Building Capacity of Informal STEM Learning Providers to Engage Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

自闭症是一种广泛性发育障碍，具有社交技能受损、重复行为和受限的兴趣模式。与患有自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)和特殊需要的人合作的方法通常包括创造与这些人分开的体验，导致与其他人隔离。另一方面，包容性项目不仅为这些人提供了与他们的神经型同龄人相同的学习机会，还提供了从这些同龄人那里练习适当社交交流的机会。研究表明，包容性的自由选择学习环境是自闭症患者学习社交技能的理想环境，并允许深入关注特定感兴趣的主题。非正式STEM学习(ISL)教育工作者有意愿，但可能没有足够和及时的知识和技能来吸引和支持这些受众。该项目小组最近修改和试行了一种严格的、经过验证的培训方法，该方法是为在非正式科学机构工作的教育工作者开发的，适用于与患有自闭症的个人合作的家长和教师。这个想法是为了提高这些教育工作者在ASD支持技术和战略方面的能力，这样他们就可以更好地创造包容的环境，让个人参与进来。此第二阶段项目建立在先前工作的基础上，通过改进和进一步测试在更大范围内提供培训的模型。该项目旨在加强独立语言学习提供者的能力，使个人参与主流项目和展览，并促进更具包容性的环境。该项目将创建1)混合专业发展模式，该模式为机构变革提供了一条独特的途径，以扩大在现有ISL场所进行STEM学习的机会和参与，2)对设计和开发更广泛的非正式STEM学习课程的新方法和基于证据的理解，以及3)与ISL教育工作者和ASD专家一起制定迭代的支持ASD的博物馆学习战略的合作实践社区(COP)模式。该项目是学习创新研究所、科学技术研究所和西南自闭症研究与资源中心(SARRC)的合作项目。在下一阶段，该团队将扩展到密苏里州、佛罗里达州和俄克拉何马州的另外三个大都市地区。该项目的首要目标是a)将有自闭症和特殊需求的个人更多地纳入主流的ISL环境；b)培训工作人员自闭症支持技术和战略，以及c)最终支持自闭症患者获得参与主流STEM活动所需的技能、信心和动力。要解决的关键问题包括：1)混合型专业学习方案在多大程度上支持非正式科学学习人员的成果，因为它们与自闭症知识、意识、兴趣、技能、态度和行为有关？2)：数字专业发展的哪些特征(例如，内容信息、同行核对清单、视频教程、协作体验[即孵化器]，3)培训专业学习的数字资源和辅助材料如何使ISL专业人员能够为ASD个人及其家人提供高质量的STEM教育体验？自闭症患者在多大程度上获得了学习成果？4)该项目在多大程度上支持了制度变革，使其超越了ISL的工作人员，为ASD社区创造了更受欢迎的博物馆体验？第二阶段以第一阶段的调查结果为基础，创建有效的在线交付方法，支持现场访问，并建立一个在线资源中心和COP，即使不是所有的，也是大多数国家ISL组织都可以随时访问的。该项目团队将使用社会文化方法来探索自闭症患者在ISL环境中的学习情况。这项研究旨在衡量STEM学习结果，这已被确定为ASD患者目前的差距。该项目将以重要的方式将这一全面的研究转化为实践，从而扩大参与范围。该项目将产生一个自我维持的专业发展模式和一个COP，以帮助实地发展基本概念、技能和信心，以便充分纳入ASD社区，从而扩大包容性。这个综合研究与实践项目由推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划资助，该计划支持以下项目：(A)促进研究和实践，认为非正式STEM学习在STEM公平和归属感方面的作用；(B)促进STEM个人和教育成功；(C)促进公众参与科学发现；(D)培养对STEM职业的兴趣；(E)创建和加强有效的非正式STEM学习的理论和经验基础；(F)增强社区活力；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价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，认为值得支持。

Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder with impaired social communication skills, repetitive behavior, and restrictive patterns of interest. Approaches for working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and special needs often included creating separate experiences these individuals, resulting in isolation from the other individuals. Inclusive programs, on the other hand, not only afford these individuals the same opportunities for learning as their neurotypical peers but also offer opportunities to practice appropriate social communication from these peers. Research demonstrates that inclusive free-choice learning environments are ideal for individuals with ASD to learn social skills and allow for a deep focus on a particular topic of interest. Informal STEM Learning (ISL) educators have the desire but may not have sufficient and timely knowledge and skills to engage and support this audience. This project team recently modified and piloted a rigorous, proven training approach developed for individual parents and teachers who worked with individuals with ASD for educators working in informal science institutions. The idea is to enhance the capacity of these educators in ASD support techniques and strategies, so they are better equipped to create inclusive environments and engage individuals. This Phase 2 project builds on the prior work by refining and further testing the model for delivering training on a broader scale. The project seeks to strengthen ISL providers' ability to engage individuals on the ASD in mainstream projects and exhibits and promote more inclusive environments. The project will create a 1) hybrid Professional Development model that offers a unique pathway for institutional change to broaden access to and engagement in STEM learning in existing ISL venues, 2) new approach to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of informal STEM learning offerings that are more broadly accessible, and 3) collaborative Community of Practice (CoP) model for developing iterative ASD-supportive museum learning strategies with ISL educators and ASD experts. The project is a collaboration between the Institute for Learning Innovation, the SciTech Institute, and the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center (SARRC). In this next phase the team will expand to three additional metropolitan regions in Missouri, Florida, and Oklahoma.The overarching goals of this project are to a) increase inclusion of individuals with ASD and special needs in mainstream ISL environments; b) train staff in ASD support techniques and strategies, and c) ultimately, support individuals with ASDs in gaining the skills, confidence, and motivation needed to engage in mainstream STEM activities. Key questions to be addressed include: 1) To what degree does the hybrid professional learning program support the informal science learning staff outcomes as they relate to ASD knowledge, awareness, interest, skills, attitude, and behavior? 2): What features of the digital professional development (e.g., content information, peer checklists, video tutorials, collaborative experiences [i.e., incubators], multi-level CoP) do ISL staff consider most effective for improving their ability to meet the needs of ASD patrons? 3) How do the digital resources and supportive materials for training professional learning enable ISL professionals to provide high-quality STEM education experiences for ASD individuals and their families? To what degree are the learning outcomes for individuals on the autism spectrum achieved? 4) To what degree has the project created supported institutional change, which reaches beyond ISL staff to create a more welcoming museum experience for the ASD community? Phase 2 builds on findings from Phase 1 to create effective online delivery methods with supporting site visits and build an online resource center and CoP that is readily accessible to most, if not all, national ISL organizations. The project team will use a sociocultural approach to explore ASD individuals' learning in ISL environments. The research is designed to measure STEM learning outcomes, which have been identified as a current gap for individuals with ASD. The project will broaden participation by transferring this comprehensive body of research to practice in important ways. The project will result in a self-sustaining model of professional development and a CoP to help the field develop foundational concepts, skills, and confidence for full inclusion of the ASD community, hence broadening inclusion generally.This Integrating Research & 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.