Impactathons: Student-Led Peer-to-Peer Learning in Community Social-Change Technology Projects

这项试点研究将检验一项创新的应用型社会变革、社区和技术计划的有效性，该计划旨在提高边缘化青年学习和参与数字技术应用的机会、兴趣、效率和动机。试点采用分层的近同行和点对点的指导方法，建立在现有文献的基础上，这些文献表明，同行支持的实践指导和经验可以减少青年参与数字技术的一些障碍，特别是在代表性不足的群体中。在这个项目中，本科生将指导主要是西班牙裔的高中青年和以社区为基础的组织，并与他们合作，开发基于创新技术的解决方案，以解决当地社区内的社会问题和挑战，最终形成名为Impactathons的活动。这些由社区主办的地方和全州范围的活动使这一试点项目有别于现场的类似工作。Impactathons不仅为本科生-青年-社区合作伙伴提供了一个知识讨论和解决问题的空间，而且Impactathon还将汇集科学家、社会科学家、技术专家、社区领袖和其他利益相关者的专业知识，以开发具有现实世界应用的基于技术的解决方案。如果成功，一个长远的结果将是年轻人对数字技术和相关领域的兴趣增加。短期内，有利的结果将提供成功的初步证据，并为未来更广泛的研究奠定基础。这一试点项目是由加州大学圣克鲁斯分校的学生主导的技术与社会变革项目-拉美裔服务机构-与数字巢合作的项目，后者是一个非营利性的高科技青年职业发展和合作空间，面向14-24岁的年轻人。通过这一伙伴关系和其他招募工作，估计将有70-90人在两年内参与Impactathon试点计划。预计近三分之二的参与者将是本科生。他们将接受广泛的近同行和点对点辅导培训，并担任高中青年参与者的导师和共同创新开发人员。本科生和青年将与当地社区组织合作，确定可以通过基于技术的解决方案来应对的当地社会挑战。新出现的挑战将有所不同，可能跨越STEM和应用社会科学感兴趣的主题。在非正式场合工作(例如，放学后。周末)，大学生-青年-社区合作伙伴团队将合作开发实用的基于技术的解决方案，以应对现实世界的挑战。这些团队每年将在当地和全州范围内召开三次学生和社区领导的Impactathons会议，分享他们的工作，并从其他团队收集见解，以完善他们的创新。同时，研究小组将研究Impactathon模式在提高本科生和青少年对数字技术的兴趣、动机、兴奋、参与度和学习方面的有效性。除了研究之外，形成性和终结性评估应该为该模式的有效性及其扩展和复制的潜力提供有价值的见解。该项目由推进非正式STEM学习计划(AISL)和STEM+C共同资助。AISL计划旨在促进对非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和发展的新方法和基于证据的理解。STEM+C专注于研究和开发跨学科和跨学科的方法，以将计算整合到K-12预科学生的正式和非正式环境中的STEM教与学中。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This pilot study will examine the effectiveness of an innovative applied social change, community and technology based program on marginalized youths' access, interest, efficacy and motivation to learn and engage in digital technology applications. Using stratified near-peer and peer-to-peer mentoring approaches, the pilot builds on extant literature that indicates that peer-supported hands-on mentoring and experiences can alleviate some barriers to youth engagement in digital technologies, particularly among underrepresented groups. In this project, undergraduate students will mentor and work collaboratively with high school youth primarily of Hispanic descent and community-based organizations to develop creative technology-based solutions to address social issues and challenges within their local communities, culminating in events called Impactathons. These community-hosted local and state-wide events set this pilot project apart from similar work in the field. The Impactathons not only provide a space for intellectual discourse and problem-solving among the undergraduate-youth-community partners but the Impactathons will also codify expertise from scientists, social scientists, technologists, community leaders, and other stakeholders to develop technology-based solutions with real world application. If successful, a distal outcome will be increased youth interest in digital technologies and related fields. In the short term, favorable findings will provide preliminary evidence of success and lay the foundation for a more extensive study in the future.This pilot project is a collaboration between the Everett Program, a student-led program for Technology and Social Change at the University of California Santa Cruz - a Hispanic Serving Institution - and the Digital NEST, a non-profit, high-tech youth career development and collaboration space for young people ages 14-24. Through this partnership and other recruitment efforts, an estimated 70-90 individuals will participate in the Impactathon pilot program over two years. Nearly two-thirds of the participants are expected to be undergraduate students. They will receive extensive training in near-peer and peer-to-peer mentoring and serve as mentors for and co-innovation developers with the high school youth participants. The undergraduates and youth will partner with local community organizations to identify a local social challenge that can be addressed through a technology-based solution. The emergent challenges will vary and could span the spectrum of STEM and applied social science topics of interest. Working in informal contexts (i.e., afterschool. weekend), the undergraduate-youth-community partner teams will work collaboratively to develop practical technology-based solutions to real world challenges. The teams will convene three times per year, locally and statewide, at student and community led Impactathons to share their work and glean insights from other teams to refine their innovations. In parallel, the research team will examine the effectiveness of the Impactathon model in increasing the undergraduate and youths' interest, motivation, excitement, engagement and learning of digital technologies. In addition to the research, the formative and summative evaluations should provide valuable insights on the effectiveness of the model and its potential for expansion and replication.The project is co-funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program and STEM +C. The AISL program seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. STEM + C focuses on research and development of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to the integration of computing within STEM teaching and learning for preK-12 students in both formal and informal settings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.