Institute For Learning Innovation

BUILDING CAPACITY OF INFORMAL STEM LEARNING PROVIDERS TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER -AUTISM IS A PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER WITH IMPAIRED SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR, AND RESTRICTIVE PATTERNS OF INTEREST. APPROACHES FOR WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) AND SPECIAL NEEDS OFTEN INCLUDED CREATING SEPARATE EXPERIENCES THESE INDIVIDUALS, RESULTING IN ISOLATION FROM THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS. INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS, ON THE OTHER HAND, NOT ONLY AFFORD THESE INDIVIDUALS THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AS THEIR NEUROTYPICAL PEERS BUT ALSO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL COMMUNICATION FROM THESE PEERS. RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT INCLUSIVE FREE-CHOICE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS ARE IDEAL FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD TO LEARN SOCIAL SKILLS AND ALLOW FOR A DEEP FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC OF INTEREST. INFORMAL STEM LEARNING (ISL) EDUCATORS HAVE THE DESIRE BUT MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT AND TIMELY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THIS AUDIENCE. THIS PROJECT TEAM RECENTLY MODIFIED AND PILOTED A RIGOROUS, PROVEN TRAINING APPROACH DEVELOPED FOR INDIVIDUAL PARENTS AND TEACHERS WHO WORKED WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD FOR EDUCATORS WORKING IN INFORMAL SCIENCE INSTITUTIONS. THE IDEA IS TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF THESE EDUCATORS IN ASD SUPPORT TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES, SO THEY ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO CREATE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS. THIS PHASE 2 PROJECT BUILDS ON THE PRIOR WORK BY REFINING AND FURTHER TESTING THE MODEL FOR DELIVERING TRAINING ON A BROADER SCALE. THE PROJECT SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN ISL PROVIDERS' ABILITY TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS ON THE ASD IN MAINSTREAM PROJECTS AND EXHIBITS AND PROMOTE MORE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL CREATE A 1) HYBRID PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL THAT OFFERS A UNIQUE PATHWAY FOR INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE TO BROADEN ACCESS TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN STEM LEARNING IN EXISTING ISL VENUES, 2) NEW APPROACH TO AND EVIDENCE-BASED UNDERSTANDING OF THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMAL STEM LEARNING OFFERINGS THAT ARE MORE BROADLY ACCESSIBLE, AND 3) COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (COP) MODEL FOR DEVELOPING ITERATIVE ASD-SUPPORTIVE MUSEUM LEARNING STRATEGIES WITH ISL EDUCATORS AND ASD EXPERTS. THE PROJECT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING INNOVATION, THE SCITECH INSTITUTE, AND THE SOUTHWEST AUTISM RESEARCH & RESOURCE CENTER (SARRC). IN THIS NEXT PHASE THE TEAM WILL EXPAND TO THREE ADDITIONAL METROPOLITAN REGIONS IN MISSOURI, FLORIDA, AND OKLAHOMA. THE OVERARCHING GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO A) INCREASE INCLUSION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD AND SPECIAL NEEDS IN MAINSTREAM ISL ENVIRONMENTS; B) TRAIN STAFF IN ASD SUPPORT TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES, AND C) ULTIMATELY, SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH ASDS IN GAINING THE SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND MOTIVATION NEEDED TO ENGAGE IN MAINSTREAM STEM ACTIVITIES. KEY QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE: 1) TO WHAT DEGREE DOES THE HYBRID PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM SUPPORT THE INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING STAFF OUTCOMES AS THEY RELATE TO ASD KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS, INTEREST, SKILLS, ATTITUDE, AND BEHAVIOR? 2): WHAT FEATURES OF THE DIGITAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (E.G., CONTENT INFORMATION, PEER CHECKLISTS, VIDEO TUTORIALS, COLLABORATIVE EXPERIENCES [I.E., INCUBATORS], MULTI-LEVEL COP) DO ISL STAFF CONSIDER MOST EFFECTIVE FOR IMPROVING THEIR ABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ASD PATRONS? 3) HOW DO THE DIGITAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORTIVE MATERIALS FOR TRAINING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ENABLE ISL PROFESSIONALS TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY STEM EDUCATION EXPERIENCES FOR ASD INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES? TO WHAT DEGREE ARE THE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM ACHIEVED? 4) TO WHAT DEGREE HAS THE PROJECT CREATED SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE, WHICH REACHES BEYOND ISL STAFF TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING MUSEUM EXPERIENCE FOR THE ASD COMMUNITY? PHASE 2 BUILDS ON FINDINGS FROM PHASE 1 TO CREATE EFFECTIVE ONLINE DELIVERY METHODS WITH SUPPORTING SITE VISITS AND BUILD AN ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER AND COP THAT IS READILY ACCESSIBLE TO MOST, IF NOT ALL, NATIONAL ISL ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL USE A SOCIOCULTURAL APPROACH TO EXPLORE ASD INDIVIDUALS' LEARNING IN ISL ENVIRONMENTS. THE RESEARCH IS DESIGNED TO MEASURE STEM LEARNING OUTCOMES, WHICH HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CURRENT GAP FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD. THE PROJECT WILL BROADEN PARTICIPATION BY TRANSFERRING THIS COMPREHENSIVE BODY OF RESEARCH TO PRACTICE IN IMPORTANT WAYS. THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A SELF-SUSTAINING MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND A COP TO HELP THE FIELD DEVELOP FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS, SKILLS, AND CONFIDENCE FOR FULL INCLUSION OF THE ASD COMMUNITY, HENCE BROADENING INCLUSION GENERALLY. THIS INTEGRATING RESEARCH & PRACTICE 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 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.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICERS: A STRATEGY FOR STUDENT AWARENESS AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

