Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Teaching in Rural Areas using Cultural Knowledge Systems

探索研究preK-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具，显着提高preK-12学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议的项目提供了理论和经验依据。文化联系过程模型（CCPM）将正式化，实施和测试土著居民社区参与教育资源开发的过程模型。 该项目将与土著社区合作，为因努皮亚克中学生及其教师创建教育资源。研究活动发生在阿拉斯加西北部。 高级工作人员将前往农村社区，与参与者合作并为他们提供支持。这些访问展示了阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯的承诺，以支持途径走向干职业，社区参与研究，科学教师招聘和准备，干职业意识为土著和农村预科学生。获得该项目资源和研究结果的职前教师将更好地准备向土著学生和其他少数民族教授STEM，并可能更愿意继续作为科学教育工作者在土著学生的环境中教学。该项目将有助于更好地了解有效的自然科学教学和少数民族学生的科学职业招聘。该项目的参与者和他们所教的大学预科学生将成为北极社区代表性不足的土著学生进入科学职业的管道的一部分。该项目将建立在阿拉斯加以外的合作伙伴关系，为其他土著居民服务，并将扩大与NSF极地科学投资相关的外联活动。 CCPM将建立在文化知识体系和NSF极地研究投资的基础上，以解决与居住在该地区数千年的因纽特人有关的科学主题。一名伊努皮亚克学者将进行项目研究，并指导土著参与者和科学研究人员之间的合作，使用被称为Katimarugut（意思是“我们正在开会”）的伊努皮亚克研究方法。 该项目的研究和开发将吸引450名6-8年级的学生，并为偏远北极地区的450名学生（92%为土著人）和11名教师提供服务。有两个广泛的研究假设。首先，该项目将通过访问STEM理解和土著知识体系中嵌入的方法来建立有关STEM研究实践的知识;让土著社区参与课程资源的项目开发;并将北极科学研究与土著优先事项相结合。第二，课堂实施使用CCPM开发的资源将改善学生对STEM的态度和参与，并增加他们对基于场所的科学概念的理解。 开发和测试的结果将成为进一步开发、更广泛实施和更深入研究的基础，为代表性不足的少数民族和农村教育的STEM教育政策和实践提供信息。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。

The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.The Cultural Connections Process Model (CCPM) will formalize, implement, and test a process model for community-engaged educational resource development for Indigenous populations. The project will collaborate with Indigenous communities to create educational resources serving Inupiaq middle school students and their teachers. Research activities take place in Northwest Alaska. Senior personnel will travel to rural communities to collaborate with and support participants. The visits demonstrate University of Alaska Fairbanks's commitment to support pathways toward STEM careers, community engagement in research, science teacher recruitment and preparation, and STEM career awareness for Indigenous and rural pre-college students. Pre-service teachers who access to the resources and findings from this project will be better prepared to teach STEM to Native students and other minorities and may be more willing to continue careers as science educators teaching in settings with Indigenous students. The project will contribute to a greater understanding of effective natural science teaching and science career recruitment of minority students. The project's participants and the pre-college students they teach will be part of the pipeline into science careers for underrepresented Native students in Arctic communities. The project will build on partnerships outside of Alaska serving other Indigenous populations and will expand outreach associated with NSF's polar science investments. CCPM will build on cultural knowledge systems and NSF polar research investments to address science themes relevant to Inupiat people, who have inhabited the region for thousands of years. An Inupiaq scholar will conduct project research and guide collaboration between Indigenous participants and science researchers using the Inupiaq research methodology known as Katimarugut (meaning "we are meeting"). The project research and development will engage 450 students in grades 6-8 and serves 450 students (92% Indigenous) and 11 teachers in the remote Arctic. There are two broad research hypotheses. The first is that the project will build knowledge concerning STEM research practices by accessing STEM understandings and methodologies embedded in Indigenous knowledge systems; engaging Indigenous communities in project development of curricular resources; and bringing Arctic science research aligned with Indigenous priorities into underserved classrooms. The second is that classroom implementation of resources developed using the CCPM will improve student attitudes toward and engagement with STEM and increase their understandings of place-based science concepts. Findings from development and testing will form the basis for further development, broader implementation and deeper research to inform policy and practice on STEM education for underrepresented minorities and on rural education.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.