Science Learning +: Partnering for Equitable STEM Pathways for Underrepresented Youth

这个为期4年的项目解决了非正式科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)学习中的基本公平问题。在美国和联合王国，来自历史上代表性不足的背景的青年获得非正式STEM学习(ISL)的机会仍然有限。然而，有证据表明，独立学习经验可以扩大青年在STEM学习和发展的机会，例如，增加对教育抱负和未来职业/追求的积极态度，提高学校环境中的成绩和考试成绩，减少纪律处分和辍学率。通过研究和开发，该项目将研究人员和实践者聚集在一起，专注于支持青年进入STEM的公平途径的经验、做法和工具。该伙伴关系跨越概念框架和ISL环境(例如，科学中心、社区团体、动物园)和两个不同国家的四个城市背景下的大学，将产生一个连贯的知识库，加强和扩大研究和实践伙伴关系，建设变革性研究和开发的能力，并开发新的模型和工具，以支持在全球一级公平地进入STEM。该项目由科学学习+资助，这是国家科学基金会(NSF)和惠康信托与英国经济和社会研究理事会之间的国际合作伙伴关系。这一联合筹资努力的目标是采取变革性步骤，改善非正式STEM经验的知识库和实践。在国家科学基金会内，Science Learning+是推进非正式STEM学习(AISL)计划的一部分，该计划旨在加强在非正式环境中的学习，并扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验的机会。该Equity Path项目回应了美国和联合王国在国际空间法研究和实践的交叉点上面临的三个挑战：1)对于来自历史上代表性不足的背景的青年如何看待和体验跨国家背景的国际空间法机会，以及支持通过国际空间法增强能力的行动所需的做法和工具缺乏共同理解；2)对支持这些青年在国际空间法内和跨国际空间法取得进步的核心高杠杆做法的共同理解和证据有限；以及3)对国际空间法如何对寻求发展自己的STEM道路的这类青年具有公平和变革性的理解有限。这一伙伴关系的主要目标是让实践者和研究人员通过基于设计的实施研究、调查和批判性人种志与青年合作，对他们如何以及在什么条件下随着时间和环境参与国际空间法有新的理解，以及他们如何将这些经验连接到STEM的道路上。该项目的成果将是：1)重新认识国际空间法对来自历史上代表性不足的背景的青年是公平的和具有变革意义的；2)一套高杠杆的做法和工具，支持公平和具有变革意义的非正式科学学习途径(以及青年需要通过这些途径的机构)；3)加强和提高专业能力，通过非正式科学学习扩大来自历史上代表性不足背景的青年参与STEM的范围。该项目将通过研究+实践伙伴关系在4个城市实施：英国伦敦布里斯托尔和美国密西西比州波特兰，大学研究人员(伦敦大学学院、密歇根州立大学、俄勒冈州立大学/学习创新研究所)、科学博物馆(布里斯托尔科学中心、布伦特洛奇公园动物中心、印象5、俄勒冈州科学与工业博物馆)和社区中心(Stemettes、Knowle West Media Centre、Lansing男孩和女孩俱乐部，以及太平洋西北地区的Girls，Inc.)的从业人员。

This 4-year project addresses fundamental equity issues in informal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning. Access to, and opportunities within informal STEM learning (ISL) remain limited for youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds in both the United States and the United Kingdom. However, there is evidence that ISL experiences can expand opportunities for youth learning and development in STEM, for instance, increase positive attitudes towards educational aspirations and future careers/pursuits, improve grades and test scores in school settings, and decrease disciplinary action and dropout rates. Through research and development, this project brings together researchers and practitioners to focus on the experiences, practices and tools that will support equitable youth pathways into STEM. Working across conceptual frameworks and ISL settings (e.g. science centers, community groups, zoos) and universities in four urban contexts in two different nations, the partnership will produce a coherent knowledge base that strengthens and expands research plus practice partnerships, builds capacity towards transformative research and development, and develops new models and tools in support of equitable pathways into STEM at a global level. This project is funded through Science Learning+, which is an international partnership between the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Wellcome Trust with the UK Economic and Social Research Council. The goal of this joint funding effort is to make transformational steps toward improving the knowledge base and practices of informal STEM experiences. Within NSF, Science Learning+ is part of the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program that seeks to enhance learning in informal environments and to broaden access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences. This Equity Pathways project responds to three challenges at the intersections of ISL research and practice in the United States and the United Kingdom: 1) lack of shared understanding of how youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds perceive and experience ISL opportunities across national contexts, and the practices and tools needed to support empowered movement through ISL; 2) limited shared understanding and evidence of core high-leverage practices that support such youth in progressing within and across ISL, and 3) limited understanding of how ISL might be equitable and transformative for such youth seeking to develop their own pathways into STEM. The major goal of this Partnership is for practitioners and researchers, working with youth through design-based implementation research, survey and critical ethnography, to develop new understandings of how and under what conditions they participate in ISL over time and across settings, and how they may connect these experiences towards pathways into STEM. The project will result in: 1) New understandings of ISL pathways that are equitable and transformative for youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds; 2) A set of high leverage practices and tools that support equitable and transformative informal science learning pathways (and the agency youth need to make their way through them); and 3) Strengthened and increased professional capacity to broaden participation among youth from historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM through informal science learning. The project will be carried out by research + practice partnerships in 4 cities: London & Bristol, UK and Lansing, MI & Portland, OR, US, involving university researchers (University College London, Michigan State University, Oregon State University/Institute for Learning Innovation) practitioners in science museums (@Bristol Science Centre, Brent Lodge Park Animal Centre, Impressions 5, Oregon Museum of Science & Industry) and community-based centers (STEMettes, Knowle West Media Centre, Boys & Girls Clubs of Lansing, and Girls, Inc. of the Pacific Northwest).