Exploring the consequences of individual differences in preschoolers' causal stance

探索学龄前儿童因果立场个体差异的后果

• 批准号: 1535102
• 负责人: Amy Booth
• 金额: $ 169.3万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-15 至 2017-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1535102&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Exploring; consequences; individual; differences; preschoolers

It has been increasingly recognized that promoting scientific literacy must begin early while foundational attitudes, knowledge and skills are taking shape. This project, conducted by researchers at the University of Texas and Loyola University of Chicago, will explore preschoolers' attunement to causal information -- referred to as their causal stance -- as a key component of this foundation. For example, the researchers are interested in the degree to which children seek out information about how unfamiliar objects work or can be used. By advancing our understanding of the origins and outcomes associated with the strength of children's causal stance, this project will support the development of early interventions aimed at facilitating children's participation and success in science, with a particular focus on at risk children. As such, its goals are particularly well aligned with the learning and learning environments strand of the Education and Human Resources Core Research (ECR) program. The project also has implications for professional workforce development and broadening participation in STEM fields.This project will implement a four-year longitudinal design to address two core research goals. First, with respect to outcomes, researchers will test the hypothesis that the strength of children's causal stance at 3 years of age (measured in terms of children's preferences, as well as patterns of inquiry and exploration) is predictive of their scientific literacy and interests at 5- and 6- years of age (measured by standardized tests and surveys). Second, with respect to origins, researchers will test the hypothesis that variability in the degree to which parents talk about, and otherwise highlight, causal information (in both the laboratory and in a children's museum) relates to the strength of their children?s causal stance, as well as their longer-term scientific literacy and interests. Together, these investigations will inform discussions regarding the role of early experience in shaping scientific literacy, and relatedly, when and in what ways we might optimize children?s engagement and success in science.

人们越来越认识到，在基本态度，知识和技能正在形成的同时，促进科学素养必须早早开始。该项目由德克萨斯大学和芝加哥洛约拉大学的研究人员进行，将探讨学龄前儿童对因果信息的调整（称为其因果立场），作为该基金会的关键组成部分。例如，研究人员对儿童寻求有关不熟悉对象的工作或可以使用的信息感兴趣。通过促进我们对儿童因果立场力量相关的起源和结果的理解，该项目将支持旨在促进儿童参与和在科学方面的成功的早期干预措施的发展，并特别关注“风险儿童”。因此，它的目标与教育和人力资源核心研究（ECR）计划的学习和学习环境尤其一致。该项目还对专业劳动力发展和扩大对STEM领域的参与有影响。该项目将实施四年的纵向设计，以解决两个核心研究目标。首先，就结果而言，研究人员将检验以下假设：3岁儿童因果关系的力量（根据儿童的偏好以及好奇和探索模式衡量）可以预测他们的科学素养和利益。 5岁和6岁（通过标准化测试和调查衡量）。其次，关于起源，研究人员将检验以下假设：父母谈论的程度的变异性，否则突出了因果信息（在实验室和儿童博物馆中）都与孩子的因果的力量有关立场，以及他们的长期科学素养和兴趣。这些调查共同为关于早期经验在塑造科学素养中的作用的讨论提供了信息，与之相关的是，我们何时和以何种方式可以优化儿童在科学方面的敬业度和成功。