Wildlife Neighbors: Facilitated Ecological Research with Minority Youth via Camera Surveys in Urban Parks

城市环境是研究生态学和物种形成的非凡的天然实验室。这些学习生态系统在生态上是多样化的，城市青年及其家庭可能更容易接触到这些生态系统。不幸的是，STEM准入方面的差距仍然存在。交通、社会和财政障碍，以及对STEM机会缺乏认识，是严重限制城市青年，特别是代表人数不足的群体参与STEM方案的几个不平等因素。在人口统计学上，人们对谁能够有意义地从事科学研究的看法仍然偏向富裕、年迈和非小型化的个人。为了应对这些挑战，这项试点研究将调查使用远程相机调查当地和城市野生动物的可行性，以促进包容性做法和青年参与STEM。将采用共同创建的课程，将城市生态学家和底特律青年(6-8年级)聚集在一起，参与野生动物实地体验，以获取和分析从部署在城市中的摄像头收集的数据。这是相机调查与真实的基于地点的、具有文化相关性的生态研究的独特结合，将促进创新的、体验式的学习体验。这项试点研究将促进对各种促进方法和参与野生动物邻居计划等课外时间计划对青少年影响程度的理解。从更广泛的影响角度来看，这项工作可能会产生积极的环境扫盲成果，并被证明适用于该国的其他城市青年。这些研究成果将为未来的研究奠定基础，并为NSF针对中学生的城市、校外时间环境教育项目组合增加新的方法，使用相机调查来促进包容性、参与科学实地研究并提高年轻人对STEM的兴趣。通过耶鲁大学环境学院应用野生动物生态学实验室和底特律动物学会之间的战略合作伙伴关系，这项试点将检验通过对底特律24个公园的野生动物监测进行体验式学习对加强年轻人环境素养的四个方面的影响：生态知识、作为研究人员的能力、对野生动物的同理心和地方感。青年将自行选择四种促进模式中的一种，每种模式的强度都不同(暑期体验、课后俱乐部)和模式(面对面、远程)。通过在底特律公园部署的相机调查，年轻人将沉浸在生态研究中，让他们参与整个科学过程：观察、询问、数据收集、实地考察、数据分析和讲故事。青少年前后调查、对计划活动的日常反思以及家长/监护人问卷将评估野生动物邻里促进模式的影响和经验，并更广泛地开展计划。研究问题将探索参与野生动物邻居的程度：(A)促进强度和模式的差异，以及(B)在参与共同创建的校外时间体验项目时，加强中学城市青年的环境素养，使用远程摄像机调查当地野生动物。在为期两年的试点期间，约有100名青年及其家人将参加该计划。这项试点研究由NSF推进非正式STEM学习计划资助，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。

Urban environments are remarkable natural laboratories to study ecology and speciation. These learning ecosystems are ecologically diverse and potentially more accessible for urban youth and their families. Unfortunately, disparities in STEM access continue to persist. Transportation, social and financial barriers, and a lack of awareness of STEM opportunities are a few of the inequities that significantly limit participation in STEM programs among urban youth, especially from underrepresented groups. Perceptions of who can meaningfully engage in scientific research remain demographically skewed to affluent, aged, and non-minoritized individuals. In an effort to address these challenges, this pilot study will investigate the feasibility of using remote cameras to survey local, urban wildlife to promote inclusive practices and youth engagement in STEM. A co-created curriculum will be employed, bringing urban ecologists and Detroit youth (6th-8th grade) together to participate in wildlife field experiences to garner and analyze data collected from cameras deployed through the city. It is the unique coupling of the camera surveys with authentic place-based, culturally relevant ecological research that will facilitate the innovative, experiential learning experiences. This pilot study will advance the understanding of the extent to which various facilitation methods and participation in out-of-school time programs like the Wildlife Neighbors program impact youth. From a broader impacts' perspective, this work may yield positive environmental literacy outcomes and prove applicable for other urban youth in the country. The research findings would lay the foundation for future research and add novel approaches to the NSF portfolio on urban, out-of-school time environmental education programs for middle school youth using camera surveys to promote inclusivity, engagement in scientific field research, and increase youths' interest in STEM.Through a strategic partnership between the Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab in the School of the Environment at Yale University and the Detroit Zoological Society, this pilot will examine the effects of experiential learning through wildlife monitoring in twenty-four Detroit parks on strengthening four aspects of youth's environmental literacy: knowledge of ecology, competencies as researchers, empathy for wildlife, and sense of place. Youth will self-select into one of four facilitation models, each varying in intensity (summer experience, afterschool club) and mode (in-person, remote). Using camera surveys deployed in Detroit parks, youth will be immersed in ecological research, engaging them in the entire scientific process: observation, inquiry, data collection, fieldwork, data analysis and storytelling. Youth pre- and post-surveys, daily reflections on program activities, and parent/guardian questionnaires will assess impacts and experiences of the Wildlife Neighbors facilitation models and program more broadly. The research questions will explore the extent to which participation in Wildlife Neighbors: (a) differs across facilitation intensity and mode, and (b) strengthens environmental literacy among middle school urban youth when engaged in a co-created out-of-school time experiential program using remote cameras to survey local wildlife. Over the two-year pilot duration, approximately 100 youth and their families will participate in the program. This pilot study is funded by the NSF Advancing Informal STEM Learning 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.