Conference: Equity, Innovation, and STEAM - Strengthening the R&D Connections

会议：公平、创新和 STEAM - 加强 R

• 批准号: 2314092
• 负责人: Lillian Poats
• 金额: $ 23.66万
• 依托单位: Texas Southern University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2314092&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Conference; Equity; Innovation; STEAM; Strengthening

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math) continues to grow in the informal science learning field, with a wide variety of findings from researchers and practitioners. There is a significant need to assess where this nascent field is in relation to equity and what are the critical next steps that should be taken. Research shows: (1) a need to develop more mutually supportive links in this work between researchers and practitioners; (2) a need to address equitable access, framing, and design in STEAM informal science learning; and additionally, (3) that STEAM engages underserved populations in STEM. This can, potentially, help provide needed diversity in the STEM workforce, along with creative and innovative thinking skills essential to success. Texas Southern University, in partnership with the Innovation Collaborative, will convene a two-year five-phase working conference project to address these issues. This conference project is housed on an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) campus that has a museum studies program and a university museum. A core group of diverse leading STEAM informal science learning researchers and practitioners will help lead the project. They will assemble diverse teams representing the broad spectrum of informal science learning institutions. During the two years, these participants will immerse themselves in equity, choose and frame the six most important topics to address, and investigate these topics through virtual and in-person components. This conference project can serve as a model for other fields to develop an approach and next steps relating to equity, especially as it integrates research and practice.The goals of this research are to develop: 1) a cohesive approach, integrating research and practice, to the most salient issues regarding equity in STEAM informal science learning; and 2) an effective model for a STEAM informal science learning conference project to address equity. All targeted outcomes will be iteratively measured using equitable, culturally responsive evaluation techniques. The project findings will be disseminated through traditional and nontraditional means with a focus on reaching a wide variety of diverse audiences. At the conclusion of this process, there will be a more cohesive view of where the STEAM informal science learning field is in relation to equity that will inform next steps that will benefit a broad spectrum of underserved populations. This conference 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.

STEAM(科学、技术、工程、艺术和数学)在非正式科学学习领域继续发展，研究人员和实践者的发现五花八门。非常有必要评估这一新领域与公平的关系，以及下一步应采取哪些关键步骤。研究表明：(1)需要在这项工作中在研究人员和从业者之间建立更多的相互支持的联系；(2)需要解决STEAM非正式科学学习中的平等机会、框架和设计问题；以及(3)STEAM使STEM中服务不足的人群参与进来。这可能有助于在STEM劳动力中提供所需的多样性，以及对成功至关重要的创造性和创新思维技能。德克萨斯南方大学将与创新合作组织合作，召开一个为期两年的五阶段工作会议项目，以解决这些问题。这个会议项目坐落在HBCU(历史上的黑人学院和大学)校园里，那里有一个博物馆研究项目和一个大学博物馆。一个由不同的领先的STEAM非正式科学学习研究人员和实践者组成的核心小组将帮助领导该项目。他们将组建不同的团队，代表广泛的非正式科学学习机构。在两年的时间里，这些参与者将沉浸在公平中，选择并框定要解决的六个最重要的主题，并通过虚拟和面对面的组件调查这些主题。该会议项目可以作为其他领域制定与公平有关的方法和下一步行动的典范，特别是当它将研究和实践结合在一起时。本研究的目标是开发：1)结合研究和实践，解决STEAM非正式科学学习中最突出的公平问题；以及2)STEAM非正式科学学习会议项目解决公平问题的有效模式。所有目标成果都将使用公平的、符合文化需要的评价技术反复衡量。项目结果将通过传统和非传统方式传播，重点是接触到各种不同的受众。在这一进程结束时，将对STEAM非正式科学学习领域与公平的关系有一个更一致的看法，这将为下一步提供信息，使广大未得到充分服务的人口受益。本会议项目由推进非正式STEM学习方案(AISL)资助，该方案支持以下项目：(A)促进考虑STEM非正式学习在公平和归属STEM中的作用的研究和实践；(B)促进STEM个人和教育的成功；(C)促进公众参与科学发现；(D)培养对STEM职业的兴趣；(E)为有效的STEM非正式学习创造和加强理论和经验基础；(F)提高社区活力；和/或(G)加强科学交流以及公众对STEM和STEM过程的参与和了解。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。