2314107

Developing a new generation of collaborative scientists and citizens through popular media - This project will focus on understanding how media can improve boys' and girls' perceptions of female scientists and engineers and increase children's understanding of mixed-gender collaborations in STEM.

Two main products will be developed and disseminated. The first will be eight 11-minute episodes of the popular children's program, Elinor Wonders Why, which reaches 16.5 million viewers. This will be used as an intervention within a series of rigorous research studies and broadcast to audiences for public use and subsequent benefit.

The second will be a game-based, draw-a-scientist assessment in which 3-6 year old participants and their caregivers will create sticker-based scenes that include scientist or engineer avatars 'at work' in a variety of contexts in order to clarify young children's perceptions of science and engineering.

This project has the potential to benefit society by modeling and celebrating mixed-gender STEM collaborative work. The project builds knowledge and understanding on gender-based STEM research and provides learnings for future ways of exploring the impact of youth perceptions in media.

The project uses mixed methods research and an iterative design process that involves stakeholders, youth and their adult caretakers, and partnerships among university faculty, PBS station educators, and media developers to address these questions: To what degree do children perceive science as a gendered occupation? How do children and their caregivers perceive women in science? Do children perceive science as a collaborative process? Do children perceive science as important to the community?

A second study will include (1) embedding the gamified assessment into a larger Elinor Wonders Why PBS digital game, (2) linking the assessment directly to the media via a digital throw transition, and (3) disseminating the intervention (episode) and the assessment (game) linked together for public engagement through social media, broadcast, and streaming.

This type 5, research in support of wide-reaching public engagement with STEM, project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which supports projects that: (a) contribute to research and practice that considers informal STEM learning's role in equity and belonging in STEM; (b) promote personal and educational success in STEM; (c) advance public engagement in scientific discovery; (d) foster interest in STEM careers; (e) create and enhance the theoretical and empirical foundations for effective informal STEM learning; (f) improve community vibrancy; and/or (g) enhance science communication and the public's engagement in and understanding of STEM and STEM processes.

This project is jointly funded by Advancing Informal Science Learning (AISL) and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR). 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.

University Of Rhode Island

THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "ADVANCING INFORMAL STEM LEARNING", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF22626

47.076 - Education and Human Resources

Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) [NSF]

Kingston, Rhode Island 02881-1974 United States

Single Zip Code

Advancing Informal STEM Learning (22-626)

Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been extended from 08/31/27 to 02/29/28 and the total obligations have increased 1060% from $300,000 to $3,481,454.