MCA: Partnering Land and communities for equitable and inclusive STEM learning

该项目的目标是探索土地教育学及其课程和教学创新，培养土著和非土著教育者，使土著和非土著学生参与土著土地的环境STEM教育。调查员将在各种教师教育和环境STEM学习项目中实施一项专注于教学创新的专业发展计划，以(A)了解支持这些创新的工具和技术，并(B)开发新的研究方法，以了解这些创新对个人、社区和社会生态系统的影响。这项研究建立在调查人员之前对文化身份的调查，以及如何在不分散学生参与的情况下，利用技术来加深观察技能并与更广泛的受众交流。该项目将促进这方面的知识，并通过网络参与建立新的协作。该研究项目使用了行动者网络理论和关键的本土研究方法论来框架研究设计和方法。这里有四个主要问题：(1)土地教育教学法在创造包容性和认识论上多样化的STEM学习环境、在特定地点和社会生态系统建立更公平的关系以及影响STEM劳动力的多样性方面提供了什么启示？(2)什么工具和技术可以帮助维持长期的互惠关系，以支持土著和非土著教育者的准备，他们将参与到导致土著土地上不同STEM劳动力的教育战略中？(3)土地教育教学法对学生个人的归属感和STEM认同感、教育工作者参与STEM的社区方法有什么影响，以及更广泛的社会生态系统的健康？数据将从K-12和研究生那里收集，使用人种自传、照片语音和基于符号的思考、观察和网络地图。证据将使用内容和话语分析进行分析。研究结果将为采用土地教育教学法的项目提供信息，以为学生和教师塑造更公平和包容的STEM教育，并在代表性不足的人群中提高STEM的持久性。该项目由职业中期促进计划资助，该计划使科学家和工程师能够实质性地推进他们的研究计划和职业轨迹。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。

The goal of the project is to explore Land education pedagogy and its curriculum and pedagogical innovations in the preparation of Native and non-Native educators to engage Native and non-Native students in environmental STEM education on Indigenous lands. The investigator will implement a professional development plan focused on pedagogical innovations within various teacher education and environmental STEM learning programs to (a) understand the tools and technologies that can support these innovations and (b) develop new research methods for understanding the impact of these innovations on individuals, communities, and socio-ecological systems. The research builds on the investigator’s prior inquiries on culturally connected identity and how technology can be used to deepen observation skills and communicate to broader audiences while not distracting from students’ engagement. The project will advance this knowledge and build new collaboration through network engagement. The research project uses the Actor Network Theory and Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies to frame the research design and approach. There are four driving questions: (1) What affordances does Land education pedagogy offer in creating inclusive and epistemologically diverse STEM learning environments, building more equitable relationships to particular places and to socio-ecological systems, and impacting the diversity of the STEM workforce? (2) What tools and technologies can assist in sustaining long-term, mutually beneficial relationships to support the preparation of Native and non-Native educators who will engage in educational strategies that lead to diverse STEM workforce on indigenous lands? (3) What are the impacts of a Land education pedagogy on individual students’ sense of belonging and STEM identity, communities of educators’ approaches to STEM engagement, and the health of broader socio-ecological systems? Data will be collected from K-12 and graduate students using autoethnographies, photovoice and symbol-based reflections, observations, and network mapping. Evidence will be analyzed using content and discourse analysis. The research findings will inform programs that employ Land education pedagogy to shape more equitable and inclusive environmental STEM education for students and teachers and to increase STEM persistence among underrepresented populations.The project is funded by the Mid-Career Advancement Program that enables scientists and engineers to substantively advance their research program and career trajectory.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.