Developing Guidelines for Neurodiversity-Affirming Engineering Programs in Museums and Science Centers through Universal Design for Learning

通过通用学习设计为博物馆和科学中心的神经多样性肯定工程项目制定指南

• 批准号: 2313850
• 负责人: Susan Letourneau
• 金额: $ 186.72万
• 依托单位: New York Hall of Science
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2313850&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Developing; Guidelines; Neurodiversity; Affirming; Engineering

Historically, many informal learning institutions have not accounted for neurological differences as they planned learning experiences, or they have offered separate programming for autistic individuals to accommodate sensory or behavioral differences. This project will address the limitations of these previous approaches by developing and testing neurodiversity-affirming guidelines for engineering programs in museums and science centers. These guidelines will be designed to foster a sense of belonging for neurodivergent individuals by prioritizing their full inclusion in informal learning spaces, and by framing different ways of thinking as inherently valuable to engineering and to society. To develop these programs, museum practitioners from geographically diverse institutions will partner with autistic youth and their families to iteratively co-develop and evaluate three informal engineering programs that are transferrable and adaptable across sites. These programs will be grounded in principles of Universal Design for Learning, as interpreted and applied by the youth and practitioners. These principles include offering multiple tools and materials for engineering design; using multiple representations and modalities to introduce content relevant to engineering challenges; fostering engagement through situating the engineering challenges in real-world contexts; providing autonomy and choice; normalizing the use of numerous types of supports; and encouraging learners to build on personal interests and strengths. After the engineering programs and accompanying guidelines have been co-developed and tested across sites, the project team will use them to provide professional learning opportunities to museum practitioners across the nation. Research will explore whether and how the integration of Universal Design for Learning fosters a sense of belongingness for neurodiverse children and their caregivers in informal engineering programs. Ultimately, this project will result in a comprehensive suite of materials and research-based guidelines on how to foster a sense of belongingness for neurodiverse youth in programming offered by informal learning institutions. In this project, three informal engineering programs will be iteratively developed and refined at the New York Hall of Science in New York City; the Explora science center and children’s museum in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. At each site, autistic youth (ages 8-12) and their caregivers will work with museum practitioners to co-develop the programs, which will be grounded in principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and designed to foster belongingness among neurodiverse youth. Researchers from Education Development Center will guide participatory design research to investigate whether and how the UDL-based programs influence neurodiverse youth’s engagement in engineering design processes; and whether and how UDL fosters a sense of belongingness for neurodiverse youth and their caregivers. To achieve these research purposes, the project team will generate data such as interviews with the youth co-designers and participants; interviews with family members; observations of youth participating in the program; and surveys of children and their caregivers. Thematic analyses using inductive and deductive methods, such as coding schemes from existing belongingness surveys, will be used to analyze the data. Resulting materials include a practitioner guidebook for creating neurodiversity-affirming programs in museums and science centers; professional learning materials for museum educators; descriptions of the three informal engineering programs as exemplars; observation tools and other instruments to evaluate programs; and guidelines for using co-design processes to develop informal learning programs. These materials will be disseminated widely through a Community of Practice hosted by the Association of Science and Technology Centers, as well as through journals, conferences, and networks for stakeholders in museums and science centers. This Integrating Research and Practice project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which supports projects that: (a) contribute to research and practice that considers informal STEM learning's role in equity and belonging in STEM; (b) promote personal and educational success in STEM; (c) advance public engagement in scientific discovery; (d) foster interest in STEM careers; (e) create and enhance the theoretical and empirical foundations for effective informal STEM learning; (f) improve community vibrancy; and/or (g) enhance science communication and the public's engagement in and understanding of STEM and STEM processes.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.

从历史上看，许多非正式的学习机构在规划学习体验时没有考虑到神经系统的差异，或者他们为自闭症患者提供单独的课程，以适应感官或行为差异。该项目将通过开发和测试博物馆和科学中心工程项目的神经多样性确认指南来解决这些先前方法的局限性。这些指导方针旨在通过优先考虑他们在非正式学习空间中的充分融入，以及通过将不同的思维方式构建为对工程和社会具有内在价值，来培养神经分歧个体的归属感。为了开发这些项目，来自地理位置不同的机构的博物馆从业人员将与自闭症青少年及其家人合作，反复共同开发和评估三个非正式的工程项目，这些项目可以跨站点转移和适应。这些方案将以通用学习设计的原则为基础，由青年和从业者解释和应用。这些原则包括为工程设计提供多种工具和材料;使用多种表示和模式来介绍与工程挑战相关的内容;通过将工程挑战置于现实环境中来促进参与;提供自主权和选择;规范使用多种类型的支持;并鼓励学习者建立个人兴趣和优势。在工程计划和相关指南在各个地点共同开发和测试之后，项目团队将利用它们为全国各地的博物馆从业者提供专业学习机会。研究将探讨通用学习设计的整合是否以及如何在非正式工程项目中培养神经多样性儿童及其照顾者的责任感。最终，该项目将产生一套全面的材料和基于研究的指导方针，说明如何在非正式学习机构提供的方案中培养神经多样性青年的责任感。在这个项目中，三个非正式的工程项目将在纽约市的纽约科学馆、新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基的Explora科学中心和儿童博物馆以及宾夕法尼亚州匹兹堡的儿童博物馆反复开发和完善。在每个地点，自闭症青少年（8-12岁）及其护理人员将与博物馆从业人员合作，共同开发这些项目，这些项目将以通用学习设计（UDL）的原则为基础，旨在培养神经多样性青少年的自主性。来自教育发展中心的研究人员将指导参与式设计研究，以调查基于UDL的项目是否以及如何影响神经多样性青年参与工程设计过程;以及UDL是否以及如何培养神经多样性青年及其照顾者的责任感。为了实现这些研究目的，项目团队将生成数据，例如与青年共同设计者和参与者的访谈;与家庭成员的访谈;对参与该计划的青年的观察;以及对儿童及其照顾者的调查。将使用归纳和演绎方法进行专题分析，例如使用现有幸福感调查的编码方案来分析数据。由此产生的材料包括在博物馆和科学中心创建神经多样性肯定计划的从业者指南;博物馆教育工作者的专业学习材料;作为范例的三个非正式工程计划的描述;观察工具和其他工具来评估计划;以及使用共同设计过程来开发非正式学习计划的指南。这些材料将通过科学和技术中心协会主办的实践社区以及博物馆和科学中心的期刊、会议和利益攸关方网络广泛传播。这一研究与实践相结合的项目由推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划资助，该计划支持的项目：（a）有助于研究和实践，认为非正式STEM学习在STEM中的公平和归属感中的作用;（B）促进STEM中的个人和教育成功;（c）推动公众参与科学发现;（d）培养对STEM职业的兴趣;（e）促进STEM职业的发展。（e）为有效的非正式STEM学习建立和加强理论和经验基础;（f）提高社区活力;和/或（g）加强科学传播和公众参与和理解STEM和STEM过程。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的评估被认为值得支持。影响审查标准。