Ruff Family Science: Researching factors that support intergenerational science learning in adult education contexts

作为加强非正式环境中学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划寻求促进非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和发展的新方法和基于证据的理解。这包括为扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验提供多种途径，推进对非正式环境中STEM学习的创新研究和评估，以及加深参与者对更深层次学习的理解。该项目将为参与成人教育计划的父母及其年幼的孩子开发和测试代际科学媒体资源。这些材料将建立在基于研究和成功的儿童电视节目《与拉夫·拉夫曼一起来》的基础上。目标受众包括参加成人教育项目的父母，他们没有高中文凭或正在上英语作为第二语言的课程。这些资源将支持父母在成人教育环境中以及在家中与子女一起参与科学活动。成人和家庭教育工作者将获得专业发展资源和培训，以支持他们融入亲子活动。项目合作伙伴包括国家家庭学习中心、肯塔基州教育电视台和阿拉巴马州公共电视台，拉夫家庭科学项目的目标是：(1)调查以代际学习模式为特色的成人教育环境，以了解参加这些计划的成年人和家庭的独特特征；(2)检查支持亲子共同参与科学的机构环境和教育者做法；(3)反复开发新的原型资源，满足参与代际教育环境的家庭和教育工作者的优先事项和需求；以及(4)开发所需的知识，以在未来创建一套更完整的材料，以激励和支持多样化的低收入父母与他们的孩子一起研究科学。研究战略由三个主要部分组成：第一阶段：需求评估：确定作为家长的成人教育学生的共同主要动机和行为；这些家长目前做法中固有的障碍和资产；以及审查补充家长目前参与家庭科学学习的需求和可用资源。阶段2：原型开发：反复开发两个原型活动集，以及相关的教育者支持和培训材料，旨在促进与讲英语和西班牙语的家庭围绕物理科学概念共同参与亲子活动。阶段3：原型现场测试：测试两个改进的原型活动集如何在不同的教育环境中工作(成人教育、家长教育和亲子相处时间)。探索支持或阻碍有效实施的因素。这项研究的数据来源包括使用专家访谈方案观察成人和家长教育课程，焦点小组，成人和家庭教育工作者访谈，以及家长调查。

As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. This includes providing multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences, advancing innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments, and developing understandings of deeper learning by participants. This project will develop and test intergenerational science media resources for parents that are participating in adult education programs and their young children. The materials will build on the research-based and successful children's television program, Fetch with Ruff Ruffman. The target audience includes parents enrolled in adult education programs who lack a high school diploma or are in English as a Second Language classes. These resources will support parents' engagement in science activities with their children both in the adult education settings as well as at home. Adult and family educators will receive professional development resources and training to support their integration of the parent/child activities. Project partners include the National Center for Families Learning, Kentucky Educational Television, and Alabama Public Television,The goals of the Ruff Family Science project are to: (1) investigate adult education settings that feature an intergenerational learning model, in order to learn about the unique characteristics of adults and families who are enrolled in these programs; (2) examine the institutional circumstances and educator practices that support joint parent/child engagement in science; (3) iteratively develop new prototype resources meet the priorities and needs of families and educators involved in intergenerational education settings; and (4) develop the knowledge needed to create a fuller set of materials in the future that will motivate and support diverse, low-income parents to investigate science with their children. The research strategy is comprised of three main components: Phase 1: Needs Assessment: Determine key motivations and behaviors common to adult education students who are also parents; surface obstacles and assets inherent in these parents' current practices; and examine the needs and available resources for supplementing parents' current engagement in family science learning. Phase 2: Prototype Development: Iteratively develop two prototype Activity Sets, along with related educator supports and training materials, designed to promote joint parent-child engagement with English and Spanish-speaking families around physical science concepts. Phase 3: Prototype Field Test: Test how the two refined prototype Activity Sets work in different educational settings (adult education, parent education, and parent and child together time). Explore factors that support or impede effective implementation. Sources of data for the study include observations of adult and parent education classes using an expert interview protocol, focus groups, adult and family educator interviews, and parent surveys.