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

智力优势：该项目正在调查性别和种族在父母（母亲和父亲）如何与年幼的女儿和儿子解决科学问题方面的作用。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，儿童性别和种族如何影响科学态度，解决问题的方法（以及父母的帮助和鼓励）以及他们更喜欢的科学问题的学科。 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贝姆的性别图式理论。一百五十四年级的男孩和女孩和他们的父母（与西班牙裔和非西班牙裔家庭的平衡）观察，同时解决六个生活和物理科学问题在一起。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（从亲子问题解决任务，儿童科学评估，和家长问卷）收集和分析使用内容分析和推理统计。研究结果可能有助于研究人员，家长和教师，以提高女孩和西班牙裔学生在科学学科的参与和成就。传播计划包括通过会议介绍和出版物向专业观众介绍情况，以及向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。为家长准备的材料将提供给家长组织、育儿杂志、图书馆和儿童保育设施。教师手册将提供给学区，在地方和国家教师会议上，并提供给职前教师。这项研究正在为本科生和研究生提供研究培训，并由主要是本科生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.