Exploring the consequences of individual differences in preschoolers' causal stance

人们越来越认识到，在基本态度、知识和技能正在形成的同时，必须尽早开始促进科学素养。该项目由德克萨斯大学和芝加哥洛约拉大学的研究人员开展，将探索学龄前儿童对因果信息的协调--称为因果立场--作为这一基础的关键组成部分。例如，研究人员感兴趣的是孩子们在多大程度上寻找关于陌生物体如何工作或如何使用的信息。通过促进我们对与儿童因果立场的力量相关的起源和结果的理解，该项目将支持制定旨在促进儿童参与科学并取得成功的早期干预措施，特别关注处于危险中的儿童。因此，它的目标特别符合教育和人力资源核心研究(ECR)计划的学习和学习环境。该项目还对专业劳动力发展和扩大STEM领域的参与有影响。该项目将实施为期四年的纵向设计，以实现两个核心研究目标。首先，关于结果，研究人员将检验这样一种假设，即儿童在3岁时的因果立场的强度(根据儿童的偏好以及询问和探索的模式来衡量)可以预测他们在5岁和6岁时的科学素养和兴趣(通过标准化测试和调查来衡量)。其次，关于起源，研究人员将检验这样一种假设，即父母在实验室和儿童博物馆谈论和强调因果信息的程度与他们孩子的力量--S的因果立场--以及他们长期的科学素养和兴趣有关。总而言之，这些调查将为有关早期经验在塑造科学素养方面的作用的讨论提供信息，以及相关的讨论，即我们何时以及以何种方式可以优化儿童？S在科学方面的参与度和成功。

It has been increasingly recognized that promoting scientific literacy must begin early while foundational attitudes, knowledge and skills are taking shape. This project, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas and Loyola University of Chicago, will explore preschoolers' attunement to causal information -- referred to as their causal stance -- as a key component of this foundation. For example, the researchers are interested in the degree to which children seek out information about how unfamiliar objects work or can be used. By advancing our understanding of the origins and outcomes associated with the strength of children's causal stance, this project will support the development of early interventions aimed at facilitating children's participation and success in science, with a particular focus on at risk children. As such, its goals are particularly well aligned with the learning and learning environments strand of the Education and Human Resources Core Research (ECR) program. The project also has implications for professional workforce development and broadening participation in STEM fields.This project will implement a four-year longitudinal design to address two core research goals. First, with respect to outcomes, researchers will test the hypothesis that the strength of children's causal stance at 3 years of age (measured in terms of children's preferences, as well as patterns of inquiry and exploration) is predictive of their scientific literacy and interests at 5- and 6- years of age (measured by standardized tests and surveys). Second, with respect to origins, researchers will test the hypothesis that variability in the degree to which parents talk about, and otherwise highlight, causal information (in both the laboratory and in a children's museum) relates to the strength of their children?s causal stance, as well as their longer-term scientific literacy and interests. Together, these investigations will inform discussions regarding the role of early experience in shaping scientific literacy, and relatedly, when and in what ways we might optimize children?s engagement and success in science.