STEM Sea, Air, and Land Remotely Operated Vehicle Design Challenges for Rural, Middle School Youth

探索研究K-12计划(DRK-12)旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具(RMT)，显著提高K-12学龄前学生和教师在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)方面的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发努力的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议的项目提供了理论和经验证明。北佛罗里达社区学院项目通过提供高质量和相关的STEM设计，为佛罗里达州北部高度贫困农村地区的中学生提供了在STEM继续深造的机会。设计挑战将结合农村地区(即用于调查大型牧场、农场和森林的地理信息系统测绘和无人机)，产生一系列六个设计挑战模块和两个竞赛设计挑战，并附带教师指导，为90名中学生准备相关的STEM模块。该项目将综合4个部分：(A)工程设计，(B)技术和社会，(C)电气知识，和(D)计算机科学。该项目旨在通过嵌入工程设计挑战的经验来提高中学生的空间推理能力。由学校、大学和STEM专业人员组成的合作伙伴将利用STEM学习研究的最佳实践，开发设计挑战，目的是提高北佛罗里达社区学院服务的农村、高度贫困地区历史上未得到充分服务的学生对STEM路径的认识和参与。将在实施前后收集关于学生结果的数据，包括内容掌握程度、空间推理技能、自我效能、对STEM的态度和兴趣以及在科学课程中的学业成就。数据评估将涉及六个课程模块的研究和开发阶段，以及(2)遵循延迟治疗设计模式的干预研究。通过增加参加STEM实践和跨学科体验的农村学生的数量，该项目有可能扩大对数学和科学的兴趣和能力，并增加了解STEM职业道路的学生数量。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，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。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. The North Florida Community College project provides middle school students in a high poverty rural area in Northern Florida an opportunity to pursue post-secondary study in STEM by providing quality and relevant STEM design. The design challenges will be contextualized within a rural region (i.e., GIS mapping and drones used for surveying large ranches, farms, and forests), producing a series of six design challenge modules and two competition design challenges with accompanying teacher guides for preparing relevant STEM modules for 90 middle school aged students. The project will integrate 4 components: (a) engineering design, (b) technology and society, (c) electrical knowledge, and (d) computer science. The project aims to improve middle school students' spatial reasoning through experiences embedded within engineering design challenges. competition design challenges with accompanying teacher guides for preparing relevant STEM modules for aged studentsCollaborative partners consisting of school level, college level, and STEM professionals will develop the design challenges, using best practices from STEM learning research, with the intent of advancing STEM pathway awareness and participation among historically underserved students in the rural, high-poverty region served by North Florida Community College. Data regarding student outcomes will be collected before and after implementation, including measures of content mastery, spatial reasoning skills, self-efficacy, attitudes and interests in STEM, and academic achievement in science courses Assessment of the data will involve the research and development phases of six curriculum modules and (2) an intervention study following a delayed-treatment design modelThere is a growing need for the increased broadening of STEM by underserved groups. By increasing the number of rural students who participate in STEM hands on, interdisciplinary experiences, the project has the potential to expand interest and competency in mathematics and science and expand the number of students who are aware of STEM career pathwaysThis 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 criteriaThis 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.