United States Regional GLOBE Science Fairs

根据皮尤研究中心（Pew Research Center）的数据，2012年国际学生评估项目（比萨）每三年对15岁学生的阅读能力、数学和科学素养进行一次评估，结果显示，美国“在64个国家中数学排名第35位，科学排名第27位。与经济合作与发展组织的34个成员国相比，美国在数学方面排名第27位，在科学方面排名第20位。 鉴于科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学科对美国创新和竞争力的重要贡献，已经有几份高水平的报告呼吁改善我国学校的STEM教学。 关于科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）学科的教学和学习的有效实践的研究已经记录了当这些科目使用强调动手，探究式学习的教学法时所产生的重大影响。这些策略不仅帮助学生获得科学内容知识，而且更好地理解科学探究的过程。 如果采用基于问题或基于地点的方法，甚至可以取得更好的学习成果，因为将科学与人们、他们的社区和整个社会相关的问题联系起来，有助于达到学习者的认知和情感领域。事实上，新的STEM教学国家标准明确强调将科学实践融入课堂教学中是最佳实践。使教师做好有效使用这些教学方法的准备是成功实施的关键，但很难在全国范围内提供。 因此，我们面临的挑战是确定可以扩大规模的专业发展模式，以改变全国的STEM教学。该项目支持一项试点工作，为K-12学生创建六个区域科学博览会，其项目围绕全球学习和观察有益于环境（地球仪）计划协议和活动设计。地球仪计划，现在庆祝其运作的第20个年头，是一个全球性的，动手科学和科学教育计划，从事学生和教师收集，分析和解释真实的环境数据。 现在有114个国家在课堂上使用地球仪，数万名教师接受了地球仪议定书的培训。 该项目与16个地球仪合作伙伴（每个地区2-3个）的领导团队合作，在美国招募了另外44个合作伙伴-教师-学生团队参加为期1.0-1.5天的区域活动。 作为这项工作的一部分，经验丰富的地球仪合作伙伴每月提供网络研讨会和博客，以指导教师，促进地球仪研究在课堂上的更高质量实施。科学博览会的目标是促进美国之间更强大的社区联系地球仪合作伙伴，促进地球仪作为有效的科学教学在国家和国际层面的示范计划，并提供机会和资源，激励教师在课堂上实施真实的研究项目。六个区域比赛作为表彰那些无法参加其他地球仪学生会议，年度合作伙伴会议或地球仪学习探险的优秀团队的场所。 如果试点工作取得成功，预计这些区域科学博览会将成为年度活动。

According to the Pew Research Center, results from the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which measures every three years the reading ability, math and science literacy among 15-year-olds, placed the U.S. an "unimpressive 35th out of 64 countries in math and 27th in science." Compared to the 34 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S. ranked 27th in math and 20th in science. Given the important contribution that the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines make to U.S. innovation and competitiveness, there have been several high level reports calling for improved STEM instruction in our nation's schools. Research studies on effective practices for teaching and learning about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines have documented the significant impact made when these subjects are taught using pedagogies that emphasize hands-on, inquiry-based learning. These tactics help students gain not only the scientific content knowledge, but also a greater understanding of the process of scientific inquiry. Even better learning outcomes can be achieved if problem-based or place-based approaches are incorporated, because linking the science to issues that are relevant to people, their communities, and society in general, helps to reach both the cognitive and affective domains of the learner. Indeed, new national standards for STEM teaching clearly emphasize the integration of scientific practice within classroom instruction as being a best practice. Preparing teachers to use these pedagogical methods effectively is essential for successful implementation, but difficult to provide at a national scale. The challenge, then is to identify model programs for professional development that can be scaled up, in order to transform STEM teaching throughout the country.This project supports a pilot effort to create six regional science fairs for K-12 students whose projects are designed around the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program protocols and campaigns. The GLOBE program, now celebrating its 20th year of operation, is a global, hands-on science and science education program that engages students and teachers in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting authentic environmental data. There are now 114 countries using GLOBE in the classroom, with several tens of thousands teachers trained in the GLOBE protocols. Working with a leadership team of 16 GLOBE partnerships (2-3 per region), this project is recruiting an additional 44 partner-teacher-student teams in the U.S. to participate in the regional 1.0-1.5 day events. As part of this effort, experienced GLOBE partners are providing monthly webinars and blogs in order to mentor teachers, to promote higher quality implementation of GLOBE research in the classroom. The goal of the science fairs is to foster a stronger community connection among the U.S. GLOBE partners, promote GLOBE as a model program for effective science teaching on a national and international level, and provide opportunities and resources that motivate teachers to implement authentic research projects in their classrooms. The six regional competitions serve as a venue for honoring outstanding teams who are unable to attend other GLOBE student conferences, annual partner meetings, or GLOBE Learning Expeditions. It is anticipated that these regional science fairs will become an annual event, should the pilot effort prove successful.