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STELAR Research Brief:

Translating Career Development Research to Practice in ITEST

Part 1: What Research Tells Us About Career Development
Part 2: The Career Development Continuum & ITEST At-a-Glance

Publication

STELAR supports ITEST

As the NSF-funded resource center for the ITEST program, STELAR is proud to collaborate with the ITEST community to advance STEM education. The STELAR website is undergoing revisions, in consultation with NSF, to ensure continued support for the ITEST community. You may notice updates to our website, resources, and information over the coming weeks. 

Contact Us

2024 ITEST Data Snapshot

Empowering over 1.7 million students through STEM learning and innovation.

Explore Snapshot
Conference on Literacies in Engineering for Access and Participation
Project years 2016 - 2019
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The Literacy for Engineering Access and Participation Conference (LEAP) would convene researchers and teachers from the engineering education, literacy education, equity and other stakeholder areas to establish a research agenda and gather resources related to the literacy considerations for informal and formal learning settings. The conference participants will learn about engineering and literacy perspectives that impact students' learning with a particular emphasis on multi-lingual students and engaging a more diverse student population in engineering.
SciGirls Strategies: Gender Equitable Teaching Practices in Career and Technical Education Pathways for High School Girls
Project years 2015 - 2021
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Twin Cities Public Television project on Gender Equitable Teaching Practices in Career and Technical Education Pathways for High School Girls is designed to help career and technical education educators and guidance counselors recruit and retain more high school girls from diverse backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) pathways, specifically in technology and engineering.
Preparing Secondary Teachers and Students for Quantum Information Science
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Quantum information science (QIS) is imperative to economic and national security, commerce, and technology.  Development of a "quantum smart" workforce needs to begin before college. The logical venue for exposure to quantum might be a physics course, but numerous K-12 students attend schools where physics is not offered. Since most students will not major in physics, it is vital to expose K-12 students to quantum concepts that are relevant to everyday experiences with credit card security, phones, computers, and basic technology.
Biomechanics to Offer Diverse Young Minds Opportunities to Develop, Explore, and Learn STEM
Project years 2018 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by preparing and interesting high achieving middle school students for advanced math courses in high school and eventually in engineering careers.
Collaborative Research: American Innovations in an Age of Discovery: Teaching Science and Engineering through 3D-printed Historical Reconstructions
Project years 2015 - 2019
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Advanced manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, are transforming design and several fields of engineering. This innovative project will use 3D technology to help students learn about science and engineering through the history of inventions in the United States. As part of science and engineering classes, middle and high-school students will use 3D printing technology to recreate historically significant inventions, using digitized versions from the Smithsonian Institution (e.g., the Wright brothers' airplane - http://3d.si.edu).
OUTBREAK: Opportunities to Use immersive Technologies to explore Biotechnology Resources, Career Education and Knowledge
Project years 2008 - 2012
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The University of Florida proposes to provide 51 teachers and over 3600 students with an interesting experience and opportunities for biotechnology learning. This project will create a computer-based game and supporting curriculum for promoting workforce development in the area of biotechnology; prepare teachers to implement the game and supporting curriculum through a summer professional development program; and determine how the game and supporting curriculum affects student disposition towards careers in biotechnology and understanding of biotechnology content.
Engineering Academy: Educating Engineers of the Future
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by preparing middle school students for advanced science and math courses, and for engineering careers. There is a general lack of engineering knowledge, limited awareness by K-12 teachers about engineering careers, and absence of appropriate role models.
Scaling up STEM Learning with the VCL
Project years 2009 - 2014
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The purpose of this project is to increase students' achievement and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or information and communication technology (ICT) careers. The project is working with four rural school districts to provide teacher professional development and implement research-based curriculum modules for two mathematics educational software packages in geometry (Geometer's Sketchpad) and statistics and probability (Fathom).
Community for Rural Education, Stewardship, and Technology (CREST)
Project years 2005 - 2009
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Community for Rural Education, Stewardship and Technology (CREST), a comprehensive project for students and teachers, currently networks the Island Institute, the University of Maine at Machias, Bowdoin College, and Maine’s island and coastal schools to form a learning community of 55 students, 44 teachers, community stakeholders, and Information Technology (IT) professionals. Within the 11 CREST schools, an additional 1,700 students and teachers are impacted by the use of CREST’s focus technologies across curricular areas.
Designing and Studying Collaborative Coding Experiences for Middle School Computer Science Education
Project years 2024 - 2027
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Through a strategic partnership between Northwestern University and Evanston-Skokie District 65, this design and development project will investigate new approaches to student collaboration and problem-solving in computer science (CS) classrooms. A focus on creating collaborative coding experiences for youth is important because collaborative classroom interactions promote engaged thinking and learning. However, understanding of how to support effective collaboration structures in CS classrooms is limited by two factors.
Workshop on Engaging First-Generation Immigrant Students and Their Families in Learning About STEM and STEM Careers
Project years 2018 - 2019
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The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) will host a community-based convening, and a series of follow-up to advance the knowledge base and increase the capacity of educators who support STEM pathways for STEM opportunities.
IT and College Pathways through Application of Technology to Explore Urban Ecological Challenges
Project years 2009 - 2014
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A pathway to STEM careers and college for inner-city high school students is built around the use of cutting-edge geospatial and computer modeling to investigate pressing urban ecological problems in their neighborhood. The work in a previous ITEST grant that demonstrated an increase in student self-efficacy and interest in science is expanded to integrate career discernment, college preparation, and engagement with innovative technologies.
Digital technology integration and engineering contexts to support elementary students' systems thinking
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Research has indicated limited digital technology use and engineering instruction among elementary teachers. This project addresses two of the seven ITEST guiding questions: student experiences with emerging technologies and instructional and curricular innovations.
Bits-2-Bites: Youth Applying STEM Content and Computational Thinking to Learn about Nutrition and Advocate for Food Justice
Project years 2013 - 2017
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Bits-2-Bites is a strategies project that will engage middle school and high school students in learning to apply computational thinking and computer based tools to address STEM related community issues.
Fostering Mathematical Modeling Competencies through Collaborative Learning in a Large Language Model (LLM) Simulated Virtual Classroom
Project years 2024 - 2027
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Mathematical modeling involves the cognitively demanding process of translating real-life situations into mathematical notations and is a fundamental skill for students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Cultivating mathematical modeling through collaborative learning can be particularly effective, but orchestrating such collaborative learning tasks requires significant efforts from teachers to oversee group discussions. This could be particularly challenging for marginalized communities that lack teacher resources.
Nature Works Studios
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Forty five students (with a focus on African Americans, Latinos, and girls) in Chicago are learning environmental science and using IT to share what they’ve learned with peers and visitors to the Nature Museum.
Marine Biotechnology and Bioinformatics for Teachers and Students
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Sixty middle and high school teachers and 45 students in central California, using the vehicle of lesson study, conduct marine science research experiments using biotechnology and bioinformatics.
CincySTEM Urban Initiative
Project years 2009 - 2013
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Project CincySTEM will enhance cutting-edge science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for minority students enrolled in the new Hughes STEM High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Over a three-year period, the project will directly impact more than 900 minority students through CincySTEM activities (around big ideas such as energy) that focus on increasing the knowledge and skills of students in STEM and about STEM careers, particularly in science.
Personalizing Mathematics to Maximize Relevance and Skill for Tomorrow's STEM Workforce
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing an intervention system to engage students in meaningful STEM problem posing and solving and by providing an on-line tool to assist teachers in guiding the process.
Exploring Databases: STEM Learning and Authentic Research in the High School Classroom
Project years 2009 - 2013
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Exploring Databases involves high school students in carrying out authentic research using a scientific database, mirroring the way many scientists today conduct their research. This project emphasizes the STEM areas of genetics and neuroscience, as well as development of skills in scientific research, scientific reasoning, and using information and communication technology. Exploring Databases builds on a previous project that involved high school students in conducting an epidemiological study of smoking behavior.
Engaging Refugee and Immigrant Youth in STEM through Culturally Relevant and Place-Based Digital Storytelling
Project years 2024 - 2026
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This two-year Exploring Theory and Design Principles (ETD) project will engage culturally and linguistically diverse resettled refugee and immigrant middle school students in co-designing culturally relevant and place-based STEM learning experiences through immersive digital storytelling. During the digital storytelling co-design process, participants will expand their STEM disciplinary knowledge and skills in agriculture, environmental science, and entry-level computer coding.
ITEST Strategies
Project years 2008 - 2013
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Sixty students in grades 5-8 students (with a focus on girls) who are enrolled out-of-school-time (OST) programs in Cambridge and Fall River, MA , program and control robotic telescopes, image galactic and extra-galactic objects, and create animations and simulations of common topographic and space-related features.
Developing neural and behavioral measures to predict long-term STEM learning outcomes from a high-school spatial learning course
Project years 2022 - 2025
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This project uses neural and behavioral measures of learning as a basis for making improvements to an immersive high school course that trains students in flexible spatial cognition and data analysis. Tracking students into college, the project measures long-term effects of improved spatial cognition resulting from the modified geospatial course curriculum. Large-scale longitudinal studies have demonstrated the overwhelming benefit of advanced spatial cognitive abilities for success in STEM careers.
Open Data Exploration Tools for K-12 Education
Project years 2024 - 2025
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POSE: Phase I: Data fluency is a critical 21st century skill. To learn the foundations of data science, students must engage in rich data exploration of robust datasets beginning from the early grades onward. Recognizing this pivotal role of data science in modern education and its potential to equip students with critical analytical skills, this initiative seeks to solidify and extend the reach of the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP)—a tool already embraced by educators worldwide for its user-friendly, visual interface tailored to K-12 learners.
Learning to create Intelligent Solutions with Machine Learning and Computer Vision: A Pathway to AI Careers for Diverse High School Students
Project years 2024 - 2027
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AI is driving our nation’s economic development and reshaping future jobs and workforce. K-12 education is facing the challenge of developing students’ AI competency and preparing them for the workforce of the future. Students need opportunities to engage in learning AI concepts that are situated in authentic AI content and experiences. This project will utilize image classification as an exemplary AI application domain to provide meaningful learning contexts for both high school students and teachers’ professional development.
Empowering Informal Educators to Prepare Future Generations in Wireless Radio Communications with Mobile Resources
Project years 2020 - 2024
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Wireless radio communications, such as Wi-Fi, transmit public and private data from one device to another, including cell phones, computers, medical equipment, satellites, space rockets, and air traffic control. Despite their critical role and prevalence, many people are unfamiliar with radio waves, how they are generated and interact with their surroundings, and why they are the basis of modern communication and navigation.
IT-E3 Tools: Information Technology Engineering and Environmental Education Tools
Project years 2006 - 2010
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Sixty teachers and 1,000 sixth—ninth grade students will use information technology -- hand-held digital sensors and a multi-player, online game -- to solve complex environmental and other problems.
Beyond Blackboards: Integrated Methods for STEM Education and Workforce Development
Project years 2009 - 2013
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A diverse population of more than 40,000 middle school students, together with teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, and caregivers, engage in design activities that improve awareness and understanding of STEM and STEM career pathways.
Building Enhanced Scientific Thinking through Modeling Ecosystems
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project will explore how a modeling-based curricular approach advances 4th and 5th grade students' understanding of science as a way of knowing.
Museum Tech Academy
Project years 2004 - 2007
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In Springfield, Illinois, 90 students ages 12-17 are learning about and conducting research in archeology and natural sciences (geology, botany, zoology) using information technology and field-based experiences.
Revitalizing Rural - Equipping Rural Communities with Technology Literacy for Seizing Productivity
Project years 2021 - 2022
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Lack of participation in the digital economy is an impediment to societal well-being and production which asymmetrically affects rural communities. The literature indicates that technological availability (e.g., broadband) is only a part of the problem: rural communities are not as active as their urban counterparts in technology adoption.
MarineTech - STEM Preparation through Marine Engineering, Science and Technology Experiences - Collaborative Research
Project years 2009 - 2012
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MarineTech will serve 60 students in grades eight through twelve, over a period of three years, providing 144 hours of instruction and hands-on learning experiences in the fields of marine engineering and physical sciences with a shipbuilding focus.
Constructing Understandings of Generative AI and Machine Learning with High School Youth
Project years 2023 - 2024
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This project explores how high school youth communicate with AI tools and assesses how they learn to use AI tools in context. Though students are using these tools widely, inciting much public discourse, very little is known about how, why, and when they use AI tools, or what they understand about the tools. Through curricular exploration, this study evaluates how historically marginalized high school youth of color interact with AI tools to write papers, write program code, or study for science tests.
Creative Computing Cookbook: Grounding Artistic Computing in the Learning Sciences
Project years 2023 - 2026
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Artistic computing learning environments have the ability to stimulate K-12 learners' interest in STEM fields and support inclusivity in computing. This project, named Creative Computing Cookbook, investigates the co-design and implementation of instructor- and learner-facing resources to support equitable art and computing learning experiences.
Developing and Testing Bilingual Curricula that Infuse Authentic Computer Programming Experiences into Middle School Mathematics for Latinx Youth
Project years 2020 - 2025
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The scientific careers of the future increasingly require advanced understandings and applications of computer programming and mathematics. This project is designed to broaden participation in these career pathways and careers by iteratively developing and testing bilingual computer programming curricula in middle school mathematics classes attended primarily by multilingual Latinx students.
Mayor's Youth Technology Corps - Creating Safe Communities Through Information Technology Training in Homeland Security Applications
Project years 2008 - 2011
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One hundred high school students in Metropolitan Detroit are engaged in IT learning experiences focusing on geographic information system and technology (GIS/T) and information assurance (IA) coupled with internships in homeland security applications.
Innovative Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Strategy Project (iSTEM)
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The Innovative Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Strategies Project of Morehouse College is designed to provide underrepresented minority students with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) challenging technological learning experiences that will increase the students' exposure to innovation and creativity in the STEM disciplines.
FuSe-TG: Electronic-Photonic Systems-on-Chip for Computation, Communication and Sensing
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The research vision is to create a breakthrough in the capability of future semiconductor technologies - to develop devices, circuits, systems, process, design flow and tools, and train students, in a novel platform for electronic-photonic systems-on-chip (EPSoCs) in advanced CMOS foundry processes, addressing a range of key applications in computing, communication and sensing. Semiconductor technology is entering a new age as the transistor scaling that has provided the past 50 years of progress slows down.
Making the Maker: A Pathway to STEM for Elementary School Students
Project years 2014 - 2019
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Building on the highly energized national Maker's Movement involving government offices, schools, and businesses now sweeping the country, this project will explore ways to engage more children in the effort and become motivated and interested in STEM. The project will target 200 children at grades 3-5 to involve them in the "Maker's mindset" from an early age.
Promoting Student Interest in Science and Science Careers through a Scalable Place-Based Environmental Educational Program at a Public Aquarium
Project years 2016 - 2021
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The Detroit Public Schools will collaborate with the Belle Island Aquarium to develop a field-trip program that will enrich learning in biology, with cross-curricular impacts on chemistry, physics, business, literacy and the arts.
Developing and Testing Innovations: Computer Science Through Engineering Design in New York
Project years 2024 - 2028
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This Developing and Testing Innovations project aims to serve the national interest by broadening capacity and participation in secondary school Computer Science (CS) education across New York State. There is presently a severe shortage of CS teachers that will be exacerbated as more schools embrace CS education. To help mitigate the teacher shortage, this project will implement a model to prepare middle school and high school Technology and Engineering (T&E) teachers in diverse New York State communities to teach CS courses.
Promoting Robotic Design and Entrepreneurship Experiences among Students and Teachers
Project years 2016 - 2022
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The project will develop, implement, and assess an initiative to promote robotic design and entrepreneurship experiences among students and teachers.
Building STEM Identity and Career Interests in Native American Students By Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Remote Sensing Technologies
Project years 2016 - 2020
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The project is designed to develop, implement and assess an educational model intended to improve Native American student science identity through culturally relevant use of technology that can directly improve the well being of their communities. The project will engage 90 low-income, high school Native American students from the rural Nez Perce Reservation in Idaho through a program of educational activities centered on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remote sensing.
Empowering Youth in STEM and Technological Careers through AI-Enhanced Sustainable and Community-Focused Urban Gardening
Project years 2023 - 2026
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This Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI) project will engage high school youth from historically excluded groups in Massachusetts and Louisiana in transdisciplinary learning of computational science, artificial intelligence, engineering, and plant science through the installation of automated urban gardening robots called restorative gardens. These gardens offer an opportunity to bridge traditional gardening and 21st-century technological skills while fostering community engagement by supporting youth in using emerging technologies to address critical issues such as food security.
A Workshop Proposal for Promoting Culturally and Critically Responsive Creative AI in K-12 Education
Project years 2024 - 2025
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CreativeAI: Over the past decade there has been an exponential growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications that are moving out of the lab into the world and impacting everyday lives. Consequently, there has also been increased attention to harmful algorithmic biases in AI/ML applications. As such, it is critical to prepare K–12 students and teachers to go beyond using AI/ML applications and be able to comprehend, design, implement, and evaluate AI applications.
New Mexico Adventures in Modeling: Integrating IT into the Curriculum Through Computer Modeling Approaches
Project years 2003 - 2007
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Drawing on curriculum and software developed at MIT, this comprehensive project will develop key skills in an emerging area within IT with broad applications, while enhancing interest in IT and modeling the integration of IT into the curriculum.
Engaging Secondary Female Students in Ubiquitous Intelligence and Computing
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The underrepresentation of female students in computing and engineering fields can be attributed to different factors such as gender stereotypes or unfamiliarity with computing and engineering fields. This project will occur in a region in which many secondary female students have not had opportunities to take STEM and Information and Communication Technologies courses. The project aims to broaden the participation of secondary female students in STEM and Information and Communication Technologies fields by engaging them in ubiquitous intelligence and computing.
Clean Energy and Environmental Science Career Pathways
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging the students in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Science Research Mentoring Program
Project years 2008 - 2013
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Three cohorts of forty 10th & 11th grade students, many from underrepresented groups attending under-served New York City public schools, participate in a two year program in Comparative Biology and Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History.
Role Models in Elementary Engineering Education
Project years 2017 - 2023
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The Role Models in Engineering Education project (Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach and Indiana University) will improve the impact of engineering outreach programs through research and tool development
Integrating Robotics and Socio-emotional Learning for Incarcerated Middle School Students
Project years 2023 - 2028
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Hundreds of thousands of youth in the United States are involved in the juvenile justice system. This project seeks to provide new choices to confined youth by developing and investigating a robotics learning activities within a juvenile justice alternative education program. In addition, teachers need to be prepared to work with youth who have been involved in the juvenile justice system, so the project also engages pre-service teachers in mentoring the youth participants.
Enhancing Science and Technology Education and Exploration Mentoring (ESTEEM)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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UMBC's Center for Women and Information Technology, the Shriver Center, and the Chabot Space and Science Center have partnered to implement and beta test Chabot's TechBridge curriculum in six middle schools over three years to increase the number and diversity of students, and particularly girls, pursuing an interest in IT. Activities will include an after-school program, weekend fieldtrips, and a two two-week summer program. Over three years, Project ESTEEM will directly impact 336 7th and 8th grade students with each student receiving over 120 hours of program contact.
