Assessing the Landscape for Creating High School STEM Research Experiences Within Living Laboratory

科学博物馆 (MOS) 将举办一次会议和相关活动，以考虑如何通过高中学生的科学研究和科学传播经验来培养 STEM 劳动力。 这项工作将借鉴并扩大 NSF 资助的国家生活实验室网络在美国的范围，该网络目前涉及 48 个州和 21 个国家的 350 多个机构。 国家生活实验室倡议让大学研究人员和博物馆专业人员在博物馆环境中与公众（主要是有小孩的家庭）共同实施研究和科学传播活动。 研究和交流的重点是与幼儿发展有关的认知科学。虽然许多科学家和博物馆专业人士有兴趣将高中研究经验融入他们的实践中，特别是对于代表性不足的年轻人来说，但博物馆和大学现有的基础设施限制了机构可以支持的经验质量和学生数量。国家生活实验室社区当前的学术和博物馆成员发现了一个机会，可以通过利用生活实验室框架来促进年轻人参与 STEM 的共同兴趣和知识。该项目涉及会前和会后活动，并将召集一组科学研究和博物馆专业人士参加在马萨诸塞州波士顿举行的研讨会，以：1）记录当前让高中青年参与认知科学研究活动的机遇和挑战； 2) 概述通过生活实验室让年轻人参与研究和科学传播的策略，特别强调认知科学； 3) 通过这两个领域现有的沟通渠道创建并传播研讨会成果报告。 该项目包括针对该主题对专业人员进行会前调查以及对项目活动和成果的评估。它由推进非正式 STEM 学习 (AISL) 计划资助，该计划旨在推进非正式环境中 STEM 学习设计和开发的新方法和基于证据的理解。

The Museum of Science (MOS) will conduct a conference and associated activities to consider ways to foster the STEM workforce via both science research and science communications experiences for students at the high school level. The work will draw on and expand the scope in the USA of the NSF-funded National Living Laboratory Network which currently involves more than 350 institutions across 48 states and 21 countries. The National Living Laboratory initiative involves university researchers and museum professionals in co-implementing research and science communications activities in museum settings with the public, primarily families with young children. The research and communications focus is on cognitive science pertaining to the development of young children. While many scientists and museum professionals are interested in integrating high school research experiences into their practices, particularly for under-represented youth, existing infrastructure at museums and universities limits the quality of experiences and quantity of students that institutions can support. Current academic and museum members of the National Living Laboratory community have identified an opportunity to advance shared interests and knowledge in engaging youth in STEM by leveraging the Living Laboratory framework. This project involves pre- and post- conference activities and will convene a group of science research and museum professionals at a workshop in Boston, MA to: 1) document current opportunities and challenges in engaging high-school aged youth in cognitive science research activities; 2) outline strategies to engage youth in research and science communication through Living Laboratory, with particular emphasis on cognitive sciences; and 3) create and disseminate a report on workshop outcomes through existing communication channels in both fields. The project includes pre-conference surveys of professionals about the topic and an evaluation of the project activities and outcomes. It is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments.