Examining a place-based and technology driven curriculum that focuses on systems thinking among students.

该项目将推进“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目的工作，通过研究一项新的校外项目的成果，更好地理解和促进提高学生在科学、技术、工程或数学（STEM）领域追求职业的动机和能力的实践。该项目将研究高中早期学生参与校外、基于场所的课程是否能提高学生对STEM领域的兴趣、自我效能感和追求STEM学位或职业的动力。提议的项目包括三个主要组成部分：(1)系统思维概念的介绍和夏季项目中系统思维建模的模拟，(2)学年后续延续部分，以及(3)春季，学生主导的社区峰会，学生将展示他们的顶点项目。该计划还为参与地点的工作人员提供广泛的专业发展机会。课程将以项目为基础，动手使用计算机辅助建模和仿真工具，并结合学生模型向社区展示。夏季和课后课程是专门设计的，旨在提高传统上代表性不足群体的高中生对STEM的参与度、效率以及课程和专业领域的选择。参与者活动将包括学生模特体验；模拟和角色扮演气候科学互动课程，这是一个以本地为本的项目；并在社区峰会上做一次顶点演讲。该技术将使学生更深入地了解系统思维，并通过在无风险实验中动手探索和学习做出更好的决策，同时学习如何使用（和掌握）新软件，提高学生对STEM的兴趣和职业追求。很少有研究试图解决系统思维对低收入和第一代大学生的潜在影响，更少的研究试图了解其对增加STEM兴趣和职业的潜在影响。系统思维的研究表明，批判性思维和将批判性思维技能应用于个人和社区感兴趣的系统有可能促进更大的学术成功，包括理解代数概念和发展解决问题的技能。技术驱动的课程和相关的专业发展将在三个周期的实施中进行试点，测试和改进，在四个TRIO人才搜索和向上发展大学入学计划合作伙伴网站。研究计划将比较参加项目课程的学生与没有参加项目课程的学生之间的结果。研究工具将衡量学生的动机和兴趣，包括他们对系统思维的使用和理解，他们对STEM的舒适和开放兴趣，以及他们在STEM职业生涯中的身份和能力。项目研究和资源将在专业期刊、会议报告、专业发展研讨会和项目课程的在线分发中广泛传播。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by studying the outcomes of a new out-of-school program. The project will examine whether early high school student participation in an out-of-school, place-based curriculum focusing on systems thinking can increase student interest in STEM fields, self-efficacy, and motivation to pursue STEM degrees or careers. The proposed project includes three major components: (1) an introduction to systems thinking concepts and a simulation with system thinking modeling in a summer program, (2) an academic year follow-up continuation component, and (3) a spring, student-led Community Summit where students will present their capstone projects. The project also provides for extensive professional development (PD) of the staff at participating sites. The curriculum will feature project-based, hands-on use of computer assisted modeling and simulation tools combined with the presentation of student models to the community. The summer and after school curriculum is specifically designed to increase STEM engagement, efficacy, and course and major field choices among high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups. Participant activities will include student modeling experiences; simulation and role play with an interactive curriculum on climate science, a place-based project on a local concern; and a capstone presentation at a community summit. The technology will allow students to gain a deeper understanding of systems thinking and to make better decisions through hands-on exploration and learning in a risk-free experiment while learning how to use (and master) new software, increasing student STEM interest and career pursuits. Few studies have sought to address the potential impact of systems thinking with low-income and first-generation college students, and fewer studies have sought understanding of its potential impact in increasing STEM interest and careers. Research in systems thinking suggests that thinking critically and applying critical thinking skills to systems of personal and community interest has the potential to promote greater academic success, including comprehending algebraic concepts and developing problem solving skills. The technology-driven curriculum and associated professional development will be piloted, tested, and improved over three cycles of implementation at four TRIO Talent Search and Upward Bound college access program partner sites. The research plan will compare outcome measures between students who participated in the project curriculum compared to students who did not. Research instruments will measure student motivation and interest with respect to their use and understanding of systems thinking, their comfort and open interest in STEM, and their identity and capacity to see themselves in a STEM career. Project research and resources will be widely disseminated in professional journals, conference presentations, professional development workshops, and online distribution of the project curriculum.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.