Science Learning +: Partnering for Equitable STEM Pathways for Underrepresented Youth

这个为期4年的项目解决了非正式科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学习中的基本公平问题。在美国和英国，来自历史上代表性不足的背景的青年获得非正式STEM学习（ISL）的机会仍然有限。然而，有证据表明，ISL的经验可以扩大青年在STEM学习和发展的机会，例如，提高对教育愿望和未来职业/追求的积极态度，提高学校环境中的成绩和考试成绩，并减少纪律处分和辍学率。通过研究和开发，该项目将研究人员和从业人员聚集在一起，重点关注将支持青年公平进入STEM的经验，做法和工具。该伙伴关系将在两个不同国家的四个城市环境中的概念框架和ISL设置（例如科学中心，社区团体，动物园）和大学之间开展工作，建立一个连贯的知识基础，加强和扩大研究加实践伙伴关系，建立变革性研究和开发的能力，并开发新的模型和工具，以支持全球一级的STEM公平途径。该项目由科学学习+资助，这是国家科学基金会（NSF）和惠康信托基金与英国经济和社会研究理事会之间的国际伙伴关系。这项联合资助工作的目标是朝着改善非正式STEM经验的知识基础和实践迈出转型步伐。在NSF内部，科学学习+是推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划的一部分，该计划旨在加强非正式环境中的学习，并扩大STEM学习经验的获取和参与。这个公平途径项目应对了美国和英国ISL研究和实践交叉点的三个挑战：1）缺乏对历史上代表性不足背景的青年如何看待和体验跨国家背景的ISL机会的共同理解，以及通过ISL支持赋权运动所需的实践和工具; 2）对支持这些青年在ISL内部和跨ISL取得进展的核心高杠杆实践的共同理解和证据有限，以及3）对ISL如何对这些寻求发展自己的STEM道路的青年公平和变革的理解有限。该伙伴关系的主要目标是为从业者和研究人员，通过设计为基础的实施研究，调查和关键人种学与青年合作，以发展新的理解，他们如何以及在什么条件下参与ISL随着时间的推移和跨设置，以及他们如何将这些经验连接到STEM的途径。该项目将产生：1）对国际学习途径的新理解，对历史上代表性不足的青年来说是公平和变革性的; 2）一套高杠杆作用的做法和工具，支持公平和变革性的非正式科学学习途径（和机构青年需要通过他们的方式）;和3）加强和提高专业能力，以扩大来自历来代表性不足背景的青年参与科学、技术、工程和数学，非正式科学学习。该项目将通过研究+实践伙伴关系在4个城市开展：英国伦敦和布里斯托以及密歇根州兰辛和美国俄勒冈州波特兰，涉及大学研究人员（伦敦大学学院、密歇根州立大学、俄勒冈州州立大学/学习创新研究所）科学博物馆从业人员（@布里斯托科学中心，布伦特洛奇公园动物中心，Implement 5，俄勒冈州科学与工业博物馆）和社区中心（STEMettes，诺勒西媒体中心，兰辛男孩女孩俱乐部，女孩，Inc.太平洋西北部）。

This 4-year project addresses fundamental equity issues in informal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning. Access to, and opportunities within informal STEM learning (ISL) remain limited for youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds in both the United States and the United Kingdom. However, there is evidence that ISL experiences can expand opportunities for youth learning and development in STEM, for instance, increase positive attitudes towards educational aspirations and future careers/pursuits, improve grades and test scores in school settings, and decrease disciplinary action and dropout rates. Through research and development, this project brings together researchers and practitioners to focus on the experiences, practices and tools that will support equitable youth pathways into STEM. Working across conceptual frameworks and ISL settings (e.g. science centers, community groups, zoos) and universities in four urban contexts in two different nations, the partnership will produce a coherent knowledge base that strengthens and expands research plus practice partnerships, builds capacity towards transformative research and development, and develops new models and tools in support of equitable pathways into STEM at a global level. This project is funded through Science Learning+, which is an international partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Wellcome Trust with the UK Economic and Social Research Council. The goal of this joint funding effort is to make transformational steps toward improving the knowledge base and practices of informal STEM experiences. Within NSF, Science Learning+ is part of the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program that seeks to enhance learning in informal environments and to broaden access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences. This Equity Pathways project responds to three challenges at the intersections of ISL research and practice in the United States and the United Kingdom: 1) lack of shared understanding of how youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds perceive and experience ISL opportunities across national contexts, and the practices and tools needed to support empowered movement through ISL; 2) limited shared understanding and evidence of core high-leverage practices that support such youth in progressing within and across ISL, and 3) limited understanding of how ISL might be equitable and transformative for such youth seeking to develop their own pathways into STEM. The major goal of this Partnership is for practitioners and researchers, working with youth through design-based implementation research, survey and critical ethnography, to develop new understandings of how and under what conditions they participate in ISL over time and across settings, and how they may connect these experiences towards pathways into STEM. The project will result in: 1) New understandings of ISL pathways that are equitable and transformative for youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds; 2) A set of high leverage practices and tools that support equitable and transformative informal science learning pathways (and the agency youth need to make their way through them); and 3) Strengthened and increased professional capacity to broaden participation among youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM through informal science learning. The project will be carried out by research + practice partnerships in 4 cities: London & Bristol, UK and Lansing, MI & Portland, OR, US, involving university researchers (University College London, Michigan State University, Oregon State University/Institute for Learning Innovation) practitioners in science museums (@Bristol Science Centre, Brent Lodge Park Animal Centre, Impressions 5, Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) and community-based centers (STEMettes, Knowle West Media Centre, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing, and Girls, Inc. of the Pacific Northwest).