Exploring Early Childhood STEM Tinkering Conference

探索幼儿 STEM 修补会议

• 批准号: 2006098
• 负责人: Mike Petrich
• 金额: $ 24.99万
• 依托单位: Exploratorium
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2006098&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Exploring; Early; Childhood; STEM; Tinkering

In informal science contexts, the word tinkering describes a learning process that combines art, science, and technology through hands-on inquiry. With the growth in popularity of the making and tinkering movements nationwide, these practices are increasingly making their way into early childhood environments where they have great promise to positively impact the early STEM learning experiences of young children. This 2-day conference hosted at the Exploratorium in San Francisco will bring together stakeholders exploring applications of tinkering in informal early childhood environments. The conference will provide opportunities to explore the role, value, and challenges associated with implementing meaningful tinkering interventions in learning environments serving young children. The project seeks to 1) Convene stakeholders from the tinkering and early childhood programs; and 2) further the exploration and evolution of practitioner and researcher knowledge about tinkering in early childhood contexts. The long-term goal is to support more young children being introduced to STEM learning through tinkering’s adaptable approaches to STEM-learning that align with the developmental needs of this young population. This project will collaboratively analyze and document the state of the field of STEM-rich tinkering in informal early childhood contexts. Additionally, the project will deepen relationships across the early childhood tinkering ecosystem. Additional outcomes include an effort to provide tangible resources to the field highlighting current promising practices and future opportunities for development. The conference will also provide an understanding of how tinkering interventions may contribute to the development of STEM interest, identity and learning amongst early childhood audiences. Finally, the conference will bring together research and practitioners to explore how tinkering in early childhood settings can be used effectively to meet the needs of diverse learners including learners from underserved and underrepresented communities. The project will recruit a total of 75 participants with backgrounds in the field of tinkering and STEM learning, early childhood research, and professional development practices representing a diverse set of institutions and organizations. Research questions for the conference will focus on: 1) What types of supports and professional development do early childhood educators need to facilitate early STEM learning through tinkering? 2) What types of built environment and hands-on materials best support young children's ability to learn STEM content and practices through tinkering? 3) What types of strategies best support caregiver involvement in young children’s learning? 4) What is the role of early childhood tinkering in young children’s STEM learning, interest, and identity development? 5) How can culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogies be used to ensure equity across a diversity of young learners and their families? To answer these research questions the project will use qualitative methods before, during and post-conference. Research methods will include a landscape analysis identifying needs of participants, surveys, observations and informal interviews with participants. This award is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) 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.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.

在非正式的科学语境中，“修修补补”一词描述了一种通过动手探究将艺术、科学和技术结合起来的学习过程。随着全国范围内制作和修补运动的普及，这些做法越来越多地进入幼儿环境，在那里它们有很大的希望对幼儿的早期STEM学习经验产生积极影响。这个为期两天的会议在旧金山弗朗西斯科的探索馆举行，将汇集利益相关者，探索在非正式的幼儿环境中修补的应用。会议将提供机会，探讨在为幼儿服务的学习环境中实施有意义的修补干预措施的作用，价值和挑战。该项目旨在：1）召集修补和幼儿计划的利益相关者; 2）进一步探索和发展实践者和研究人员关于幼儿环境中修补的知识。 长期目标是支持更多的幼儿通过修修补补的适应性STEM学习方法被引入STEM学习，这些方法与年轻人口的发展需求相一致。该项目将合作分析和记录在非正式幼儿环境中STEM丰富的修补领域的状态。 此外，该项目将加深整个幼儿修补生态系统的关系。 其他成果包括努力向外地提供有形资源，突出当前有希望的做法和未来的发展机会。 会议还将提供一个如何修补干预措施可能有助于发展干的兴趣，身份和学习幼儿观众的理解。 最后，会议将汇集研究和从业人员，探讨如何在幼儿设置修补可以有效地用于满足不同的学习者，包括来自服务不足和代表性不足的社区的学习者的需求。 该项目将招募总共75名参与者，他们具有修补和STEM学习，幼儿研究和专业发展实践领域的背景，代表了不同的机构和组织。会议的研究问题将集中在：1）幼儿教育工作者需要什么类型的支持和专业发展，以促进早期STEM学习通过修修补补？2)什么类型的建筑环境和实践材料最能支持幼儿通过修修补补学习STEM内容和实践的能力？3)什么样的策略最能支持照顾者参与幼儿的学习？4)幼儿期的修补在幼儿的STEM学习，兴趣和身份发展中扮演什么角色？5)如何利用文化和语言上可持续的教学法来确保不同的年轻学习者及其家庭之间的平等？ 为了回答这些研究问题，该项目将在会议之前，期间和之后使用定性方法。 研究方法将包括确定参与者需求的景观分析、调查、观察和与参与者的非正式访谈。该奖项由推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）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，以扩大获取和参与STEM学习经验。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得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的支持。