| NSF Org: |
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 19, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 27, 2021 |
| Award Number: | 1713319 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Robert Russell
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2017 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,458,551.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,458,551.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1200 NEW YORK AVE NW WASHINGTON DC US 20005-3928 (202)326-6400 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
DC US 20005-3928 |
| 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): | AISL |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
The project will advance efforts by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institute for Learning Innovation to bring together young adults from communities historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to collaboratively conduct scientifically driven challenges embedded in a mobile learning tool based upon the AAAS Active Explorer platform. The project will be conducted at the Washington National Mall, San Francisco National Golden Gate Park, and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, and will study how a mobile technology used in these settings can facilitate learner engagement in science content; how it can affect young adults' engagement in science-learning processes; and whether interest in learning science and technology has been furthered. The project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments, including pathways for broadening access to STEM learning experiences and advancing research STEM learning.
Research questions will investigate science learning inequalities by addressing how place-based augmented reality games can connect young adults to scientific practices, including observing science phenomena, analyzing data, and communicating findings; how young adults develop science skills related to their science self-efficacy through participation in augmented reality science exploration; and how mobile technologies and gaming can serve as mediators that enable young adults to improve their science identity. In addition to engaging young adults in science activities at the National Parks and increasing their science skills, the project will provide valuable information to National Park staff and scientists to assist them in designing effective tools, resources and experiences to better engage young adults. Research teams will collect data in the form of digital ethnography, focus groups, activity reports, artifacts, and surveys. The project will document learning and engagement through mobile technology in three urban national parks that will involve 60 young adults at each location, and will create innovative measurement tools to monitor how informal settings can leverage the intersections of the arts and sciences to support student engagement and learning.
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.
National Park Science Challenge explored how digital learning tools can increase science capital and engagement of urban young-adults, and co-designed and implemented a mobile augmented reality (AR) game with youth based in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA. The resulting WildSpot game was implemented in 43 locations within and adjacent to urban national parks, monuments and recreation areas operated by the U.S. National Park Service.
Intellectual Merit
The project explored the opportunities and constraints National Parks face in their efforts to attract urban young adults, and how digital learning tools might help them address this challenge. The research and evaluation team conducted extensive interviews with national park staff not only within our primary target locations (Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA) but in urban national parks nationwide, as well as with other stakeholders in outdoor community groups and other organizations. The team gained valuable feedback from cohorts of young adults in San Francisco and Washington. The research team spent extensive time with groups of diverse young adults discussing how national parks could better serve their communities and how the WildSpot game could be most effective in meeting their needs. Some preliminary findings were shared via a video and discussion presented for the NSF STEM for All Video Showcase, and more complete findings are being prepared in the form of a journal article for peer-reviewed publication.
The design and implementation of the game itself featured many innovations that will be instructive to any informal education effort involving mobile gaming. To address concerns about players straying from safe, public areas, the game featured a constrained field of play that limited active game activity to a proscribed equilateral triangle 50 meters on a side. AR game elements were presented as full 3D models, and players could photograph themselves or others interacting with the elements. Game challenges reinforced field science processes, like differentiating species via both morphology, color patterns and behavior. Notably, National Park staff could create their own "WaySide Quests" consisting of AR signposts located at areas of special interest within the park. Staff could instruct players to locate objects or phenomena of interest, take photos and journal notes, and share what they found via social media or email. At the completion of these challenges, they could invite players to sign up for citizen science projects, either locally or through a catalog of thousands of projects via the SciStarter citizen science portal.
Broader Impacts
The National Park Science Challenge was featured in the online magazine Science Connected, and through the SciStarter citizen science program. The WildSpot game reached a new audience of scifi and fantasy lovers at the Science Tent of the AwesomeCon convention in Washington, DC, where the project was hosted at the National Science Foundation exhibit booth.
Overall, the WildSpot game found it challenging to reach the broad audience we had hoped, due to severe restrictions on access to urban national parks during the COVID pandemic and the cancellation of our planned in-person marketing events resulting from the pandemic. But as gathering in these spaces has returned, we hope to resume the project, provided additional funding can be secured. Knowledge from the design and implementation of the game is also being utilized in other, current NSF projects.
Last Modified: 11/28/2022
Modified by: Suzanne Thurston
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