Ice Worlds: A Giant Screen Film and Outreach Project

作为加强非正式环境中学习的总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划寻求促进非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和发展的新方法和基于证据的理解。这包括为扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验提供多种途径，推进对非正式环境中STEM学习的创新研究和评估，以及加深参与者对更深层次学习的理解。冰雪世界媒体项目将激励数百万儿童和成年人获得关于极地环境、地球气候和人类在地球复杂系统中的位置的新知识-支持见多识广的STEM公民。以NSF资助的Thwaites冰川雷神探险为特色，以及NSF支持的全球许多研究人员的贡献，Ice Worlds将在巨幕影院、电视、在线和其他非正式环境中与观众分享投资STEM的重要性。主要项目成果包括一部巨幕电影，一个为美国原住民中学生举办的电影制作研讨会，将制作一部纪录片，一个面向非正式教育工作者的气候讲故事专业发展计划，以及一项知识建设总结性评估。该项目最大的目标受众是中学生(11-14岁)；具体活动是为美洲原住民青年和非正式科学从业者设计的。创新的外展将吸引在科学方面未得到充分服务的青年，激励新一代科学家和调查性思想家。该项目的专业发展计划将建设非正规教育工作者参与社区和交流科学的能力。《冰雪世界》项目是媒体制片人巨幕电影公司、新西兰自然历史公司、公共广播公司和奥斯卡奖提名电影导演(是/不是制片人)的合作项目。其他合作者包括西北大学、美国印第安人科学与工程学会、美国原住民新闻协会、一组博物馆和科学中心合作伙伴，以及一个顾问团队，其中包括与NSF资助的北极环境变化倡议研究有关的科学和原住民专家。该项目的目标是：1)增加公众对极地生态系统环境变化过程和后果的了解，2)探索巨型屏幕形式在传授知识、激发动力和爱护自然方面的有效性，3)提高中学生对STEM话题和追求的兴趣、信心和参与度--广泛并通过一个针对美国原住民青年的特定计划，以及4)建立非正式教育工作者在其社区分享气候变化故事的能力。主要的评估问题是1)冰雪世界电影在多大程度上影响了围绕STEM追求和环境问题解决的学习、参与和动机2)伴生媒体对青少年巨幕学习的短期和长期附加值，以及3)基于文化的美洲原住民青年工作室的影响。评估工作将包括一个美国原住民青年顾问小组和一个科学中心从业者小组参与巨幕电影的开发和评估过程。对这部电影的形成性评估将包括招募来自不同背景的年轻人，包括土著青年的代表，在合作网站的巨幕影院观看这部电影。观看后调查和小组讨论将探索他们在参与、学习、唤起空间存在和动机影响方面的经验。对完成的电影的总结性评估将评估其直接和长期的影响。将对评价产生的所有量化数据进行统计分析，包括比较知识掌握前后的分数。部落青年媒体计划的评估将包括一段重要的形成性评估和社区参与，以使活动符合参与学生的需求和兴趣。将使用文化上适当的措施、定性方法和框架来评估学习影响。将对数据进行分析，以确定讲习班对青年学员以及导师和其他利益攸关方学员的学习影响。社区气候讲故事专业发展部分的评估将包括吸取的经验教训和实施建议。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 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. The Ice Worlds media project will inspire millions of children and adults to gain new knowledge about polar environments, the planet’s climate, and humanity’s place within Earth’s complex systems—supporting an informed, STEM literate citizenry. Featuring the NSF-funded THOR expedition to Thwaites glacier, along with contributions of many NSF-supported researchers worldwide, Ice Worlds will share the importance of investments in STEM with audiences in giant screen theaters, on television, online, and in other informal settings. Primary project deliverables include a giant screen film, a filmmaking workshop for Native American middle school students that will result in a documentary, a climate storytelling professional development program for informal educators, and a knowledge-building summative evaluation. The project’s largest target audience is middle school learners (ages 11-14); specific activities are designed for Native American youth and informal science practitioners. Innovative outreach will engage youth underserved in science inspiring a new generation of scientists and investigative thinkers. The project’s professional development programs will build the capacity of informal educators to engage communities and communicate science. The Ice Worlds project is a collaboration among media producers Giant Screen Films, Natural History New Zealand, PBS, and Academy Award nominated film directors (Yes/No Productions). Additional collaborators include Northwestern University, The American Indian Science and Engineering Society, the Native American Journalism Association, a group of museum and science center partners, and a team of advisors including scientific and Indigenous experts associated with the NSF-funded Study of Environmental Arctic Change initiative.The goals of the project are: 1) to increase public understanding of the processes and consequences of environmental change in polar ecosystems, 2) to explore the effectiveness of the giant screen format to impart knowledge, inspire motivation and caring for nature, 3) to improve middle schoolers’ interest, confidence and engagement in STEM topics and pursuits—broadly and through a specific program for Native American youth, and 4) to build informal educators’ capacity to share stories of climate change in their communities. The main evaluation questions are 1) to what extent does the Ice World film affect learning, engagement, and motivation around STEM pursuits and environmental problem solving 2) what is the added value of companion media for youth’s giant screen learning over short and longer term, and 3) what are the impacts of the culturally based Native American youth workshops.The evaluation work will involve a Native American youth advisory panel and a panel of science center practitioners in the giant screen film’s development and evaluation process. Formative evaluation of the film will involve recruiting youth from diverse backgrounds, including representation of Native youth, to see the film in the giant screen theater of a partner site. Post viewing surveys and group discussions will explore their experience of the film with respect to engagement, learning, evoking spatial presence, and motivational impact. A summative evaluation of the completed film will assess its immediate and longer term impacts. Statistical analyses will be conducted on all quantitative data generated from the evaluation, including a comparison of pre and post knowledge scores. An evaluation of the Tribal Youth Media program will include a significant period of formative evaluation and community engagement to align activities to the needs and interests of participating students. Culturally appropriate measures, qualitative methods and frameworks will be used to assess the learning impacts. Data will be analyzed to determine learning impacts of the workshop on youth participants as well as mentors and other stakeholder participants. Evaluation of the community climate storytelling professional development component will include lessons learned and recommendations for implementation.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.