GP:IN:Fostering STEM Education and Career Opportunities in a Diverse Wisconsin Community

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。像美国的许多学区一样，威斯康星州的贝洛伊特学区与明显的种族和民族不平等以及成就差距作斗争，特别是在科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）方面。 为了应对这些学术和社会挑战，PI建议建立一个非正式网络，称为威斯康星州教育领导社区外展和环境指导（欢迎）。 贝洛伊特学区是一个理想的环境，可以调查在很大程度上被排除在地球科学之外的多样化学生群体中提高STEM素养，自信心和职业兴趣的潜力。 WELCOME倡议要解决的广泛挑战是地球科学中持续存在的多样性危机;残疾青年的STEM障碍;以自然为基础和以社区为重点的积极学习机会不足;地球科学教师的知识基础和信心不足。 该提案旨在向青年介绍地球科学领域，并在中学期间尽早与地球科学家接触，因为早期接触是后来对该领域感兴趣的一个已知指标，并旨在培养一个具有STEM素养的公众。 PI将开发一个非正式网络WELCOME，旨在加强对历史上被边缘化的青年的STEM教育。 欢迎结合协作学习和实践经验，初中和高中学生，职前本科教师和在职教师，专注于耦合地球气候系统，并受益于韦尔蒂环境中心的非正式，以社区为基础的学习环境。主要合作伙伴将包括威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校气候研究中心、韦尔蒂中心、贝洛伊特学区、贝洛伊特学院、实现合作治疗、威斯康星州中南部自闭症协会以及全球学习和观察有益于环境（地球仪）计划。目标如下：（1）提高热情和自我能力的看法在整个南WI青年干，同时面对与种族，民族和残疾状况，包括有关地球科学专业的陈规定型观念的障碍。(2)培养学生在假设建立、科学探究、仪器校准和使用以及数据收集和分析方面的技能，重点是地球的耦合系统，具体做法是执行地球仪的议定书，包括由学生设计的具有高度社区相关性的地方环境调查的特别测量议定书，使边缘化青年有效参与。(3)通过STEM夏令营为自闭症青少年提供广泛的地球科学机会，在无威胁，包容性的学习环境中进行分析性的好奇心。(4)通过地球仪培训支持职前和在职教师的专业发展，以满足州教师执照对环境教育熟练程度的要求，并发展所有地球科学学生参与的主动学习单元。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。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).Like many school districts in the United States, the School District of Beloit, Wisconsin struggles with pronounced racial and ethnic inequities and achievement gaps, particularly notable in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In order to confront these academic and societal challenges, the PIs propose to develop an informal network known as the Wisconsin Educational Leadership for Community Outreach and Mentoring for the Environment (WELCOME). The School District of Beloit is an ideal setting for investigating the potential to enhance STEM literacy, self-confidence, and career interests among a diverse student population that has been largely excluded in the geosciences. The broad challenges to be tackled by the WELCOME initiative are the persistent diversity crisis in the geosciences; STEM barriers for youth with disabilities; insufficient nature-based and community-focused active learning opportunities; and deficient knowledge base and confidence among geoscience teachers. The proposal aims to introduce youth to the field of geosciences and contact with geoscientists early on, during middle school, as early exposure is a known indicator for later interest in the field, and aims to foster a STEM-literate public. PIs will develop an informal network, WELCOME, aimed at enhancing STEM education for historically marginalized youth. WELCOME combines collaborative learning and hands-on experiences among middle and high school students, pre-service undergraduate teachers, and in-service teachers that is focused on the coupled Earth climate system and benefits from the informal, community-based learning environment of the Welty Environmental Center. The key partners will include the Center for Climatic Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Welty Center, School District of Beloit, Beloit College, Achieving Collaborative Treatment, Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin, and Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. The objectives are as follows: (1) Enhance the enthusiasm and perception of self-competency in STEM among youth across southern WI, while confronting barriers related to race, ethnicity, and disability status including stereotypes regarding geoscience professions. (2) Foster students’ skills in hypothesis building, scientific inquiry, instrument calibration and usage, and data collection and analysis, focused on Earth’s coupled system, through the implementation of GLOBE’s protocols, including special measurement protocols for student-designed local environmental investigations of high community relevance that effectively engage marginalized youth. (3) Broaden geoscience opportunities for youth on the autism spectrum through STEM summer camps that engage analytical inquisitiveness in a non-threatening, inclusive learning environment. (4) Support the professional development of pre- and in-service teachers through GLOBE training to meet the state teacher licensure requirements for proficiency in environmental education, and the development of active-learning units that engage all geoscience students.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.