Mathematizing, Visualizing, and Power (MVP): Appalachian Youth Becoming Data Artists for Community Learning

数学化、可视化和力量（MVP）：阿巴拉契亚青年成为社区学习的数据艺术家是一个为期三年的推进非正式STEM学习、创新和发展的项目，重点关注由青年催化的以社区为中心的数据探索。该项目在东田纳西州阿巴拉契亚社区的年轻人中发展统计艺术，使这些年轻人能够与他们的社区分享他们的数据可视化，以促进集体反思和理解。MVP项目产生的创造性工作将以两种方式引人注目，一是作为统计艺术，二是作为表达社区体验的有力声明。MVP模型的关键方面包括(1)青年学习会议，将青年定位为数据所有者和知识生产者；(2)社区学习活动，在青年学习发生时支持社区学习。MVP项目的主要重点是扩大阿巴拉契亚地区代表性不足社区的STEM参与。该项目的使命是通过创建有意义的数据科学和集体数据探索基础，提高年轻人和阿巴拉契亚社区的学习和生活成果。田纳西大学与密西西比州立社区学院、德雷塞尔大学和田纳西山谷的男孩和女孩俱乐部合作，将社区成员、从业者和专业人士聚集在一起，拥有专业知识来实施该项目。该项目将影响大约120名青年和3800名东田纳西州社区成员。所产生的研究将告知如何通过探索与参与者相关的数据集，让社区成员参与了解社区问题。STEM教育领域迫切需要有关有效模型的知识，以激励以社区为基础的数据探索，并由年轻人作为这些努力的领导者。MVP项目包括让青年参与有意义的问题，建立一个具有行动可能性的话语社区，将青年重新定位为自己社区内的知识生产者，利用青年参与者及其社区的语言和文化资源，并实施关键活动，支持青年、社区成员和数据可视化之间的实质性互动。MVP建立在数据可视化设计需要理解数据科学和艺术设计的想法之上。研究将告知社区参与的模式，检查数据艺术家的身份，并记录社区学习。MVP模型将通过三个基于设计的研究周期进行设计、开发、测试和完善。指导这些周期的首要研究问题是：该模型为MVP青年和社区成员提供了与身份和学习相关的哪些启示（和界定）？项目的数据来源包括：实地记录、MVP青年创建的作品集、青年前/后访谈、学习课程观察、项目纪录片、青年和社区成员调查、社区成员访谈和观众反馈。国家STEM评估与研究所（NISER）将提供有关项目活动的形成性和总结性评估。形成性反馈将整合到正在进行的研究周期中。所进行的研究将为(1)社区学习模式提供信息；(2)通过设计艺术强调数据科学的MVP青年学习课程的综合教学法和课程；(3)社区学习与青年认同的关系研究。研究结果将通过会议、以学术和从业者为重点的期刊、视频纪录片、青年和社区参与数据峰会以及项目网站进行分享。该项目由推进非正式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，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。

Mathematizing, Visualizing, and Power (MVP): Appalachian Youth Becoming Data Artists for Community Learning is a three-year Advancing Informal STEM Learning, Innovations and Development, project that focuses on community-centered data exploration catalyzed by youth. The project develops statistical artistry among young people in East Tennessee Appalachian communities and enables these youth to share their data visualizations with their communities to foster collective reflection and understanding. The creative work generated by the MVP project will be compelling in two ways, both as statistical art and as powerful statements giving voice to the experience of communities. Critical aspects of the MVP model include (1) youth learning sessions that position youth as owners of data and producers of knowledge and (2) Community Learning Events that support community learning as youth learning occurs. The MVP project has a primary focus on broadening the STEM participation of underrepresented communities of Appalachia. The project’s mission is to increase the learning and life outcomes of young people and communities of Appalachia by creating a meaningful foundation of data science and collective data exploration. The University of Tennessee partners with Pellissippi State Community College, Drexel University, and the Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley to bring together a convergent team of community members, practitioners, and professionals, with the expertise to carry out the project. The project will impact approximately 120 youth and 3800 of their East Tennessee community members. The research generated will inform how to engage community members in learning about community issues through the exploration of datasets relevant to participants. The field of STEM education is in urgent need of knowledge about effective models to inspire community-based data exploration with young people as leaders in these efforts. The MVP project includes engaging youth with meaningful problems, building a discourse community with possibilities for action, re-positioning youth as knowledge producers within their own communities, leveraging linguistic and cultural resources of the youth participants and their communities, and implementing critical events that support substantial interaction between youth, community members, and the data visualizations. MVP builds on the idea that the design of data visualizations requires an understanding of both data science and artistic design. Research will inform the model of community engagement, examine data artists’ identities, and document community learning. The MVP model will be designed, developed, tested, and refined through three cycles of design-based research. The overarching research question guiding these cycles is: What affordances (and delimitations) related to identity and learning does the model provide for MVP Youth and community members? Data sources for the project include: fieldnotes, portfolios created by MVP Youth, youth pre/post interviews, observations of the learning sessions, a project documentary, surveys for youth and community members, interviews with community members, and audience feedback. The National Institute for STEM Evaluation and Research (NISER) will provide formative and summative evaluation about project activities. Formative feedback will be integrated into the ongoing research cycles. The research conducted will inform (1) the community learning model; (2) the integrated pedagogy and curriculum of the MVP Youth learning sessions that emphasize data science through design arts; and, (3) research on community learning and youth identity. Findings will be shared through conferences, academic and practitioner-focused journals, a video documentary, a Summit on Engaging Youth and Communities in Data, and a project website. This project 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, 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.