Multimodal technologies are creating new experiential opportunities for exploring, tinkering, learning and interacting in the virtual world. Once combined with sensorial objects and open-ended activities in the physical world, they introduce a new genre of interactive environments called ThinkeringSpace. ThinkeringSpace is a hybrid system - made of networked and remotely accessible physical environments - that seeks to bring school-age children together to collaborate face-to-face and tinker with things, both physical and virtual, reflect upon what they do and discover, and elaborate their
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Heloisa MouraDale FahnstromGreg PrygrockiT.J. McLeish
The article offers information on Quin Etnyre, a 13-year-old boy from Southern California who founded the electronics company Qtechknow. Topics discussed include Etnyre's invention of the ArduSensors plug-and-play electronic device components, Etnyre's used of the open-source electronics prototyping platform Arduino to began his company, and Entyre's hobbies such as sports including volleyball, track, and swimming.
In the article, the author discusses technological developments in the education sector in the U.S. as of October 2013. He cites the introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in early 2013 that is focused on science and engineering in the K-12 curriculum. The NGSS' four disciplinary core concepts include Earth and Space Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Engineering and Technology. He presents several NGSS-friendly software like Celestia and NetLogo, as well as hardware such as the Arduino open-source programmable controller.
Design Zone’s primary objective is to engage visitors in algebraic thinking, with a special focus on reaching a target audience of 10- to 14-year-olds and their families. The exhibition is organized into three thematic areas: art, music, and engineering. Exhibits in each area are based on real-world design challenges in which math and algebra are used. Garibay Group was contracted to conduct the summative evaluation of Design Zone. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected at three museums hosting the Design Zone exhibition.
This presentation given at the 2013 Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting examines evidence for the effectiveness of STEM education programs at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
Currently, there are policy debates regarding the efficacy and legality of single sex formal and informal education programs. This issue is particularly poignant in science education due to the historical marginalization of women in these fields. This marginalization has resulted in women being positioned as a stigmatized group within many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields. Research points to adolescence as the age where this sense of marginalization begins to develop. As a result, policy responses have utilized various frameworks such as: increased access
This presentation from the January 2012 Annual Meeting of the Association for Science Teacher Education examines identity formation in middle school science, presenting informal education programs as a way to change perceptions by exposing students to real scientists. The study focuses on middle school students' science identity formations before and after their participation in summer science camps.
This presentation from the August 2011 Colloquium on P-12 STEM Education Research focuses on two summer camps for middle school students. The study examines how the two programs affect student views and perceptions of scientists and engineers, how a single gender program compares to a co-educational program, and whether there are lessons to be learned for other informal agencies regarding the activities most likely to increase minority students' persistence in science and engineering.
The article looks at so-called Maker spaces, areas of public libraries devoted to helping patrons work together and learn by offering tools, access, and training to create ideas and objects. The spaces' focus on learning through play is emphasized. Other topics include incorporating 3-D (three-dimensional) printing and mentoring.
The article presents information on library makerspace models in the U.S. that allow patrons to create, build, and craft using technology, including ideas related to deliberate opportunism, collaboration, and centralization and development. The author looks at strategies used at Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Indiana, the Cleveland Public Library in Cleveland, Ohio, and the DeLaMare Science and Engineering Library at the University of Nevada in Reno, Nevada.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Travis GoodAmerican Library Association
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
The article discusses the highlights of the sixth annual "Spring Event in Rome on Modern Leonardos" Internet conference co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Italy and The American University of Rome on May 23, 2013. Maria Stella Rasetti of the Biblioteca San Giorgio, Pistoia provided a video of the public library's YouLab in action. Other presentations included one on Fab Lab Barcelona by its director Tomas Diez and another by Neil Gershenfeld, originator of the fabrication laboratory concept.
This study examined the verbal prompts a tutor used to promote reflection and young students' responses to these prompts. Seven children (ages 8-12) participated in 260 min of one-on-one tutoring to learn scientific concepts related to gear movement; the tutor spontaneously provided these students with 763 prompts for reflection. Prompts reliably induced reflection: Students responded verbally 87% of the time. Turn-by-turn discourse analysis revealed seven distinct types of prompts and 11 distinct types of verbal responses. High-level prompts were strongly associated with high-level responses
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Travis WilsonMichelle PerryCarolyn AndersonDean Grosshandler