Seeding the Future: Growing STEM Learning and Interest through Hydroponic Food Production

这个来自波士顿学院的路径项目将测试跨代跨学科水培计划的有效性，该计划涉及救世军克罗克中心和STEM花园研究所的课程开发和活动，适用于4-6年级的青少年和老年人。主要研究包括对跨代跨学科社区研究的有效性的检验。水培计划的其他目标包括检查城市社区水培计划培养动机和自我效能的方式，以及青年和老年人如何理解涉及技术，经济和植物生产的科学探究过程。研究设计包括定性和定量两种方法。该项目将评估教师对青年和老年人实施该计划的方式。该项目还将评估与植物生产有关的技术的有效性，以及从开发到将植物产品交付到当地农贸市场销售的水培领域的知识获取。在整个项目中，将对老年人和青年进行访谈、焦点小组和调查。该项目将向参与非正式科学教育项目的非正式提供者和青年散发一份基于科学探究的指导指南。该指南将侧重于水培，重点是电磁波谱，光合作用，pH值和营养物质，以及电导率科学概念。超过120-150名青少年和200名老年人将参加水培计划。将编制关于发展经济和商业规划的其他材料，用于规划和建立农贸市场零售业务。这些材料将通过救世军的克罗克中心提供。克罗克中心平均每天有500-1000名访客，此外该中心的网站平均每天有1200名独立访客。

This pathways project from Boston College will test the efficacy of an intergenerational interdisciplinary hydroponics program involving curriculum development and activities at the Salvation Army's Kroc Center and the STEM Garden Institute for 4-6th grade youths and seniors. The primary research includes an examination of the efficacy of intergenerational interdisciplinary community based research. Additional goals of the hydroponic program include the examination of the ways in which urban community-based hydroponic programs foster motivation and self-efficacy, and how well youths and seniors understand the scientific inquiry process involving technology, economics and plant production.The research design includes qualitative and quantitative methods. The project will evaluate the ways in which the instructors implement the program with youth and seniors. The project will also evaluate the effectiveness of the technologies associated with plant production and knowledge acquisition in the area of hydroponics from the development through the delivery of the plant products to sell at the local Farmer's Market. Interviews, focus groups and survey will be administered to seniors and youth throughout the project. The project will disseminate a science inquiry based instructional guide for informal providers and youth who are involved with informal science education programs. The guide will focus on hydroponics with an emphasis on the electromagnetic spectrum, photosynthesis, pH, and nutrients, and electrical conductivity science concepts. More than 120-150 youth and 200 seniors will participate in the hydroponics program. Additional materials on the development of economic and business planning will be developed for the use of planning and setting up a Farmer's Market retail business. The materials will be available through the Salvation Army's Kroc Center. The Kroc Center averages 500-1000 visitors per day in addition to the Center's website, which averages 1200 unique visits per day.