ISE Research: Contextualizing Science Learning and Motivation in Rural and Indigenous Adolescents through Mapping Sustainable Practices

September 15th, 2012 - August 31st, 2015 | PROJECT

ISE Research: Contextualizing Science Learning and Motivation in Rural and Indigenous Adolescents through Mapping Sustainable Practices is a three-year interdisciplinary research project. Researchers from the University of New Hampshire will investigate impacts of contextualization on science learning, motivation, and positive attitudes toward science of early adolescents from rural and Indigenous populations. The project will yield research findings that can help identify contextualization as a means to engage rural and Indigenous adolescents. The project team uses a systematic approach that incorporates mixed methods of data collection and analysis to learn more about how culture and community (contextualization) impact STEM learning. They hypothesize that contextualizing science learning to culture and community will enhance rural majority and Indigenous early adolescents' science knowledge and positively strengthen motivation and attitudes toward science. Local community and Indigenous group members provide expertise that contributes to the design of the research and the related curriculum as well as the interpretation of the findings. This project will contribute to what we know about how underserved and underrepresented youth engage in STEM learning in relation to their world views. This work will help advance the informal science education field in terms of providing rigorous evidence that can inform theory on learning and motivation among disadvantaged STEM learners as well as address practical issues around the design of STEM programs for rural and Indigenous groups.

Project Website(s)

(no project website provided)

Project Products

Mapping Sustainable Practices
Video - Community-Based Science: The SPIRALS Program
http://www.spirals.unh.edu/

Team Members

Eleanor Abrams, Principal Investigator, University of New Hampshire
Thomas Kelly, Co-Principal Investigator, University of New Hampshire
Lisa Townson, Co-Principal Investigator, University of New Hampshire
Ruth Varner, Co-Principal Investigator, University of New Hampshire
Michael Middleton, Co-Principal Investigator, University of New Hampshire

Funders

Funding Source: NSF
Funding Program: ISE/AISL
Award Number: 1223703
Funding Amount: 1199480

Tags

Access and Inclusion: Rural
Audience: Evaluators | Middle School Children (11-13) | Museum | ISE Professionals
Discipline: Education and learning science | General STEM
Resource Type: Project Descriptions
Environment Type: Community Outreach Programs | Public Programs