United States Regional GLOBE Science Fairs

根据皮尤研究中心的数据，2012年国际学生评估项目每三年对15岁学生的阅读能力、数学和科学素养进行一次评估，结果显示，美国的数学成绩在国家中排名第35，在科学方面排名第27。与经济合作与发展组织的34个成员国相比，美国在数学方面排名第27，在科学方面排名第20。鉴于科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)学科对美国创新和竞争力的重要贡献，已经有几份高层报告呼吁改善我国学校的STEM教学。关于科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)学科教与学的有效实践的研究表明，当使用强调动手、探究性学习的教学方法教授这些学科时，所产生的重大影响。这些策略不仅帮助学生获得科学内容知识，还帮助学生更好地理解科学探究的过程。如果结合基于问题或基于地点的方法，甚至可以获得更好的学习结果，因为将科学与与人、他们的社区和一般社会相关的问题联系起来，有助于触及学习者的认知和情感领域。事实上，新的STEM教学国家标准明确强调将科学实践融入课堂教学，将其作为最佳实践。让教师做好有效使用这些教学方法的准备是成功实施的关键，但很难在全国范围内提供。因此，挑战是确定可扩大规模的专业发展示范计划，以改变全国的STEM教学。该项目支持一项试点努力，为K-12学生创建六个地区性科学博览会，其项目是围绕全球学习和观察惠及环境(GLOB)计划协议和活动而设计的。GLOBE项目目前正在庆祝其运营20周年，是一个全球性的、亲身实践的科学和科学教育项目，让学生和教师参与收集、分析和解释真实的环境数据。现在有114个国家在课堂上使用GLOBE，有数万名教师接受了GLOBE协议的培训。该项目与一个由16个全球合作伙伴组成的领导团队(每个地区2-3个)合作，正在美国再招募44个合作伙伴-教师-学生团队，以参与地区性的1.0-1.5天活动。作为这一努力的一部分，经验丰富的全球合作伙伴每月提供网络研讨会和博客，以指导教师，促进在课堂上更高质量地实施全球研究。科学博览会的目标是在美国全球合作伙伴之间建立更紧密的社区联系，推动全球成为在国家和国际层面进行有效科学教学的示范项目，并提供机会和资源，激励教师在课堂上实施真实的研究项目。这六个地区性比赛是为无法参加其他全球学生会议、年度合作伙伴会议或全球学习远征的优秀团队提供奖励的场所。如果试点工作证明成功，预计这些地区性科学博览会将成为一年一度的活动。

According to the Pew Research Center, results from the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures every three years the reading ability, math and science literacy among 15-year-olds, placed the U.S. an "unimpressive 35th out of 64 countries in math and 27th in science." Compared to the 34 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. ranked 27th in math and 20th in science. Given the important contribution that the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines make to U.S. innovation and competitiveness, there have been several high level reports calling for improved STEM instruction in our nation's schools. Research studies on effective practices for teaching and learning about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines have documented the significant impact made when these subjects are taught using pedagogies that emphasize hands-on, inquiry-based learning. These tactics help students gain not only the scientific content knowledge, but also a greater understanding of the process of scientific inquiry. Even better learning outcomes can be achieved if problem-based or place-based approaches are incorporated, because linking the science to issues that are relevant to people, their communities, and society in general, helps to reach both the cognitive and affective domains of the learner. Indeed, new national standards for STEM teaching clearly emphasize the integration of scientific practice within classroom instruction as being a best practice. Preparing teachers to use these pedagogical methods effectively is essential for successful implementation, but difficult to provide at a national scale. The challenge, then is to identify model programs for professional development that can be scaled up, in order to transform STEM teaching throughout the country.This project supports a pilot effort to create six regional science fairs for K-12 students whose projects are designed around the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program protocols and campaigns. The GLOBE program, now celebrating its 20th year of operation, is a global, hands-on science and science education program that engages students and teachers in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting authentic environmental data. There are now 114 countries using GLOBE in the classroom, with several tens of thousands teachers trained in the GLOBE protocols. Working with a leadership team of 16 GLOBE partnerships (2-3 per region), this project is recruiting an additional 44 partner-teacher-student teams in the U.S. to participate in the regional 1.0-1.5 day events. As part of this effort, experienced GLOBE partners are providing monthly webinars and blogs in order to mentor teachers, to promote higher quality implementation of GLOBE research in the classroom. The goal of the science fairs is to foster a stronger community connection among the U.S. GLOBE partners, promote GLOBE as a model program for effective science teaching on a national and international level, and provide opportunities and resources that motivate teachers to implement authentic research projects in their classrooms. The six regional competitions serve as a venue for honoring outstanding teams who are unable to attend other GLOBE student conferences, annual partner meetings, or GLOBE Learning Expeditions. It is anticipated that these regional science fairs will become an annual event, should the pilot effort prove successful.