Society's Grand Challenges in Engineering as a Context for Middle School Instruction in STEM
Project years 2010 - 2015
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Society's Grand Challenges for Engineering (GCE) is the backdrop of this particular project as it works to develop socially-relevant engineering curricular modules for middle school instruction in STEM. The project team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison consists of engineering and education faculty, along with 23 middle school teachers and guidance counselors from 5 rural and urban public schools who are collaborating to design and test curricular modules and career exploration activities.
Science Journalism Pathways to STEM Careers
Project years 2008 - 2013
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The Inland Northwest Community Access Network (TINCAN), the Puget Sound Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (PSCTLT), and Reel Grrls (a community media center) are partnering to involve 6th and 7th grade middle school girls in science-focused after-school club activities in 10 schools in Seattle and Spokane, Washington. The Science Journalism Pathways to STEM Careers project is engaging girls in science journalism through information and communication technologies (ICT) to investigate and publish information about local science issues of interest to their communities.
Robot-Mediated Learning: Exploring School-Deployed Collaborative Robots for Homebound Children
Project years 2020 - 2023
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Over 2.5 million children in the US are medically homebound. They are socially isolated, physically segregated, and current educational practices largely exclude them from their school communities. Telepresence robots have emerged as a possible means to support these children to return to their local schools, however, it is not yet understood how homebound children can effectively use these robots for optimal learning and social development experiences.
iQUEST: Investigations for Quality Understanding and Engagement for Students and Teachers
Project years 2009 - 2013
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California State University San Marcos, Rochester Institute of Technology, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego Science Alliance, K-12 High Speed Network, California State Parks, and nine southern California middle schools are collaborating to develop, implement, and evaluate teacher professional development and student learning experiences to enhance science and information and communication technologies (ICT) learning among underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students (primarily Hispanic and Native American) in grades 7 and 8.
Rural Girls Engaged in Math and Science Plus Technology
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Understanding Weather Extremes with Big Data: Inspiring Rural Youth in Data Science
Project years 2019 - 2023
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 ​As scientific discovery becomes ever more data-driven, there is a critical need to build a scientific workforce with robust skills in scientific modeling and large-scale data analysis. Nowhere is the need to strengthen learning opportunities greater than in rural areas, where a majority of the nation’s school districts reside and where under-investment persists.​ 
Science Mission to Planet Earth (SMPE): IT–Integrated Coastal Education
Project years 2005 - 2008
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The “Science Mission to Planet Earth (SMPE): IT–Integrated Coastal Education” project takes advantage of the Louisiana coastal features to integrate science and mathematics for students and teachers in grades 6-8 in urban and rural settings. This project will involve 200 middle school students and 20 teachers per year (a total of 600 middle school students and 60 teachers over the three-year period) from urban and rural settings.
Investigating environmental identity development among children in rural Alaska Native communities through intergenerational, culturally responsive community science programming
Project years 2022 - 2024
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Innovative Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics Work Force Development Project
Project years 2020 - 2023
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The Morehouse College's Innovative Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Work Force Development Project will engage minority male students in an active, inclusive learning community to enhance their interest in science and mathematics education and careers. The objective of the project is to shift from passive learning to active learning within the context of real-life problem-solving scenarios in order to promote academic success in middle school and high school and prepare students academically to attend a college or university.
Engaging Adolescents through Collaboration on Simulated STEM Career Scenarios and Mathematics Activities
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Employment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and attainment in STEM education need to reflect better the diversity of US population demographics. This disparity is especially concerning given projected shortfalls in skilled workers for jobs in STEM fields. This project will lead to the creation of virtual simulations of peer collaboration in STEM fields, designed for use by adolescents.
Engaging Women in Engineering: Training Mentors to Make a Difference
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will prepare high-achieving high school students for courses in engineering. Through the Engineering WINS (EngWINS) program, the project will develop the capabilities of working engineers and faculty to serve as mentors in a new initiative to develop interest, self-efficacy, and persistence in engineering careers among urban high school women.
CSI: Creating Student Investigators
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Sixty mid-south Delta region (Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Missouri) teachers will work with 120 students on team-based inquiry forensic science activities and career exploration.
Preparing High School Students with Autism for the Future of Remote Software Development Work
Project years 2022 - 2026
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Building a Learning Ecology to Increase STEM Participation Among Middle School Girls
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Probes and Models Across the Curriculum: Information Technology in Science Instruction (IT-SI)
Project years 2006 - 2011
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Ninety middle and high school teachers from Boston, MA; Olathe, KS; and Desert Sands, CA provide a diverse group of students with enhanced science, including electronics and computer programming; students use, create, and modify computational models.
A Culturally Relevant Approach to Spatial Computational Thinking Skills and Career Awareness through an Immersive Virtual Environment
Project years 2022 - 2026
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The project will design and research a project for developing upper-elementary Latinx students' spatial computational thinking skills and awareness of computationally-intensive careers. The project will design immersive, culturally relevant, and active learning experiences in Minecraft: Education Edition (MEE). Minecraft, which is used by millions worldwide, enables participants to explore a three-dimensional world, discover and use raw materials, engineer new environments, create tools and structures, and simple machines.
Collaborative Research: Minoritized Youth Computer Science Learning, Belonging and Career Interest: Coding and Creating with Beats
Project years 2021 - 2025
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Computer science knowledge and skills are essential in the digital world. Despite progress in the availability of computer science (CS) coursework in secondary school settings, a number of student groups remain substantially underrepresented in computing. This project aims to broaden youth participation in computing by focusing on innovative technology experiences centered around coding-based music. The project will engage Black, Latinx, and female youth during the critical middle school years when many students decide whether future opportunities in CS merit consideration.
GUTSyGirls
Project years 2010 - 2014
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GUTS y Girls is a three-year ITEST Strategies project targeting middle school girls in Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This project builds on a previously funded NSF Academies for Young Scientist award (06-39637) and includes partnerships between the Santa Fe Institute and MIT, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Tech, New Mexico State University, Santa Fe Complex, Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails, the Supercomputing Challenge, regional educational organizations, and local schools.
Teachers and Researchers Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM
Project years 2022 - 2026
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High school students in rural underserved populations often lack STEM role models, have deficiencies in career readiness, and have limited access to advanced technologies. Although students may be interested in STEM careers, they often lack place-based STEM learning experiences and advanced technology necessary to pursue information and communication technology (ICT) and STEM careers.
Crime Scene Information Technology (CSIT)
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Sixty teachers from New York City public schools, who will offer instruction to 5,300 students, develop "mystery modules" and kits using the content and technologies of forensic science. 300 students participate in summer camp intensives, field trips to forensic labs, and a final symposium.
Empowering Teachers to Collaborate with Generative AI for Developing High-Quality STEM Learning Resources
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The rapid advances in large language models (LLMs) have presented tremendous opportunities to create interactive, personalized learning resources on a large scale. To fully harness the educational potential of these technologies, it is crucial that teachers - who are at the forefront of daily student interaction and possess indispensable knowledge and expertise - serve as key contributors in the process.
IDEAS: Inquiry-based Dynamic Earth Applications of Supercomputing, Seeing the Big Picture with Information Technology
Project years 2007 - 2013
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Sixty participating teachers at the University of Maine, as well as 180 students integrate computational modeling with existing middle school science curriculum to run computer models and to create high resolution interactive visualization output.
PAC-Involved: Engaging Students in PAC (Physics, Astronomy, Cosmology) Learning through Repurposing of Popular Media
Project years 2013 - 2015
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The Howard University multimedia educational pilot project will design, develop, and test an innovative science education model and materials to motivate high school students in grades 10-11 to become interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by learning physics, astronomy, and cosmology (PAC) in multi-modal innovative ways.
Bolstering STEM Pathways for Students in Rural New England Through a Comprehensive, Multi-Year Learning Community
Project years 2022 - 2026
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Surprising Possibilities Imagined and Realized through Information Technology (SPIRIT2)
Project years 2008 - 2014
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Surprising Possibilities Imagined and Realized through Information Technology (SPIRIT) encourages women to pursue computer-related careers so as to provide a better gender balance in the Information Technology (IT) workplace. The SPIRIT project provides seventy-five high school teachers with professional development experiences using Alice, a programming tool that enhances STEM instruction while simultaneously demonstrating appealing aspects of IT. The teachers, along with 45 counselors and 225 students, also learn about a wide range of career options in IT.
Integrating Science Into Afterschool: A Three-Dimensional Approach To Engaging Underserved Populations In Science
Project years 2012 - 2017
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Integrating Science into Afterschool, an ITEST Strategies project, builds upon prior NSF-funded work to develop a three-dimensional (3-D) strategy for engaging underserved youth, families, and afterschool facilitators in year-round science learning and exposure to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The project leverages community partnerships in urban Philadelphia, including The Franklin Institute, public sector entities and community organizations, to deliver the STEM education experience in the multiple access points of afterschool, home, and community.
Leadership Support for the Board on Science Education
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project aims to serve the national interest by providing national leadership in science education pre-K through adulthood within informal and formal settings (K-16).  The overarching goal is to advance efforts to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.  Through consensus studies, workshops, and other public meetings, coupled with innovative approaches to communication and stakeholder engagement, the Board on Science Education leverages NSF's invest
Delta Agriculture Middle School Applied Life Science (DAMSALS 2)
Project years 2003 - 2008
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The DAMSALS2 comprehensive project provides professional development for 72 science teachers who in turn will provide staff-supported IT instruction for 180 students. Participants include students in grades 7–12 from rural schools in the Mississippi Delta region of northeast Louisiana. The project uses an integrated science approach to deliver agriculture-related concepts.
Bio-ITEST: New Frontiers in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Project years 2008 - 2013
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One hundred and twenty five high school teachers and their 3,750 students (with 90 scientists and 15 career counselors) from the Pacific Northwest use bioinformatics to learn about bioinformatics careers, explore biology, and conduct research.
Puffins: Exploring how narrative, data science, and artificial intelligence enhance the study of ecology in middle school
Project years 2023 - 2026
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The study of puffins can provide a fascinating subject area for the integrated learning of data and ecosystems. Once hunted to local extinction, puffins have made a dramatic yet fragile comeback and been re-established to historic nesting islands in mid-coast Maine. This project combines a scientific adventure story about puffin restoration with student-directed data investigations about the relationships between puffin health and environmental factors.
Designing the Impact Studio -- Dynamic Visualizations in the Write4Change Networked Community
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging them in quantitative data analysis to support their own communication skills.
COVID-Inspired Data Science Education through Epidemiology
Project years 2021 - 2024
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides a starting point for empowering young people to understand uses of data science through epidemiology. Through this program, 400 underserved youth nationwide will engage in a 15-hour out-of-school multimedia program centered on a project-developed text, The Case of the COVID Crisis, which is integrated with data activities, modeling, animations, and career exploration.
Preparing African American Males for Energy & Education (PAAMEE)
Project years 2016 - 2019
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The proposed project, Preparing African American Males for Energy and Education (PAAMEE), is an ITEST Strategies project designed to expose, motivate and prepare African American males for technical careers and post-secondary education in the Power Generation and Renewable Energy industries.
Global Challenge Award ITEST Program
Project years 2006 - 2009
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One thousand high school students from around the world – with a focus on females and minorities - work in teams to create an innovative solution to address global climate change and to present their solution and its global business potential.
Catalyzing Inclusive STEM Experiences All Year Round (CISTEME365)
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by preparing middle school students for advanced science and math courses, and for engineering careers. The project seeks to promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and access for learning experiences and careers in STEM.
PURSE: Promoting Underrepresented Girls Involvement in Research, Science, and Energy
Project years 2009 - 2013
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The Promoting Underrepresented Girls Involvement in Research, Science, and Energy (PURSE) program is a Strategies Project where Metropolitan Detroit high school girls in grades 9-11, participate in project based out-of-school time in space and engineering activities that teach concepts related to the production and storage of energy. The project is designed to advance knowledge and understanding about key mathematical and scientific concepts in areas of energy such as batteries and fuel cells, nuclear energy and alternative energy sources like wind and solar.
A Government-University-Industry Partnership and STEM CareerBuilder for the R&D of an Innovative Computer Forensics Program & an Education-Career Pathway for Girls
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The University of Central Oklahoma Strategies project ("STEM CareerBuilder") will engage with government, business, industry, and community partners to design, develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative summer program training girls in Computer Forensics (CF).
STEM CareerLaunch: Evaluating the Feasibility of a STEM Career-Based, Collective Impact Model on Youth in Boys & Girls Clubs
Project years 2019 - 2022
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Increased exposure to STEM content and career pathways during out-of-school time contexts can significantly extend STEM learning and aspirational interests among middle and high school youth. Using a collective impact approach, the STEM CareerLaunch pilot project tests the feasibility of redesigning a widely used, national youth and career focused program for and by the National Boys & Girls Clubs of America to extend STEM learning and promote awareness, interest, and readiness for STEM-related occupations among youth.
Connecting Students with Autism to Geographic Information Science & Technology Careers
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are less likely to start or graduate from a postsecondary educational training program than their peers. Additionally, they are routinely unemployed (or underemployed) as young adults. Consequently, there is an urgent need to create workforce development models that advance ASD students toward viable education and career paths. This project is a three-year project that will motivate and prepare high school students with ASD to enter postsecondary educational training programs and careers in geospatial and data science sectors.
Voices to Hear (V2H): Native American Youth Learning About Environmental Sciences, Related Careers and Engaging Their Communities through Podcasts
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project will use the oral tradition of storytelling to empower Native American students (middle school, high school and college) to engage in environmental decision-making and scientific communication, while building a stronger sense of their ethnic identity.
Project LA COSTA
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Project LA COSTA was a three-year, youth-based ITEST project sponsored by the Texas State University - San Marcos. The project created a computer science academy to provide IT experiences for 250 Hispanic students during their 8th-10th grades across 5 central and south Texas school districts. Students will start on the project beginning with 8th grade and continue until they are in 10th grade. The project is named "LA COSTA," which implies "a vocational vista for students".
SISTERS: Sustaining Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research in Society
Project years 2013 - 2017
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The SISTERS project reinforces the school curriculum through a theory-driven, after- school science and engineering education program for girls in grades 5 and 6 from low income communities. The girls are engaged in science and engineering lessons with technology-rich, hands-on experiences which foster critical thinking, and engineering practices. They discover and come to appreciate the iterative research process and learn the proper use of technological resources which builds their confidence in pursuing future STEM learning and careers.
CommunITy Studios
Project years 2008 - 2011
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In Texas the CommunITy Studios project will offer 70 middle and high school youths activities in information technology (IT) and science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.
Building a Youth-Led Learning Community through Automating Hydroponic Systems
Project years 2021 - 2024
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In this project, youth will apply scientific and computational science concepts and practices by learning to create and build automated systems where they can grow their own food. These specialized growing systems will utilize hydroponics where plants are grown without soil. Computational science is an interdisciplinary area that combines skills and knowledge from science, computation, computer science, engineering, and mathematics to solve problems.
Conference on Cyberlearning Tools for STEM Education (CyTSE) - Collaborative Research
Project years 2009 - 2011
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The Conference on Cyberlearning Tools for STEM (CyTSE) brings together scientists, cyberlearning developers, educational researchers, STEM educators (formal and informal), curriculum developers and other stakeholders that contribute to the agenda on K-12 STEM cyberlearning and workforce preparation.
The IT College and CAREERS Readiness Project: Career Academy Research on Educational Experiences and Related Successes
Project years 2016 - 2023
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This ITEST project involves the University of South Florida, in collaborations with the National Academy Foundation, and three high school career academies, to study the impact of participation in the career academy model implemented by National Academy Foundation under different levels of implementation fidelity.
Place-based Learning, STEM Identity Work and Identity Play with Storytelling Technologies
Project years 2023 - 2026
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As young people experience challenging climate events and become aware of their systemic nature, they may feel powerless to shape the future and uncertain about STEM-based solutions. To address these challenges, this project focuses on the potential of place-based learning, field science, and digital storytelling to nurture diverse middle school youths’ environmental agency, STEM career knowledge, and STEM identities.
Understanding Perceptions and Use of AI in K-12 Education Using a Nationally Representative Sample
Project years 2024 - 2024
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Schoolchildren are exposed to hundreds of digital tools each year, many of which are already driven by AI technologies. Parents and teachers must consider how to incorporate these learning tools into their daily lives at a rapid pace. Yet, very little is known about the current use and perceptions of AI among these key stakeholders. This time-sensitive RAPID project will identify the opportunities and challenges that arise for parents, teachers, and youth regarding the use of these AI-driven technologies in K-12 education.
CSI: Classroom Student Investigations
Project years 2011 - 2017
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This ITEST strategies project titled Classroom Student Investigations, uses the popularity of the Crime Scene Investigation television show, involving forensic science investigation, as a metaphor to train teachers in forensic science topics and use that training in their science classrooms to stimulate and encourage middle and upper school students in science topics generally. The project is expected to lead to increased student interest in STEM topics using students interest in the culturally popular portrayal of forensic science to convey many basic STEM principles.
Creating and Testing Data Science Learning Tools for Secondary Students with Disabilities
Project years 2021 - 2026
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The main goal of this collaborative project is to create and evaluate a universally accessible data science infrastructure for high-school-aged learners, with a focus on students with disabilities. Data science is critical in the development of industry-relevant computational thinking skills. Computing initiatives, including data science, are rapidly growing at the preschool-12th grade level because of the compelling career pathways that data science skills provide.
Environmental Education Workshop for Wisconsin Institutions of Higher Education
Project years 2016 - 2018
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Engaging High School Youth in Algorithmic Justice Through Audits of Designed and Everyday Machine Learning Applications
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications have led to nation-wide calls for supporting youth in the development of artificial intelligence literacy, competencies needed to effectively interact with and critically evaluate artificial intelligence. Most importantly, a broader range of youths must be equipped to understand how these technologies work, their personal and social impacts, and how they may increase or undermine equity.
Innovative Technology-Enabled Astronomy for Middle Schools II (ITEAMS II)
Project years 2014 - 2019
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Nationwide, middle-school youth from underrepresented communities have few opportunities to engage in authentic STEM investigations that build on the students' intrinsic interests in space science and robotics to increase their interests in both ICT and STEM careers.
Fostering Joint Parent/Child Engagement in Preschool Computational Thinking by Leveraging Digital Media, Mobile Technology, and Library Settings in Urban and Rural Communities
Project years 2020 - 2023
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This project will teach foundational computational thinking (CT) concepts to preschoolers by  creating a series of mobile apps to guide families through sequenced sets of videos and  hands-on activities.  To support families at home it would also develop a new library model to build librarians? computational thinking  content knowledge and self-efficacy so they can support parents? efforts with their children.
