Meaningful Math: News Media for Increasing Adult Statistical Literacy

作为在非正式环境中加强学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划为各种环境下使用的创新研究、方法和资源提供资金。熟悉统计和数据素养在现代生活的许多领域很重要，但关于成年人如何在正规学校以外继续培养数学素养的研究很少。大众媒体科学新闻故事包含大量数据，假设成年人会理解内容。这个为期4年的项目将首先绘制美国成年人统计素养的图景，特别是与新闻消费相关的图景。第二阶段将以第一阶段的成果为基础，通过纵向研究。在第三阶段，该项目将开发一系列实验，以操纵STEM新闻故事中嵌入的数学解释器，并在成年观众中测试技术，目的是确定最能提高人们对基本数学原理及其对新闻故事的意义的信心和能力的属性和承受能力。除了研究，项目组成部分还包括每年12个广播视频和社交媒体片段，作为与观众进行测试的基础，为专业科学记者举办的为期一天的研讨会，以及总结关键发现和对从业人员的影响的书面最佳实践指南。关键的研究问题是：不同阶层的成年人的数学能力和自信心有何不同？STEM记者如何通过他们的报道技巧提高成人的数学能力和信心？研究的第一阶段将是对新闻中的数学内容进行全面审查，包括对成人统计素养的基线研究。第二阶段将是一项纵向研究，招募新闻受众参与小组研究。第三阶段将根据第一阶段和第二阶段的调查结果对数字内容进行迭代测试，并将使用重点小组和在线测试。TERC将进行外部评估，包括对专业记者研讨会的评估。该项目的更广泛的影响有两个：制作的科学视频将被广播并免费提供给全国观众，包括农村地区的观众；对科学记者的培训通过提高他们向读者/观众有意义地交流统计数据的能力，有可能产生多重、长期的影响。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。

As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds innovative research, approaches and resources for use in a variety of settings.Familiarity with statistical and data literacy is important in many areas of modern life, but there is little research on how adults continue to build mathematical literacy beyond formal schooling. Mass media science news stories contain much data, assuming that adults will understand the content.This 4-year project will first map the landscape of adult statistical literacy in the US, particularly as it relates to news consumption. The second phase will build on results from the first phase through a longitudinal study. In the third phase, the project will develop a range of experiments to manipulate mathematical explainers embedded in STEM news stories and test techniques with adult audiences, with the goal of identifying the attributes and affordances that best improve confidence and competence in the underlying math principles and their meaning to news stories. in addition to the research, project components include 12 broadcast video and social media pieces each year that will form the basis for testing with audiences, a one-day symposium for professional science journalists, and a written best practice guide that summarizes key findings and implications for practitioners. Critical research questions are: How do mathematical competence and confidence differ among different segments of the adult population? How can STEM journalists improve adult mathematical competence and confidence through their reporting techniques? Phase 1 of the research will be a landscape review of mathematical content in the news including a baseline study of adult statistical literacy. Phase 2 will be a longitudinal study with news audiences recruited to participate in a panel study. Phase 3 will be iterative testing of the digital content based on the findings from Phases 1 and 2 and will use both focus groups and online testing. External evaluation will be conducted by TERC including an evaluation of the symposium for professional journalists.The broader impacts of this project are twofold: the science videos created will be broadcast and made available free to a national audience including those in rural areas; and the training of science journalists has the potential for multiple, long term impact by increasing their ability to communicate statistics meaningfully to their readers/viewers.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.