Researching a Strengths-Based Approach to Engineering Education Using Design Squad LatinX

作为加强非正式环境中学习的整体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划为各种环境中使用的创新资源提供资金。 这个为期三年的研究和实施项目授权中学LatinX青年利用自己的资产和知识资金，通过工程解决社区问题。 在STEM工作集群中，只有7%的成年人是西班牙裔/拉丁裔。 在我们当前和未来的经济中，仍然需要填补工程工作岗位。 该项目将显着扩大拉丁裔青年在工程活动的参与在一个关键点，因为他们作出职业决定。 Design Squad Global LatinX扩展了之前由NSF资助的测试模型，并取得了成功。 它将使拉丁裔青年将自己视为设计师和工程师，并从他们的优势，以扩大他们的技能和参与科学和工程。该项目的目标是：1）为拉丁裔学生的非正式工程教育制定一种创新的包容性方法，可以扩大他们的工程参与和其他代表性不足的群体，（2）激发不同的地方，国家，和国际利益相关者创建一个STEM学习生态系统，（3）推进有关STEM教学法的知识，将个人-文化认同和工程知识和技能的经验。 项目交付成果包括一个概念框架，以实力为基础的方法来工程教育的拉丁美洲青年，一个程序模型，是基于资产，教育资源的集合，包括一个俱乐部指南，如何脚手架文化响应工程挑战活动，在线培训课程的俱乐部领导人，和辅导策略，为大学工程学生与中学青年一起工作。项目合作伙伴包括全球教育组织iEARN、女工程师协会和各种大学工程项目。 这项研究将采用实验研究设计，以评估对青年参与设计小组拉丁X计划的影响。 主要研究问题是（1）参与是否增加了学生对自己的积极看法和对工程和全球视角的理解？(2)在多大程度上改变理解工程不同的社区（网站）和学生的特点（年龄，性别，种族）？(3)教育工作者和俱乐部领导人是否增加了他们对青年知识基金的积极看法以及他们自己对工程的理解？以及（4）大学导师是否提高了他们领导中学生非正式工程/STEM教育的能力？ 从72个当地的设计小组LatinX俱乐部与10-15名学生的招生样本将被抽取，一半随机分配到参与者的条件和一半的控制条件。 所使用的方法包括事前和事后调查、检查方案执行情况的执行日志、进行观察的实地访问、与学生的焦点小组以及与成人领导人的访谈。将通过估计具有观察值的分层线性模型来分析数据。 此外，在两个地点进行的实地民族志观察和访谈将用于开发定性案例研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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。

As a part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds innovative resources for use in a variety of setting. This three-year research and implementation project empowers middle school LatinX youth to employ their own assets and funds of knowledge to solve community problems through engineering. Only 7% of adults in the STEM job cluster are of Hispanic/Latino origin. There is a continuing need for filling engineering jobs in our current and future economy. This project will significantly broaden participation of LatinX youth in engineering activities at a critical point as they make career decisions. Design Squad Global LatinX expands on a tested model previously funded by NSF and shown to be successful. It will enable LatinX youth to view themselves as designers and engineers and to build from their strengths to expand their skills and participation in science and engineering. The project goals are to: 1) develop an innovative inclusive approach to informal engineering education for LatinX students that can broaden their engineering participation and that of other underrepresented groups, (2) to galvanize collaborations across diverse local, national, and international stakeholders to create a STEM learning ecosystem and (3) to advance knowledge about a STEM pedagogy that bridges personal-cultural identity and experience with engineering knowledge and skills. Project deliverables include a conceptual framework for a strength-based approach to engineering education for LatinX youth, a program model that is asset based, a collection of educational resources including a club guide for how to scaffold culturally responsive engineering challenge activities, an online training course for club leaders, and a mentoring strategy for university engineering students working with middle school youth. Project partners include the global education organization, iEARN, the Society of Women Engineers, and various University engineering programs. The research study will employ an experimental study design to evaluate the impact on youth participating in the Design Squad LatinX programs. The key research questions are (1) Does participation increase students' positive perceptions of themselves and understanding of engineering and global perspectives? (2) To what extent do changes in understanding engineering vary by community (site) and by student characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity)? (3) Do educators and club leaders increase their positive perceptions of youths' funds of knowledge and their own understanding of engineering? and (4) Do university mentors increase their ability to lead informal engineering/STEM education with middle school youth? A sample from 72 local Design Squad LatinX clubs with an enrollment of 10-15 students will be drawn with half randomly assigned to the participant condition and half to the control condition. Methods used include pre and post surveys, implementation logs for checks on program implementation, site visits to carry out observations, focus groups with students and interviews with adult leaders. Data will be analyzed by estimating hierarchical linear models with observations. In addition, in-situ ethnographically-oriented observations as well as interviews at two sites will be used to develop qualitative case studies.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.