Building an Internet Community of Design Engineers (iCODE) - Collaborative Research
Project years 2006 - 2010
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One hundred and seventy five grade 7-12 students in Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts will use an online learning system to participate in IT-intensive engineering design programs at schools and community centers.
Enhancing Minority Middle School Student Knowledge, Literacy, and Motivation in STEM Using Contextualized Agricultural Life Science Learning Experiences
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will develop an extensive professional development to 15 school teachers and engage 250 underrepresented inner-city 4th-6th grade students with agricultural life sciences experiences that connect to real issues in food science, health, environment, and energy.
Building the Capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities to Increase Competitiveness in DRL programs
Project years 2019 - 2021
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This broadening participation project will focus on a regional workshop aimed at increasing Historically Black Colleges and Universities' (HBCUs) capacity to develop high quality proposals for future competitions of various programs in the Division of Research on Learning.
Enacting and Researching Culturally Sustaining STEM Pedagogies Across Informal Settings in Gullah/Geechee Communities in the Southeastern United States
Project years 2020 - 2023
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The University of South Carolina will develop and research an educational program in the Southeastern United States designed to recognize and foreground the scientific contributions of the descendants of West Africans and West Indians. Though these contributions have been vital to many scientific enterprises, including land stewardship and aquaponics, they have remained largely underappreciated in educational programs.
Integrating Culturally Relevant Project-based AI Learning into High School STEM Education
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The exponential expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) has created a significant demand on future AI workforce development. Several key challenges exist hindering the widespread incorporation of AI into K-12 curricula, including the lack of teacher development in AI and a comprehensive pedagogical framework for K-12 AI education.
LinCT: Linking Educators, Youth, and Learners in Computational Thinking
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The LinCT (Linking Educators, Youth, and Learners in Computational Thinking) project at the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) will engage female teachers-in-training and youth from underrepresented demographics in immersive technology experiences and STEM education. LinCT will guide teachers to develop their understanding and use of technology in the classroom, as well as prepare youth for a future where technology plays a key role in a wide range of professional opportunities.
Physical Computing for Students and Teachers
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Ninety high school teachers and 270 students in New York City, primarily from under-represented groups, are collaborating in the laboratory, investigating microprocessors and various computer environments to better understand and employ computers as tools.
Promoting Aspirations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics through Youth and Family Engagement
Project years 2021 - 2024
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A primary focus of this project at Arizona State University is to broaden participation of refugee communities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT). Since 1975, 3.3 million refugees have been admitted to the United States.
A Learning Ecosystem for Teaching High School Students Machine Learning Concepts and Data Science Skills in Healthcare and Medicine
Project years 2022 - 2026
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Healthcare is rapidly changing into a multidisciplinary field. Data science and artificial intelligence (AI) have become integral for healthcare and medical services. Machine Learning (ML), a branch of AI, is broadly applicable for developing predictive models that drive research, development and healthcare practices. Unintentional bias within the datasets and computer programs used for ML creates healthcare outcomes which benefit some people more than others. This project will develop an innovative and inclusive learning and teaching ecosystem for high school students.
An Embodied, Augmented Reality Coding Platform for Pair Programming
Project years 2020 - 2023
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Augmented reality (AR) allows the real world to be enhanced, or augmented, by computer-generated objects that are “added” to the real world. For example, a clothing store may use AR to allow a customer to “see” how clothes would look on them before they are purchased. This project at University of California San Diego will use AR to create an environment in which students can practice pair programming in an AR environment. Pair programming is a software development technique in which two programmers work together at one workstation, on the same piece of code.
Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming ubiquitous in STEM and across industries, and the education field is grappling with how best to teach AI concepts to K12 audiences. Simultaneously, the AI professional community suffers from a lack of diversity that excludes women and people of color from a dynamic section of the economy and a path for upward mobility. Equally important, a lack of diverse perspectives can risk automating discriminatory practices based on biased algorithms and biased data sets.
Unlocking the Potential of Generative AI for Equity and Access in Robotics Education
Project years 2023 - 2024
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In the context of educational robotics, this RAPID project examines the educational equity potential of a task-oriented generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool to assist with creative productivity tasks in engineering design. This time-sensitive project will investigate how to support lower-performing learners through development and testing of an AI robot design assistant in a virtual robot-building game.
GreenFab: Sustainable Design Through Engineering and Technology
Project years 2008 - 2011
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GreenFab: Sustainable Design Through Engineering and Technology is an academic enrichment program designed to teach STEM concepts through hands-on, project-based learning activities that emphasize career development in the emerging field of sustainable technologies.
Studying Technology-based Strategies for Enhancing Student Interest in STEM Careers through Algebra Curricula in Grades 5-9
Project years 2010 - 2013
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The investigators seek are examining the relationship between specific technology-based motivational activities and grade 5 to 9 student interest in STEM careers through a variety of classroom-based experiences. Students will be exposed to the work of STEM professionals, take a scripted two-day mathematics lesson, solve problems in algebra, and respond to questionnaires immediately after and six months after the experience. The study will vary the technological context of the induction experiences and hold constant the instructional component.
Students Build Augmented and Virtual Reality Plant Models to Understand the Role of Design in STEM
Project years 2020 - 2024
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This exploratory project will study the integration of science, design and advanced technology in high school education through a set of innovative learning experiences in the context of plant science using augmented and virtual reality (AVR) technologies. Underrepresented and underserved students from both urban and rural communities will have access to novel educational tools while learning how to create 3D models of different parts of plants in small collaborative teams.
Making the Transition to Remote Science Teaching and Learning
Project years 2020 - 2021
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Across the nation, teachers have shifted to delivering instruction remotely due to COVID-19. This transition to remote instruction has presented challenges for secondary science teachers who previously engaged their students in hands-on learning through empirical tests and observations of real-world phenomena, but whose students might not now have the equipment or materials in their homes to enable hands-on investigations.
A Cultural Framework for Equity in Maker Practices
Project years 2017 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The project seeks to better understand the creative processes and products of non-dominant cultures of making, and to create a framework for maker cultures that treats diversity as an asset.
The Development of a Digital Platform for Evaluating and Using AI-Generated Content for Academic Purposes
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The recent development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT and Bard present new opportunities and challenges for learners in the elementary and middle grades. Despite their potential for facilitating and supporting scientific reading and writing, there are pressing concerns about how AI tools can produce harmful, biased, and false content, which then gets reproduced by users who lack sufficient critical evaluation skills or do not understand the importance of evaluating AI-generated content.
Promoting Commenting and Debugging in Early Years Programming
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivation and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). It is essential that STEM professionals effectively and efficiently communicate and justify processes, and find and fix mistakes.
Artificial Intelligence Curriculum and K-12 Teacher Agency: Barriers and Opportunities
Project years 2023 - 2024
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AI-powered tools have the potential to transform education, both in formal and informal settings. The immense potential for AI to address challenges in education has created an urgent need to characterize how K-12 education may leverage these powerful tools safely, ethically, and equitably. While the AI in education landscape is changing drastically and rapidly, little is known about K-12 educators' engagement with AI and how newly developed tools and curriculum will be received and integrated into classrooms.
GLOBE California Academy Program (CAP) - Collaborative Research
Project years 2011 - 2016
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WestEd and the University of California-Berkeley are improving student learning and workforce preparation in science as well as information and communication technology by embedding the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program into curricula of selected high school-level green energy career academies in California. Embedding GLOBE within California's green energy academies will pave the way for broader GLOBE implementation in California and other states.
Increasing Students' Interest in STEM through the Science of Music
Project years 2021 - 2025
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To fulfill the country’s industrial and strategic needs, the US education system needs to engage more youth in STEM professional paths. In particular, there is a need to engage low-income and minority students, who are underrepresented in the STEM workforce. A fundamental strategy for engaging students in science and technology is to create educational experiences that connect to the students’ culture and passions.
A MULTI Approach to Engaging Students and Teachers in Effective STEM Education
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by implementing a strategy that purposefully combines educational methodologies based on the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment program.
Exploring an AI Literacies Framework for Young Children: A Delphi Study
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming society, and it is becoming increasingly clear to educators and researchers that K-12 students must be prepared for an AI-driven future. One crucial area that requires research is early childhood education (ECE) for children aged 5 to 8 years old. The potential impact of AI on early childhood cannot be overstated: there are far-reaching implications for language development, cognitive skills, sensory perception, and social-emotional development, which are the holistic goals of ECE.
Teachers and Researchers Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM (TRAILS)
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will use real-world exemplars as the foundation for integrating entomology and engineering design to investigate the development of 21st skills (creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and computational thinking) in STEM for teachers and students in rural Indiana.
Curriculum and Community Enterprise for New York Harbor Restoration in New York City Public Schools
Project years 2014 - 2018
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This project will develop and test a model of curriculum and community enterprise to address that issue within the nation's largest urban school system. Middle school students will study New York harbor and the extensive watershed that empties into it, and they will conduct field research in support of restoring native oyster habitats.
Enhancing Underrepresented Boys' Engagement in STEM through Mentoring and Father Involvement
Project years 2018 - 2022
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Approximately 100 underrepresented students in Houston, TX are engaged in hands-on, out-of-school STEM projects that focus on the engineering design process through mentorship from underrepresented STEM undergraduates
Reforming IT Education through Game Design: Integrating Technology Hub, Inner City, Rural and Remote Regions
Project years 2009 - 2012
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The iDREAMS (Integrative Design-based Reform-oriented Educational Approach for Motivating Students) project engages middle school students in computer science curriculum through game design with the ultimate goal of helping them understand and build interest in pursuing IT careers. The project builds on earlier work with AgentSheets and successes with students at various ages.
Digispired ii: Workforce Investigation Inspiration for STEM (wiiSTEM)
Project years 2010 - 2013
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Digispired ii encourages seventy students to investigate mathematics, science, and engineering principles such as kinematics and kinesthetics related to the use of game controllers like wiimotes and dance pads in the process of creating games using a professional game authoring system. Building on a previous successful ITEST Strategies project, some of the students will be followed for an additional three years in high school and compared with similar students who participate for only three years. Students broaden their view of STEM and expand their thinking about STEM careers.
E-Communities: Investigating How a Collaboration Between STEM Educators and Engineers Impact Underserved Youth's Participation in Engineering Design
Project years 2015 - 2021
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The project is investigating whether combining the expertise of professional engineers with that of STEM educators will enable classroom mathematics and science teachers to engage students in the engineering design process in ways that affect students' awareness, interest, and ability to identity with engineering principles and careers.
Seeding the Future: Creating a Green Collar Workforce Through Learning about Indoor Urban Farming Technologies and Alternative Energy Sources
Project years 2013 - 2017
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This project develops an interdisciplinary and transformative in- and out of-school science education and technology program that engages high school aged youth and their teachers in 1) the production of food using hydroponics, and 2) the use of green energy technologies (solar, and wind) to power hydroponic systems.
Building STEM Skills by Integrating Data Literacy and Text Analytics in English Language Arts
Project years 2023 - 2026
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Ubiquitous computing and new technologies are infusing fields that have not historically been identified as STEM-related, such as the humanities, with new tools and practices involving data. This data infusion is opening up new opportunities to use data literacy instruction to augment instruction already required for compulsory humanities subjects, such as English language arts. Additionally, the potential for improving students? data literacy through the analysis of textual data is directly relevant to increasing future participation and success in STEM fields and professions.
Conducting Authentic Molecular Biology and Genomics Research in High Schools
Project years 2010 - 2015
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This Rutgers University project, Conducting Authentic Molecular Biology and Genomics Research (MBGR) in High Schools, is a three-year strategies-based ITEST project that provides avenues for science teachers and their students to become part of, and contribute to, authentic research in biotechnology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Teachers and students will use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to analyze their experimental findings and publish their results in databases used by scientists throughout the world.
Game Design Through Mentoring and Collaboration
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Two hundred middle and high school students in the Washington, DC area with teachers, scientists, and experts to increase their motivation, achievement, and exposure to STEM careers and disciplines through game design, mentoring, and collaboration.
STEM Teams: Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Skills, Knowledge, Interest, and Career Awareness through Strategic Teaming
Project years 2010 - 2014
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The primary goal of the STEM Teams strategies project is to build a bridge from isolated middle schools in rural NC to the high tech resources at research universities, to effectively teach STEM (science, mathematics, & technology) content and instill an understanding of the potential of STEM careers.
Design Loft STEM Learning Program
Project years 2011 - 2015
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The Design Loft STEM Learning Program is introducing 400 underserved middle school students in California to engineering careers. The goal of the program is to develop students' ability to define and create solutions for real world problems by using "design thinking." The program's learning activities expose students to design thinking tasks that produce low-cost engineering solutions to improve the lives of poor people around the world. Students are designing cost-effective ways of increasing impoverished people's access to water, shelter, and energy.
Data Driven Approaches to Integrating AI in K-12 Education Using Social Media Analysis
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Large language models, especially ChatGPT, have seen exponential growth and have demonstrated early potential to transform teaching and learning. Given the rapidly changing field, there are limited systematic studies on how students and teachers are engaging with these new generative AI tools, leaving schools with little to no data to help them integrate AI in K-12 education. This RAPID project aims to develop a general framework and accompanying computational tools to understand how students and teachers are engaging with generative AI tools.
Girls InnovaTE3: Girls Innovating with Technology as Entrepreneurial Environmental Engineers
Project years 2008 - 2012
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SRI International (SRI), Girls Incorporated of Alameda County (GIAC), and TERC are collaborating to create and implement Girls InnovaTE3: Girls Innovating with Technology as Entrepreneurial Environmental Engineers. InnovaTE3, a Strategies project in NSF's ITEST program, is an out-of-school youth-centered curriculum for 8th through 11th grade girls.
Authentic Art Making as a Vehicle for Connecting to STEM Learning and Careers
Project years 2015 - 2019
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Artists for Humanity and Education Development Center, Inc. are collaborating to develop and study a model for using authentic art-making to promote high school students' interest in STEM learning and STEM careers. The project builds on a highly successful Artists for Humanity out-of-school-time art and design program for Boston youth, which uses an apprenticeship model to educate under-resourced youth through mentor-guided creation and sale of artworks.
Salmon Camp Research Team II
Project years 2007 - 2011
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One hundred and eighty middle and high school Native American students in Oregon, Washington State, and California are performing GIS surveys and utilizing computer modeling to map the spawning grounds of wild salmon.
Nano-satellites and East Bay Rocket Scientists (NEARS)
Project years 2016 - 2021
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The Nanosatellites and East Bay Rocket Scientists (NEARS) project will develop and study a model that includes 1) engaging youth in designing and conducting locally-relevant scientific investigations that use programmable sensors on earth and on nanosatel
Engineering Experiences: Research on Student Competency, Motivation and Persistence in STEM for Underserved Youth
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project will develop and study Engineering Experiences, in an out-of-school-time (OST) setting that combines project-based learning in STEM with engineering experiences and ongoing mentoring to prepare students for success in high school STEM courses and the future STEM workforce.
Collaborative Research: Creating a STEM Pipeline for Low Income and Immigrant Youth (STUDIO: Build Our World)
Project years 2014 - 2017
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124 low income immigrant middle and high school students living in Seattle Public Housing participate in a year long program focused on mentoring, tinkering, and understanding the role that woman and people of color play in STEM fields.
Inquiry-Based Marine Biotechnology and Bioinformatics for Teachers and Students
Project years 2003 - 2006
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This comprehensive project for 45 middle and high school teachers (who will pass along their learning to 4,500 students) uses inquiry-based education developed from research projects at Moss Landing Marine Labs to teach biotechnology and IT skills. Participants learn how biotechnology is used to address scientific questions and how resulting data is analyzed, manipulated, displayed, and shared.
The CryptoClub: Extending Learning with Student-Generated Tutorials
Project years 2013 - 2019
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In existing CryptoClub after school programs, middle school students use mathematics to make and break secret codes. The CryptoClub website has tools for encrypting, messages to crack, treasure hunts and other activities. In this project, the learning in fifteen Crypto Clubs is extended by having the students generate tutorials that explain how they solve mathematics and cryptographic problems. The flexibility of the after school setting provides the opportunity to experiment with content and technology.
Exploring STEM Impact and Engagement in Student-Led and Purpose-Driven Projects
Project years 2018 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) through advancing student skills and interest in the area of data science.  We live in a data-driven age where data and the skills associated with it are in high demand in STEM fields and beyond.
Fostering Equitable Science through Parental Involvement and Technology
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by examining the relationship between science learning and STEM career interest outcomes for students, and racial minority and immigrant parental involvement via a technology-enhanced social learning environment (SLE).
COMPUGIRLS Scale-Up
Project years 2012 - 2018
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The COMPUGIRLS Scale-Up project utilizes a culturally relevant technology (CRT) program to prepare girls ages 13-18 from the Phoenix high needs district to enter the STEM workforce. This project builds on the successful NSF-funded COMPUGIRLS award (DRL 08-33773), which uses social justice-based multimedia projects to engage young women in activities that increase knowledge, understanding, and awareness of careers in STEM and information and communications technology (ICT).
Nanotechnology and Bioengineering in Philadelphia Public Schools
Project years 2008 - 2012
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Seventy-two high school physical science and biology teachers, 180 students during summer workshops, and 24 guidance counselors in Philadelphia use education and information technologies to study and apply concepts in nanotechnology and bioengineering.
Supporting Elementary Students’ Computer Science Skills and Interest through Engagement with Low-cost, Adaptable Robots
Project years 2024 - 2028
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Reflecting increasing calls at the national and state-levels for computer science (CS) to be integrated into elementary school classrooms, this design and development project will develop low-cost, adaptable physical computing tools to provide equitable opportunities for elementary students to learn CS skills and concepts.
Nanotechnology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NEST)
Project years 2016 - 2022
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This project will develop and study the outcomes of a program that includes a concentrated two-week summer program coupled with academic year mentoring, support, and research opportunities. Nanotechnology teaching modules will be developed and tested, with the aim of implementing, researching, and refining a nanotechnology-focused program for secondary students, along with a professional development program for teachers. The project is intended to generate student awareness and interest in emerging workforce opportunities, particularly among students from low-income and underrepresented popula…
Girls Creating Games: Cafe Universo
Project years 2006 - 2010
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Built on a prior NSF-HRD funded "Girls Creating Games: Increasing Middle School Girls' Interest in Technology," ETR Associates offers "Girl Game Company ," a three-year, out-of-school technology program for rural, Latina, middle school girls from the Central Coast of California. Each of 80 girls will spend 120 hours/year for two years building and publishing web-based digital games on a range of topics. The project utilizes Numedeon, Inc.'s online virtual world "Whyville" where the games are posted in a virtual Girl Game Company clubhouse.
Skills21STEMStarter: An Incubator and Launch Pad to STEM Entrepreneurship and Careers
Project years 2016 - 2021
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Education Connection's Center for 21st Century Skills, in collaboration with a consortium of education and industry partners, will develop an online open source platform with an integrated incubator curriculum that engages high school students, teachers, and mentors in synergistic collaborations to advance students' competencies and skills via the design and launching of STEM-related products and services.
