GeniConnect: Game-based learning, mentoring, and laboratory experiences - A model for industry-afterschool partnerships

该项目将推进“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目的工作，以更好地理解和促进提高学生在科学、技术、工程或数学（STEM）领域追求职业的动机和能力的实践。特别地，它触及了ITEST项目的三个重点领域：(1)调查支持学生能力的连贯的经验集；(2)模拟企业和行业员工在激励学生方面的作用；(3)通过行业/课外合作伙伴关系，开发支持扩大参与的富有成效的方法的例子。生物技术，尤其是遗传学，是快速发展的领域，将提供从技术人员到科学家等各个领域的新工作。每年，美国公司在STEM教育项目上花费近10亿美元。然而，我们缺乏以研究为基础的模式，让学生与行业专业人士接触，以进一步提高他们对STEM职业的认识，并帮助他们学习这些职业所需的内容。这个为期三年的ITEST战略项目，GeniConnect，重点关注中学生使用基于游戏的学习（Geniverse）参与遗传学和生物技术。在行业专业人士、研究科学家和社区志愿者的指导和指导下，150名来自剑桥大学的学生将参加为期八周的课外活动。学生还将在Biogen Idec社区实验室进行动手实验，同时熟悉STEM职业。项目框架将以以证据为中心的设计为指导，与旨在开发更好的模式以维持成功的行业和课外伙伴关系的项目活动相一致。两个关键的研究问题指导了调查：(1)一系列包括基于游戏的学习、实验室活动和行业专业人士的指导的体验如何促进学生对遗传学和生物技术的理解和动力，并进一步提高学生对职业和现实世界联系的认识？这个问题构成了研究的迭代设计和试点研究的组成部分。分析将帮助团队理解理解现代遗传学所需的基本概念，以及学生对遗传学和生物技术的相关性、个人兴趣和自我效能感的动机维度；(2)什么方法和过程可以帮助行业团体和课外活动形成有意义和富有成效的伙伴关系？这个问题形成了可行性研究。它探讨了STEM专业人员参与、准备和与课后团体建立关系的基本方面，以及如何重视参与和项目设计方面。数据收集策略将包括调查、来自Geniverse平台的日志数据、焦点小组和深度访谈；结果测量将以内容、知识、动机、价值、兴趣和自我效能为中心。研究和设计的背景将是家庭和课外活动。项目合作伙伴包括Concord Consortium，一个在研究和开发STEM教育技术方面拥有丰富经验的非营利组织；普渡大学;East End House是一家非营利社区组织，服务于马萨诸塞州剑桥市资源不足的青少年。项目结果不仅将告知研究界如何设计和实施有效的课后STEM项目，以提高职业意识和学习，还将为课后项目和行业合作伙伴提供成功之路。利用这一框架，该项目将创建一个STEM伙伴关系工具包，分发给全国约500个社区组织和课后项目，这些组织都是强大家庭和社区联盟的成员组织。

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). In particular, it touches on three of the ITEST Program's focal areas: (1) investigating coherent sets of experiences that support student competency; (2) modeling the roles business and industry workforce member's play in motivating students; and (3) develop examples of productive ways to support broadening participation through industry/afterschool partnerships.Biotechnology, and genetics in particular, are rapidly advancing areas that will offer new jobs across the spectrum from technicians to scientists. Each year, U.S. companies spend nearly a billion dollars on STEM education programs. Yet we lack research-based models for engaging students with industry professionals to further their awareness of STEM careers and help them learn the content these careers demand. This three-year ITEST Strategies project, GeniConnect, focuses on middle school student engagement in genetics and biotechnology using game-based learning (Geniverse). With guidance and mentoring from industry professionals, research scientists, and community volunteers, 150 diverse students from Cambridge, MA will participate in an eight-week afterschool program. Students will also conduct hands-on experiments at the Biogen Idec Community Lab while becoming familiar with STEM careers. The project framework will be guided by an evidence-centered design, aligned with project activities intended to develop better models to sustain successful industry and afterschool partnerships. Two key research questions guide the investigation: (1) How can a suite of experiences involving game-based learning, laboratory activities and mentoring by industry professionals foster student understanding and motivation in genetics and biotechnology and further student awareness of careers and real-world connections? This question forms the iterative design and pilot study components of the research. Analysis will help the team understand both foundational concepts needed for understanding modern genetics and the dimensions of motivation concerning students' feelings of relevance, personal interest and self-efficacy toward genetics and biotechnology; and (2) What methods and processes can aid industry groups and afterschool programs in forming meaningful and productive partnerships? This question forms the feasibility research. It explores the essential aspects of STEM professionals' engagement, preparation and relationship building with afterschool groups as well as how participation and program design aspects are valued. Data collection strategies will include survey, log data from the Geniverse platform, focus groups, and in-depth interviews; outcome measures will center on content knowledge, motivation, value, interest and self-efficacy. The contexts for research and design will be the home and afterschool program.Project partners include the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit with extensive experience researching and developing STEM educational technology; Purdue University; and East End House, a nonprofit community-based organization serving under-resourced youth in Cambridge, MA. Project results will inform not only the research community of the design and delivery of effective afterschool STEM programs for career awareness and learning, but also supply afterschool programs and industry partners with a pathway for success. Using this framework, the project will create a STEM Partnership Toolkit to be distributed to approximately 500 community-based organizations and afterschool programs nationally that are member organizations of the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities.