Research on American Indian Science Education

美国印第安人科学教育研究（RAISE）项目是一项实证研究，其总体目标是调查文化一致性教学（CCI）对提高美国印第安人大学生的有效性。科学成就。美国印第安人作为一个群体，目前在几乎所有科学成就的衡量标准上都表现不佳，从标准化考试到高中和大学毕业率，再到进入与科学相关的职业。少数但越来越多的研究提供了CCI在提高土著学生数学和科学成绩方面的有效性的初步证据，但为了进一步阐明CCI与学生成绩之间关系的本质，还需要额外的和严格设计的实证研究，如RAISE。文化一致性教学调查（CCIS）是CCI研究的最新成果。该调查由蒙大拿州三个印第安人保留地的部落长老、教师和教职员工设计并验证，通过概述三个主要类别——科学内容、教学方法和教学环境——的CCI细节，对蒙大拿州五个部落文化的CCI性质进行了操作。本文描述的研究通过系统地将CCI的特定元素（如CCIS中发现的）注入选定的大学科学课程，并调查它们对学生成绩的影响，来测试CCI的有效性。本研究采用混合方法准实验设计，比较治疗前后的数据，如课程完成率、课程成绩、学生作业样本质量、学生态度调查和焦点小组反应、毕业率和进入科学专业。通过课堂教学观察、课程大纲和大纲以及对课程教师的采访，课程内容、教学和环境都被彻底记录下来。多元回归分析用于确定特定CCI课程元素与学生成绩数据之间的相关性，并进行额外的分析以进一步表征这些关系，例如变量之间的相互作用。更广泛的影响RAISE项目通过提供证据证明CCI的性质及其对提高美国印第安学生在大学科学方面的成绩的有效性，具有广泛影响的潜力。将研究结果应用于改造SKC科学课程和教学将转化为更高水平的科学成就和更多的学生从事与科学相关的职业。SKC科学教师在研究中的积极参与将提高他们对教育研究和有效科学教学的理解，从而有助于他们作为科学教育者和研究人员的专业发展。研究的传播？通过向STEM教师和教育研究人员的广泛受众发表出版物和演讲，扩大了其在国内和全球范围内改善大学STEM教学和学生成绩的潜力。STEM毕业生数量的增加将有助于改善美国STEM专业人员的短缺。

The Research on American Indian Science Education (RAISE) project is an empirical research study whose overarching objective is to investigate the efficacy of culturally congruent instruction (CCI) for improving American Indian college students? science achievement. American Indians as a group are currently underachieving on nearly every metric of science achievement, from standardized tests, to high school and college graduation rates, to entry into science related professions. A small but growing number of studies is providing preliminary evidence of the efficacy of CCI in improving Indigenous students' achievement in math and science, but additional and rigorously designed empirical studies like RAISE are necessary in order to further elucidate the nature of the relationship between CCI and student outcomes.A recent product stemming from research in CCI is the Culturally Congruent Instruction Survey (CCIS). Designed and validated by tribal elders, teachers, and faculty working with pre college students from three American Indian reservations in Montana, the survey operationalizes the nature of CCI for five Montana tribal cultures by outlining the specifics of CCI in three main categories - science content, pedagogy and instructional environment. The study described here tests the efficacy of CCI by systematically infusing specific elements of CCI, as found on the CCIS, into select college science courses, and investigating their effects on student outcomes. The study employs a mixed methods quasi experimental design, comparing pre and post treatment data such as course completion rates, course grades, quality of student work samples, student attitude surveys and focus group responses, graduation rates and entry into science professions. Course content, instruction and environment are thoroughly documented through classroom instruction observations, course syllabi and outlines, and interviews with course instructors. Multiple regression analyses are used to identify correlations between specific CCI course elements and student outcomes data, with additional analyses conducted to further characterize these relationships, such as interactions between variables.Broader ImpactsThe RAISE project, by providing evidence of the nature of CCI and its efficacy for improving American Indian students' achievement in college science, holds potential for broad impacts. Application of the findings from the study to transform the SKC science curriculum and instruction will translate into higher levels of science achievement and greater numbers of students pursuing science related professions. The active engagement of SKC science faculty in the study will improve their understanding of education research and of effective science instruction, thus contributing to their professional development both as science educators and researchers. The dissemination of the study?s findings through publications and presentations to a broad audience of STEM faculty and education researchers expands its potential nationally and globally for improving college STEM instruction and student achievement. The increased number of STEM graduates will help ameliorate the shortage of STEM professionals in the United States.