Model My Watershed: Developing a Cyberlearning Application and Curricula to Enhance Interest in STEM Careers - Collaborative Research
Project years 2009 - 2013
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Model My Watershed is a three year project to develop, test and disseminate a watershed-modeling tool set for secondary students. It is designed to build on GoogleEarth and provide a dynamic interface where students can import as well as add data, modify both environmental conditions and underlying algorithms, work in a collaborative online learning environment, and be exposed to STEM careers. The design is based on the belief that students should have an authentic, exciting, intuitive and interactive tool set that allows them to investigate their own neighborhoods.
Developing K-12 Education Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence
Project years 2019 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing guidelines for teaching and learning about artificial intelligence (AI) in K-12 school settings.
Strategic Problem-based Approach to Rouse Computer Science (SPARCS)
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The SPARCS project will support 72 teachers of grades 7-9 to integrate computer science into their science and math instruction. Because the world is adopting computational tools quickly, students need to learn about how computational technology can be leveraged to make informed decisions.
Science, Technology and Engineering Mini-business Incubator (STEM-Inc)
Project years 2014 - 2018
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This project innovatively aims to motivate early teens to pursue careers in engineering and computer science through an afterschool program. This program combines these subjects with business entrepreneurship by engaging students in designing computer science and engineering products.
YouthLink: Comprehensive, Innovative and Advanced Digital Technology Experiences for Underserved Teens
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Over three years, YouthLink will engage 120 teens in informal, IT-intensive educational experiences that promote IT skills identified by national NETS standards and develop student interest in IT-intensive study and careers. Historically underrepresented populations – low-income students, students of color, girls, disabled, teen parents, and second language learners – are recruited through established partnerships with San Francisco’s educational and non-profit organizations.
Computer Science For All Workshop in Atlanta
Project years 2016 - 2019
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The Computer Science for All: Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships program aims to provide all U.S. students the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) education in their schools at the K-12 levels. This program focuses on researcher-practitioner partnerships (RPPs) that foster the research and development needed to bring CS/CT to all schools.
A Networked Improvement Community Approach to School-wide Transformation, Teacher Agency, and Minoritized Students’ Climate Science Learning and Belonging
Project years 2021 - 2025
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Incorporating urgent issues of social and environmental justice into environmental science teaching can harness youth’s real-world interests and improve their engagement, learning, sense of belonging, and career interests. This may be especially true for students who are directly experiencing the intertwined burdens of structural racism and environmental injustice. This project will adapt and extend successful Solar Suitcase curricula that explicitly link technology learning experiences to environmental science and social purpose.
Kids as Urban Scientists: Mapping the Biodiversity of the Philadelphia Promise Zone
Project years 2016 - 2019
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Upper elementary students will use digital data collection tools to map biodiversity in local neighborhoods, and the project will interweave the biodiversity activities with career awareness and mentoring opportunities.
Transforming Preschoolers’ Spatial Orientation: Leveraging New Technologies for Learning in Early Childhood Classrooms and at Home
Project years 2021 - 2024
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The development of spatial orientation (SO) skills – the ability to identify the position of objects in space – is a strong predictor of math skills and later school success and academic achievement. However, even with the increasing evidence in the importance of SO skills for children, they are rarely included in kindergarten and primary school curriculum. This puts children at a severe learning disadvantage; children who lag behind their peers in school-entry mathematical skills are at high risk to continue to do so.
Investigating environmental identity development among children in rural Alaska Native communities through intergenerational, culturally responsive community science programming
Project years 2021 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand culturally responsive approaches supported by appropriate technologies to broaden participation of Indigenous students in STEM studies and careers.
STEM and ICT Instructional Worlds: The 3D Experience (STEM-ICT 3D)
Project years 2008 - 2012
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A coalition of Carolina universities, school districts, state agencies, and businesses called the "Virtual World Consortium" are promoting the use of 3 dimensional immersive virtual technologies to teach STEM in middle schools.
App Maker Pro (AMP): Motivating STEM Study through App Development
Project years 2015 - 2019
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Project AMP (App Maker Pro), a partnership between Arizona State University and the Chandler, Higley, Mesa, and Phoenix, Arizona public schools, will gauge the effectiveness of a design village (community) program on the technology interests and talents of high school students.
IT Community Support Project
Project years 2006 - 2010
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Three hundred and fifty two middle and high school students in Hartford, CT gain IT skills in computer engineering and web applications by producing a DVD on IT careers, a project website, and by refurbishing computers for donation.
Empathy-Driven Engineering Internships for Teens: Connecting Technical Work to Social Needs
Project years 2021 - 2025
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This project responds to the persistent patterns of underrepresentation of women, African American and Latinx people in engineering. Many youth continue to have a limited, and at times inaccurate, understanding of what engineering is and what engineers do. Often, these limited perceptions of engineering do not align with youths’ interests and strengths.
Preparing Responsive Educators using Place-Based Authentic Research in Earth Systems (PREPARES)
Project years 2012 - 2018
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This project expands, implements and conducts research on a previously developed framework for providing indigenous students with the workforce skills and knowledge needed for future Earth system science careers. The framework proven effective for Inupiat students during the NSF/ITEST-funded Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ESI-0525277) will be scaled up to develop culturally responsive STEM instruction for 1500 Yup'ik and Native Hawaiian middle school students and their 60 teachers.
The FabLab Classroom: Preparing Students for the Next Industrial Revolution
Project years 2010 - 2015
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This project introduces 4th and 5th grade students and teachers to engineering design and associated mathematics by developing and implementing a new, scalable, personal fabrication laboratory, the Classroom FabLab, and supporting curriculum. The University of Virginia and the University of North Texas are providing preparation in personal fabrication to pre-service teachers in their methods courses. The pre-service teachers are doing their student teaching under master teachers trained by the project in ten classrooms in Virginia and five in Texas.
A Model Program to Engage Students in Authentic, Technology-Infused Coastal Research and Monitoring: Building Student Data Literacy and Career Competency through Partnership
Project years 2022 - 2026
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The project will introduce and investigate an innovative model for using authentic community-relevant research to deepen students' STEM knowledge and skills, while building strong community connections between Maine's coastal school districts and their communities. The project will involve teachers and administrators, STEM and STEM education faculty, and business leaders and other community members in a research practice partnership.
A Technological Framework for Fostering Collaboration by Linking Novice Makers with Mentors and Peers
Project years 2021 - 2025
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The Connected Spaces (C/S) project will research and develop a technological toolkit and design framework designed to connect youth makers with peers, mentors, and technical assistance.
It's About Discovery
Project years 2009 - 2013
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“It’s About Discovery” is a partnership between The Ohio State University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Fayetteville State University that engages high school students and their teachers in critical thinking skills focusing on STEM content areas. The Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) new science curriculum is the foundation for the project that includes students and teachers from Ohio and North Carolina.
Understanding the Impact of Making on Veterans in Pursuing STEM Degrees
Project years 2018 - 2019
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This project will use Maker pedagogy to develop workshops to test its potential for improving the effectiveness of learning pathways in STEM disciplines for military veterans. The workshops will provide training and educational awareness in engineering topics and will include computer-aided design (CAD), rapid prototyping, 3D printing, fundamentals of bio-inspired robotics, and additive manufacturing technologies. The project will address the nation's need for workforce to learn the most current and emerging skill sets.
Innovative Technology in Science Inquiry Scale-Up Project (ITSI-SU)
Project years 2009 - 2015
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The goal of this ITEST scale-up project (ITSI-SU) is to address the need for research-based science materials and teaching techniques that generate demonstrable improvements in student science achievement in grades 3-12. The project will reach 264 teachers directly and 10,000 students in four states and has the capacity to reach another 1,500 teachers and 50,000 students nationwide in a dissemination phase, and still more if teachers and trainers adopt project-generated resources.
Preparing Students for the New Manufacturing Economy: An Integrative Learning Approach
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The project is designed to prepare students for the future world of work that will require them to develop and integrate multiple areas of skill and knowledge that can be flexibly deployed across widely varying and ever-changing work requirements. The current education system emphasizes the development of skills and knowledge within specific disciplines, which does not reflect the multidisciplinary nature of future work.
Fly High Your Math and Science Skills
Project years 2016 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Seeing Science: Using Computer Vision to Explore the Scientific Principles Behind Everyday Objects
Project years 2022 - 2025
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Community-Engaged Engineering Interventions with Appalachian Youth
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by producing empirical findings and/or research tools that contribute to knowledge about which models and interventions with K-12 students and teachers are most likely to increase capacity in the STEM and STEM-cognate intensive workforce of the future.
Using AI to Focus Teacher-Student Troubleshooting in Classroom Robotics
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Maintaining effective instructional interactions between teachers and students around content is challenging, especially in open-ended problem-solving domains such as computer programming. Troubleshooting student programs at the classroom scale becomes difficult, even more so in remote or hybrid instructional contexts. Yet an instructor’s adaptability, insight, rapport with students, and leadership role in the classroom remain indispensable.
Technology at the Crossroads
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Two hundred and thirty five middle school students (with a focus on girls) in Boston, Massachusetts use Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geographic Positioning Systems (GPS) and HTML programming to conduct environmental research.
CAPSULE: CAPStone Unique Learning Experience
Project years 2009 - 2013
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CAPSULE, a capstone project-based learning model, brings the STEM/IT workforce experience to high school students and teachers through industry-driven projects and multimedia production. Materials developed at the Museum of Science and real-world problems solicited from local industry are formulated as projects to be used in a hands-on capstone elective course or in after school activities so that students can relate STEM concepts covered in the classroom to real world applications and learn the engineering design process (EDP).
International Year of Quantum (IYQ) Educational Leadership Conferences
Project years 2024 - 2025
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Conference: International Year of Quantum Educational Leadership Conferences (IYQ Conferences), a partnership between Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), will advance physical science literacy and diversify the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline by disseminating critical information regarding quantum information science and technology (QIST) access, teaching, and learning for K-12 school district leaders, teachers, and students.
MATE ROV Competitions: Providing Pathways to the Ocean STEM Workforce
Project years 2009 - 2013
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This project will use the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center's highly successful remotely operated vehicle (ROV) competition network to reach, engage, and support the participation of middle schools. The project will also develop a cyberlearning center that uses web technologies and social media tools to engage and increase the number of users accessing and sharing information, resources, and ideas.
Connected STEM - Promoting STEM Education through Connected Devices and Building Automation
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will produce empirical findings and/or research tools that contribute to knowledge about which models and interventions with K-12 students and teachers are most likely to increase capacity in the STEM and STEM cognate intensive workforce of the future.
Community Platform for Ocean and Climate Education, Careers, and Workforce Development
Project years 2011 - 2014
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Students, teachers, and parents from minority and underserved schools will examine how knowledge of remote sensing, ocean, and climate science influence students interest in and preparation for careers in STEM.
QuEST: Quantum Education for Students and Teachers
Project years 2022 - 2027
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The National Quantum Initiative Act stipulates the growth and acceleration of quantum information science and technology research and education. However, high school science teachers may not have a background in quantum physics, and this creates a challenge for them to keep track of academic and industrial development of quantum technology, causing a substantial gap in early quantum education.
Predicting STEM Career Choice from Computational Indicators of Student Engagement within Middle School Mathematics Classes
Project years 2011 - 2016
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This study by Worcester Polytechnic Institute will ascertain how well "disengagement" of students in mathematics can be determined from math learning software and how well it predicts later outcomes of STEM learning and career advancement.
Paleo Exploration Project: Spatial Analysis of Fossil Finds in the Northern Plains
Project years 2006 - 2010
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The Paleo Exploration Project has provided training in paleontology and geospatial analysis to 52 K-12 math, science, and technology teachers and over 80 middle school students from rural eastern Montana, an area that includes five of the state’s seven Indian reservations. Through a series of two-day weekend workshops, participating teachers learned about Montana's geologic history and fossil record, and were trained in the use sophisticated geospatial technologies to plan and conduct field-based geological investigations.
A Consortium Approach to CS for All
Project years 2016 - 2018
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Over 200 organizations focused on the goals of CSforAll are connected to the consortium, collaboratively working to share knowledge and resources and provide models of implementation.
Promoting Students' Data Literacy through the Creation of Interactive Multimodal Representations of Biometric Data
Project years 2023 - 2027
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This project will promote data literacy in high school students by engaging them in learning about the Quantified Self -- the practice of using technology to track and reflect on one?s own biological, behavioral, physical, and/or emotional data. Learning activities will be designed to spark a broad interest in science and to help develop students? informed opinions about the role of human-generated data in public life.
STEM PUSH (Pathways for Underrepresented Students to Higher Education) Network
Project years 2019 - 2024
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Diversity in the STEM workforce is essential for expanding the talent pool and bringing new ideas to bear in solving societal problems, yet entrenched gaps remain. In STEM higher education, students from certain racial and ethnic groups continue to be underrepresented in STEM majors and fields. Colleges and universities have responded by offering precollege STEM programs to high school students from predominantly underrepresented groups.
Coding Science Internships: Authentic Learning Experiences to Support Students' Science and Programming Practices and Broaden Participation in Computer Science
Project years 2017 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing, broadly implementing, and systematically investigating two 10-day computer programming instructional sequences.
Leveraging Dynamically Linked Representations in a Semi-Structured Workspace to Cultivate Mathematical Modeling Competencies Among Secondary Students (M2Studio)
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Mathematical modeling can support people in making sense of complex and critical unanswered questions related to real-world phenomena.  For example, mathematical modeling can help determine the speed at which an infectious disease will spread, how interventions can limit the spread, and how sea level change can impact coastal populations and ecosystems. While educators and policymakers recognize the importance of mathematical modeling in K-12 education, the complexities of modeling and modeling tasks often create barriers for classroom implementation.
Medibotics: The Merging of Medicine, Robotics and IT
Project years 2006 - 2009
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The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is working with faculty, students and staff in four high-minority urban school districts in New Jersey to integrate robotics programming, engineering design and information technology into existing curricula for grades 7-12. The goal of the project is to enlarge the number of students from underrepresented groups who are interested in pursuing IT and STEM careers by engaging secondary students in ten robotics activities that involve computer programming to solve grade-appropriate biomedical engineering problems.
Water SCIENCE: Supporting Collaborative Inquiry, Engineering, and Career Exploration with Water
Project years 2014 - 2017
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This ITEST Strategies project, engages middle school students in project-based learning around their community's water resources. Through the innovative use of technology the project enables data sharing among schools in different parts of the country and provides a forum for the development of a professional learning community for teachers.
Developing Hands-on Virtual Reality Science Laboratory Experiences
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project addresses our nation's urgent need for an agile and diverse science and technology workforce by innovating cost-effective and scalable hands-on chemistry and biochemistry laboratory training using virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) educational technologies. Learning is optimized when theory and practice are seamlessly integrated and when multiple senses (sight, sound, and touch) reinforce each other to promote long-term knowledge retention.
iDigFossils: Engaging K-12 Students in Integrated STEM via 3D Digitization, Printing and Exploration of Fossils
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will design and test a model for student engagement using paleontology as the disciplinary focus. Paleontology, or the scientific study of fossils, is a broad, interdisciplinary field that spans biology and geology. Current paleontological research harnesses the resources provided by advanced technologies and modern statistics.
Non-digital Hands-on AI Learning Resources for Middle-School Students
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Young learners need opportunities to build critical awareness surrounding AI. To rapidly expand inclusive access to AI education, K-12 educators need activities that (a) are low-cost, (b) do not require specialized technology, (c) can be led with little prior knowledge of AI and used in settings with time constraints and competing curricular needs, and (d) have clear learning objectives and tie-ins across disciplines. ?Unplugged? activities that are playful, hands-on learning experiences that foster learning about AI without programming can address these constraints.
Tech-Success
Project years 2005 - 2008
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One hundred and ten middle and high school students with disabilities in the Oklahoma City Schools participate in year round, innovative, in-depth activities using the Tech Now curriculum; engage in individual projects, visit college and technology training center and participate in job shadowing.
CyberTech Computer Science Program to Prepare Underrepresented Students for Careers in the Sciences
Project years 2004 - 2007
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In Georgia, 600 high school students (with a focus on African Americans, Hispanics, women, and first-generation college-bound youth) in grades 10-12, and 60 teachers from 10 high schools are participating in intensive computer science/programming courses from grades 10-12 including video game development, animation and programming.
Teaching Engineering Concepts to Harness Future Innovators (TECHFIT)
Project years 2013 - 2018
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The TECHFIT project fosters middle school student enthusiasm for STEM disciplines. This is accomplished by equipping teachers with skills and tools to engage their students and show them how engineering technology knowledge can help them become innovators of interesting, fun, and valuable products. TECHFIT recruits teams of 2-5 science, technology, math, and physical education teachers from partner schools to complete a 6-day, professional development summer workshop.
Partnership to Provide Technology Experiences through Aerial Drones in High Schools of the Alabama Black Belt
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings (STEM-OPS)
Project years 2019 - 2024
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Potential STEM talent is lost each day for some of the most underserved and underrepresented populations in our nation's incarcerated men, women, and youth. With years devoid of quality STEM education and opportunities while in prison, incarcerated individuals are often significantly underprepared in STEM and for the STEM workforce. This educational debt exacerbates the pattern of marginalization for these vulnerable populations. Their STEM literacy, employability and potential for earning sustainable wages upon release are stifled.
EcoScienceWorks: Exploring and Modeling Ecosystems Using Information Technology
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Twenty-five seventh and eighth grade teachers and 150 of their students in Maine engage in computer modeling, simple programming and analysis of GIS data coupled with hands-on field experiences in ecology.
FUSE Studios: A New, Interest-Driven Model for Engaging Youth In STEM and Career Development Through Challenges and Partnership with Industry
Project years 2014 - 2018
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The FUSE Studios project seeks to engage youth in meaningful ways on sustained pathways towards STEM-related careers and involvement in science in later life. FUSE Studios are organized around sequences of interest-driven challenges involving both digital and hands-on activities that are informed by authentic STEM occupations and practices, and linked together in a progression modeled after computer-game sequences.
STEM Career Connections: A Model for Preparing Economically-Disadvantaged Rural Youth for the Future Workforce
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The project will develop and research a series of next generation augmented reality (AR) digital learning labs and incorporate the labs into an existing curriculum, STEM 21. AR has been proposed as an effective means of motivating previously disengaged students through authentic experiences. By focusing the intervention in high schools with a large proportion of underrepresented students1, the project addresses the lack of opportunities for underrepresented youth to be engaged in rigorous STEM learning that incorporates emerging technologies, aligned with 21st century workforce skills.
Co-Robots to Enhance Motivation and Self-efficacy in Formal STEM Education
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Rehabilitation and assistive robots are becoming more prevalent as the population is aging. Healthcare technologies are rapidly evolving and becoming increasingly high-tech and reliant on sensors for biological data collection and human-robot interactions to augment human capabilities. Not only is the field changing, but the demand for a highly skilled workforce is growing rapidly.
