Exploring the consequences of individual differences in preschoolers' causal stance

人们日益认识到，在基本态度、知识和技能形成的同时，促进科学素养必须及早开始。该项目由德克萨斯大学和芝加哥洛约拉大学的研究人员进行，将探索学龄前儿童对因果信息的协调（称为他们的因果立场），作为该基础的关键组成部分。例如，研究人员感兴趣的是孩子们在多大程度上寻求关于不熟悉的物体如何工作或可以使用的信息。通过促进我们对与儿童因果立场的力量相关的起源和结果的理解，该项目将支持制定旨在促进儿童参与科学并取得成功的早期干预措施，特别关注风险儿童。因此，它的目标特别符合教育和人力资源核心研究（ECR）计划的学习和学习环境链。该项目还对专业劳动力发展和扩大STEM领域的参与具有影响。该项目将实施四年的纵向设计，以实现两个核心研究目标。首先，在结果方面，研究人员将检验一个假设，即儿童在3岁时的因果立场的强度（以儿童的偏好以及探究和探索模式衡量）可以预测他们在5岁和6岁时的科学素养和兴趣（通过标准化测试和调查衡量）。第二，关于起源，研究人员将测试的假设，在何种程度上的变化，父母谈论，否则强调，因果信息（在实验室和儿童博物馆）涉及到他们的孩子的力量？的因果立场，以及他们的长期科学素养和利益。总之，这些调查将为关于早期经验在塑造科学素养方面的作用的讨论提供信息，以及相关的，我们何时以及以何种方式优化儿童？的参与和科学的成功。

It has been increasingly recognized that promoting scientific literacy must begin early while foundational attitudes, knowledge and skills are taking shape. This project, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas and Loyola University of Chicago, will explore preschoolers' attunement to causal information -- referred to as their causal stance -- as a key component of this foundation. For example, the researchers are interested in the degree to which children seek out information about how unfamiliar objects work or can be used. By advancing our understanding of the origins and outcomes associated with the strength of children's causal stance, this project will support the development of early interventions aimed at facilitating children's participation and success in science, with a particular focus on at risk children. As such, its goals are particularly well aligned with the learning and learning environments strand of the Education and Human Resources Core Research (ECR) program. The project also has implications for professional workforce development and broadening participation in STEM fields.This project will implement a four-year longitudinal design to address two core research goals. First, with respect to outcomes, researchers will test the hypothesis that the strength of children's causal stance at 3 years of age (measured in terms of children's preferences, as well as patterns of inquiry and exploration) is predictive of their scientific literacy and interests at 5- and 6- years of age (measured by standardized tests and surveys). Second, with respect to origins, researchers will test the hypothesis that variability in the degree to which parents talk about, and otherwise highlight, causal information (in both the laboratory and in a children's museum) relates to the strength of their children?s causal stance, as well as their longer-term scientific literacy and interests. Together, these investigations will inform discussions regarding the role of early experience in shaping scientific literacy, and relatedly, when and in what ways we might optimize children?s engagement and success in science.