Socio-Environmental Science Investigations Using the Geospatial Curriculum Approach with Web Geospatial Information Systems

该项目将推动创新的技术经验的学生和教师（ITEST）计划的努力，以更好地了解和促进实践，提高学生的动机和能力，追求在科学，技术，工程，或数学（STEM），通过产生经验发现和/或研究工具，有助于了解哪些模型和干预措施与K-12学生和教师最有可能提高未来STEM和STEM同源密集型劳动力的能力。该项目将开发，实施和评估一系列创新的社会环境科学调查（SESI），使用地理空间课程方法与STEM相关的指导，为宾夕法尼亚州阿伦敦21号楼学校9年级的经济困难学生提供技术丰富的地理空间学习经验，以发展STEM相关技能。该项目将侧重于与环境科学有关的社会问题。该项目利用利哈伊大学自然科学教授、社会科学教授、教育学教授、STEM Valley Mentoring Coalition、Building 21科学和社会研究学校教师、阿伦敦市政府和PPL Corporation之间的设计合作关系，利用Web GIS开发地理空间调查（地理空间信息系统），这将使学生具备技能和职业意识，以激励他们追求STEM相关职业的适当教育途径。尽管地理空间行业的加速增长和STEM的一致性，但很少有基于学校的课程将地理空间技术整合到他们的课程中，更少的课程将STEM相关的指导纳入其中，以促进相关职业的兴趣和愿望。该项目将有助于教育研究基础设施，通过制作一系列工具来衡量STEM相关技能的发展，在SESI调查的背景下，学生对辅导经验的看法，STEM职业动机以及STEM兴趣，用于传统上在STEM相关学科和职业中代表性不足的高中生。该项目还促进了与大学科学家，社会科学家，教育工作者，科学中心和STEM导师的独特的基于社区的伙伴关系，使高中生参与有关当地环境问题的研究和决策过程。学习活动将为学生提供合作，寻求证据，解决问题，掌握技术，发展地理空间思维和推理技能以及练习STEM工作场所所必需的沟通技能的机会。该项目将使研究人员能够（1）研究SESI和指导如何提高学生对STEM的兴趣以及他们追求STEM相关职业的动机，以及（2）分析地理空间课程方法与STEM相关指导相结合时如何提高STEM相关技能，学生在STEM中的代表性不足。

This project will advance efforts of the innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by producing empirical findings and/or research tools that contribute to knowledge about which models and interventions with K-12 students and teachers are most likely to increase capacity in the STEM and STEM-cognate intensive workforce of the future. This project will develop, implement, and evaluate a series of innovative socio-environmental science investigations (SESI) using a geospatial curriculum approach with STEM-related mentoring that will provide economically disadvantaged students in the 9th grade of the Building 21 school in Allentown, PA with technology-rich geospatial learning experiences to develop STEM-related skills. The project will focus on social issues related to environmental science. This project uses a design partnership among Lehigh University natural science professors, social science professors, education professors, the STEM Valley Mentoring Coalition, Building 21 science and social studies school teachers, the Allentown city government, and PPL Corporation to develop geospatial investigations with Web GIS (Geospatial Information Systems) that will prepare students with skills, and career awareness, to motivate them to pursue appropriate education pathways for STEM-related occupations. Despite the accelerating growth in geospatial industries and congruence across STEM, few school-based programs integrate geospatial technology within their curriculum, and even fewer incorporate STEM-related mentoring to promote interests and aspirations in related occupations. The project will contribute to educational research infrastructure by producing a series of instruments to measure the development of STEM-related skills in the context of SESI investigations, students' perceptions of mentoring experience, STEM career motivation, and STEM interest for use with high school students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM-related disciplines and careers. The project also promotes a unique community-based partnership with university scientists, social scientists, educators, a science center, and STEM mentors that involve high school students in the research and decision-making process about local environmental problems. The learning activities will provide opportunities for students to collaborate, seek evidence, problem-solve, master technology, develop geospatial thinking and reasoning skills, and practice communication skills that are essential for the STEM workplace. The project will enable researchers to (1) examine how SESI and mentoring increases students' interest in STEM and their motivation to pursue STEM-related careers, and (2) analyze how the geospatial curriculum approach when combined with STEM-related mentoring can improve STEM-related skills with students under-represented in STEM.