BUILDING CAPACITY FOR INCLUSIVE INFORMAL STEM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: GROUNDING INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS IN STRUCTURES FOR BROADER IMPACTS DESIGN

CULTIVATING SCIENCE: EXAMINING THE FREE-CHOICE SCIENCE LEARNING NETWORKS OF URBAN GARDENERS

RECONCEPTUALIZING STEM+COMPUTING LITERACY

HEAD START ON ENGINEERING: SUPPORTING ENGINEERING INTEREST DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN SUPPORTING FREE-CHOICE SCIENCE LEARNING

LEARNING SOLUTIONS: INVESTIGATING FUNDAMENTAL TOOLS, RESOURCES & STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ADDRESSING PERSISTENT ISSUES IN STEM

CITY AS LIVING LABORATORY FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN URBAN DESIGN

ACKNOWLEDGING AND SHIFTING THE DYNAMICS OF POWER: BUILDING EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS AMONG INFORMAL STEM LEARNING PRACTITIONERS, RESEARCHERS, AND COMMUNITIES -THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, PARTICULARLY THE DIRECTORATE FOR STEM EDUCATION, HAS LONG FUNDED WORK TO SUPPORT COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS, AND TO PROMOTE THE APPLICATION OF RESEARCH TO IMPROVE LEARNING OUTCOMES IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES HAVE INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE REPOSITORIES THAT HELP PRACTITIONERS ACCESS, UNDERSTAND, AND APPLY RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE TO THEIR WORK. INCREASINGLY, THESE EFFORTS INVOLVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT REQUIRE [1] ACKNOWLEDGING AND NAVIGATING BOUNDARIES BY BEING OPEN AND CURIOUS TO LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER AND [2] WORKING ACROSS THESE BOUNDARIES SINCE EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS WORK AT THESE INTERSECTIONS AS IDEAS ARE EXCHANGED AND MEDIATED. THIS PROJECT WILL ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCHERS CAN AND SHOULD FORM EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS IN SERVICE OF SUPPORTING LIFELONG STEM LEARNING IN INFORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. IT WILL ALSO EXAMINE HOW COMMUNITY INTERSECTS WITH PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OR SCALES OF COMMUNITY WITH WHICH AN ISL PARTNERSHIP OF RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS MAY INTENTIONALLY AND EQUITABLY ENGAGE. THIS TWO-PHASE PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING PROJECT IS CONDUCTED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING INNOVATION AND PUEBLO COLLAB LLC, A COMMUNITY-CENTERED CONSULTING ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON SHIFTING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE TO BUILD BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON INITIAL PROCESSES OF BUILDING EQUITABLE ISL PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCHERS BY ENGAGING IN INTENTIONAL EXERCISES FOR CO-THINKING AROUND ISSUES OF EQUITY AND POWER IN ISL WORK. GROUNDED IN FERRELL AND COLLEAGUES' EQUITY-IN-MISSION AND EQUITY-IN-PROCESS, THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO BUILD TRUST AND SHARED UNDERSTANDING AMONG PARTNERS WHILE ALSO CONFRONTING SYSTEMIC POWER DYNAMICS (AND THEIR ROLES IN THE TEAM'S PRIOR PARTNERSHIPS). IN PHASE ONE, THE CORE PROJECT MEMBERS WILL TEST AND REFINE THE PROCESSES EXAMINING THEIR OWN AND EACH OTHER'S PRACTICES BEFORE WIDENING THE LENS. IN PHASE TWO, AN EXPANDED GROUP OF ISL AND ISL-ADJACENT RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS WILL BE ENGAGED. SEVERAL CLAIMS WILL