This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. It describes a project designed to increase informal learning opportunities for blind youth in STEM.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
National Federation of the BlindMark Riccobono
This poster was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting in Washington, DC. It describes PEEP and the Big Wide World, a fully bilingual website (in Spanish and English) containing 120 animated stories and live-action video segments; 21 online games; 120 offline “Anywhere Science and Math” activities for families; an extensive curriculum for preschool educators; and 14 Android and iOS mobile apps for kids.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
WGBH Educational FoundationMarisa Wolsky
resourceresearchProfessional Development, Conferences, and Networks
Informal Community Science Investigators (iCSI) creates a network of four geographically diverse informal science institutions working together on strategies to engage youth ages 10-13 through location based augmented reality (AR) games played on smartphones. These high-interest, kid-friendly games will be used by families visiting the institutions and by youth who enroll in more intensive summer camp programs. Using AR games, participants will engage in playful but scientifically-grounded investigations drawing on each institution's research, exhibits, and natural spaces. For example, a botanical garden might engage young visitors through AR games with themes related to native and invasive species, while a zoo might create a game experience focusing on illegal wildlife trade. Participants in the iCSI summer camp program will have more intensive experiences, including work with the host institution's scientists, opportunities to develop original augmented reality games, and experiences with game-related service learning and citizen science programs. For both target groups (families and campers), the location specific games build understanding of both the institution's mission and the broader realm of scientific research and application. The project will test the notion of participants as "learner hero," the link between game play and the individual's development of competency, autonomy and the relationship to real world experience, in this case through community action on the subject of the game developed. To that end, participants will be encouraged to extend their involvement through related investigations on site and participation in community activities and projects that can be done at home. Social media tools such as Facebook and web sites managed by the host institutions will provide recognition for this extended engagement, helping participants maintain ties to the program. Additionally, program resources provide assistance to adult family members in nurturing and sustaining youth interest in STEM activities and careers. A major effort of the project will be development of a new software infrastructure called TaleBlazer for the augmented reality game that will enable teachers and students to develop their own game that incorporates real data collection and scientific model building. The new platform will enhance the game play platform MITAR developed with NSF funding.
This is the final report of the Informal Science Education (ISE) supplemental two year NSF grant for the partnership between CCI Solar Fuels and Westside Science Club that ran between October 2012 and July 2014. After a brief program overview and goals, it lists the program components. Then it traces the history of each partner, including a partnership with Wildwood High School in Santa Monica, and LA Makerspace. Each section also briefly outlines the evaluation performed by a professional evaluator. The program will continue with a partnership with a local Pasadena, CA museum called Kidspace
Stereoscopic technology (3D) is rapidly becoming ubiquitous across research, entertainment and informal educational settings. Children of today may grow up never knowing a time when movies, television and video games were not available stereoscopically. Despite this rapid expansion, the field’s understanding of the impact of stereoscopic visualizations on learning is rather limited. Much of the excitement of stereoscopic technology could be due to a novelty effect, which will wear off over time. This study controlled for the novelty factor using a variety of techniques. On the floor of an
This poster presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting includes an explanation of the pathways project, the evaluation questions, partners, and plans for a next phase.
This poster shows the development of the project Scientists for Tomorrow during the three years of its implementation: two first years under the full funding of the NSF and the third year as a no-cost extension. Also the poster describes how the project was incorporating more community centers and with it more participants through the development of the "self-sustained" mode of implementation. The poster introduces also the next step of the project - the Scientists for Tomorrow - National Alliance.
This is the poster for the CCI Solar Fuels and Westside Science Club collaboration presented by Michelle Hansen and Benjamin Dickow at the 2014 AISL PI meeting in Washington DC.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
California Institute of Technology Center for Chemical InnovationMichelle Hansen
This poster presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting describes an outdoor informal science learning project that trains volunteer naturalists to lead environmental programs for middle school students.
This poster highlights the learning outcomes and research questions of the Advancing Informal STEM Learning Through Scientific Alternate Reality Games project. It was presented at the 2014 AISL PI Meeting.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Brigham Young UniversityDerek HansenKari Kraus