IRES: Informal Science Learning in Ecological Contexts: Science Learning and Native Language Use in Contrasting North American and Mongolian Mountain Systems

技术部分。这是美国博兹曼蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）和俄罗斯阿尔泰共和国戈尔诺-阿尔泰斯克州立大学（GASU）的合作研究项目。在这个NSF学生国际研究经验项目中，密歇根州立大学的学生将前往阿尔泰共和国，与戈尔诺-阿尔泰斯克大学的教师和学生一起进行有关非正式环境中学习生态科学时使用母语的研究。学生研究人员将进行与生态环境下科学学习的项目主题相关的个人研究。该项目将帮助学生学习如何开展与土著青年（12-16岁）的生态学习经验以及土著语言在学习环境方面的使用和影响有关的教育研究。这项研究直接解决了我们之前国家科学基金会支持的工作的结果，该工作确定了阿尔泰和黄石系统中服务不足人口中土著人民，自然资源和母语使用下降的共同问题。这个项目对我们对非正式环境下的科学学习的新理解做出了重大贡献。它提出了一个独特的生态学习的概念，在三个维度；个人、社区和文化视角。研究和教育目标与美国国家科学院（2009）提出的非正式科学学习的现代概念一致。MSU-GASU的合作提供了科学学习的整体观点，并将在独特的生态和社会系统中联合不同的智力资源和研究努力。黄石和阿尔泰山脉系统都是全球关注的自然和文化资源的一部分，受到普遍发展，娱乐和旅游活动以及气候变化的影响。本研究项目提出的学习的基本理论基础是有效方法的基础，使孤立的农村人口能够将传统知识和智慧贡献给与全球生态和文化问题有关的当代问题，包括全球气候变化。在未来的研究和教育活动中，将更好地了解和考虑到边缘和主导社会的知识和社会进程中所包含的可持续性做法的各个方面。研究成果将有助于更有效的非正式的、基于地点的和体验式的科学学习，从而帮助社区和决策者应对可持续性的挑战。不可避免地，我们希望这项工作能够扩展我们对与关键自然和文化资源及其管理相关的科学学习的理解。了解学习发生的方式、原因和地点将有助于扩展与非正式科学学习、自然和文化资源管理以及可持续性相关的美国和国际研究和教育议程。非技术部分。这是美国博兹曼蒙大拿州立大学（MSU）和俄罗斯阿尔泰共和国戈尔诺-阿尔泰斯克州立大学（GASU）的合作研究项目。在这个NSF学生国际研究经验项目中，密歇根州立大学的学生将前往阿尔泰共和国，与戈尔诺-阿尔泰斯克大学的教师和学生一起进行有关非正式环境中学习生态科学时使用母语的研究。学生研究人员将进行与生态环境下科学学习的项目主题相关的个人研究。在这个项目中，我们将帮助学生学习如何进行与土著青年（12-16岁）的生态学习经验以及土著语言在学习环境方面的使用和影响有关的教育研究。三组五名密歇根州立大学学生将在2013年、2014年和2015年夏季前往阿尔泰共和国旅行八周。密歇根州立大学的学生将与GASU的科学，教育和语言教师组成一个研究小组，在Gorno-Altaisk市，两个中等规模的村庄（如Onguday）和两个小村庄（如Karakol）进行研究。我们希望在每个环境中与年轻人一起工作，并在每个地点采访具有代表性的样本。作为一个研究小组，我们希望更好地了解土著青年如何在非正式场合使用阿尔泰语来了解环境。我们希望在研究中进行比较。作为我们在生态学习和土著人民方面更大的研究兴趣的一部分，我们将在黄石生态系统中与美国土著青年进行类似的比较研究。与此项目相关的研究将增加我们对在非常敏感和独特的生态和文化环境中，在服务不足的人群中使用母语学习科学的程度和性质的理解。

Technical part.This is a collaborative research project between Montana State University (MSU), Bozeman, USA and Gorno-Altaisk State University (GASU), Altai Republic, Russian Federation. In this NSF International Research Experiences for Students project MSU students will travel to the Altai Republic and work with faculty and students at Gorno-Altaisk University to conduct research related to native language use in learning ecological sciences in informal settings. Student researchers will conduct individual studies related to the project theme of science learning in ecological contexts. This project will help students learn how to conduct educational research related to the ecological learning experiences of indigenous youth (ages12-16) and the use and influence of native language in learning about environment. This research directly addresses the results of our prior NSF supported work that identified shared issues of indigenous people, natural resources and the decline of native language use among underserved populations in the Altai and Yellowstone systems. This project contributes significantly to our emerging understanding of science learning in informal settings. It addresses a unique conception of ecological learning in three dimensions; personal, community and cultural perspectives. Research and education objectives align with modern conceptualizations of informal science learning as proposed by the National Academies of Science (2009). The MSU-GASU collaboration provides a holistic view of science learning and will unite diverse intellectual resources and research efforts in unique ecological and social systems. Both the Yellowstone and Altai mountain systems are of global concern as part of worldwide natural and cultural resources impacted by pervasive development, recreation and tourism activities and climate change. The underlying theoretical foundation for learning proposed in this research project is the basis for effective approaches to enable isolated rural populations to contribute traditional knowledge and wisdom to contemporary issues related to world-wide ecological and cultural issues including global climate change. Aspects of sustainability practices that are embedded in the knowledge and social processes of both marginalized and dominant societies will be better understood and taken into consideration for future research and education activities. Research outcomes will contribute to more effective informal, place-based and experiential science learning to help empower communities and decision makers in meeting challenges of sustainability. Inevitably, we expect this work to extend our understanding of science learning related to critical natural and cultural resources and their management. An understanding of how, why and where learning takes place will help extend the US and international research and education agendas related to informal science learning, natural and cultural resource management and sustainability.Non-technical part.This is a collaborative research project between Montana State University (MSU), Bozeman, USA and Gorno-Altaisk State University (GASU), Altai Republic, Russian Federation. In this NSF International Research Experiences for Students project MSU students will travel to the Altai Republic and work with faculty and students at Gorno-Altaisk University to conduct research related to native language use in learning ecological sciences in informal settings. Student researchers will conduct individual studies related to the project theme of science learning in ecological contexts. This project we will help students learn how to conduct educational research related to the ecological learning experiences of indigenous youth (ages12-16) and the use and influence of native language in learning about environment. Three cohorts of five MSU students will travel to the Altai Republic for eight weeks in the summers of 2013, 2014 & 2015. MSU students will comprise a research team with GASU science, education and language faculty to conduct research in the city of Gorno-Altaisk, two medium size villages such as Onguday and two small villages such as Karakol. We expect to work with youth in each setting and interview a representative sample at each site. As a research team we expect to gain a better understanding of how indigenous youth use native Altai language in informal settings to learn about environment. We expect to compare sights within the study. As part of our larger research interests in ecological learning and native people, we will conduct a similar comparative study in the Yellowstone Ecosystem with Native American youth. The studies associated with this project will add to our understanding about the extent and nature of native language use to learn science in underserved populations in very sensitive and unique ecological and cultural settings.