变化，以确定鼓励年轻美洲原住民妇女对STEM感兴趣的教学实践。这项研究对增加更多、更多样化的国内科学和工程劳动力的机会具有重要意义。俄克拉荷马州立大学坚定地致力于教师和学生的多样性，在许多传统上代表性不足的群体中积极招聘。应该指出的是，俄亥俄州立大学拥有全美最高的美国原住民大学生入学人数。该奖项由EPSCoR和科学与工程项目中的性别研究共同资助。

Intellectual MeritA team of multidisciplinary researchers at Oklahoma State University (OSU), in collaboration with local public school officials, will measure changes in young students' STEM interests, achievement, and attitudes over three years and relate these changes to identifiable parent/teacher influences. The research goal is to determine significant predictors of low-income, rural Native American boys' and girls' early interests in science and mathematics that can provide guidance for classroom practices that encourage young girls' STEM interests. Specifically, this research will (1) determine and examine family and school influences related to changes in students' science and math interests and achievement from 3rd - 5th grade among rural, largely Native American populations in Oklahoma and (2) generate case studies that illustrate influences on girls' STEM interests within this special population.The targeted school region includes large numbers of low, socio-economic status (SES) students (those eligible for free and reduced-price meals) and Native Americans. The 35 schools in this study are (1) small, rural schools within the Cherokee, Pawnee and Osage Indian Nations and (2) located near the research base. The study includes 800 students (with approximately 45% Native American students) in grades 3 - 5 with similar numbers of girls and boys at each level. A Native American Advisory Board will provide guidance to assure cultural awareness and sensitivity informs methodology and analysis. Methods include observation protocols, survey instruments, focus groups, and student test scores.Broader ImpactsResearch results and new strategies will be widely disseminated at national conferences, in professional publications, and to tribal groups and policy makers. This study will break ground as the first research-based research of home and school influences on STEM interests among rural, Native American populations. Educational infrastructure will be enhanced by providing research opportunities for diverse students, creating new partnerships with rural schools, and expanding the network of educators prepared to address gender and minority equity issues in STEM. Long-term, innovative changes will be measured in the determination of pedagogical teaching practices that encourage STEM interests of young Native American women. This research has implications for improving opportunities for a larger and more diverse domestic science and engineering workforce. Oklahoma State University is strongly committed to faculty and student diversity, actively recruiting among many traditionally underrepresented groups. It should be noted that OSU has the highest enrollment of Native American college students in the United States.This award is co-funded by the EPSCoR and the Research on Gender in Science and Engineering programs.