Research: Researching the Value of Educator Actions for Learning (REVEAL)

这个为期三年的研究项目将研究科学中心的工作人员促进策略在博物馆展览环境中的数学学习领域的影响。三个主要成果是：1）迭代开发和完善的理论模型，工作人员促进如何深化和扩展家庭数学话语在互动的bits.2）严格测试这个模型的关键组成部分，包括工作人员促进和家庭数学话语的性质之间的关系。该项目将利用NSF资助的Access Algebra项目（DRL-0714634）的成功，以促进该领域对社会介导的非正式数学学习的理解，并确定有效的循证促进方法。该项目的研究将建立在社会数学规范（Yackel Cobb，1996）的理论概念基础上，目前该概念是基于课堂研究的。 该项目的一个关键要素将是确定这些规范是否以及如何适用于非正式学习环境。该项目的第一阶段开始与定性，设计为基础的研究（DBR）的研究，以开发工作人员促进家庭数学学习的理论模型，包括工作人员促进战略，支持家庭数学话语和影响话语的背景因素。在该项目的第二阶段，该小组将采用实验方法，严格测试第一阶段开发的工作人员便利化模式。这种混合方法的设计将使团队既研究非正式数学学习的复杂性，又严格测试工作人员促进和家庭数学话语水平之间的因果关系。最后，项目工作人员将提供工具，以支持全国各地的非正式STEM教育工作者的PD工作。

This three-year research project will study the impact of science center staff facilitation strategies in the area of mathematics learning in a museum exhibit environment. The three main deliverables are:1) Iteratively developing and refining a theoretical model of how staff facilitation can deepen and extend family mathematical discourse at interactive exhibits.2) Rigorously testing key components of this model, including the relationship between staff facilitation and the nature of family mathematical discourse.3) Providing evidence and research-based tools to support PD efforts for informal STEM educators. The project will leverage the success of the NSF-funded Access Algebra project (DRL-0714634) to advance the field's understanding of socially mediated, informal math learning and identify effective, evidence-based facilitation approaches. The project's research will build from theoretical notion of sociomathematical norms (Yackel & Cobb, 1996), which is currently based on classroom research. A key element of the project will be to determine whether and how, the norms can be applied to informal learning environments. The first phase of the project begins with a qualitative, design-based research (DBR) study to develop a theoretical model of staff-facilitated family math learning, including staff facilitation strategies that support family mathematical discourse and contextual factors that influence that discourse. In the second phase of the project, the team will use an experimental approach to rigorously test the staff facilitation model developed during Phase 1. This mixed-method design will allow the team to both study the complexities of informal math learning and rigorously test causal connections between staff facilitation and the level of family math discourse. Finally, the project staff will provide tools to support PD efforts for informal STEM educators across the country.