| NSF Org: |
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 18, 2008 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 26, 2010 |
| Award Number: | 0837898 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Gregg Solomon
gesolomo@nsf.gov (703)292-8333 DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2008 |
| End Date: | March 31, 2011 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $197,508.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $247,506.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2010 = $49,998.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1156 HIGH ST SANTA CRUZ CA US 95064-1077 (831)459-5278 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1156 HIGH ST SANTA CRUZ CA US 95064-1077 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | REAL |
| Primary Program Source: |
04001011DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
This project aims to advance understanding of how people learn in communities where schooling has not been prevalent Most research on learning has been done with people who have extensive experience in Western schooling, which is often organized with a recognizable structure. Many scholars had practitioners have turned to informal learning as a model for how to develop a broader understanding of learning and to improve instruction.
The ultimate goal of this work is to advance understanding of how indigenous-heritage communities' ways of learning about scientific ideas with the expectation that findings and outcomes from this type of research may eventually inform STEM formal and informal learning.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
SGER: Learning through Observing and Pitching In to Community Activities
Barbara Rogoff, UC Santa Cruz
The grant supported the research progress of an international, interdisciplinary consortium of 38 researchers studying a valuable model of informal learning that is found in many communities where schooling has not been prevalent, such as Indigenous communities of the US, México, and Central America. This model can serve as inspiration for institutions that are attempting to improve the ways learning is supported for all students, and especially for students from these communities.
In this approach, children are often integrated in the activities of their families and communities, and learn by observing and pitching in to the activities around them (through “intent community participation”). Learning by observing and pitching in occurs in many other communities, but it seems to be much more common in communities where children are routinely included in the range of community activities.
The project advanced understanding of how this way of organizing learning works, focusing on Indigenous-heritage communities in the US, México, and Guatemala. The research found that in such communities, many children
• have access and contribute to valued activities of their families, communities, and schools,
• contribute with initiative to family and community endeavors;
• show keen attention to events around them;
• engage with adults and other children in collaborative endeavors, with flexible roles;
• use a balance of means of communication, including especially nonverbal conversation based on shared action grounded in the context, in addition to talk;
• learn to be responsible participants in the community, gaining skills for collaboration as well as task information and skills, and
• are aided by in-context assessment of their contributions.
These aspects of learning through intent community participation are summarized in the diagram below.
[See diagram of prism defining Learning through Intent Community Participation]
Our research found that this approach tends to be less prevalent in European American communities. In addition, we found reduced use of this approach associated with extensive Western schooling in some Indigenous-heritage communities in Mexico, Guatemala, and the US.
The grant funded
2 annual workshops of the whole Consortium, 5 small-group or individual workshop travel fellowships, and
27 writing fellowships to write and submit research for publication (10 more than were proposed).
The grant directly resulted in 30 articles and 1 research monograph:
13 articles published or in press;
14 articles and 1 research monograph under submission for publication;
3 articles in preparation; and
a website in both English and Spanish, with an overview of this approach, links to related videos and books, and abstracts of some relevant articles by Consortium participants: http://www.intentcommunityparticipation.net
Broader Impacts of the Work
The project was designed to enhance the research and research skills of the Consortium participants, in ...
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