Supporting Students' Science Content Knowledge through Project-Based Inquiry

基于项目的探究(PBI)全球倡议将通过在北卡罗来纳州两所项目合作伙伴学校的课堂实施来解决STEM学习问题，这两所学校一所是城市学校，另一所是农村学校，学生群体具有不同的文化背景。这两所都是实施早期大学高中模式的创新型公立高中，让来自STEM领域代表性不足的不同群体的学生为大学成功做好准备。由于理论和实践的协同作用，该项目将在编写改进的探究性学习材料和研究这些材料对学生和教师的影响方面取得实质性进展。该项目为高中生提供了通过参与与全球相关的以学习者为中心的活动来沉浸在科学内容中的机会。将讨论以下三个研究问题：1)通过PBI全球流程的探究如何支持学生的科学内容知识？2)在参与PBI全球流程后，学生的动机和参与度如何表征？3)由于PBI全球专业发展，教师对基于探究的教学的态度发生了多大程度的变化？基于项目的全球调查(PBI)通过迭代开发和实施全球相关的、基于探究的STEM课程，回应了对研究知识和实地测试产品的需求。该项目的重点是通过全球水和卫生问题的主题，培养九年级学生的物理、生物和环境科学内容知识以及科学和工程实践。将调查影响学生动机和参与度的因素，以及教师对探究式教学的态度。该项目将使用以设计为基础的研究(DBR)方法，为现有的跨学科PBI全球倡议开发和完善教学材料和教师专业发展。发现性研究K-12计划(DRK-12)旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模式和工具，显著提高K-12年级学生和教师在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)方面的学习和教学水平。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，为拟议的项目提供了理论和经验上的证明。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。

The Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global initiative will address STEM learning through classroom implementation at two project partner schools in North Carolina, one urban and the other rural, with culturally diverse student populations. Both are innovative public high schools implementing the Early College High School model, preparing diverse students from populations underrepresented in STEM fields for college success. Because of the synergistic interaction of theory and practice, the project will produce substantial advances in the development of improved inquiry-based learning materials and research on the impact of these materials on students and teachers. The project offers high school students the opportunity to be immersed in science content through engaging in globally-relevant learner-centered activities. The following three research questions will be addressed: 1) How does inquiry through the PBI Global process support student science content knowledge? 2) How can students' motivation and engagement be characterized after participating in the PBI Global process? 3) To what degree do teachers' attitudes toward inquiry-based pedagogies change as a result of PBI Global professional development?Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global responds to the need for research-informed and field-tested products with iterative development and implementation of a globally relevant, inquiry-based STEM curriculum. The project focuses on developing 9th grade student physical, biological, and environmental science content knowledge and science and engineering practices through the topics of global water and sanitation issues. Factors influencing student motivation and engagement, as well as teacher attitudes toward inquiry-based pedagogies will be investigated. The project will use a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach to develop and refine instructional materials and teacher professional development for the existing interdisciplinary PBI Global initiative. A mixed-methods research convergent parallel design will be used to explore the effects of the classroom implementation on student and teacher outcomes.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. 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.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.