NSDL Backpack

研究表明，课堂外的学习可能是STEM职业生涯的关键催化剂。事实上，75%的科学类诺贝尔奖获得者表示，他们对科学的热情最初是在非学校的独立学习环境中激发的。NSDL Backpack提供的工具和服务可增加在科学竞赛中使用高质量、相关NSDL内容的学习者数量。潜在的影响是巨大的，因为在全国范围内，科学竞赛每年吸引超过900万K-12学生。NSDL Backpack原型演示了如何使用基于Web的工具和资源，并与国家科学竞赛合作，以学习者为中心的服务，可以提高NSDL的利用率。 使用由学习者焦点小组设计的网站和工具，背包正在制作NSDL资产，由目的地ImagiNation（DI）课程经理和背包工作人员选择并与挑战保持一致，直接提供给DI科学挑战的参与者。背包路径有助于学生如何使用技术学习正式的，教师指导的设置之外的智力理解。通过增加使用NSDL内容的学习者数量（在最近的一项调查中，只有23%的NSDL搜索者是学生）并直接研究他们的需求，NSDL Backpack正在为其他NSDL途径和其他NSF研究项目提供信息和促进发展，以及更广泛的研究自主学习者如何学习。

Research shows that learning that occurs outside the classroom can be a critical STEM career catalyst. In fact, 75 percent of science category Nobel Prize winners indicate that their passion for science was first sparked in non-school, independent learning environments. The NSDL Backpack provides tools and services that increase the numbers of learners using high-quality, relevant NSDL content in science competitions. The potential impact is significant since nationally, science competitions engage more than 9 million K-12 students every year. The NSDL Backpack prototype demonstrates how a learner-centered service, using web-based tools and resources, and partnering with a national science competition, can increase utilization of the NSDL. Using a website and tools designed by a learner focus group, the Backpack is making NSDL assets, selected and aligned to the challenges by the Destination ImagiNation (DI) curriculum mangers and Backpack staff, available directly to participants in the DI science challenge. The Backpack pathway is contributing to the intellectual understanding of how students use technology to learn outside of formal, teacher-directed settings. By increasing the number of learners using NSDL content (only 23% of NSDL searchers in a recent survey were students) and by studying their needs directly, the NSDL Backpack is informing and fostering developments at other NSDL pathways and other NSF research projects, as well as broader research into how self-directed learners learn.