GSE/RES Collaborative proposal: How parents and their elementary school-age children solve science problems together: The role of gender and ethnicity

智力价值：这个项目正在调查性别和种族在父母(母亲和父亲)如何解决他们年幼的女儿和儿子的科学问题中的作用。很少有研究考察父母的影响，以及性别和种族对科学问题解决和兴趣的综合影响。研究人员正在研究父母性别、孩子性别和种族如何影响他们喜欢的科学态度、解决问题的方法(以及父母的帮助和鼓励)和科学问题的纪律。理论框架包括维果茨基和罗格夫的社会文化理论、布朗芬布伦纳的生态系统理论和本姆的性别图式理论。对150名四年级的男孩、女孩和他们的父母(西班牙裔和非西班牙裔家庭的平衡)进行了观察，同时一起解决了六个生活和物理方面的问题。定性数据(来自亲子问题解决任务和儿童态度访谈)和定量数据(来自亲子问题解决任务、儿童科学评估和父母问卷)被收集并使用内容分析和推理统计进行分析。传播计划包括通过会议演示和出版物向专业观众演示，以及为家长和教师提供关于鼓励和帮助学生学习科学的建议的小册子和网站。家长材料将提供给家长组织、育儿杂志、图书馆和托儿机构。教师手册将提供给学区、地方和国家教师会议以及职前教师。这项研究为本科生和研究生提供研究培训，由以本科生为主的大学的研究人员进行。

Intellectual Merit: This project is investigating the role of gender and ethnicity in how parents (mothers and fathers) solve science problems with their young daughters and sons. Few studies examine the influence of parents, and the combined effects of gender and ethnicity on science problem solving and interest. The researchers are examining how parent gender, child gender, and ethnicity affect science attitudes, problem-solving approaches (as well as parental help and encouragement) and the discipline of science problem that they prefer. The theoretical framework includes Vygotsky's and Rogoff's sociocultural theories, Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory and Bem's gender schema theory. One hundred and fifty fourth-grade boys and girls and their parents (with a balance of Hispanic and non-Hispanic families) are observed while solving six life and physical science problems together. Qualitative data (from parent-child problem-solving tasks and a child attitude interview) and quantitative data (from parent-child problem-solving tasks, a child science assessment, and a parental questionnaire) are collected and analyzed using content analysis and inferential statistics.Broader impacts: The research findings may assist researchers, parents and teachers to improve the participation and achievement of girls and Hispanic students in science disciplines. The dissemination plan includes presentations to professional audiences through conference presentations and publications, as well as brochures and websites for parents and teachers with advice about encouraging and assisting their students with science. Materials for parents will be made available to parent organizations, parenting magazines, libraries, and child care facilities. Brochures for teachers will be available to school districts, at local and national teacher conferences, and to pre-service teachers. This study is providing research training for both undergraduate and graduate students, and is being carried out by researchers in predominantly-undergraduate universities.