Strategies: GUTS y Girls

GUTS y Girls是一个为期三年的ITEST战略项目，目标是圣达菲、拉斯克鲁塞斯和新墨西哥州的阿尔伯克基的中学女生。该项目建立在以前资助的NSF青年科学家奖（06-39637）的基础上，并包括圣达菲研究所和麻省理工学院，新墨西哥州大学，新墨西哥州技术，新墨西哥州州立大学，圣达菲综合体，新墨西哥州小径的女童子军，超级计算挑战，区域教育组织和当地学校之间的合作伙伴关系。GUTS y Girls旨在通过让女孩参与令人兴奋的网络学习体验来建立STEM和ICT劳动力，为未来的职业生涯做好准备，使用社交网络工具创建和研究支持网络，并开发可复制的计划模型。项目交付包括每月周六研讨会和为期两周的夏季密集研讨会。7小时的周六研讨会让女孩接触到各种各样的STEM/ICT工作和专业人士，同时让她们参与建立自信的创造性项目。在为期两周的夏季强化研讨会期间，女孩们通过动手活动和参与式模拟来了解复杂的系统概念。参与者调查当地相关的主题，通过复杂系统的透镜查看它们，然后应用基于代理的建模和网络分析工具。通过培养对复杂系统的理解和发展女孩的计算思维，计算机编程，计算建模，批判性思维和空间技能，GUTS y Girls为参与者准备了广泛的STEM和ICT领域，包括计算机科学，生态学，工程学和数学。GUTS y Girls的第二个战略是通过创建一个虚拟俱乐部，利用社交网络与STEM/ICT女性从业者和学生导师交流，开发和研究一个女孩支持系统。所有项目活动的目的是支持新墨西哥州5-8年级科学和数学的国家标准。目标受众包括300名低收入西班牙裔和美洲土著青年。项目活动是动手，解决现实世界的问题，并从该领域的专业人士参与，在成功的科学和数学课程，为年轻女性服务的所有特征。计划采用混合方法评估方法，评估对STEM和ICT领域的认识变化;技术和思维技能;对复杂系统的理解和计算机建模的使用;以及对STEM内容和职业的兴趣和态度。该项目提供了深入了解学生参与网络支持的STEM学习经验是否为STEM未来的努力建立了能力，以及社交网络和STEM导师的使用是否可以维持学生的兴趣和参与。

GUTS y Girls is a three-year ITEST Strategies project targeting middle school girls in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This project builds on a previously funded NSF Academies for Young Scientist award (06-39637) and includes partnerships between the Santa Fe Institute and MIT, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Tech, New Mexico State University, Santa Fe Complex, Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails, the Supercomputing Challenge, regional educational organizations, and local schools. GUTS y Girls is designed to build the STEM and ICT workforce by engaging girls in exciting cyber-enabled learning experiences that prepare them for future careers, create and study a network of support using social networking tools, and develop a replicable program model. Project deliverables include Monthly Saturday Workshops and two-week Summer Intensive Workshops. The 7-hour Saturday workshops expose girls to a wide variety of STEM/ICT jobs and professionals while engaging them in creative projects that build their confidence. During the two-week Summer Intensive Workshop, girls gain an understanding of complex systems concepts through hands-on activities and participatory simulations. Participants investigate topics of local relevance, view them through the lens of complex systems, and then apply agent-based modeling and network analysis tools. By fostering an understanding of complex systems and developing girls' computational thinking, computer programming, computational modeling, critical thinking, and spatial skills, GUTS y Girls prepares participants for a wide range of STEM and ICT fields including computer science, ecology, engineering, and mathematics. GUTS y Girls' secondary strategy is to develop and study a support system for girls by creating a virtual clubhouse using social networking to communicate with female STEM/ICT practitioners and student mentors. All project activities are designed to support the New Mexico state standards in science and math for grades 5-8. The target audience includes 300 low-income Hispanic and Native American youth. Project activities are hands-on, address real-world problems, and engage professionals from the field, all characteristics found in successful science and math programs that serve young women. A mixed-methods evaluation approach is planned which assesses changes in awareness of STEM and ICT fields; technical and thinking skills; understanding of complex systems and uses of computer modeling; and interest and attitudes towards STEM content and careers. This project provides insight into whether student engagement in cyber-enabled STEM learning experiences builds capacity for future endeavors in STEM and if the use of social networks and STEM mentors can sustain student interest and involvement.