National Parks Science Challenge

该项目将推动美国科学促进会和学习创新研究所的努力，将来自科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）历史上代表性不足的社区的年轻人聚集在一起，共同开展基于AAAS Active Explorer平台的移动的学习工具中嵌入的科学驱动的挑战。该项目将在华盛顿国家广场、旧金山弗朗西斯科国家金门公园和波士顿海港群岛国家娱乐区进行，并将研究在这些环境中使用的移动的技术如何促进学习者参与科学内容;它如何影响年轻人参与科学学习过程;以及学习科学和技术的兴趣是否得到了进一步的提高。该项目由推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划资助，该计划旨在推进非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和开发的新方法和基于证据的理解，包括扩大STEM学习经验和推进研究STEM学习的途径。研究问题将通过解决基于地点的增强现实游戏如何将年轻人与科学实践联系起来来调查科学学习不平等，包括观察科学现象，分析数据和交流发现;年轻人如何通过参与增强现实科学探索来发展与他们的科学自我效能相关的科学技能;以及移动的技术和游戏如何作为媒介，使年轻人能够提高他们的科学身份。除了让年轻人参与国家公园的科学活动并提高他们的科学技能外，该项目还将为国家公园的工作人员和科学家提供宝贵的信息，帮助他们设计有效的工具、资源和经验，以更好地吸引年轻人。研究团队将以数字民族志，焦点小组，活动报告，文物和调查的形式收集数据。该项目将在三个城市国家公园通过移动的技术记录学习和参与情况，每个地点将有60名年轻人参与，并将创建创新的测量工具，以监测非正式环境如何利用艺术和科学的交叉点来支持学生的参与和学习。

The project will advance efforts by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute for Learning Innovation to bring together young adults from communities historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to collaboratively conduct scientifically driven challenges embedded in a mobile learning tool based upon the AAAS Active Explorer platform. The project will be conducted at the Washington National Mall, San Francisco National Golden Gate Park, and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, and will study how a mobile technology used in these settings can facilitate learner engagement in science content; how it can affect young adults' engagement in science-learning processes; and whether interest in learning science and technology has been furthered. The project 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, including pathways for broadening access to STEM learning experiences and advancing research STEM learning. Research questions will investigate science learning inequalities by addressing how place-based augmented reality games can connect young adults to scientific practices, including observing science phenomena, analyzing data, and communicating findings; how young adults develop science skills related to their science self-efficacy through participation in augmented reality science exploration; and how mobile technologies and gaming can serve as mediators that enable young adults to improve their science identity. In addition to engaging young adults in science activities at the National Parks and increasing their science skills, the project will provide valuable information to National Park staff and scientists to assist them in designing effective tools, resources and experiences to better engage young adults. Research teams will collect data in the form of digital ethnography, focus groups, activity reports, artifacts, and surveys. The project will document learning and engagement through mobile technology in three urban national parks that will involve 60 young adults at each location, and will create innovative measurement tools to monitor how informal settings can leverage the intersections of the arts and sciences to support student engagement and learning.