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

波士顿学院的这一路径项目将测试跨代跨学科水培项目的有效性，该项目涉及救世军Kroc中心和STEM花园学院针对4-6年级青少年和高年级学生的课程开发和活动。主要研究包括对跨代、跨学科、基于社区的研究的有效性的检验。水培计划的其他目标包括审查以城市社区为基础的水培计划如何培养动机和自我效能，以及年轻人和老年人对涉及技术、经济和植物生产的科学研究过程的理解程度。研究设计包括定性和定量方法。该项目将评估教师在青年和老年人中实施该计划的方式。该项目还将评估与水培技术领域的植物生产和知识获取相关的技术的有效性，这些技术是通过提供植物产品在当地农贸市场销售而开发的。在整个项目期间，将对老年人和青年进行访谈、焦点小组和调查。该项目将为非正式提供者和参与非正式科学教育计划的青年传播一份基于科学探究的教学指南。该指南将侧重于水培，重点放在电磁光谱、光合作用、pH和营养物质以及电导率科学概念上。超过120-150名青年和200名老年人将参加水培计划。还将编写关于经济和商业规划发展的补充材料，用于规划和建立农贸市场零售企业。这些材料将通过救世军的克罗克中心获得。Kroc中心每天平均有500-1000名访问者，此外，中心的网站每天平均有1200次独立访问。

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.