Collaborative Research: Design and Development of Transmedia Narrative-Based Curricula to Engage Children in Scientific Thinking and Engineering Design

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），显着提高学前班学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）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工作的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议项目提供了理论和经验依据。工程是下一代科学标准（NGSS）的重要组成部分。 然而，支持教师执行这些标准的资源却很少。 该项目将通过应用称为想象教育（IE）的创新教学法来创建中学工程课程，以解决资源需求。 在IE中，发展适当的叙述被用来设计学习环境，帮助学习者参与内容和组织他们的知识富有成效。 为了充分利用这种教学法的潜力，本项目将联合收割机IE与跨媒体讲故事相结合。 在跨媒体叙事中，叙事的不同元素以一种为用户创造协调体验的方式传播到各种格式（如书籍、网站、新文章、视频和其他媒体）中。 一旦创建，课程将在课堂上实施，以研究其对（1）提高学习者参与创新和直接应用工程概念的能力，以及（2）提高学习者的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）身份的影响。 这项研究将由史密斯学院和斯普林菲尔德技术社区学院与斯普林菲尔德（MA）公立学校（SPS）合作。 评估结果的其他专业知识将由教育服务协作组织和STEM教育和跨媒体讲故事领导者外部咨询委员会提供。 该项目将导致一个跨媒体学习环境的发展，其中包括两个NGSS对齐，跨学科的工程单位和七个经验教训，整合科学和工程。 该研究将分四个阶段在八所SPS中学实施。 每年约有900名学生参加。 在第一阶段，项目团队将与SPS教师合作，创建工程单元，课程和基于标准的成绩衡量标准。 在第二阶段，治疗组的教师将参加专业发展（PD）研讨会，内容包括IE，跨媒体学习环境，课程结构以及与NGSS的联系。 在第三阶段，课程将在治疗教室实施，治疗组和对照组的学生都将接受评估。 在第四阶段，测试和评估将继续在SPS学校，并将扩大到农村和郊区的教室。 这些教室的教师将使用在线多媒体PD，以确保可扩展性，并反映亲自PD的结构和内容。 数据分析将提供证据证明这种富有想象力和跨媒体的教育方法是否提高了学生使用工程概念的能力，并增强了他们的STEM身份。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值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. Engineering is an important component of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, resources for supporting teachers in implementing these standards are scarce. This project will address the need for resources by applying an innovative pedagogy called Imaginative Education (IE) to create middle school engineering curricula. In IE, developmentally appropriate narratives are used to design learning environments that help learners engage with content and organize their knowledge productively. To fully exploit the potential of this pedagogy, this project will combine IE with transmedia storytelling. In transmedia storytelling, different elements of a narrative are spread across a variety of formats (such as books, websites, new articles, videos and other media) in a way that creates a coordinated experience for the user. Once created, the curricula will be implemented in classrooms to research its impact on (1) increasing learners' capacities to engage in both innovative and direct application of engineering concepts, and (2) improving learners' science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) identity. This research will be led by Smith College and Springfield Technical Community College in collaboration with Springfield (MA) Public Schools (SPS). Additional expertise in evaluating the findings will be provided by the Collaborative for Educational Services and an external advisory board of leaders in STEM education and transmedia storytelling. The project will result in the development of a transmedia learning environment that includes two NGSS-aligned, interdisciplinary engineering units and seven lessons that integrate science and engineering. The research study will be implemented in four phases in eight SPS middle schools. Approximately 900 students will participate each year. In Phase 1, the project team will collaborate with SPS teachers to create engineering units, lessons, and standards-based achievement measures. In Phase 2, teachers in the treatment group will participate in professional development (PD) workshops covering IE, transmedia learning environments, structure of the curriculum, and connections to NGSS. In Phase 3 the curricula will be implemented in treatment classrooms and both treatment and control group students will be assessed. In Phase 4, testing and assessment will continue in SPS schools and will be expanded to rural and suburban classrooms. Teachers in these classrooms will use online multimedia PD that will ensure scalability and mirrors the structure and content of in-person PD. Data analysis will provide evidence of whether this imaginative and transmedia educational approach improves students' capacities for using engineering concepts and enhances their STEM identity.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.