This early concept project seeks to build a partnership between two US universities who are currently creating learning environments to support engaged learning in STEM disciplines. This award will allow these researchers to begin a collaboration with Finnish researchers at Turku University. The collaborative partnership will allow the research team to collaboratively understand the nature of engagement in complex STEM learning environments to develop better methods for creating authentic learning systems across many settings and contexts.
The broader significance and importance of this project arises from how it informs our knowledge of how to retain and engage students in learning tasks. These types of environments extend across the learning spectrum from early years into college and also into the workforce. The international collaboration serves to expand the network and skills of students involved in the project. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goals of transforming the frontiers by helping the United States be globally competitive through international partnerships. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by supporting the development of innovative learning systems.
