Addressing Societal Challenges through STEM (ASCs): A Research Synthesis

非正式STEM学习(ISL)组织越来越多地采用创新方式，在社会挑战的背景下展示STEM知识。对于几乎每一个重大的社会问题--从生物多样性保护到网络安全，从考虑机器人将如何改变我们的生活方式，到基因工程或海岸恢复能力和粮食安全--都有一个科学中心、国家公园、自然历史博物馆、动物园或水族馆，举办一个展览或公民科学项目，召集一个对话项目，或计划一个与该主题相关的社区倡议。我们从这些努力中学到了什么？关于ISL如何参与和解决社会科学问题，我们知道些什么？在理解什么是有效的，什么是无效的方面存在差距？例如：当STEM知识位于一个社会问题中时，是否更容易接近？如果通过STEM的视角来看，社会科学关注的问题是否更容易理解？是否有启发式或指导原则可以最大限度地发挥这些努力的影响？随着进行研究综述的方法越来越复杂，现在可以挖掘不同的研究，探索变量之间的关系，并检查研究小组内和小组之间的趋势。在本研究中，社会挑战被定义为一种社会问题，其中：干知识和科学推理对于理解和回应是必要的；并且ISL有理由或有理由参与到这个问题中来。三组同行和实地评审的文献(同行评审的期刊、毕业论文和国家资助项目的评估报告)为纳入研究综合的研究提供了来源。该团队的方法包括几个周期，从按关键词组合(例如，网络安全、海岸恢复能力、社会问题、社会问题、科学争议、民意调查)进行搜索开始，并审查发表或存档ISL研究的大约30种期刊(如馆长：博物馆期刊、博物馆与社会问题或访客研究)和档案(如informalScience ence.org)的目录。随后的周期将(1)搜索从检索到的初始项目中引用的期刊，直到没有新的概念或项目出现；(2)审查通过NSF和IMLS授予的补助金；(3)审查与可能出现在其他学科文献中的项目有关的同行评议文章。研究将使用一个包括元数据(日期、出版来源和关键词)和研究问题建议的类别(例如，目标受众、STEM学科(S)、影响类型、干预形式、社会问题)的方案进行分类。接下来，将通过评估研究的相关性(索赔的来源和证据)、有用性(包含用于分析目的的充分信息)和所用方法的清晰度，对研究进行评估，以便纳入分析。将使用NVivo软件来管理文献的分析。编码系统将借鉴理论构建(例如，社会现象学、问题框架、修辞学、社会问题主张)、研究问题以及对文献进行映射和探索的迭代。在社会科学研究、公众参与科学和评估方面有专长的顾问将审查编码计划并向其通报；外部小组将协助最终确定编码计划。将进行描述性和相关性分析，以确定模式、主题和趋势，并检查数据组之间的关系。解释过程将包括私人投资主任和顾问探索影响和结论。该奖项的产出和活动包括研究综合报告和几个研究简报，以及用于分享研究的研究员-实践者网络研讨会。这项研究的专业受众是：(A)与ISL组织合作的个人，特别是通过展览或教育计划吸引公众受众的从业者，以及制定方向或政策的人；(B)研究人员和评估者；以及(C)与博物馆研究或STEM学科有关的大学生和教职员工，这些学科包含公共传播重点。ASC由推进非正式STEM学习计划(AISL)资助，该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。这包括为扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验提供多种途径，在非正式环境中推进对STEM学习的创新研究和评估，以及加深参与者对更深层次学习的理解。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。

Informal STEM Learning (ISL) organizations have increasingly engaged in innovative ways to present STEM knowledge within the context of societal challenges. For almost every major societal issue -- from biodiversity conservation to cybersecurity, from considering how robotics will change the ways we live, to genetic engineering or to coastal resilience and food security -- there is a science center, national park, natural history museum, a zoo, or an aquarium hosting an exhibit or citizen science project, convening a dialogue program, or planning a community initiative related to that topic. What have we learned from these efforts? What do we know about how ISLs are engaging with and addressing socio-scientific concerns? Where are the gaps in understanding about what works and what doesn't? For example: Is STEM knowledge more approachable when situated within a social question? Are socio-scientific concerns more approachable when viewed through a STEM lens? Are there heuristics or guiding principles that can maximize the impact of these efforts? With increasingly sophisticated methodologies for conducting research syntheses, it is now possible to mine disparate studies, explore relationships between variables, and examine trends within and across groups of studies. Taking the opportunity to aggregate what we know is critical for improving public audience experience and institutional outcomes.For purposes of this research, societal challenge is defined as a social problem where: STEM knowledge and scientific reasoning are necessary to understand and to respond; and there are claims or warrants for ISL's to engage in the problem. Three bodies of peer and field reviewed literature (peer-reviewed journals, graduate theses, and evaluation reports of nationally-funded projects) provide the source for studies to be included in the research synthesis. The team's approach contains several cycles starting with a search by combinations of keywords (e.g. cybersecurity, coastal resilience, social problems, social issues, science controversies, public polls) and a review of the Table of Contents of approximately 30 journals (such as Curator: The Museum Journal, Museums & Social Issues, or Visitor Studies) and archives (such as informalscience.org) that publish or archive ISL research. Subsequent cycles will (1) search journals cited from initial items retrieved until no new concepts or projects emerge; (2) review grants awarded through NSF and IMLS; and (3) examine peer-reviewed articles related to projects that may show up in the literature of other disciplines. Studies will be classified using a scheme that includes metadata (date, source of publication and keywords) and categories suggested by the research questions (e.g., intended audience, STEM discipline(s), types of impact, intervention format, societal issue). Next, studies will be assessed for inclusion in the analysis by evaluating their relevance (sources and evidence of claims), usefulness (contains adequate information for analysis purposes), and clarity of methodology(ies) used. NVIVO software will be used to manage the analysis of the literature. The coding system will draw on theoretical constructs (e.g., social phenomenology, issues framing, rhetoric, social problems claims), the research questions, and iterations of mapping and exploring the literature. Advisors with expertise in socio-scientific research, public engagement with science, and evaluation will review and inform the coding plan; an external panel will assist in finalizing the coding plan. Descriptive and correlational analysis will be conducted to identify patterns, themes, and trends and to examine relationships between groups of data. The interpretation process will involve the PIs and the advisors exploring implications and conclusions. Outputs and activities under this award include the research synthesis report and several research briefs as well as researcher-practitioner webinars to share the research. The professional audiences for this research are: (a) individuals working with ISL organizations, particularly practitioners who engage public audiences through exhibits or education programs, and those who set direction or policy; (b) researchers and evaluators; and (c) university students and faculty associated with museum studies or STEM disciplines that contain a public communications focus. ASC is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. This includes providing multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences, advancing innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments, and developing understandings of deeper learning by participants.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.