STEM Familia A language acquisition mobile app to improve long term educational and health outcomes among Latino families

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT STEM Familia A language acquisition mobile app to improve long term educational and health outcomes among Latino families Enhancing the STEM science technology engineering and math proficiency of Hispanic elementary students to prepare them for success in secondary school and college STEM courses and in STEM fields after graduation While STEM fields account for most U S economic growth Latino students are not likely to enroll or complete degrees in undergraduate and graduate STEM programs Given well established research linking grade completion economic success and overall health and well being this trend portends serious negative long term physical and mental health outcomes for Latinos Access to higher education generally and to enrollment in STEM programs in particular is hindered by lagging academic literacy and especially by unfamiliarity with abstract words that make up the scientific academic vocabulary SAV Words such as conclusion evidence method integrate relevant distinct and component are fundamental to STEM content area learning but are uncommon in everyday conversation particularly in low SES homes where English is not the first language To promote Latino students SAV proficiency we propose a technology based approach to acquiring and practicing SAV in family settings We will build mobile technology that schools can share with upper elementary students and their families to increase students exposure to evidence based SAV instruction STEM Familia a Spanish English app for mobile phones and tablets will enable schools to overcome language and access barriers that impede families engagement in academic support Latino families are regular users of mobile phones This technology can be used to deploy rich media strategies including motion graphic illustration and definition of target words touch screen games that stimulate vocabulary recognition and recall and brief video vignettes that model the use of target words in culturally appropriate family contexts STEM Familia will also enable schools to leverage classroom instructional time by enabling content area and ELD teachers to provide synchronous practice opportunities and feedback on the target vocabulary Phase I will establish proof of concept by testing a STEM Familia prototype This will involve the participation of participants in focus groups usability testing and program evaluation The latter will involve a pilot study by dyads of Latino th th grade students and one of their parents In Phase II we will build the full program and subject it to a randomized controlled study with a large and adequately powered sample of students and their families Project Narrative Latino students experience significant achievement gaps that contribute to substantial disparity in health and economic outcomes As part of a strategy to mitigate those disparities early development of scientific academic vocabulary is key to preparing Latino English language learners for content area learning and STEM related opportunities This goal of this proposal is to improve access to sound instruction in scientific academic vocabulary through the development of a technology enhanced culturally responsive tool that engages Latino families in the home setting