In this paper, commissioned as part of a consensus study on successful out-of-school STEM learning, we draw on the research literature to consider (1) what is known about the impact of tinkering and making experiences on school-aged children’s learning (interest in, engagement with and understanding of STEM in particular); (2) the emerging design principles and pedagogies that characterize tinkering and making programs; and (3) the specific tensions and possibilities within this movement for equity-oriented teaching and learning.
To this volume on out-of-school STEM learning, we contribute an example of science. Our charge is to discuss what it means for children to be doing science and how educators can assess it. To that end, we’ve chosen an especially clear case. It happens to have taken place in school, but that shouldn’t matter for our purpose here; it’s the substance of the children’s reasoning that we’re assessing as the beginnings of science. We open with the case. We then articulate how it is an example of science, in particular of science as a pursuit. Finally we discuss what this view means for science
The National Research Council's Roundtable on Public Interfaces of the Life Sciences held a 2-day workshop on January 15-16, 2015, in Washington, DC to explore the public interfaces between scientists and citizens in the context of genetically engineered (GE) organisms. The workshop presentations and discussions dealt with perspectives on scientific engagement in a world where science is interpreted through a variety of lenses, including cultural values and political dispositions, and with strategies based on evidence in social science to improve public conversation about controversial topics
More and more young people are learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in a wide variety of afterschool, summer, and informal programs. At the same time, there has been increasing awareness of the value of such programs in sparking, sustaining, and extending interest in and understanding of STEM. To help policy makers, funders and education leaders in both school and out-of-school settings make informed decisions about how to best leverage the educational and learning resources in their community, this report identifies features of productive STEM programs in
The article focuses on children's makerspaces and the maker movement in Canada. Topics include the Nova Scotia government's idea to distribute 3D printers to libraries to create public makerspaces, which are collaborative meeting places that blend craft and high technology to foster do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions, the Maker Club in Kitchener, Ontario owned by entrepreneur Cam Turner and his son Owen, and the organization Scoperta, maker Jim Akeson's version of the organization Curiosity Hacked.
In this article the authors discuss the importance of the use of natural instincts in teaching and studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in U.S. middle and high schools. They present information on the Maker Movement, a campaign associated with the Maker Faire festivals and "Make" magazine, which encourages the use of creativity in STEM fields. Other topics include the importance of natural curiosity, building, and inventions in science education.
The article discusses the Maker Faires, a hybrid of science fairs, craft shows, and county fairs where people come to display what they have created and talk about what they learned. The faires are designed for people who work in places such as shops, garages, kitchen tables, schools, or science clubs, while they invent and innovate with new technologies, science, engineering, art performance and various crafts. The events' impact on economic development and education is mentioned.
The article focuses on the uTEC Maker Model, a maker education model that aims to help adults recognize behaviors they may only usually see in spurs. Topics discussed include using the item as intended by the inventor whose creative approach we trust, repurposing an item to use it in a different way than the inventor intended, and experimenting with an idea, invention, musical sound or video technique.
The article presents a brief overview of the Maker Movement and its connections to public libraries, focusing on the experiences of the Louisville Free Public Library of Louisville, Kentucky. Introductory details are given describing the movement, linking it to the expansion of community work spaces equipped with advanced machinery such as robotics tools and 3D printers. Several examples of maker-based organizations, subcultures, and resources are then given.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Nicole DixonMichael WardEric Phetteplace
Amusement parks offer rich possibilities for physics learning, through observations and experiments that illustrate important physical principles and often involve the whole body. Amusement parks are also among the most popular school excursions, but very often the learning possibilities are underused. In this work we have studied different teacher roles and discuss how universities, parks or event managers can encourage and support teachers and schools in their efforts to make amusement park visits true learning experiences for their students.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
National Resource Center for Physics EducationAnn-Marie PendrillCecilia KozmaAndreas Theve
Interactive surfaces are increasingly common in museums and other informal learning environments where they are seen as a medium for promoting social engagement. However, despite their increasing prevalence, we know very little about factors that contribute to collaboration and learning around interactive surfaces. In this paper we present analyses of visitor engagement around several multi-touch tabletop science exhibits. Observations of 629 visitors were collected through two widely used techniques: video study and shadowing. We make four contributions: 1) we present an algorithm for
In order to attract and retain underrepresented student groups (USGs) who aspire to major in STEM fields, educators recognize that science and math instruction must improve and also develop students’ non-cognitive and social-emotional skills. Foremost in that effort is Xavier University of Louisiana, a historically black and Catholic university located in the heart of New Orleans. Throughout the past thirty years, Xavier compiled an extraordinary record as a top producer of African Americans who receive bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, and physics. Although Xavier enrolls only