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重要自然实验室。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获取方面的差距仍然存在。交通、社会和经济障碍以及缺乏对STEM机会的认识是严重限制城市青年参与STEM项目的少数不平等现象，特别是来自代表性不足的群体。对于谁能有意义地从事科学研究的看法，在人口统计学上仍然倾向于富裕、年长和非少数群体的个人。为了应对这些挑战，本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，以促进包容性实践和青年参与STEM。将采用共同创建的课程，将城市生态学家和底特律青年（6 -8年级）聚集在一起，参与野生动物实地体验，以收集和分析从遍布城市的摄像机收集的数据。相机调查与真实的基于地点的、与文化相关的生态研究的独特结合，将促进创新的、体验式的学习体验。这项试点研究将促进对各种促进方法和参与校外项目（如“野生动物邻居”项目）对青少年影响程度的理解。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素养成果，并被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，并为美国国家科学基金会（NSF）关于城市、校外中学生环境教育项目的投资组合增加新的方法，利用相机调查来促进包容性，参与科学实地研究，提高青少年对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，该试点项目将通过在底特律24个公园监测野生动物来检验体验式学习对加强青年环境素养的四个方面的影响：生态学知识、研究人员的能力、对野生动物的同情和地方感。青少年将自行选择四种促进模式中的一种，每种模式在强度（暑期体验、课后俱乐部）和模式（面对面、远程）上都有所不同。通过在底特律公园部署的相机调查，年轻人将沉浸在生态研究中，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。青少年前后调查、对项目活动的日常反思以及家长/监护人问卷将更广泛地评估“野生动物邻居”促进模式和项目的影响和经验。研究问题将探讨参与野生动物邻居的程度：(a)促进强度和模式的不同，以及(b)在参与共同创建的校外体验项目时，通过远程摄像机调查当地野生动物，增强了中学城市青年的环境素养。在为期两年的试点期间，大约100名青年及其家庭将参加该计划。这项试点研究由美国国家科学基金会推进非正式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，扩大STEM学习经验的获取和参与，推进非正式环境中STEM学习的创新研究和评估，以及发展参与者对深度学习的理解。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并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，被认为值得支持。

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.