Games Requiring Advanced Developmental Understanding and Achievement in Technological Endeavors (GRADUATE)
Project years 2010 - 2013
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A team of educational researchers, scientists, and engineers from NC State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Duke University are partnering with teachers and administrators from Durham County Schools, Lee County Schools, the NC Business Committee for Education, and an international gaming company to pilot GRADUATE (Games Requiring Advanced Developmental Understanding and Achievement in Technological Endeavors).
Motivating Bilingual Hispanic Youth Towards STEM & STEM Cognate Study and Careers (MIO STEM)
Project years 2015 - 2018
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The Arizona State University Center for Games and Impact will collaborate with VME (Vme Media), E-Line Media, and HACU (Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities) to develop a project designed to engage Hispanic middle-school students in learning about STEM careers. The project will initially stimulate career interest as youth reflect on game play using the Career Illumination Tool.
Investigating Digital Badges as Alternative Credentials to Broaden STEM Participation Among Underrepresented Youth
Project years 2016 - 2019
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The project will develop and research an innovative credentialing process called Design League Badge Portfolios. (A digital badge, like a badge earned in a scout troop, is a validated indicator of accomplishment or skill that is housed and managed online and can be earned in informal or formal environments.)
SPIRIT: Silicon Prairie Initiative on Robotics in IT
Project years 2005 - 2008
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One hundred and five grade 7-8 science and mathematics teachers in the Omaha public schools integrate wireless technology, signal processing, control systems, digital logic, and programming into problem-based instructional activities.
The Eyes Say it All: Using web page design and eye-tracking technology to learn STEM concepts, research skills, and human factors
Project years 2013 - 2018
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Tuskegee University engages 150 students in grades 8-12 in three-week summer workshops featuring STEM content, web-design, the multi-disciplinary area of human-computer interaction, and career study seminars/webinars. Students design a website incorporating STEM content, and then use a technology called eye-tracker to test the effectiveness of their communication. The project design combines three aspects of best practices in learning and extends them to a technology-based pedagogy: writing-to-learn, learning-to-write, and project-based learning.
Innovation Challenges for Middle School Mathematics in a Digital Learning System: Student Participation Impact on Achievement, Affect, and STEM Career Interest
Project years 2018 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase middle school girls and minorities motivations and capacities to pursue careers in STEM fields. By developing digital mathematics and engineering-based challenges, the project is designed to motivate students to pursue STEM fields. Students participate in teams to create and pitch entrepreneurial ideas.
IDEAS: Inventing, Designing, and Engineering on the Autism Spectrum
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will create a hybrid formal/informal program that prepares middle-school students with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for careers as inventors, designers, and engineers.
Energy For ME
Project years 2011 - 2015
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Energy for Maine (ME) is a three-year project that will develop, implement and evaluate a model to increase the STEM competencies and career aspirations of students in rural communities. The project will directly engage at least 50 teachers, 100 students and their families to increase STEM energy content knowledge and technology proficiencies by analyzing, discussing, and responding to locally-relevant energy issues through both in- and out-of-school activities.
Fostering Computer Science and AI Learning through Youth-Led Conversational App Development Experiences
Project years 2021 - 2025
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Computing skills are essential for 21st-century workforce development, and artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly at the center of computationally rich careers. To remain at the forefront of global technology, the US needs a diverse workforce prepared with these skills. There is a tremendous pool of talented learners who are currently not given access to computer science and AI learning opportunities during the critical ages when they develop educational interests and career identities.
Integrating Quantum Concepts and Technologies into Middle School Science Lessons
Project years 2024 - 2026
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Quantum education is considered a strategically important investment and a major priority for workforce development in the United States. Engaging and inspiring K-12 students at an early age is essential to spark curiosity and foster comprehensive knowledge about quantum technologies and their applications. However, there are limited educational programs and opportunities for middle school students to learn fundamental quantum concepts. This project aims to enrich middle school science education by integrating fundamental quantum concepts into the curriculum.
From Data To Awesome (D2A): Youth Learning to be Data Scientists
Project years 2015 - 2018
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The project will be a partnership between a non-profit organization and a university in order to engage youth in data science projects as they produce interactive media for local and national audiences.
Building IT and Career Self-Efficacy in Young Women by Entering and Measuring the Universe: The Universe Quest
Project years 2008 - 2013
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The University of California's Space Sciences Laboratory, in collaboration with ASA Academy and Community Science Center, Girl Scouts of Northern California, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, will implement the Universe Quest (UQ) project. Additional project partners include Sightspeed Video Conferencing and Quest G, a leading video game developer. Universe Quest will provide a total of 180 girls ages 13-16 from underrepresented populations in Oakland and Richmond with a unique opportunity to learn IT skills in the context of studying the universe with modern technology.
A Semiconductor Curriculum and Learning Framework for High-Schoolers Using Artificial Intelligence, Game Modules, and Hands-on Experiences
Project years 2024 - 2028
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Semiconductors are essential components of electronic devices, enabling advances in all important applications and systems such as communication, healthcare, and national security. In order to sustain the U.S.’s global competitiveness in the semiconductor industry, there is a growing demand for skilled semiconductor workforce. High schoolers are among the most frequent users of electronic devices. However, many do not know how these devices are designed and manufactured.
An Integrated Approach to Creating STEM Career Pathways
Project years 2016 - 2019
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The project will recruit, retain, and prepare students from underrepresented populations in STEM-related fields. While in the program, students will learn: a) science concepts related to hydroponics; b) how to develop hydroponics systems that are powered by alternative energy sources; c) how to build and program robotic arms to plant and harvest produce; d) how to automate the operation and monitoring of hydroponic systems; and e) how to build and program telepresence robots while earning college credits. Midway through the program, beginning in grade 10, participating students will also benef…
New Possibilities for Broadening the Impacts of Middle School Engineering through a Partnership between Teachers and Underrepresented Undergraduates in STEM
Project years 2019 - 2023
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Many schools include engineering design tasks in the science curriculum as one way to provide opportunities for middle school students to contribute to finding solutions to real-world problems. However, students who attend high needs schools often have few opportunities to make such contributions. This condition exists because sometimes teachers in high needs schools have difficulty creating learning environments where students feel confident enough to engage in the engineering design process.
Caminos a la Ciencia/Pathways to Science: A Program Designed to Recruit, Retain, and Develop Latinas in STEM Disciplines
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This is a multi-year project aimed at advancing efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that motivate Latinas to pursue educational pathways to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) occupations.  The project will work toward identifying and addressing the factors which influence Latinas' levels of engagement in pursuing STEM education throughout their high school years.
From Practice to Research: Engaging Science Communicators with Educational Research They Can Use
Project years 2019 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
GreenTECH 2011
Project years 2012 - 2016
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GreenTECH is a three-year project focusing on green technology and careers at the high school level. Partners are: Solar One, a Green Energy Arts and Education Center; MOUSE (Making Opportunities for Upgrading Schools & Education), a youth development program that prepares young people to serve as technology experts; the Wallerstein Collaborative for Urban Environmental Education at New York University, and the New York City Department of Education (DOE).
Building Unique Inventions to Launch Discoveries, Engagement and Reasoning in STEM
Project years 2017 - 2022
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The Building Unique Inventions to Launch Discoveries, Engagement and Reasoning in STEM (BUILDERS) project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
CoastLines
Project years 2008 - 2011
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In Miami, FL, Santa Barbara, CA, and other locations across the U.S., 90 middle and high school teachers and their students use geospatial technologies to study three coastal ecosystems in NSF's Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network.
Career Exploration Lab: 3D Printing and STEM Engagement for High School Students with Visual Impairments and their Educators
Project years 2020 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). For these students with visual impairments (VI), the possibility of a future in astronomy, or any science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, seems daunting.
Collaborative Research: Hybrid Professional Development to Enhance Teachers' Use of Bootstrap
Project years 2017 - 2022
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Integrating computing and mathematics appeals to various stakeholders for a variety of reasons. For the mathematics education community, computing offers an application of mathematics concepts that may strengthen teachers' and students' mathematical understanding; for the computer science (CS) education community, integration enables equitable access to computing education for all students; for state boards and districts, integration accommodates staffing and curricular constraints while targeting core learning objectives in multiple disciplines.
Promoting learning and interest in mathematics for urban Black and Latinx children through culturally relevant daily robot coding activities
Project years 2022 - 2026
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This Developing and Testing Innovations project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers. Specifically, the project will increase the interest and improve achievement in mathematics of New York City Black and Latinx students in 1st - 3rd grades.
Chief Science Officers: A Strategy for Student Awareness and Industry Engagement
Project years 2016 - 2022
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The Chief Science Officers (CSO) program expands on the student government model to select one or several youth at each participating middle or high school who would champion campus-wide interest, engagement and communication in STEM. On campus, CSOs would identify opportunities for speakers, field trips, and science nights. Off campus, CSOs participate in community forums and function as the point person for community initiatives in STEM.
Robotics and GPS/GIS in 4-H: Workforce Skills for the 21st Century
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Two hundred students ages 12-15 from 25 4-H clubs throughout Nebraska apply robotics, GPS, and GIS in their work with precision agriculture and environmental science.
Engineering Pathways for Appalachian Youth: Design Principles and Long-term Impacts of School-Industry Partnerships
Project years 2020 - 2025
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Engineering-related industries can be vital to rural communities, yet many youth in these communities do not commonly have educational experiences that introduce them to locally relevant engineering career pathways. In this project, engineers from local manufacturing companies will partner with educators to co-design learning innovations?spanning in-school and out-of-school settings?for over 2,500 high school youth from Appalachian counties.
The Science of Small Things
Project years 2007 - 2011
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More than 100 middle and high school students from Lowell, Massachusetts engage in hands-on nanotechnology related experiments facilitated by project staff, UMass Lowell students and faculty, and industry professionals.
Digital East St. Louis: An Urban Place-Based Learning Model to Promote Information Technology and Computer Science Career Interests of Minority Youth
Project years 2014 - 2019
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The main goal of this Strategies project is to experiment with new content and methods for engaging students who are underrepresented in STEM fields in the computing sciences via a place- based curriculum that asks students critical questions about the environment and culture of their own region.
Drone Research and Opportunities for Native Elementary Students (DRONES)
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing a career exploration experience for upper elementary students.
Urban STEM Stewards: Expanding Career Interests through Citizen-Science with Community Partners
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
Network Science for the Next Generation - Collaborative Research
Project years 2012 - 2017
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The Network Science project is a three year ITEST strategies project designed to engage 120 disadvantaged high school students (grades 10-11) and up to 30 high school STEM teachers from Boston and New York urban schools in a network science research based program, using cutting edge computer modeling research technology.
Bridging the Gap: The Effects of A School-To-Career Approach To Promoting Wildlife Science Careers Among Minority Students
Project years 2012 - 2016
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One hundred fifty high school students in New York City participate in afterschool and weekend programming at local zoos and aquariums to learn about and develop the skills necessary to pursue wildlife careers.
Green Infrastructure Technologies Inspire STEM Interest
Project years 2018 - 2020
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging middle school students in the science and engineering of urban green technologies (e.g., bio retention planters, green roofs and rain gardens).
Promoting 21st Century Science Technology-Enhanced Learning Across Formal and Informal Environments
Project years 2010 - 2016
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This project investigates the relationship between middle school students’ information technology skills, their success in an inquiry ocean science curriculum designed to target those skills, and their understanding of the new characteristics of 21st century science. It is concerned with the design of a curriculum and its impact on students of high compared with low digital literacy.
Investigating Barriers and Strategies to Increase HBCU Participation in STEM Education Research
Project years 2021 - 2023
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HBCUs are critical to producing a diverse and inclusive workforce as they graduate a disproportionate number of African American future STEM workers and STEM leaders. Although the National Science Foundation is fully committed to diversity and inclusion, there has been little research to determine why Historically Black Colleges and Universities are not fully participating in the NSF STEM educational research opportunities.
Scaling up an innovative STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Mathematics) learning environment through two partnership models with industry and schools
Project years 2017 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The project will foster and research the broad implementation of an integrated suite of science, technology, engineering, arts/design, and mathematics (STEAM) learning innovations into schools called FUSE Studios.
An Innovative Approach for Attracting Students to Computing
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Five higher education institutions and one school system will work collaboratively with 90 college and high-school faculty (working in teams) to learn Alice—a software program—to build understanding of object-based programming.
Maker Challenges to Promote Math Learning among English Language Learners
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing four Maker Learning Cycle (MLC) curriculum units for English language learners (ELLs) in each of grades 4 and 5.  Each Maker challenge engages students in hands-on creation of solutions to authentic problems in a social context, and each challenge is followed by one to
Sociocultural Approach to Integrating Computational Thinking and Data Analysis into an Online Citizen Science Program Linking Rural Educators in Maine, Mississippi, and Alabama
Project years 2020 - 2023
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This project will engage students in nine rural coastal schools in Maine, Mississippi, and Alabama, linking students around the Gulf of Maine with students near the Gulf of Mexico. This innovative approach of linking an online to classroom learning community will engage students in citizen science activities and will result in the design of curriculum modules that integrate computational thinking skills with standards-based instruction.
Real World Externships for Teachers of Mathematics and Science
Project years 2011 - 2016
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The Real World Externships project provides professional development for 150 mathematics and science teachers in grades 7-12 in Iowa. The teachers participate in externships with local science-based industries for six weeks during the summer. Teachers learn current applications of science and mathematics that they can use to enhance their teaching.
A Culturally-Relevant Computer Science Education Program to Expand Equity, Access, and Opportunity for Native American High School Students
Project years 2021 - 2025
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The underrepresentation of Native Americans in STEM and computing deprives the nation of its potential for innovation and transformative solutions that can arise from a diverse STEM workforce. Studying the educational differences between Native American and non-Native American learners will increase the understanding of how to reduce inequity and improve educational and economic outcomes for Native American students, families, and communities.
Using Underwater Robotic Vehicles to Build IT and Pre-Engineering Skills (BUILD IT)
Project years 2006 - 2010
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Seventy teachers, 35 guidance counselors and 140 students in an area around Hoboken NJ are collaborating with women and minority faculty to address a design challenge to program an underwater vehicle to perform tasks.
Science, Engineering, and Technology for Students, Educators, and Parents
Project years 2010 - 2013
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 The Science, Engineering, and Technology for Students, Educators, and Parents (SETSEP) program will provide K-3 students and their parents with hands-on, activity based instruction in science, engineering, and digital technology. Through its parent organization, the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program Inc.
Design-Based Information Technologies Learning Experiences (DITLE)
Project years 2014 - 2018
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To address the needs of the US to increase the ICT workforce with enhanced preparation and a diverse population of prepared secondary students, this strategies ITEST project will strengthen the current regional partnerships in place between secondary schools, the University of Cincinnati's IT and STEM education programs, and local industries.
Arctic Climate Modeling Program (ACMP)
Project years 2005 - 2009
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In indigenous communities in the northeastern peninsula of Alaska, 375 teachers and 5,100 students blend Native traditional knowledge with modern science to prepare for careers that can be conducted from rural areas.
Rhode Island Information Technology Experiences for Student and Teachers (RI-ITEST)
Project years 2007 - 2011
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One hundred teachers, through materials used in their classes, will work with 10,000 students in the use of computer modeling to enhance science education and provide choices for additional career paths.
TREES - Technology, Research, and Ecology Exchange for Students
Project years 2009 - 2013
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This strategy project will engage 84 middle school teachers and 2,688 of their students from 6 New York City Title I middle schools in learning and using science, math and IT to research New York City urban ecosystems services of energy, water and biodiversity. Using inquiry, scientific method and project based learning students will acquire 21st century workforce readiness skills while being exposed to the urban jobs connected to the natural infrastructure on which the City depends.
Earth Partnership: Community-Based Research into Tribal-School-University Partnerships that Deepen Indigenized STEM Teaching and Learning
Project years 2021 - 2024
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This Developing and Testing Innovations project addresses the need for greater Native representation in STEM education and STEM careers. This project will foster culturally sustaining learning for Indigenous youth in STEM by enhancing STEM education. Inter-Tribal, university and local school partners will collaborate to co-design an Indigenous environmental science curriculum and provide professional development and pedagogical support strategies for implementation in middle- and high-school classrooms and community settings.
Biology Meets Engineering: Expanding Transdisciplinary STEM Education
Project years 2024 - 2029
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The University of Cincinnati will scale a unique model for transdisciplinary learning inspired by cross-innovation in both biology and robotics. The project will expand the University of Cincinnati’s transdisciplinary innovation hub to student populations across three states (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana), which will increase student participation from two local high schools and one University-associated internship site to 10 schools and four internship sites at the University of Cincinnati, Bowling Green State University, University of Akron, and Ohio University.
Innovation Institute
Project years 2013 - 2018
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The Innovation Institute: From Problem to Product (I2) takes high school students through the entire process of inventing a device, software or other technology. This proposal makes use of a Makerspace at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), which is located in a community with a high proportion of both immigrant and low-income residents.
Analyzing and Supporting Students' Learning Behaviors in Computational STEM Learning Environments
Project years 2020 - 2023
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Computational thinking (CT) is the foundation of modern competency in a multitude of STEM-related fields. Learning strategies influence the way a student processes information and learns, which in turn, requires the proper control and regulation of their cognitive processes. More specifically, an effective learning strategy requires students to have adequate descriptive, procedural, and conditional knowledge of the strategies they apply.
Inspiring Commitment for STEM Career Paths through Extended Women's Hackathons
Project years 2016 - 2022
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This project, targeting high school Hispanic girls, will research how a coherent set of experiences supports student competency, motivation and persistence for productive participation in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT). workforce of the future. Participants will join other young women to take part in the Women's Hackathon @ CSUSM (California State University San Marcos) and participate in an after-school program that focuses on computer programming, career education, team building, and the non-programming components of the software development process.
Reach for the Sky: Integrating Technology into STEM Outcomes for American Indian Youth
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Sixty middle and high school students on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota will engage in STEM and IT learning experiences related to understanding energy and alternative energy sources.
Integrating AI Machine Learning into the Teaching of Paleontology Using Fossil Shark Teeth in Middle Schools
Project years 2022 - 2025
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Sharks have ruled the Earth’s oceans for 400 million years, leaving behind a widespread fossil record. Inspired by the extinct 65-foot-long predator Megalodon, fossil shark teeth can spark student interest and curiosity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Machine Learning (ML), a branch of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is used in a variety of fields today and is broadly applicable for developing predictive models that drive research and development. 
CAREER: Engaging Rural Students with Next Generation Physiological Interfaces
Project years 2021 - 2026
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Next generation physiological computing systems use sensors to measure data like brain activity or heart activity. These emerging systems are at the forefront of human-computer interaction applications involving health technologies, adaptive smart environments, self-regulation, security and authentication. Future STEM professionals are needed to design applications and tools that rely on physiological computing. In addition, physiological sensors are motivating opportunities for students to learn about computer science, data processing, technology, and design.
