Integrating Science Into Afterschool: A Three-Dimensional Approach To Engaging Underserved Populations In Science - Final Report

Publications

The initiative called Integrating Science Into Afterschool: A Three-Dimensional Approach to Engaging Underserved Populations in Science set out to promote science learning in three out-ofschool settings (afterschool programs, home, and community), to promote rich and varied science experiences to underserved Philadelphia communities, and to assess the value of this model for the broader field of out-of-school time and informal learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The project was funded through the National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences

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Investigating Urban Trees

Publications

Mobile geospatial technologies enable high school students to engage in authentic scientific data collection and analysis that promote spatial-thinking and reasoning skills, as well as problem-solving in a school’s local environment. We developed and implemented an Ecological Services investigation aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards in an urban high school with a large population of economically disadvantaged students. The investigation includes local field data collection with mobile devices and classroom data analysis using a freely available Web Geographic Information System

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Drones: Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Aeronautical Engineering Engineering Design Challenge

Curricular Materials

Over the course of a week, your young engineers will be taking on the Drone Challenge. Engineers will work in teams of 4-5 to apply the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and the scientific concepts related to simple machines, force, energy and motion. Below you will find your week-at-a-glance, a materials list, and some background information that will help you prepare for the challenge topic area. Also included is a copy of the challenge letter as well as the end of week challenge expectations. Student Challenge Letter: Dear Young Engineers,Drone Flight Incorporated, a leader in the

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SEEK18 Cybersecurity Module Teacher Guide

Curricular Materials

Over the course of a week, your young engineers can take on the Cyber Security Challenge. Engineers will work in teams of 4-5 to apply the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and the scientific concepts related to simple 4 machines, force, energy and motion. Below you will find your week -at-a-glance, a materials list, and some background information that will help you prepare for the challenge topic area. Also included is a copy of the challenge letter as well as the end of week challenge expectations. Student Challenge Letter: Dear Young Engineers, Recent hacking activities in Cyberspace have

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STEMStarter: A High School Capstone Course to Create STEM Career Pathways

Publications

High school capstone courses—culminating educational experiences for seniors as they conclude their formal high school education—have become increasingly popular across the nation, particularly in New England. The STEMStarter Capstone was designed to help Connecticut high schools meet new accreditation standards from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and graduation requirements that include a mastery-based learning project. Standard 2 of the NEASC 2020 Standards (2018) for school accreditation states: “Students are active learners and have the opportunity to lead

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Exploring I-poems to Explore the Identity of Underrepresented Engineering Student Makers

Publications

This Work in Progress Paper presents an NSF funded study focused on understanding the role that makerspaces play in the identity development of engineering students from underrepresented groups (URGs). In recent years, makerspaces have become a popular addition to universities, with an implicit assumption that makerspaces will increase students choosing to major in STEM disciplines. The research question that guided this work is the following: How well do I-poems and thematic analysis help us uncover complex and nuanced understandings of the identities of engineering students and makers who

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MakEval: Tools to Evaluate Maker Programs with Youth

Instruments

The MakEval team is creating suites of tools—including surveys, assessments, and observation protocols—that provide educators, researchers and program administrators with information to evaluate maker programs/experiences with youth. MakEval identified a set of five key targets for evaluation, based on formal and informal maker educators’ survey and interview data, that include: creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, agency/independence, and involvement in STEM practices, and development of interest and identity in STEM/making.

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COMPUGIRLS Stepping Stone to Future Computer-Based Technology Pathways

Publications

The COMPUGIRLS: Culturally relevant technology program for adolescent girls was developed to promote underrepresented girls' future possible selves and career pathways in computer-related technology fields. We hypothesized that the COMPUGIRLS would promote academic possible selves and self-regulation to achieve these possible selves. We compared the growth trajectories of academic possible selves and self-regulation between the program participants and a comparison group using latent growth modeling for two semesters. There was no significant group difference in the growth trajectories of

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