Wildlife Neighbors: Facilitated Ecological Research with Minority Youth via Camera Surveys in Urban Parks

城市环境是研究生态学和物种形成的非凡天然实验室。这些学习生态系统具有生态多样性，可能更容易为城市青年及其家庭所利用。不幸的是，STEM获取方面的差距继续存在。交通、社会和财政障碍以及缺乏对STEM机会的认识是严重限制城市青年参与STEM项目的一些不公平现象，特别是来自代表性不足的群体。对谁能有意义地从事科学研究的看法在人口统计学上仍然偏向于富裕、老年和非少数民族的个人。为了应对这些挑战，这项试点研究将调查使用远程摄像机调查当地城市野生动物的可行性，以促进包容性做法和青年参与STEM。 将采用共同创建的课程，使城市生态学家和底特律青年（6 - 8年级）一起参加野生动物实地体验，以收集和分析从部署在城市的摄像机收集的数据。这是相机调查与真实的地方为基础的，文化相关的生态研究，将促进创新，体验式学习经验的独特耦合。这项试点研究将促进对各种促进方法和参与校外时间计划（如野生动物邻居计划）影响青年的程度的理解。从更广泛的影响角度来看，这项工作可能会产生积极的环境扫盲成果，并证明适用于该国其他城市青年。研究结果将为未来的研究奠定基础，并为NSF的城市组合增加新的方法，利用相机调查为中学生提供校外环境教育计划，以促进包容性，参与科学领域的研究，并增加年轻人对STEM的兴趣。通过密歇根大学应用野生动物生态学实验室和底特律动物学会之间的战略合作伙伴关系，该试点将通过底特律24个公园的野生动物监测来考察体验式学习对加强青少年环境素养的四个方面的影响：生态知识、研究人员能力、对野生动物的同理心和地方感。青少年将自行选择四种促进模式之一，每种模式的强度（暑期体验，课外俱乐部）和模式（面对面，远程）各不相同。利用在底特律公园部署的相机调查，青年将沉浸在生态研究中，让他们参与整个科学过程：观察，调查，数据收集，实地考察，数据分析和讲故事。青少年前和后调查，对计划活动的日常思考，以及家长/监护人问卷调查将评估更广泛的野生动物邻居促进模式和计划的影响和经验。研究问题将探讨在何种程度上参与野生动物邻居：（a）不同的促进强度和模式，和（B）加强环境素养的中学生城市青年从事共同创建的校外时间体验计划时，使用远程摄像机调查当地的野生动物。在为期两年的试点期间，约有100名青年及其家庭将参加该方案。 这项试点研究由NSF推进非正式STEM学习计划资助，该计划旨在推进非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和开发的新方法和基于证据的理解。这包括提供多种途径，以扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验，推进创新研究和评估的STEM学习在非正式环境中，并发展的理解，更深层次的学习参与者。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响力审查标准的支持。

Urban environments are remarkable natural laboratories to study ecology and speciation. These learning ecosystems are ecologically diverse and potentially more accessible for urban youth and their families. Unfortunately, disparities in STEM access continue to persist. Transportation, social and financial barriers, and a lack of awareness of STEM opportunities are a few of the inequities that significantly limit participation in STEM programs among urban youth, especially from underrepresented groups. Perceptions of who can meaningfully engage in scientific research remain demographically skewed to affluent, aged, and non-minoritized individuals. In an effort to address these challenges, this pilot study will investigate the feasibility of using remote cameras to survey local, urban wildlife to promote inclusive practices and youth engagement in STEM. A co-created curriculum will be employed, bringing urban ecologists and Detroit youth (6th-8th grade) together to participate in wildlife field experiences to garner and analyze data collected from cameras deployed through the city. It is the unique coupling of the camera surveys with authentic place-based, culturally relevant ecological research that will facilitate the innovative, experiential learning experiences. This pilot study will advance the understanding of the extent to which various facilitation methods and participation in out-of-school time programs like the Wildlife Neighbors program impact youth. From a broader impacts’ perspective, this work may yield positive environmental literacy outcomes and prove applicable for other urban youth in the country. The research findings would lay the foundation for future research and add novel approaches to the NSF portfolio on urban, out-of-school time environmental education programs for middle school youth using camera surveys to promote inclusivity, engagement in scientific field research, and increase youths’ interest in STEM.Through a strategic partnership between the Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab at the University of Michigan and the Detroit Zoological Society, this pilot will examine the effects of experiential learning through wildlife monitoring in twenty-four Detroit parks on strengthening four aspects of youth’s environmental literacy: knowledge of ecology, competencies as researchers, empathy for wildlife, and sense of place. Youth will self-select into one of four facilitation models, each varying in intensity (summer experience, afterschool club) and mode (in-person, remote). Using camera surveys deployed in Detroit parks, youth will be immersed in ecological research, engaging them in the entire scientific process: observation, inquiry, data collection, fieldwork, data analysis and storytelling. Youth pre- and post-surveys, daily reflections on program activities, and parent/guardian questionnaires will assess impacts and experiences of the Wildlife Neighbors facilitation models and program more broadly. The research questions will explore the extent to which participation in Wildlife Neighbors: (a) differs across facilitation intensity and mode, and (b) strengthens environmental literacy among middle school urban youth when engaged in a co-created out-of-school time experiential program using remote cameras to survey local wildlife. Over the two-year pilot duration, approximately 100 youth and their families will participate in the program. This pilot study is funded by the NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. This includes providing multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences, advancing innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments, and developing understandings of deeper learning by participants.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.