NeuroVivid: Developing and Testing a Maker Experience to Build Interest in Careers in Brain-Computer Interfaces Among Neurodivergent Youth
Project years 2023 - 2026
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Neurodivergent youth, including those with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, possess cognitive assets that underlie core mechanisms for STEM innovation. However, neurodivergent youth often do not have access to learning environments in which they can reflect on their cognitive strengths and identify them as offering critical skills and valuable contributions to the future STEM workforce and to society.
CAREER: Teachers Learning to be Technology Accessibility Allies to Blind and Low-Vision Students in Science
Project years 2024 - 2029
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To enter STEM career pathways, blind and low-vision students need equitable access to the learning that occurs in high school science classes. Teaching and learning in science classrooms are increasingly mediated by technology. Tragically, the use of technology has perpetuated inequities in science education because digital interfaces are designed and used in ways that frequently prohibit blind modes of learning.
Broadening Interest in Geosciences, Habitat, and Technology among Girls
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project will build on high school Alaskan girls' general interest in biology and the natural environment to develop new interests in areas such as ecosystem dynamics, geophysical dynamics, and use of technologies, such as remote sensing.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Personalize Mathematics Instruction to Students Interests
Project years 2024 - 2028
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This Developing and Testing innovations project aims to explore the impacts and opportunities that emerge when using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to construct personalized algebra problems for 7th grade students. Middle school algebra is targeted because research has shown that algebra courses can be a major barrier to future engagement with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) careers.
Workshop for Writing Grants for Early Career Scholars in STEM and Learning Sciences Focused on Racial Equity
Project years 2021 - 2022
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Persistent racial injustices and inequities in the United States and in STEM fields underscore the need for creative, research-based approaches to address these concerns. In particular, creative approaches are needed for studying and addressing racial injustices and inequities in STEM education, where racial equity and STEM learning are both given careful and thoughtful consideration. This project focuses on supporting emerging scholars who have new ideas and approaches for approaching racial equity in their scholarship and work.
A Quantitative Meta-Analysis and Qualitative Synthesis on the Impacts of Informal STEM and ICT Programs on Cognitive and Socio-emotional Outcomes of Youth Participants
Project years 2021 - 2023
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As the pace of innovation accelerates, the need for technology-rich experiences and pathways to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communications technology (ICT) careers has become increasingly essential.
Trans-disciplinary Education in Biology and Engineering Technology
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project focuses on increasing diversity in STEM and increasing student and teacher experiences and competency in the fields of biology and engineering. An integrated education program at the intersection of biology and engineering - the sensory guidance of behavior in biological organisms and autonomous robots - will be developed and studied.
Virtual Epidemics for Promoting Upper Elementary and Middle School Students' Immersion and Inquiry into Pandemic Outbreaks
Project years 2020 - 2022
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This RAPID was submitted in response to the NSF Dear Colleague letter related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Epidemiologists have long used simulations of epidemics to better understand their complex dynamics.  More recently, simulations have been used as a teaching tool for public health prevention and protection measures.  Research has shown that through virtual simulations students can better understand the underpinnings of disease spread and social interactions.  This project focuses on how virtual epidemics can engage teachers and students (10-14 years old) as participa
Improved STEM Preparation Through Humane Gaming Camp
Project years 2006 - 2011
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Sixty teachers will work with 135 students (particularly girls) from the Denver area to integrate the learning of mathematics, computer science and art as they develop humane computer games and learn skills applicable to a variety of IT careers.
Plant IT Careers, Cases, and Collaborations
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Sixty teachers from across the nation customize online investigations for their classrooms to solve plant-related biology problems and explore career connections featuring the technology and skills that support modern plant science.
Nebraska Innovative Maker Co-laboratory
Project years 2017 - 2019
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The project will design, develop and test a Makerspace engagement model that connects geographically dispersed learning communities and mentors participating in Maker activities and spaces to provide informal STEM learning pathways and to broaden participation for STEM activities for youth and their community.
Expanding Opportunities for Innovative and Technology Rich STEM Experiences through Florida's High School Career Academies
Project years 2008 - 2012
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This research project would investigate the determinants and consequences of student enrollment in a new Florida program of high school "career academies" intended to integrate rigorous academic curriculum with industry-driven careers. The researchers have created some specific hypotheses about curriculum and school organization and their relationship to choosing STEM careers that can be tested with the study they have designed.
Soft Robotics to Broaden the STEM Pipeline
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project aims to increase female interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers through the emerging field of soft robotics. Soft robotics diverge from other robotics in that they leverage materials science (understanding how materials stretch and deform), chemistry (polymer synthesis), and biology (bio-inspired design) to provide aids for human needs.
Early College Career Exploration Through STEM Courses and Apprenticeships in Advanced Manufacturing
Project years 2018 - 2021
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In the wake of COVID-19, Greater Cleveland’s low-income families need a stronger pathway out of poverty. Cleveland’s residents are getting poorer: the city’s overall poverty rate reached 34.6% in 2018, up from 27% in 2006. For children, that rate reached 50.9%, up from 41.9% in 2006.
Pueblo ITEST of New Mexico
Project years 2005 - 2008
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This project is a collaboration among the Santa Fe Indian School, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, and Pueblo Indian schools partnering to provide students, teachers, and tribal mentors with experiences using GPS/GIS, mathematical modeling and computer graphics. The work is based on a model in the Santa Fe Indian School in which curriculum is designed around problems and practices in traditional Pueblo Indian culture and life. Selected students and teachers will participate in a summer program, with coordinated follow-up sessions during the following school year.
MapTEACH: Place-based Geospatial Learning and Applications in Rural Alaska
Project years 2004 - 2008
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The collaborative MapTEACH team is developing a culturally responsive geoscience education program for middle- and high-school students in Alaska that emphasizes hands-on experience with spatial technology (GPS, GIS, and remote sensing imagery). The project draws upon the combined expertise of teachers, education researchers, remote sensing specialists, geoscience professionals, Native Elders, and others with traditions-based knowledge, and will be piloted in the Minto-Nenana, Nome, and Fairbanks areas.
ICT-SPACE: Developing ICT-STEM Career Interest, Engagement and Self-Efficacy in Middle School Students through Serious Games
Project years 2011 - 2015
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Wisdom Tools (WT), in partnership with the Indiana STEM Resource Network (I-STEM), will design, develop, and test ICT-SPACE (ICT-STEM Professions And Careers Exploration), a game-based career exploration environment for 7th and 8th grade students. The primary deliverable for this ITEST Strategies project is a suite of six online mini-games that will allow students to "try on" five ICT-STEM professions, and then work collaboratively to solve a capstone challenge mission requiring skills from each profession.
Tri-Regional Information Technology (Tri-IT) Program
Project years 2008 - 2012
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One hundred eighty 9th grade girls and 12 teachers across 6 high schools in North Florida are engaged in after-school technology experiences.
Bridging Math Literacy and Digital Media Creation: Students as Learners, Teachers, and Leaders of STEM Content
Project years 2010 - 2014
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The project leaders will guide high school students through a mathematics-based, programming experience which prepares them to in turn teach mathematics and programming to middle school students.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence with Smart Engineering and English Language Arts in Upper Elementary Education
Project years 2021 - 2024
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This project will develop upper elementary school students’ abilities to work with Artificial intelligence (AI) in future careers. AI will be a critical tool for influencing and increasing productivity in the future of work. As such, it is increasingly important to introduce K-12 students to basic AI knowledge and skills, build familiarity with AI technologies, and train students to be competitive in the workforce. Through this project, a team of robotics and education researchers at Tufts University in Massachusetts and Maryville University in St.
Who Likes Computer Science? How Gender Stereotypes about Interest Shape Children's Motivation
Project years 2018 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivation and capacities to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by preparing and interesting elementary- and middle-school students for STEM courses/programs in high school and eventually in STEM careers.
SCC-IRG Track 1: Qoyangnuptu: Smart, Connected, and Culturally-centered System to Support the Well-being of Hopi/Tewa Youth
Project years 2022 - 2026
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Across the nation, behavioral health concerns for youth are on the rise. In this context, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) youth experience behavioral health disparities at some of the highest rates in the United States. Even as behavioral health services are becoming more available through mobile health and telehealth interventions, the lack of ubiquitous, high-speed Internet connectivity in rural tribal communities prevents many AIAN youths from accessing these critical services.
Innovative Science, Technology Engineering, & Mathematics Explore Project
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
An Innovative Hybrid Program for Diversifying and Building Capacity in the STEM/ICT Workforce: ISTEM
Project years 2012 - 2017
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This project develops a program combining in-school mentoring with out of school informal education experiences involving the use of three types of mentors; college students, STEM professionals, and volunteers from the participant group community.
From Learning to Research: Developing Future Earth System Scientists and Professionals
Project years 2010 - 2014
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The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the GLOBE program, the University of Colorado, New York University, the Texas Regional Collaboratives and several other partners to design, implement, and evaluate an Earth System Science learning experience for teachers and students.
Transforming Interests into STEM Careers (TISC)
Project years 2009 - 2013
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The proposed study, Transforming Interests into STEM Careers (TISC), will test a model for promoting a STEM college-going culture in two high schools. The main goal of the intervention model is to encourage adolescents to pursue STEM majors in college and occupations in these fields. The study's focus is upon understanding the various factors that determine young students' interests in STEM disciplines and their entry into actual STEM careers. The study design includes four schools (two rural and two urban), all of which have lower than expected college going rates.
Highly Interactive, Fun Internet Virtual Environments in Science (HI-FIVES)
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Seventy five teachers and guidance counselors in the Research Triangle, Piedmont, and Eastern areas of North Carolina are developing Web-based games that will bring biotechnology, genomics, GIS, nanotechnology, and robotics concepts into their classrooms. 120 students participate in the program.
Middle School Teacher and Student's Experiences with Artificial Intelligence via Computational Cameras
Project years 2020 - 2024
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Artificial intelligence (AI) technology applied to images and video is transforming society with broad applications to many social and economic sectors. To develop a citizenry that will participate in this technological revolution, it is essential to develop learning experiences for K-12 learners on the foundations of AI literacy in order to adequately prepare the workforce of the future. Supporting the teaching of AI concepts in the K-12 curriculum requires integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines.
Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration of a Keystone Species in New York Harbor
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by expanding and testing an innovative curriculum model that features locally relevant, problem-based learning.
Design and Pitch Challenges in STEM: Merging Entrepreneurship and Mathematics Learning
Project years 2021 - 2026
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To compete in a continually changing and increasingly technology-focused career landscape, students will need a deep, conceptual, and applied understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Yet, many students, especially students from underrepresented populations, perceive  STEM to be disconnected from their interests and career aspirations. New curricular approaches are needed, especially in mathematics, that increase students’ career interest and engagement in STEM, while also supporting the learning of rich and targeted STEM content.
Photonics Leaders I
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Photonics Leaders is a year-round science and information technology program for tenth and eleventh grade students from across North Carolina. The program goal is to guide and prepare minority students for success in STEM higher education programs and careers. In three years, nearly 80 underrepresented students of diverse backgrounds have participated in 300 hours of investigations and internships focused on electronics, optics, computer hardware and software at North Carolina State University and the Research Triangle Park.
Connecting Indigenous Culture and Integrated STEM in Hawaii Through Smart AgTech
Project years 2024 - 2028
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Aquaculture is an important part of Native Hawaiian heritage and culture. Fishponds were essential for community food production and held special cultural significance. Land use was managed through a traditional approach called the Ahupua’a system. Each ahupua’a was self-sufficient for the community it served and stretched from the reefs of the shoreline (makai) to the mountain ridges above (mauka). Native Hawaiians began revival of their cultural heritage over the last 50 years, including restoration of ancient fishponds and methods used to cultivate food.
Middle School Science Readiness Program
Project years 2010 - 2014
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This project focuses on the critical drop-off point between elementary and middle school, often identified as the first major roadblock to the success and interest of students in STEM.
The Urban Community Project to Stimulate Interests in STEM Careers (U-CPS)
Project years 2013 - 2017
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The Urban Community Project to Stimulate Interests in STEM Careers (U-CPS) project of Fisk University is a three-year project designed to provide challenging and stimulating learning experiences to middle school students by providing high quality professional development experiences for three cohorts of 15 middle and high school teachers through the development of learning modules.
Designing Mixed Reality Experiences to Support Participatory Complex Systems Learning
Project years 2022 - 2025
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This project explores a new technologically assisted method of engaging learners with complex systems content. The project will make use of passthrough Augmented Reality (AR) on Virtual Reality (VR) headsets to create a Mixed Reality (MR) immersive participatory simulation for classroom use.
Project-Based Learning Opportunities and Exploration of Mentorship for Students with Visual Impairments in STEM
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will seek to better understand and advance the awareness and persistence toward STEM-related careers by middle and high school students with visual impairments (VI). The project will accomplish these goals by providing VI students with opportunities for accessible project-based learning and mentorship from a VI professional working in a STEM field.
A Youth-Led Citizen Science Network for Community Environmental Assessment
Project years 2019 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing a technology-rich, out-of-school time STEM program for underserved middle and high school youth.
The POD Project: Harnessing the Power of Data
Project years 2009 - 2013
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Arizona high school students solve problems through data collection and analysis utilizing geospatial technologies. Professional development is provided for 40 secondary teachers in Career and Technical Education (CTE), mathematics, and science.
Developing rural girls' STEM competency and motivation through communicating scientific topics with advanced technology (Girl ARTs)
Project years 2017 - 2022
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Engaging girls and young women in science or information and communication technology (ICT) career pathways requires a multi-faceted support system that helps them develop competence, broaden their views of what science entails, deepen their sense of the value and utility of these efforts, and explore their own interests and identities (particularly as they intersect with language, history and the arts). At the same time, emerging technologies, including augmented reality (AR), are changing the ways that science is and can be accessed, communicated, and understood by the public.
Invention, Design, Engineering and Art Cooperative (IDEA)
Project years 2007 - 2011
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One hundred grade 8-12 students in St. Paul, MN engage in engineering and design experiences through creative, open-ended projects that are connected to the interests of youth and needs in their communities.
Build IT: Girls Building Information Technology Fluency Through Design
Project years 2005 - 2008
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In Alameda County, California, 150 middle school female students are learning about communications technology, engaging in software design and creating small mobile devices by working on projects as design partners with software engineers.
Engineering a Community-Family Partnership: Developing a Program Aimed at Making and Design Practices in Home Environments
Project years 2018 - 2023
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Families play a vital role in children's paths toward STEM careers yet little is knowns about how this influence works. This project addresses this knowledge gap by developing, implementing, and refining a program for integrating Making and engineering design practices into the home environments of families from under-resourced communities.
Innovative Flight Simulation Experiences for Students and Teachers
Project years 2009 - 2014
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Tuskegee University proposes to use a low-cost flight simulation environment to enhance learning physics and mathematics for students in grades 8-12 in a rural community in Macon County schools in Alabama. It outlines a development strategy for module development that engages undergraduates and teachers in the development process followed by teacher implementation including teacher training and student workshops. The proposal design calls for adapting an innovative and successful strategy for engaging and teaching undergraduates to grades 8-12.
Making it Stick! Mobile Apps to Pedagogically Support Retrieval Practices
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will employ mobile technology to help up to 530 teachers and more than 9,000 students use proven retrieval experiences to improve STEM learning.
AMNH ITEST High School Science Research Program
Project years 2005 - 2008
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In New York, 120 high-school age female, minority, and students with disabilities conduct research in genetics and astrophysics using advanced information technology tools.
Reducing Achievement Gaps in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM): Promising International Research, Policies and Practices
Project years 2016 - 2018
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Georgia Institute of Technology (U.S.) and Yildiz Technical University (Turkey) propose an international conference to provide a forum for ministers of education, researchers, and practitioners from countries with high- medium- and low-STEM achievement scores to assess the problem of achievement gaps in STEM disciplines from a global perspective and to develop more global solutions share information.
Developing a Model for Expanding Informal Tech Education for Underrepresented Communities through Makerspaces
Project years 2017 - 2019
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
Fostering elementary students' computing career aspirations through a physiological computing curriculum
Project years 2024 - 2027
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Every day, advanced applications of physiological computing such as wearable technologies (e.g., smartwatches) and brain-computer interfaces are reshaping our lives and pushing new scientific frontiers. Advancements in the human-technology frontier demand the readiness of next-generation scientists who can further develop and test such technologies. Yet, regions of our nation are experiencing a significant shortage of qualified job candidates.
Enhancing Engagement and Conceptual Understanding of Fractions for Students with Learning Disabilities using the Model Mathematics Education Curriculum
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The Enhancing Engagement and Conceptual Understanding of Fractions for Students with Learning Disabilities using the Model Mathematics Education Curriculum is a Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI) project in the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. This project advances efforts of ITEST program by developing an integrated curriculum for 4th - 6th grade students with learning disabilities and difficulties to increase engagement in and understanding of fraction concepts.
AI4GA - Developing Artificial Intelligence Competencies, Career Awareness, and Interest in Georgia Middle School Teachers and Students
Project years 2021 - 2024
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As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies begin to reshape modern society, educating younger students about AI has become a national priority for both the United States and its competitors. In these early days of K-12 AI education, little is known about how diverse student populations relate to AI and which instructional strategies are most likely to engage them. Since most K-12 teachers are not yet familiar with AI, research is also needed on how to develop their AI fluency and confidence.
Opportunities to Learn: Creative Science Through Inquiry, a Middle Grades Teaming Framework
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will develop opportunities for students to learn creatively in science through inquiry. The project will prepare 72 middle school teachers to work with approximately 1800 students from economically disadvantaged schools who have had few opportunities to participate in technology-rich, inquiry-based learning environments.
OssaBEST: Ossabaw E-exploration for Students and Teachers
Project years 2008 - 2012
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Ninety teachers and 120 of their students in Savannah, Georgia, will be taught how to use information technologies along two tracks of streaming sensor data and building a multimedia field guide for Ossabaw Island.
Green Table Productions
Project years 2007 - 2008
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A partnership between Little Haiti Housing Association, computer clubhouses, and the YWCA of Greater Miami offers 90 Haitian and African American 7-12 grade students a collaborative media development program involving video, music and graphic arts.
Exploring STEM Careers Initiative
Project years 2012 - 2016
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This project is creating a replicable, prototype community-based model for engaging middle and high school students in challenge-based programs such as robotics competitions (Botball and iARoC), engineering challenges (Kid Wind), and research events (Sea Perch). The project is serving 110 teachers and 750 students representing 7 school districts and 75 schools. Partners include organizations that broadly represent the science educational institutions of the San Diego area. There is a cadre of volunteer STEM professionals who are mentoring teachers and students.
Developing underserved elementary students’ systems thinking and economic literacy through investigations of local ecological-economic systems
Project years 2021 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts to better understand and promote practices that broaden access to and interest in regionally relevant science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupations for underrepresented youth in the state of Maine. This project will engage students in investigations of local marine ecosystems through the construction and revision of computational models of those systems.
Making Mentors: Enhancing Access to STEM Careers for Autistic Youth through Mentorship Programs in Makerspaces
Project years 2023 - 2026
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People on the autism spectrum are very capable of leading productive lives and have interests and abilities that can enable them to make valuable contributions to their communities. For example, research shows that young people with autism who go to college choose science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at higher rates than college students in the general population.