BE SCRUTINIZED USING CO-CONSTRUCTED PROCESS EVALUATION: 1) PROVIDING SUFFICIENT TIME AND SPACE FOR SELF-REFLECTION AND CO-REFLECTION CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POWER IN ISL RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER RELATIONSHIPS CAN SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRUST. 2) PROVIDING SUCH TIME AND SPACE TO ENGAGE IN THIS WORK IS CENTRAL TO THE CO-CREATION OF A SHARED RESEARCH AGENDA. AND 3) ITERATIVELY ADDRESSING ISSUES AROUND POWER AND TRUST IS ESSENTIAL TO CREATING A HEALTHY, EQUITABLE, AND LASTING ISL RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER PARTNERSHIP. BY THE END OF THIS PROJECT THE TEAM WILL HAVE A) CREATED A STRONG AND EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP; B) DEVELOPED A COLLECTION OF CONVERSATION PROMPTS AND EXERCISES SPECIFICALLY USEFUL FOR DEVELOPING EQUITABLE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PRACTITIONERS IN ISL CONTEXTS, C) CONSIDERED HOW RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER PARTNERSHIPS ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITIES/PUBLIC AUDIENCES, AND D) IDENTIFIED FUTURE PROJECT IDEAS THAT ENSURE RECIPROCAL BENEFITS FOR THE PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES INVOLVED. PROCESSES WILL BE SHARED BROADLY THOUGH A CO-WRITTEN BLOG SERIES. THIS PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING 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. BY EXAMINING THE FOUNDATIONAL AND SOMETIMES PROBLEMATIC PRACTICES IN THE ISL FIELD THAT MUST BE INTERROGATED TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE IN THIS SPACE, THE PROJECT SUPPORTS AISL'S GOAL FOR BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN STEM. 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.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

BILINGUAL EXHIBITS RESEARCH INITIATIVE (BERI)

PUBLIC AWARENESS OF STEM AND ADVANCING THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN STEM

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: THE INTEGRATION OF SCIENCE CENTRES WITH NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMS FOR IMPARTING INFORMAL EDUCATION

CONFERENCE: SCIENCE MUSEUM FUTURES

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE ON A SPHERE

THE INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING INNOVATION WILL STRENGTHEN BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION WORKING IN ART MUSEUMS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INVOLVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES OF THREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BOOTCAMPS FOCUSED ON CHANGE LEADERSHIP, STRATEGIC AND INNOVATIVE PLANNING, AND ENTERPRISE LEVEL FINANCIAL ACUMEN. DESIGNED IN COOPERATION WITH THE FORUM FOR LEADERSHIP IN ART MUSEUM EDUCATION AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MARY WASHINGTON, THE FOUR-WEEK, ONLINE PROGRAMS WILL ENROLL APPROXIMATELY 20 STUDENTS IN EACH CLASS. AN EVALUATION WILL ASSESS THE PROGRAMS? EFFECTIVENESS IN ADVANCING THE PARTICIPANTS? PRACTICE AND PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP ROLE. THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE PRACTICE OF MUSEUM LEADERSHIP WHILE POSITIONING MUSEUM EDUCATORS TO BETTER SUPPORT AND LEAD MUSEUMS.

INTERSECTIONS IN ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE: EXPLORING INFORMAL SCIENCE LEARNING ASSESSMENT METHODS TO IMPROVE UNDERGRADUATE STEM EDUCATION

LEARNING SUMMIT: LEARNING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL GRANT: CONNECTED AUDIENCES