Impactathons: Student-Led Peer-to-Peer Learning in Community Social-Change Technology Projects

这项试点研究将审查一个创新的应用社会变革，社区和技术为基础的方案对边缘化青年的访问，兴趣，效率和动机，学习和从事数字技术应用的有效性。该试点项目采用分层的近同行和同行指导方法，以现有文献为基础，这些文献表明，同行支持的实践指导和经验可以减轻青年参与数字技术的一些障碍，特别是在代表性不足的群体中。在这个项目中，本科生将指导并与主要是西班牙裔和社区组织的高中青年合作，开发创造性的基于技术的解决方案，以解决当地社区内的社会问题和挑战，最终在称为Impactathons的活动中达到高潮。这些社区主办的地方和全州范围的活动使这个试点项目有别于该领域的类似工作。该影响不仅提供了一个空间的知识话语和解决问题的本科生，青年，社区的合作伙伴，但影响还将编纂从科学家，社会科学家，技术专家，社区领袖的专业知识，和其他利益相关者开发技术为基础的解决方案与真实的世界的应用。如果成功的话，一个长远的结果将是增加青年对数字技术和相关领域的兴趣。在短期内，有利的发现将提供成功的初步证据，并为未来更广泛的研究奠定基础。这个试点项目是埃弗雷特计划和数字NEST之间的合作，前者是加州大学圣克鲁斯的一个学生主导的技术和社会变革计划，后者是一个西班牙裔服务机构，为14-24岁青年提供高科技青年职业发展和协作空间。通过这种伙伴关系和其他招募工作，估计70-90人将在两年内参加Impactathon试点计划。预计近三分之二的参与者将是本科生。他们将接受广泛的培训，在近同行和同行对同行的指导，并作为导师和共同创新开发与高中青年参与者。大学生和青年将与当地社区组织合作，确定可以通过基于技术的解决方案解决的当地社会挑战。新出现的挑战将各不相同，可能涵盖STEM和感兴趣的应用社会科学主题。在非正式环境中工作（即，放学后。周末），大学生-青年-社区伙伴团队将合作开发实用的技术解决方案，以应对真实的世界挑战。这些团队每年将在当地和全州范围内召开三次会议，以学生和社区为主导，分享他们的工作，并从其他团队那里收集见解，以完善他们的创新。与此同时，研究小组将研究Impactathon模型在提高本科生和青少年对数字技术的兴趣、动机、兴奋、参与和学习方面的有效性。除了研究之外，形成性和总结性评估还应提供有关模型有效性及其扩展和复制潜力的宝贵见解。该项目由推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划和STEM +C共同资助。AISL计划旨在推进新的方法，并以证据为基础的理解，在非正式环境中设计和开发STEM学习。STEM + C致力于研究和开发跨学科和跨学科的方法，以将计算整合到正式和非正式环境中的K-12学生的STEM教学和学习中。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 pilot study will examine the effectiveness of an innovative applied social change, community and technology based program on marginalized youths' access, interest, efficacy and motivation to learn and engage in digital technology applications. Using stratified near-peer and peer-to-peer mentoring approaches, the pilot builds on extant literature that indicates that peer-supported hands-on mentoring and experiences can alleviate some barriers to youth engagement in digital technologies, particularly among underrepresented groups. In this project, undergraduate students will mentor and work collaboratively with high school youth primarily of Hispanic descent and community-based organizations to develop creative technology-based solutions to address social issues and challenges within their local communities, culminating in events called Impactathons. These community-hosted local and state-wide events set this pilot project apart from similar work in the field. The Impactathons not only provide a space for intellectual discourse and problem-solving among the undergraduate-youth-community partners but the Impactathons will also codify expertise from scientists, social scientists, technologists, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop technology-based solutions with real world application. If successful, a distal outcome will be increased youth interest in digital technologies and related fields. In the short term, favorable findings will provide preliminary evidence of success and lay the foundation for a more extensive study in the future.This pilot project is a collaboration between the Everett Program, a student-led program for Technology and Social Change at the University of California Santa Cruz - a Hispanic Serving Institution - and the Digital NEST, a non-profit, high-tech youth career development and collaboration space for young people ages 14-24. Through this partnership and other recruitment efforts, an estimated 70-90 individuals will participate in the Impactathon pilot program over two years. Nearly two-thirds of the participants are expected to be undergraduate students. They will receive extensive training in near-peer and peer-to-peer mentoring and serve as mentors for and co-innovation developers with the high school youth participants. The undergraduates and youth will partner with local community organizations to identify a local social challenge that can be addressed through a technology-based solution. The emergent challenges will vary and could span the spectrum of STEM and applied social science topics of interest. Working in informal contexts (i.e., afterschool. weekend), the undergraduate-youth-community partner teams will work collaboratively to develop practical technology-based solutions to real world challenges. The teams will convene three times per year, locally and statewide, at student and community led Impactathons to share their work and glean insights from other teams to refine their innovations. In parallel, the research team will examine the effectiveness of the Impactathon model in increasing the undergraduate and youths' interest, motivation, excitement, engagement and learning of digital technologies. In addition to the research, the formative and summative evaluations should provide valuable insights on the effectiveness of the model and its potential for expansion and replication.The project is co-funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program and STEM +C. The AISL program seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. STEM + C focuses on research and development of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to the integration of computing within STEM teaching and learning for preK-12 students in both formal and informal settings.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.