An Integrated Approach to Creating STEM Career Pathways

该项目将推动学生和教师创新技术体验(ITEST)计划的努力，以更好地了解和促进提高学生在科学、技术、工程或数学(STEM)领域追求职业生涯的动机和能力的实践，方法是开发和测试为期六年的课程和暑期活动，旨在为当地劳动力培养低收入青年。该项目将从STEM相关领域中代表性不足的人群中招收、留住和培养学生。在该项目中，学生将学习：a)与水培相关的科学概念；b)如何开发由替代能源提供动力的水培系统；c)如何建造和编程机械臂来种植和收获农产品；d)如何自动化水培系统的操作和监控；e)如何在获得大学学分的同时建造和编程远程临场感机器人。在课程中期，从10年级开始，参与的学生还将受益于基于网络的指导计划，该计划将促进与STEM专业人员、计划校友以及彼此之间的互动。该项目是一个校区、一个社区学院、一所大学和一个指导组织的协作努力。活动、课程和指导策略的多年计划的结果将通过调查数据和参与者访谈相结合的混合方法研究。本项目的理论框架以社会认知职业理论、职业生涯建构理论和工作关系理论为基础。这项工作将由四个研究问题来指导：1.未来播种干预在多大程度上促进了学生追求进一步STEM教育选择和考虑STEM职业的意向的进步？2.干预在多大程度上增强了学生的职业适应性，如学业韧性的定义？3.关系支持，如虚拟辅导计划，来自家庭成员、教师和学生生活中其他重要人员的支持，在自我效能发展、兴趣形成、韧性和追求STEM课程和领域的意向性方面发挥了什么作用？4.青年对复杂的科技系统的理解如何随着时间的推移而变化，该计划的哪些方面支持青年系统的思维？被测量的结构包括社会支持、学术支持、学业韧性、数学和科学成果预期、数学和科学意图、数学和科学自我效能感和科学兴趣。

This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing a six-year sequence of courses and summer events designed to prepare low-income youth for the local area workforce. The project will recruit, retain, and prepare students from underrepresented populations in STEM-related fields. While in the program, students will learn: a) science concepts related to hydroponics; b) how to develop hydroponics systems that are powered by alternative energy sources; c) how to build and program robotic arms to plant and harvest produce; d) how to automate the operation and monitoring of hydroponic systems; and e) how to build and program telepresence robots while earning college credits. Midway through the program, beginning in grade 10, participating students will also benefit from a Web-based mentoring program that will facilitate interactions with STEM professionals, program alumni, and each other. The project is collaborative effort involving a school district, a community college, a university, and a mentoring organization. Outcomes of the multi-year program of activities, courses, and mentoring strategies will be studied through a mixed-methods research approach based on a combination of survey data and participant interviews. The theoretical framework for the project is grounded in social cognitive career theory, career construction theory, and the relational theory of working. The work will be guided by four research questions: 1. To what extent does the seeding-the-future intervention foster progress in students' intentions to pursue further STEM educational options and to consider STEM careers? 2. To what extent does the intervention enhance students' career adaptability, as defined by academic resilience? 3. What role does relational support, as exemplified by the virtual mentoring program, support from family members, teachers, and other important people in the students' lives, play in self-efficacy development, interest formation, resilience, and intentionality to pursue STEM courses and fields? And, 4. How do youth understandings of complex scientific and technological systems change over time, and what aspects of the program support youth system thinking? Constructs being measured include social support, academic support, academic resilience, mathematics and science outcome expectancy, mathematics and science intent, mathematics and science self-efficacy, and science interest.