Exploring Key Predictors of STEM/ICT Career-related Outcomes Using the World Smarts STEM Challenge Model that Incorporates Global Engagement and Mentorship
Project years 2021 - 2024
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There is a clear need for a diverse, skilled, and culturally competent science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and information and communications technology (ICT) workforce. Further, the STEM/ICT workforce increasingly recognizes that solutions to the world’s most pressing problems must be developed collaboratively on a global level.
From Art to STEM - A Creative Journey of Discovery: A Transformational Project for Nashville Middle School Students
Project years 2009 - 2013
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Alignment Nashville works with 200 eighth-grade girls from underrepresented and disadvantaged populations and their teachers, building on student interests and seeing how tools such as 3D computer models, AutoCAD and Alice can be used in STEM-related careers.
Case Study of Experiential, Capstones in Industry: Understanding High School Students Interest and Preparation for STEM Careers
Project years 2019 - 2022
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The aim of this project will be to help school students, particularly under-represented minorities and females, to access careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  The strategy will be to study a demonstrated successful learning model that integrates traditional high school STEM curriculum with real world projects from the STEM business community. The study will illuminate how the components of the program work together to support students' motivation and preparation for STEM careers, in particular female and minority students.
Integrating Language-Based AI Across the High School Curriculum to Create Diverse Pathways to AI-Rich Careers
Project years 2023 - 2026
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming numerous industries and generating enormous wealth. K-12 is the critical stage for youth to develop knowledge of and interest in AI. This project will leverage the interdisciplinarity of AI to create learning opportunities for secondary students from diverse backgrounds. Focusing on natural language-based AI, this project will develop and research a novel AI Across the Curriculum program that integrates AI concepts and practices into the existing high school curriculum.
Learning through Engineering Design and Practice: Using our Human Capital for an Equitable Future
Project years 2007 - 2012
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Ninety six middle school students in Mesa, Arizona, simulate desert tortoise behaviors, design solutions to mitigate the urban heat island of Phoenix, and design a habitat for humans on Mars.
Visualization Basics: Using Gaming to Improve Computational Thinking (UGame-ICompute)
Project years 2013 - 2017
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High School Enterprise
Project years 2008 - 2012
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Eight diverse teacher-coached High School Enterprise teams, each comprising up to 20 students (160 students total) participate in "virtual" companies that provide technical services and develop products intended for distribution through the marketplace.
Empowering Future Teachers with Generative AI Education: Understanding Applications, Risks, and Limits
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools have the potential to reshape education and may change teaching practices in K-12. As such, teachers must prepare students to have the necessary skills that will allow them to learn about these tools and use them productively for their lives and education. This project will pilot a curriculum with new educational methods in preparing pre-service teachers in understanding the fundamentals of generative AI and its potential teaching applications.
Advancing Refugee Youth's STEM and Social Capital Through Family-Focused Learning
Project years 2021 - 2023
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This project creates partnerships among multiple schools and centers at Arizona State University with the Burundi-America Association for Humanity and Opportunities (BAAHO) to bolster representation of refugee families in STEM academic and career pathways. Refugee youth are sometimes overlooked by educators because of their emerging language skills, but like other youth they are capable of making important STEM contributions.
The Pulsar Search Collaboratory
Project years 2008 - 2012
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The Pulsar Search Collaboratory project (PSC) will engage 60 West Virginia teachers and 600 students in world class research in radio astronomy through the analysis of data collected using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT).
Responsible, Ethical, and Effective Acceptable Use Policies for the Integration of Generative AI in US School Districts and Beyond
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The rapidly evolving space of artificial intelligence (AI) is requiring school and district leaders to make sense of how emerging technology applications, including those that use generative AI (GenAI), are being integrated in schools and districts across the United States. Much uncertainty exists about what GenAI is, how it works, and what the implications are for students, families, educators, and the broader school community.
STEM Digital Images in Geoscience Investigations: Teaching Analysis with Light (STEM DIGITAL)
Project years 2010 - 2015
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This project will enable high school and middle school STEM teachers and students to conduct environmental research aided by the analysis of images from digital cameras, scanners, and the Internet. The project explores how digital image analysis can be applied to environmental quality issues that can readily be introduced into STEM courses, engaging students and encouraging them to think about related careers. The project will develop research agendas that will employ a variety of image analysis tools.
Making a Difference: Engaging Young People in Engineering and Computer Science through Computational Making and Social Entrepreneurship
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). This project will implement and research the effects of a nine-month, after-school Making program for 13-15 year olds from the New York Hall of Science's (NYSCI) immediate neighborhood of high-need recent immigrants.
Animando a Estudiantes con Technologia (AET) - Encouraging students in the field of information technology
Project years 2009 - 2013
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More than 175 rural and suburban Latino youth, grades 5-12, are engaged in structured, hands-on, out-of-school information technology (IT) education programs in conjunction with out-of-session “bridging activities.”
Enhancing Programming and Machine Learning Education for Students with Visual Impairments through the Use of Compilers, AI and Cloud Technologies
Project years 2022 - 2025
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Studio STEM: Engaging Middle School Students in Networked Science and Engineering Projects
Project years 2011 - 2015
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This afterschool and summer program engages rural, low socio-economic middle school students at in rural Southwest Virginia with leaders, teachers, and undergraduate facilitators, in a technology-rich curriculum focused on energy conservation.
Project BUILD (Building Using an Interactive Learning Design)
Project years 2017 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by bringing together youth (grades 2-5), their families, librarians, and professional engineers in an informal environment centered on engaging youth with age-appropriate, technology-rich STEM learning experiences fundamental to the engineering design process.
ITEST Learning Resource Center (LRC)
Project years 2003 - 2012
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From 2003 to 2012, the ITEST LRC at EDC, now STELAR, served as the NSF ITEST program's technical assistance and resource center.  It implemented collaboration and support opportunities to connect youth-based and comprehensive ITEST projects and to leverage lessons learned into new knowledge that was shared nationally.  The LRC also worked to tightenen the research/practice cycle and promote data-based decision-making.  It helped to create a national presence for the ITEST program as a primary resource for learning about, experiencing and using IT in STEM ini
Virtual Hall of Science (VHOS)
Project years 2009 - 2013
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The New York Hall of Science (NYHS), in partnership with the developers of Greater Southern Tier BOCES SciCentr program, will engage an ethnically and economically diverse group of young people in creating the Virtual Hall of Science (VHOS). This youth cohort will collaborate and work with science and education professionals to design, build, and staff a virtual science center while acquiring STEM knowledge and a range of ICT competencies. Participants will be trained as exhibit designers, builders, active exhibit guides, and mentors.
Information Technology through Community Based Natural Resources Program for Students and Teachers
Project years 2008 - 2012
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Fifty middle and high school teachers and their students in central and eastern Kentucky learn how to use remote sensing technology to collect data on community-based natural resource problems and create 3-D computer models to simulate the issues.
Exploring Careers and Learning Informally to Prepare for STEM Employment
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by designing, implementing, and testing an afterschool internship program that will engage older youth in work-based learning experiences in in STEM fields.
Advanced Digital Pathways
Project years 2007 - 2011
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In the San Francisco Bay Area 150 youth ages 15 to 19 are developing skills in advanced audio, video, and open source programming, and are participating in industry-based internships.
Integrated Computer Science in Elementary Classrooms (iCS)
Project years 2015 - 2018
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This collaborative project between the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), Georgia Technical Institute, and Georgia State University will develop and test a model curriculum for grades 3-6 that aligns with ISTE's standards and computational thinking goals.
Collaborative Research: Human-Centered Robotics Experiences for Exploring Engineering, Computer Science, and Society
Project years 2014 - 2019
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Involving more students from urban and rural areas in STEM fields and careers has been at the forefront of national STEM education reform efforts for decades. Research shows that engaging these students in STEM activities relevant to their everyday lives is critical to increasing their motivation, interest, learning, and participation in STEM.
A Reciprocal Model for Teaching and Learning Computational Competencies: Connecting Pre-Service Teachers and Urban Latino Youth
Project years 2015 - 2020
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This project includes an after-school program that will engage urban Latino middle school and high school students in activities aimed at developing computational competencies and promoting interests in pursuing computer science related studies and careers. The project will also engage pre-service teachers in a new professional development model that will include a specialized computer science teaching methods course, and will have them teach computational competencies in the after-school program.
Expanding Geospatial Technology Career Development for High School Students Through Teacher Professional Development
Project years 2015 - 2020
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The Power of Data (POD) project is designed to increase secondary student awareness of and interest in careers that use geospatial technology (GST) and data; increase their knowledge of educational pathways to enter these careers; and develop their 21st century workforce skills.
Back to the Earth
Project years 2012 - 2016
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Ninety students living on American Indian Reservations and their teachers will engage in a three-year summer and after-school program merging indigenous knowledge systems with Western science in developing an understanding of the local watershed.
Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) Engineering and IT Project-C5
Project years 2007 - 2010
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One hundred and twenty African American and Latino 7th and 9th grade students and 180 parents and caregivers in the Detroit area use information technology to solve engineering problems.
Translating Information Technology Into Classrooms: Teacher-Student's Research on Lake Erie Ecosystem
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Forty five science, mathematics, and technology teachers and 225 of their students in Michigan conduct research projects that use IT to study the Lake Erie ecosystem.
Engaging Secondary Students in Regionally Relevant Science Topics Through Videography
Project years 2015 - 2021
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Middle and high school students from low-income backgrounds and other groups underrepresented in STEM fields will participate in a summer program and a school-year program to produce videos documenting the effects of environmental changes on their lives and communities.
Engaging Rural Students in Artificial Intelligence to Develop Pathways for Innovative Computing Careers
Project years 2022 - 2025
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Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are fundamentally reshaping the workplace of the future and accelerating the demand for creating and sustaining an AI-literate workforce. This growing demand has highlighted the importance for all K-12 students to develop an understanding of AI to prepare them for future careers. Middle school years are crucial in shaping youth dispositions toward STEM.
Beyond CS Principles: Engaging Female High School Students in New Frontiers of Computing
Project years 2020 - 2024
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Building on the foundations set by the AP Computer Science (CS) Principles course, this project seeks to dramatically expand access, especially for high school girls, to the most exciting and emerging frontiers of computing, such as distributed computation, the internet of things (IoT), cybersecurity, and machine learning, as well as other 21st century skills required to productively leverage computational methods and tools in virtually every profession.
oDREAMS: Promoting Computational Thinking through Game & Simulation Design
Project years 2013 - 2018
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Embedded in existing computing education and STEM courses, the project-developed curriculum--Scalable Game Design (SGD)--introduces middle school students to computational thinking through game design and advances them to STEM simulation design.
SportsLab - Bringing Sport Research and Design Challenges into the 21st Century
Project years 2013 - 2019
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This project is developing and testing a collaborative game-based interactive environment where students, ages 12-18 form a product design team to create a concept model and pitch for a sport product design challenge. Participants, sport researchers, and product experts determine the best pitches with awards for top designs. SportsLab:2020 brings together pedagogical frameworks from game- and project-based learning together with design challenge curriculum that foster learning and understanding of 21st Century skills and STEM concepts.
Next Step Learning: Bridging Science Education and Cleantech Careers with Innovative Technologies
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project will create a science and engineering technology enhanced learning pathway from school to home that focuses on home energy efficiency. Students will have multiple opportunities to use what they learn about science and engineering in school to solve authentic real-world energy efficiency problems at home that could potentially lead to cleantech careers.
Bridging Communities with Student STEM Stories: Culturally-Responsive Strategies for Motivating STEM Engagement in Diversifying Public Schools
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing an innovative approach to elementary school STEM education.
Digispired: Digital Inspiration for Interactive Game Design and Programming Skills
Project years 2006 - 2009
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The Digispired (Digitally Inspired) project provides 90 urban and rural low-income middle school students opportunities to learn computer programming, computer animation, and digital imaging; students can put into practice what they’re learning by
Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA)
Project years 2003 - 2006
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One hundred and forty four 8th–12th grade students in Oakland, Richmond, and Sacramento, California are researching air and water quality in their local communities and studying attitudes toward and use of IT among their peers.
Invention Factory
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Four hundred grade 8-12 students in Honolulu, Hawaii are learning about and creating electronic adaptive devices that meet the needs of persons with disabilities and the elderly in the community.
Preparing High Achieving Urban Students for STEM Careers: Engineers of the Future Program
Project years 2017 - 2021
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The project by the Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) and the RAND Corporation is motivated by a clear need in the U.S. to improve the representation of African-American and Latino talent pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers.
Scaling up an Innovative Approach for Attracting Students to Computing
Project years 2011 - 2018
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US college and universities are experiencing a dramatic decline in enrollment of computing majors, despite a predicted, rapid increase in future jobs in the computer science (CS) and information technology (IT) sectors. This reflects a decline in the number of students taking the AP computer science exam. To address this issue, this project will build statewide networks of college, middle school, and high school faculty who will offer workshops and provide continuing support during the academic year.
National Middle School Aerospace Scholars (NaMAS)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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National Middle School Aerospace Scholars (NaMAS) will provide both teachers and students in eight states the opportunity to learn about and experience information technologies and how they are used within the context of STEM applications in the exciting high technology aerospace industry. NaMAS will include teacher-training workshops, live-link events from NASA-Johnson Space Center, and a robot building student event.
Neuroscience for Neurodiverse Learners
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The University of Washington will provide technology-rich, hands-on experiences in neuroscience disciplines for high school and early postsecondary students (ages 16-21) identified as neurodiverse learners those with academic challenges related to conditions such as dyspraxia, dyslexia, and, autism spectrum disorder and disseminate findings to teachers of courses that are related to neuroscience and, more broadly, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The project also provides activities for educators, parents, and other stakeholders who work with neurodiverse learners.
Investigating How Museum Experiences Inform Youths' STEM Career Awareness and Interest
Project years 2019 - 2023
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Museums in the US receive approximately 55 million visits each year from students in school groups. Field trip visits to an art museum have been found to positively impact critical thinking skills, empathy and tolerance - an increase that can be even more significant for youth from rural or high-poverty regions. While field trips are popular, especially at science museums, there have been no experimental studies about their impact on STEM career choices and interests, much less any which used a culturally sensitive and responsive approach.
iDesign: Developing Technological Fluency Through Culturally-Relevant Game Design
Project years 2013 - 2019
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The iDesign project engages underrepresented youth in creating computer games that are culturally and socially relevant. By engaging participants in the culture of information technology, the project is designed to move them from playing computer games to using tools that require programming and computation skills. The project culminates in the dissemination of a game-design curriculum that other after school programs can use.
HiGene: A Genome Sequencing Project for High Schools
Project years 2007 - 2013
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Rutgers University will provide a comprehensive project in molecular biology and bioinformatics that engages high school teachers and students in DNA sequencing research. More than 75 teachers will participate in the project and approximately 30 students per year will attend the summer program and 300 additional students will engage in the Project during each academic year.
Connected Spaces: A Technological Framework for Fostering Collaboration by Linking Novice Makers with Mentors and Peers
Project years 2021 - 2025
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The Connected Spaces (C/S) project will research and develop a technological toolkit and design framework designed to connect youth makers with peers, mentors, and technical assistance.
Clean Energy Literacy and Leadership (CELL)
Project years 2010 - 2014
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Five sites located in underserved, East San Francisco Bay Area urban communities will form a regional network where 300 students from ages 14 to 16 engage in clean energy, ICT and green technologies education, and conduct public outreach activities.
Marine Technology for Teachers and Students (MaTTS)
Project years 2013 - 2019
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Over 70 teachers, 1800 high school students and 900 middle school students in urban and suburban RI and CT districts during the course of the program will interact with cutting edge research technologies related to exploring the global ocean.
TechMath: Real World Math, Technology, and Business Connections
Project years 2006 - 2011
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Seventy math and science teachers and 70 students in northeast NC will work on teams with business partners to apply critical and analytical thinking, information technology skills, and mathematical principals to solve real-world business problems.
Biomechanics and Robotics Explorations for IT Literacy and Skills in Rural Schools
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Sixty science and mathematics teachers from 20 high schools around Greenville, NC infuse technology into their classrooms; inquiry-based biomechanics and robotics problem-solving lessons stimulate student interest and learning among 180 students.
NanoExperiences: Pathways to Workforce Success
Project years 2011 - 2015
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NanoExperiences: Pathways to Workforce Success is an out-of-school program that supports high school students in Career and Technical Education to prepare for post secondary education in multiple STEM career pathways related to nanoscale science and technology (NS&T). The project builds on NS&T instructional materials developed and tested by Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), and others, on professional development being developed by McREL and on recent recommendations for structuring academically-focused out-of-school programs.
GeniConnect: Game-based Learning, Mentoring, and Laboratory Experiences - A Model for Industry-Afterschool Partnerships
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This three-year ITEST Strategies project, GeniConnect, focuses on middle school student engagement in genetics and biotechnology using game-based learning (Geniverse)
National Robotics in 4-H: Workforce Skills for the 21st Century
Project years 2008 - 2014
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Robotics and GPS/GIS in 4-H: Workforce Skills for the 21st Century is a-five year scale-up project to use 4-H clubs to prepare middle school youth for the STEM workplace. The project builds on and extends an existing research-based ITEST project by developing and testing new national curricula to introduce basic technology skills, foster problem solving and inquiry skills, and encourage teamwork.
Culturally situated immersive virtual learning and engineering design to build STEM capacity in Dine communities
Project years 2023 - 2027
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The goal of this project is to develop and test hybrid immersive learning environments to engage Diné (Navajo) middle school students in place-based virtual scientific investigations, hands-on physical experiments, and engineering design projects. The curriculum units will support technology-infused science learning on the past, present, and future of (1) energy in the Navajo Nation (specifically the transition from coal to other energy sources); and (2) water (both shortage and quality issues).
Digital WAVE: Warming Winds and Water
Project years 2009 - 2012
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The Miami Science Museum (MSM) is collaborating with the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) and Miami Dade College (MDC), to implement Digital WAVE, an ITEST Strategies project that will design, implement and investigate use of the emerging 3D Web to stimulate interest in information and communication technologies. Through the fabrication of 3D virtual simulations related to global warming phenomena, the project will create and test a new model and medium for engaging and preparing youth to pursue IT-intensive science careers.
Supporting Early Learning of Computational Thinking Using Mixed Reality Technology
Project years 2021 - 2024
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This project will introduce young children to computational thinking, which involves breaking down complex problems into manageable pieces, identifying steps and sequences to solve the problem, and generalizing a solution to solve similar problems. Problem-solving skills are foundational and cut across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains and disciplines. The project will research and develop an innovative mixed reality (MR) learning environment combining visual displays and a robot with programmable movement.
