MCA: Partnering Land and communities for equitable and inclusive STEM learning

该项目的目标是探索土地教育教学法及其课程和教学创新，为土著和非土著教育工作者做好准备，使土著和非土著学生参与土著土地上的环境STEM教育。研究者将实施一项专业发展计划，重点关注各种教师教育和环境STEM学习计划中的教学创新，以(a)了解可以支持这些创新的工具和技术，(b)开发新的研究方法，以了解这些创新对个人、社区和社会生态系统的影响。这项研究建立在研究者之前对文化联系身份的调查基础上，以及如何利用技术来加深观察技能，与更广泛的受众交流，同时不分散学生的注意力。该项目将推进这方面的知识，并通过网络参与建立新的合作关系。本研究项目运用行动者网络理论和批判性本土研究方法来构建研究设计和方法。有四个驱动问题：(1)土地教育教学法在创造包容性和认识论多样化的STEM学习环境，与特定地方和社会生态系统建立更公平的关系以及影响STEM劳动力多样性方面提供了哪些支持？(2)哪些工具和技术可以帮助维持长期互利的关系，以支持土著和非土著教育工作者的准备工作，这些教育者将参与导致土著土地上多样化STEM劳动力的教育战略？(3)土地教育教学法对学生个体的归属感和STEM认同感、教育工作者参与STEM的方法社区以及更广泛的社会生态系统的健康有何影响？数据将从K-12和研究生中收集，使用自我民族志，照片语音和基于符号的反射，观察和网络映射。将使用内容和话语分析来分析证据。研究结果将为采用土地教育教学法的项目提供信息，为学生和教师塑造更加公平和包容的环境STEM教育，并增加代表性不足人群对STEM的坚持。该项目由中期职业发展计划资助，该计划使科学家和工程师能够实质性地推进他们的研究计划和职业轨迹。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。

The goal of the project is to explore Land education pedagogy and its curriculum and pedagogical innovations in the preparation of Native and non-Native educators to engage Native and non-Native students in environmental STEM education on Indigenous lands. The investigator will implement a professional development plan focused on pedagogical innovations within various teacher education and environmental STEM learning programs to (a) understand the tools and technologies that can support these innovations and (b) develop new research methods for understanding the impact of these innovations on individuals, communities, and socio-ecological systems. The research builds on the investigator’s prior inquiries on culturally connected identity and how technology can be used to deepen observation skills and communicate to broader audiences while not distracting from students’ engagement. The project will advance this knowledge and build new collaboration through network engagement. The research project uses the Actor Network Theory and Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies to frame the research design and approach. There are four driving questions: (1) What affordances does Land education pedagogy offer in creating inclusive and epistemologically diverse STEM learning environments, building more equitable relationships to particular places and to socio-ecological systems, and impacting the diversity of the STEM workforce? (2) What tools and technologies can assist in sustaining long-term, mutually beneficial relationships to support the preparation of Native and non-Native educators who will engage in educational strategies that lead to diverse STEM workforce on indigenous lands? (3) What are the impacts of a Land education pedagogy on individual students’ sense of belonging and STEM identity, communities of educators’ approaches to STEM engagement, and the health of broader socio-ecological systems? Data will be collected from K-12 and graduate students using autoethnographies, photovoice and symbol-based reflections, observations, and network mapping. Evidence will be analyzed using content and discourse analysis. The research findings will inform programs that employ Land education pedagogy to shape more equitable and inclusive environmental STEM education for students and teachers and to increase STEM persistence among underrepresented populations.The project is funded by the Mid-Career Advancement Program that enables scientists and engineers to substantively advance their research program and career trajectory.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.