Collaborative Research: Engaging Adolescents through Collaboration on Simulated STEM Career Scenarios and Mathematics Activities

科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域的就业和STEM教育的成就需要更好地反映美国人口统计的多样性。考虑到预计STEM领域技术工人的短缺，这种差距尤其令人担忧。该项目将创建STEM领域同伴协作的虚拟模拟，供青少年使用。这些模拟练习将帮助青少年培养合作技能和对STEM领域的职业兴趣，特别是那些使用数学和需要强大团队合作的领域。通过创建一个创新的模拟来支持数学协作技能发展和STEM职业身份，并将其应用于利用青年文化资产的非正式学习环境，该项目将增加历史上在STEM职业中代表性不足的学生在STEM职业管道中坚持的可能性。该项目的工作将产生三个模拟模块，支持其在非正式学习环境中使用的程序材料，以及关于其实施和影响的初步研究证据。模拟将以STEM职业场景的真实表演为特色，并提供重复应用数学知识和协作技能的机会。模拟玩家将与虚拟伙伴互动，接收反馈以提高表现，并强调数学和STEM职业合作的价值。模拟的虚拟伙伴和他们的对话将基于中学课堂上数学协作的录音，改编自用于医疗保健培训的人工智能平台。模拟内容和支持将由战略合作伙伴、莫尔黑德天文馆和科学中心（MPSC）和LatinxEd的工作人员提供，这些工作人员为非裔美国人、拉丁裔和未来的第一代大学生提供以stem为重点的编程。六位非裔美国人和拉丁裔STEM职业伙伴将在真实的数学和吸引学生用户的协作行业实践中进行模拟。共有96名非裔美国青少年和拉丁裔青少年以及潜在的第一代大学生青少年将作为游戏测试者。另外80名参与战略合作伙伴项目的参与者将参与实地测试：分别进行三种模拟，生成用户数据，完成数学协作技能的转移任务，并就其STEM职业兴趣和抱负进行自我报告调查。现场测试数据将使用嵌套数据和重复测量的多级模型进行分析。定性数据收集将包括对游戏和现场测试的观察，以及对项目工作人员和行业顾问的采访。专题分析将为课程支持提供信息，并提高实施的效用和可行性。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目资助，该项目支持有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）以及信息和通信技术（ICT）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and attainment in STEM education need to reflect better the diversity of US population demographics. This disparity is especially concerning given projected shortfalls in skilled workers for jobs in STEM fields. This project will lead to the creation of virtual simulations of peer collaboration in STEM fields, designed for use by adolescents. Practice with these simulations will help adolescents build collaborative skills and career interest in STEM fields, especially those that use mathematics and require strong teamwork. By creating an innovative simulation to support mathematics collaborative skills development and STEM career identities, and grounding its use in informal learning environments that capitalize on youths’ cultural assets, this project will increase the likelihood that students historically underrepresented in STEM careers will persist in the STEM career pipeline. The project’s work will result in three simulation modules, program materials supporting their use in informal learning environments, and initial research evidence about their implementation and impacts. The simulations will feature authentic performance settings of STEM career scenarios with opportunities for repeated application of mathematical knowledge and collaborative skills. Simulation players will interact with virtual partners, receiving feedback to improve performance and emphasize the value of mathematics and collaboration in STEM careers. Adapted from an artificial intelligence platform used in healthcare training, the simulations’ virtual partners and their dialog will be based on recordings of mathematics collaboration in secondary school classrooms. Simulation content and supports will be informed by staff from strategic partners, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center (MPSC) and LatinxEd, that provide STEM-focused programming to African American, Latinx, and future first-generation college students. Six African American and Latinx STEM Career Partners will ground the simulations in authentic mathematics and collaborative industry practices that appeal to student users. A total of 96 African American and Latinx adolescents, and adolescents who are potential first-generation college students will serve as play-testers. An additional 80 participants enrolled in the strategic partners’ programs will engage in field-testing: playing each of three simulations, generating user data, and completing a transfer task of collaborative skills in mathematics and self-report surveys about their STEM career interests and aspirations. Field-test data will be analyzed using multi-level models for nested data and repeated measures. Qualitative data collection will include observations of play and field testing, and interviews with program staff and industry consultants. Thematic analysis will inform curricular supports and improve implementation utility and feasibility. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.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.