Integrating Science Into Afterschool: A Three-Dimensional Approach To Engaging Underserved Populations In Science

ITEST 战略项目“将科学融入课后”以之前 NSF 资助的工作为基础，制定了一项三维 (3-D) 战略，让服务匮乏的青少年、家庭和课后辅导员全年参与科学学习并接触科学、技术、工程和数学 (STEM) 领域的职业。该项目利用费城市区的社区合作伙伴关系，包括富兰克林研究所、公共部门实体和社区组织，在课后、家庭和社区的多个接入点提供 STEM 教育体验。整合科学以小学生（3-5 年级）及其家庭为目标，旨在战略性地与不同的利益相关者建立联系，以开发、实施和研究：1）针对小学生的社区课后计划中基于科学项目的学习 (PBL) 单元，2) 主题相关的家庭活动，旨在让家庭成员在舒适的家中参与科学探索，以及 3) 家庭科学活动，重点是建立职业联系，由两个社区组织主办举办课外活动以及博物馆。将科学融入课外活动将为费城市区的 60 名教职员工、450 名 3-5 年级学生以及 450 个家庭提供服务。此外，整合科学将在非传统学习环境中培养科学教育者的能力，培养家长对 STEM 的支持，并更好地了解社区如何提高对科学学习和 STEM 职业的认识和机会。整合科学有潜力通过区域、全州和全国范围内的现有合作伙伴维持和扩展这种概念验证模型。长期成果包括使用这个 3D 模型来解决该领域内的重要问题，包括课外项目如何影响儿童对科学的认同感，如何鼓励和支持家长成为科学和孩子科学职业道路的倡导者，以及确定代表性不足的群体理解、重视和促进 STEM 内容和职业的方式。该项目的评估将包括使用比较组和有效的规范调查来了解对学生、家庭和课后辅导员的影响。

Integrating Science into Afterschool, an ITEST Strategies project, builds upon prior NSF-funded work to develop a three-dimensional (3-D) strategy for engaging underserved youth, families, and afterschool facilitators in year-round science learning and exposure to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The project leverages community partnerships in urban Philadelphia, including The Franklin Institute, public sector entities and community organizations, to deliver the STEM education experience in the multiple access points of afterschool, home, and community. Integrating Science targets elementary aged students (grades 3-5) and their families, and aims to strategically network a diverse set of stakeholders to develop, implement, and study: 1) science project-based learning (PBL) units in community-based afterschool programs for elementary-age children, 2) thematically-linked home-based activities designed to engage family members in science explorations in the comfort of their home, and 3) family science events focused on building career linkages that will be hosted by both the community-based organizations hosting afterschool programs as well as the museum. Integrating Science into Afterschool will serve a total of 60 staff, 450 students in grades 3-5 and 450 families in urban Philadelphia. Additionally, Integrating Science will build the capacity of science educators in nontraditional learning environments, cultivate parent support for STEM, and provide a better understanding of the ways in which communities can increase awareness of and access to science learning and STEM careers. Integrating Science has the potential to sustain and expand this proof-of-concept model through existing partners regionally, statewide, and nationwide. Long-term outcomes include using this 3-D model to address important questions within the field including how afterschool programs impact children's sense of identity in science, how parents can be encouraged and supported to become advocates of science and of science career pathways for their children, and identifying ways in which underrepresented groups come to understand, value, and promote STEM content and careers. Evaluation of the project will include the use of comparison groups and valid, normed surveys to understand the impact on students, families and afterschool facilitators.