Activating Student Potential through Innovation and Real-World Experience

该项目将推动学生和教师创新技术体验(ITEST)计划的努力，以更好地了解和促进实践，通过参与现场实践、基于实验室/项目的创业任务和指导经验，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。挑战者中心将设计和开发一种新的教学模式，教师将使用该模式来提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)职业的理解和兴趣。具体地说，该项目将在弗吉尼亚州波瓦坦和华盛顿特区的波瓦坦和弗雷德里克两县与1000名四五年级学生一起开发和试点基于问题、计算机驱动的模拟STEM任务。这些任务将包括海洋科学、生命科学和地球科学概念，这些概念与下一代科学标准保持一致。学生将参与角色扮演，帮助他们发展团队合作、沟通、批判性思维和解决问题的技能。小学教师将把STEM课程与现实世界的应用程序和STEM职业联系起来，同时加强STEM的关键概念，使学生能够发展新的技能，如沟通、团队合作、批判性思维和解决问题。这项任务将激发学生的想象力，通过亲自参与STEM科目的实际应用和接触相关职业来吸引学生。主要目标是为四年级和五年级学生开发和试点基于问题、计算机驱动的模拟STEM任务，以提高他们在科学上的STEM参与度、STEM职业和自我效能感。Challenger Center模式包含四项超越其他课堂模拟的创新：(1)集成模拟和基于问题的学习；(2)集成在技术平台中的对学生进度的实时评估；(3)强大的专业发展，以确保教师理解内容、技术、教学方法和效率；以及(4)结合虚拟体验和实践体验，以加强学习。将进行形成性评价和结果评价。实施评价将评估在课堂环境中实施的可行性。这将包括教师通过调查和焦点小组的反馈。该项目将帮助回答这样一个问题：教师使用哪些符合文化要求的教学和课程实践和模式提高了学生对STEM职业的理解和兴趣，以及哪些因素影响了这些实践和模式的结果？该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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 students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.The Challenger Center will design and develop a new instructional model that will be used by teachers to enhance student understanding of and interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. Specifically, the project will develop and pilot problem-based, computer-driven, simulated STEM missions with 1,000 fourth and fifth grade students across Powhatan and Frederick Counties in Virginia and Washington, D.C. The missions will include ocean science, life science, and Earth science concepts that align to the Next Generation Science Standards. Students will engage in role-play that helps them develop teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Elementary teachers will connect the STEM curriculum to real-world applications and STEM occupations, while also reinforcing key STEM concepts and enabling students to develop new skills like communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. The mission will capture student imaginations, engaging students through their personal involvement in a real-world application of the STEM subject and exposure to related occupations. The primary goal is to develop and pilot problem-based, computer-driven, simulated STEM missions for fourth and fifth grade students that will increase their STEM Engagement, STEM Occupation, and Perceived Self-Efficacy in Science. The Challenger Center model encompasses four innovations beyond other classroom simulations: (1) integration of simulations and problem-based learning; (2) real-time assessment of student progress integrated within the technology platform; (3) strong professional development to ensure teacher understanding of content, technology, pedagogy, and efficacy; and (4) combined virtual and hands-on experiences to reinforce learning. Both formative evaluation and an outcome evaluation will be conducted. The implementation evaluation will assess the feasibility of implementation in a classroom setting. This will include teacher feedback through a survey and focus groups.The project will help answer the question: What culturally-responsive instructional and curricular practices and models used by teachers enhance student understanding of and interest in STEM occupations, and what factors influence the outcomes of the practices and models?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.