| NSF Org: |
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | June 14, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | March 6, 2024 |
| Award Number: | 1906736 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Chia Shen
DRL Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | June 15, 2019 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,701,408.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $1,701,408.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2021 = $621,210.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3112 LEE BUILDING COLLEGE PARK MD US 20742-5100 (301)405-6269 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
2311 Benjamin Building College Park MD US 20742-1800 |
| 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): |
ITEST-Inov Tech Exp Stu & Teac, AISL |
| Primary Program Source: |
1300XXXXDB H-1B FUND, EDU, NSF 04001920DB NSF Education & Human Resource |
| 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
NSF proposal #1906736
Abstract
African American and Latinx youth are often socialized towards athletic activity and sports participation, sometimes at the expense of their exploration of the range of potential career paths including those in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will immerse middle school youth in the rapidly growing world of sports data analytics and build their knowledge of statistics concepts and the data science process. The project will focus on the STEM interests and knowledge development of African American and Latinx youth, an underrepresented and underserved group in STEM. Researchers will explore the ways youths' social identities can and should serve as bridges towards future productive academic and professional identities including those associated with STEM learning and the STEM professions. The outcomes of the project will advance knowledge in promoting elements of informal learning experiences that build adolescents' motivation and persistence for productive participation in STEM courses and careers. This project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning program (AISL), which seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments, and the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program (ITEST), which funds projects that leverage innovative uses of technologies to prepare diverse youth for the STEM workforce, with a focus on broadening participation among underrepresented and underserved groups in STEM fields.
Over a three-year period, 250 middle school learners in the West Baltimore, Maryland and Hyattsville, Maryland areas will engage in three main learning activities: Summer Camp (three weeks), Sports Day Saturdays, and a Spring Summit. Through a partnership between the University of Maryland and Coppin State University, the project will utilize resources in multiple departments and units across both universities, and engage with youth sports leagues such as the American Athletic Union (AAU) to support participants' engagement in the data science process including collection of raw data, exploration of data, development of models, visualization, communication, and reporting of data, and data-driven decision making. Furthermore, youth participants will attend local AAU, college, and professional sporting events, and interact with members of coaching staffs to better understand the ways performance data technologies are utilized to inform recruitment and team performance. The mixed-methods research agenda for this project is guided by three main questions: (1) What elements of the project's model are most successful at supporting congruence of adolescents' academic identity, including STEM identity and social identity including athletic identity? (2) What elements support adolescents' motivation, and persistence for productive participation in current and future STEM courses? (3) To what extent did the project appear to influence participants' perceptions of their future professions? At multiple points throughout the experience, participants will complete surveys designed to document and assess statistics and data science knowledge; interest in STEM careers; academic, social and athletic identity development; and STEM course taking patterns. Researchers will also observe project activities, interview a focal group of participants, and survey participants' parents to identify elements of learning experiences that encourage and support adolescents' interest in STEM disciplines and STEM professions. The project team will develop conceptual and pedagogical frameworks that support middle school youth' engagement and interest in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics through repurposing spaces where these youths frequent. A major outcome of the project will be workforce preparation and offers a promising approach for encouraging youth to persist along STEM pathways, which may ultimately result in broadened participation in STEM workforces.
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.
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.
Maryland Sports Data Analytics Camps for Youth, also known as ‘Mathletics’, is a program designed to engage middle- grades youth in the field of sports data analytics. The program aims to build their knowledge of statistical concepts and the data science process while particularly focusing on engaging African American and Latinx youth to deepen their STEM knowledge and introduce them to STEM fields. Mathletics is a year-long project with two primary components: a three-week summer camp held at both the University of Maryland (UMD) and Coppin State University (CSU) in Baltimore, MD, and Sports Data Analytic Saturdays conducted during the academic year. At UMD, the program operates under the Maryland Institute for Minority Achievement and Urban Education (MIMAUE) and the Center for Math Education in the College of Education. At CSU, it is hosted by the Mathematics and Computer Science department. A key goal of the program is to collaborate with the UMD and CSU Athletics Departments to expose youth participants to the various uses of data collection, data analytics, and data-driven decision-making within university athletics activities, with a particular focus on the use of technology.
The intellectual merit of the Mathletics project is substantial and there are several significant areas of potential impact. Manuscripts are under development that explore the intersection and tensions between adolescent STEM identity development and athletic identity development, particularly among adolescents of color, contributing to the understanding of identity formation in STEM and sports contexts. The emphasis on statistical analysis is noted to have broader applications in other data-driven disciplines, such as physical health. The program's curriculum is being developed into an exemplary, replicable, and scalable model of informal STEM learning, integrating data analytics, sports engagement, and technology. The program is expected to have a positive social impact beyond science and technology, especially in supporting healthy identity development among middle grades aged youth, particularly young African American males. It also aims to direct youth with limited STEM opportunities towards conceiving themselves as members of the STEM community, thus broadening participation in STEM fields. Furthermore, summer instructors, who are practicing K-12 mathematics teachers, report learning new ways to contextualize mathematics and statistics content in their classrooms through their participation in the project, contributing to professional development and improvements in teaching practices.
The Mathletics project also has significant potential broader impacts on society. It aims to benefit society and contribute to achieving several specific, desired societal outcomes. The program's focus on underrepresented groups in STEM, particularly African American and Latinx youth, addresses issues of equity and access in STEM education and careers. The research being conducted can contribute to a better understanding of how to engage diverse youth in STEM. The emphasis on statistical analysis can positively impact other disciplines that use data analysis, such as physical health, suggesting a broader impact on scientific literacy and data-driven decision-making.
The project aims to develop a strong sense of statistics concepts, which can help students gain access to science, technology, and engineering fields, thus contributing to a larger and more diverse STEM workforce. The program has the potential to direct youth who may have little to no access to STEM opportunities, particularly data science and analytics, towards conceiving themselves as members of the STEM community. It also suggests the program could have broader positive effects on youth development and identity formation. Parent feedback indicates that the program connects math to real-world problems, enhances mathematical knowledge and confidence, and increases interest in STEM-related careers, contributing to a more engaged and skilled future citizenry. The significant increase in the proportion of students planning to go to college after participating in the program indicates a positive impact on educational aspirations and attainment, which has broad societal benefits. The development of a replicable and scalable model of informal STEM learning means that the program's beneficial outcomes could potentially be extended to a wider population.
Last Modified: 04/28/2025
Modified by: Lawrence M Clark
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