ET-ECS: Electronic Textiles for Exploring Computer Science with High School Students and Teachers to Promote Computational Thinking and Participation for All
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The project will develop implement, and test an expansion unit using electronic textiles for the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) curriculum that is currently implemented in high schools across the nation by providing an alternative to the existing robotics unit that can appeal and recruit larger group of girls and address the longstanding lack of women and minorities in computing.
Group-Based Cloud Computing for STEM Education Project
Project years 2016 - 2023
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This project will design, develop, implement, and study a socio-technological system for group-centered STEM teaching and learning consistent with a nationally recognized pre-service program. The project will use results from more than 30 years of research to demonstrate how network supported, group-based learning grounded in principles of Generative Design can improve learning for all learners, across racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Promoting Our Worth as Entrepreneurs and Researchers in Innovative Technology (POWER-IT)
Project years 2011 - 2015
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This Strategies project, from the Morehouse School of Medicine, will engage 60 high school students in carrying out a multi-faceted out-of-school time (OST) intervention program focused on information communication technology (ICT), neuroscience, and entrepreneurship. In this project, Promoting Our Worth as Entrepreneurs and Researchers in Innovative Technology (POWER-IT) Georgia high school students learn advanced ICT and Neuroscience.
Improving the Pipeline for Rural and American Indian Students Entering Computer Science Via Storytelling
Project years 2017 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).  The project will develop and research storytelling as a culturally responsive way to engage middle school Native American and rural Montana students in learning computer science and computing skills.
Enhancing Early Childhood Educators' Knowledge of Computer Science and Engineering Concepts to Spark Young Children's Early Interest in STEM Careers
Project years 2022 - 2025
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High-quality experiences with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the pre-kindergarten years pave the way for learning about computer science and engineering in K-12 classrooms. Early, high-quality STEM learning experiences are also an essential way to attract more students to STEM course work and STEM careers. Currently however, the number of high-quality STEM education resources and materials available to preschool educators is limited.
Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) Engineering Project-C1
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DAPCEP's youth-based Engineering and Information Technology Education Project aims to engage students in activities that will increase their access to IT within the context of engineering and increase their opportunities to explore related college and career paths. One hundred twenty African American and Latino 7th and 9th grade students and 180 parents participate in carefully planned courses designed to expand their knowledge of engineering and to lay the foundation for successful lifelong learning related to a range of IT.
Examining a place-based and technology driven curriculum that focuses on systems thinking among students.
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by studying the outcomes of a new out-of-school program.
Learning from the Maui community to understand layers of trauma and trauma-informed STEM education as a tool to support processing, recovery, and healing
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Youth and their caregivers can play a critical role in rebuilding communities that are heavily impacted from natural disasters. Trauma informed STEM education can support youth and their communities to heal and recover during the aftermath of disasters. In this project, the Maui community and University of Hawaii researchers will collaborate to understand the role of STEM education in helping youth process the events in their community via content related to wildfires and their environmental impacts.
Developing Digital Makers in the Coding Makerspace to Include Boys of Color in Computer Science Learning and Cybersecurity Workforce Development
Project years 2017 - 2019
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).  The Coding Makerspace is providing hands-on digital maker projects and support for boys of color to earn certification in Python, the computer programming language related to cybersecurity.  The Makerspace is also exposing boys of color ages eight and above to research-based and best pr
Examining the Impact of an Industry-aligned, STEM Problem Based Learning Curriculum on Native Hawaiian and Underrepresented Youth Workforce Development
Project years 2017 - 2021
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Project STEMulate will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing an innovative approach for promoting STEM competency, interest, persistence, preparation and entry into the STEM workforce among Native Hawaiians and other underrepresented, low-income, first generation high school students.
Scaffolding Automated Feedback for Teachers
Project years 2023 - 2024
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While Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve both science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching practice and students' overall classroom experiences, it is critical to better understand how teachers can more easily adapt it within their classrooms. In particular, supporting AI-driven tool adoption in resource-poor schools is crucial to address educational inequities. This RAPID project addresses an urgent need to facilitate integration of AI technologies into schools to maximize benefits while reducing the burden on teachers? time.
Eyes in the Sky: Applied Information Technology Project
Project years 2003 - 2008
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Eyes in the Sky is a comprehensive professional development program that prepares 48 STEM teachers to use geospatial IT, computer mapping programs, aerial and satellite images, and image analysis software with their students in community-based research projects. Teachers engage in a distance-learning course, two weeks of face-to-face workshops, a classroom implementation phase, and a research showcase event.
COMmunities Educating Tomorrow's Scientists (COMETS)
Project years 2007 - 2011
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The three-year "COMmunities Educating Tomorrow's Scientists (COMETS)" project is implementing an earth and space science program with the focus of learning science as inquiry through Marshall University, with partners NASA IV&V Educator Resource Center, Kanawha County Schools, Bayer Crop Science Corporation, and the West Virginia Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences. COMETS targets 200 low-income, underrepresented and minority students at five community centers in Charleston, WV, for inclusion in a NASA-centered informal science education program.
iPuzzle: Transforming Mathematics Learning Through Social Puzzling
Project years 2012 - 2016
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The purpose of the iPuzzle project is to develop a model for supporting student engagement in learning mathematics using innovative technologies. Researchers will develop this model by creating and examining an interactive puzzle environment that could be used locally in a single networked classroom or created for the web so that it could be used at multiple schools using different computing devices and platforms. Mixed-methods will be employed in this research and development project to examine the impact of the proposed learning environment on student engagement and learning.
Leveraging the U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Program to Develop a Regional STEM Workforce
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Students Investing in Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (SIMET)
Project years 2006 - 2009
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This proposal, "Students Investing in Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (SIMET)," is a request from Jackson State University for a three-year project that outlines a year-round program that includes: Saturday sessions, online/telephone homework support by a college-age mentor, a two-week summer residential camp, workshops for parents and internships. The program will serve a total of 90 underrepresented students over three years, with 15 students each year in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades and 15 students each year in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades.
XTech: Exploratorium of the San Francisco Museum of Science, Art, and Human Perception
Project years 2005 - 2008
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In the San Francisco Bay area, 300 middle school students are using technology to build and experiment, according to design and engineering principles. This project also provides professional development for the afterschool leaders of the program.
Developing and Researching Youth-Driven Media that Highlights Science as an Act of Service During a Public Health Crisis
Project years 2020 - 2022
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous media sources have placed a spotlight on the critical role of science and scientists in promoting public health. In contrast to many existing media sources that portray images of adult scientists, this project will develop media that portrays youth scientists as they conduct scientific research related to COVID-19. This media will be developed based on the findings from focus groups with youth of color, and it will include features that are designed to encourage youth to see the value of science while envisioning themselves as participants in science.
Social Media Co-Pilot: Enhancing Teens? Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety Education with AI-based Conversational Intervention
Project years 2023 - 2026
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The prevalence of cyber risks in online environments calls for digital literacy and cyber safety education to prevent and mitigate harms that can lead to serious and long-lasting consequences for teens. Artificial intelligence (AI)-based conversational agents have great potential to improve digital literacy and cyber safety education because they can provide personalized, dynamic, and immediate learning guidance and feedback.
Building IT Skills among Inner City Youth in North Philadelphia through Development of a Community Geographic Information System
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Two hundred and seventy female, Hispanic, and African American students in Philadelphia, PA are learning how to use Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in Spanish and English, to develop spatial analysis and cartographic and design skills to learn about and map their community, thus creating a community-based GIS.
SeaTech: Underserved Teens Hooked on Ocean Technology!
Project years 2005 - 2008
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One hundred and twenty middle and high school students in the Capistrano Valley area of California are learning to use technology to track and analyze the acoustic behaviors of whales and dolphins and conduct an acoustic population census in California, the Bering Sea and the Southern Ocean.
Student Enabled Network of Sensors for the Environment Using Innovative Technology (SENSE IT)
Project years 2008 - 2012
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The Student Enabled Network of Sensors for the Environment using Innovative Technology (SENSE IT) project will integrate STEM skills into a robust interdisciplinary curriculum and teacher development effort by teaching 3,000 high school students to design, build, test, deploy and interpret their own environmental sensors. SENSE IT will span three distinct residential regions in New York's Hudson and St. Lawrence River valleys, as well as a diverse socioeconomic and racial spectrum.
Barcoding Life's Matrix: Engaging Students as Citizen Scientists in the Barcode of Life Initiative
Project years 2011 - 2015
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Through residential research experiences for high school students, and comprehensive workshops for science teachers, approximately 2000 students generate and submit genetic data to the International Barcode of Life Initiative.
IT Experiences for Students and Teachers Using Catfish and their Environment as a Model
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Fifteen hundred students and 75 teachers from a ten-county area in the Mississippi Delta engage in scientific research projects ranging from water quality to environmental sciences.
Peer-learning communities to develop rural, African American girls' computer science knowledge and career awareness
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project tackles the urgent need to encourage and support young, African American women to pursue studies and careers in computer science (CS). The researchers will design year-long activities that include workshops and an online peer learning community to immerse 120 female African American high school students from Alabama in computing content and career awareness. The program begins with an intense summer experience that prepares students for the College Board's Advanced Placement CS Principles (CSP) course.
Collaborative Research: The Robot Algebra Project
Project years 2010 - 2013
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The Robot Algebra Project creates three scalable, middle school level units for use in informal settings. The units are designed around fundamental robot movement concepts but emphasize proportional reasoning - a big idea in mathematics. There are over 12,000 FIRST Lego League teams across the U.S. that purport to use robots as a motivator to engage students in STEM. However, most of the time the students use guess and check procedures thwarting the opportunity to learn STEM content.
Enhancing STEM Identity through E-Mentoring Experiences
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project studies the effects of e-mentoring (online mentoring) on underrepresented student mentors and underrepresented high school students living in rural areas. The mentoring model and tools developed have the potential to impact all students, further contributing to the capability and diversity of future STEM professionals.
COMPUGIRLS: A Culturally Relevant Technology Program for Girls
Project years 2008 - 2013
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Arizona State University (ASU) in collaboration with Phoenix Union High School District, Scottsdale Union High School District, Roosevelt District, Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley-Sacaton, Intel, Applied Learning Technologies Institute, Dynamic Educational Leadership for Teachers and Administrators (D.E.L.T.A.), ASU's School of Computing & Informatics, ASU's Video Game Design Camp, and Arizona Council of Black Engineers and Scientists Computer Camp (ACBES), are conducting a culturally relevant multimedia program strategy, COMPUGIRLS.
Baltimore Online Algebra for High School Students in Technology
Project years 2020 - 2024
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Research shows that algebra is a major barrier to student success, enthusiasm and participation in STEM for under-represented students, particularly African-American students in under-resourced high schools. Programs that develop ways to help students master algebra concepts and a belief that they can perform algebra may lead to more students entering engineering careers.
Youth Engaged in STEM and Service: Locally- and Globally-Relevant Solar Technology Summer Experiences
Project years 2020 - 2024
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The Youth Engaged in STEM and Service: Locally- and Globally-Relevant Solar Technology Summer Experiences project responds to the pressing need for systems of formal and informal STEM education to support Black, brown, and female-identifying youth with opportunities for youth to build and sustain their interests in STEM beyond required coursework. This project will leverage community-based partnerships to broaden the participation of youth from female-identifying and Black and brown communities through engaging, hands-on solar technology summer camps.
ITEST Conference Event: Defining an Afterschool Research Agenda
Project years 2010 - 2012
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EDC convened a 3-day meeting comprised of NSF-funded ITEST grantees, researchers in STEM workforce development and informal learning, STEM industry leaders, and philanthropic organizations.
GET SET Global: Education for Tomorrow in Science, Engineering, and Technology
Project years 2008 - 2013
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This project focuses research on understanding what it takes to get underrepresented students to succeed in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) as its central goal. It is implementing and testing an instructional model for 2,000 6-8th grade students in ten Washington, DC public, charter schools to increase student interest in and pursuit of careers in engineering and other STEM areas, with a focus on energy and renewable resources. Students may also apply for out-of-school learning activities, including engineering clubs, summer institutes, and career exploration.
A Workshop to Synthesize Findings from Education Research Conducted During the Pandemic: Emerging Lessons From COVID-19
Project years 2021 - 2022
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This project will host a workshop in order to identify and synthesize research findings from NSF awards that addressed the unanticipated effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on STEM teaching and learning. The interruptions from the pandemic had dramatic, widespread effects in education. Across the nation, teachers, students, parents, staff, and school administrators experienced extended school closures and a rapid and unexpected shift to virtual instruction.
Engaging African American Young Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship Through Community-Centered Making
Project years 2022 - 2025
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The project will develop and research a model for engaging high-school-aged African American women from low-income families in STEM-related making and entrepreneurship educational programs. Making is a culture that emphasizes interest-driven learning by doing within an informal, peer-led, and creative social environment.
Engaging Native American Students in STEM Career Development Through a Culturally-Responsive After-School Program Using Virtual Environments and 3-D Printing
Project years 2021 - 2025
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The project will develop and research an after-school program that is designed to increase the STEM career interests and motivations of Native American middle-school students.  Students will use digital technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 3D printing, to solve spatial design problems presented through the project’s culturally responsive, problem-based learning education modules.
Embodied Interactive Environment for Advancing Data Sensing and Computational Thinking Skills in the Built Environment
Project years 2023 - 2027
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As the construction industry gears toward adopting data sensing technologies, there is a demand for creating and sustaining a workforce with skills for implementing the technologies and analyzing the resulting data to support decision-making. It is also essential to improve awareness of this Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career option among all K-12 students, develop their understanding of the applications of data sensing technologies and improve their computational thinking skills in manipulating and using data.
Understanding the Role of Gender in Engaging the Interest of Girls in Computer Science
Project years 2016 - 2022
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The project will research the effects of single-gender computer science (CS) camps and gender aligned role models within that context.
Strengthening the STEM Pipeline for Elementary School African Americans, Hispanics, and Girls by Scaling Up Summer Engineering Experiences
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project aims to expand the implementation of a NSBE-supported program, "Summer Engineering Experiences for Kids" (SEEK), from 14 sites in 2016, to 31 by 2019; from 3,825 3rd-5th grade African American, Hispanic, and female students in 2015, to cumulative 27,000 across the nation over the three-year duration of the project.
M2T2 - Maximizing Motivation, Targeting Technology
Project years 2009 - 2012
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Eighteen teachers from rural northeast Texas learn to program gaming components that model abstract mathematics and science activities to engage roughly 108 students in STEM learning.
Prime the Pipeline Project (P3): Putting Knowledge to Work
Project years 2008 - 2013
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A group of 60 10th grade students and 40 high school math and science teachers in Arizona, as members of scientific villages, explore integrated STEM and business-type problems with mentorship by college students, faculty, scientists, and professionals.
IT Girl: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Solving Real World Problems Using 3D Modeling and Information Visualization
Project years 2006 - 2009
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"IT Girl" is an innovative youth-based program designed to engage middle and high school girls in building competency and interest in science, technology, engineering and math careers through collaborative technology and science-intensive projects in game development and information visualization. The project triangulates Girlstart's successful program structure of after-school activities, Saturday and summer technology camps, intensive parent involvement, field experiences, with innovative curricula in visualization and game development.
Crossing Boundaries and Exploring Biodiversity Conservation Using Information Technologies
Project years 2008 - 2013
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Crossing Boundaries will provide middle and high school students with the knowledge, skills, motivation, and inspiration to use information and communication technologies (ICT) in addressing biodiversity conservation issues in regional and international contexts. The project will entail curriculum development, sustained teacher professional development, and opportunities for students to see scientific and environmental careers in action.
Integrating Computational Science with Environmental Sciences Associated with Habitat Restoration and Education in New York Harbor
Project years 2018 - 2024
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As computing has become integral to the practice of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the STEM+Computing program seeks to address emerging challenges in computational STEM areas through the applied integration of computational thinking and computing activities within STEM teaching and learning in early childhood education through high school (preK-12).
Learning to create Intelligent Solutions with Machine Learning and Computer Vision: A Pathway to AI Careers for Diverse High School Students
Project years 2024 - 2027
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AI is driving our nation’s economic development and reshaping future jobs and workforce. K-12 education is facing the challenge of developing students’ AI competency and preparing them for the workforce of the future. Students need opportunities to engage in learning AI concepts that are situated in authentic AI content and experiences. This project will utilize image classification as an exemplary AI application domain to provide meaningful learning contexts for both high school students and teachers’ professional development.
Nebraska Wearable Technologies (WearTec)
Project years 2014 - 2018
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Research studies, commissioned reports, and national and international tests of educational progress in STEM fields show that a large gap exists, in interest and achievement, between underrepresented students and their counterparts.
CyberBridge UCSD/SDSU
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Seventy five teachers from a variety of disciplines work in small interdisciplinary teams to engage hundreds of students in SanDiego County, CA. Teams use Project-Based Learning approaches to work with scientists in partnership.
The SUCCEED Apprenticeship Program
Project years 2005 - 2008
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One hundred 9th grade students in the communities of Durham and Orange Counties in North Carolina learn computer modeling and simulation, and participate in Apprenticeships on four projects: National Digital Science Library (meta tagging and web design), Digital Durham (postcard database), SUCCEED (website design/web applications) and Sigma Xi (web support).
Project Opening Doors: An AP mathematics and science strategy to prepare underrepresented students for college success and STEM careers
Project years 2009 - 2013
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One thousand 9-10th grade students and 30 teachers from urban schools will participate on inter-district teams via technology to solve employer challenge questions and prepare multi-media presentations based on STEM exhibits at the new CT Science Center.
DataTools: Tools for Data Analysis in the Middle School Classroom
Project years 2005 - 2008
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Seventy five middle-school teachers access and analyze Earth Science data sets, use data analysis tools (IT) and adapt their curriculum to these resources engaging 150 middle-school students in summer workshops.
Developing STEM Identity in Rural Audiences through Community-based Engineering Design
Project years 2020 - 2024
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This project will develop and study an innovative community-based engineering education model to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge, identity, and career awareness of rural, economically disadvantaged students. The project leverages strategic partnerships between North Carolina State University, Edgecombe School District, and local industry to create an Engineering Design and Exploration course.
Investigating environmental identity development among children in rural Alaska Native communities through intergenerational, culturally responsive community science programming
Project years 2021 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand culturally responsive approaches supported by appropriate technologies to broaden participation of Indigenous students in STEM studies and careers.
SCI-TALKS (Supporting Community Initiatives for Teaching, Learning, and Knowing Science)
Project years 2011 - 2016
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Three hundred students in grades 3 to 5 and 80 preservice educators will engage in an energy and environment after-school program utilizing hand-held probeware led by the preservice teachers in a non-traditional science methods course.
Partnership to Provide Technology and Cyber-security Experiences to Alabama Black Belt through Mobile Application Development
Project years 2021 - 2025
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While job growth in STEM fields, specifically in information technology and cybersecurity, has been consistently on the rise, diversity in these workforce fields has not grown at a comparable pace. This Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI) project will advance efforts to better understand and promote practices that increase minority high school students' motivations and capacities to pursue STEM careers.
UAB-Birmingham Consortium for Advanced Education in Computer Science
Project years 2008 - 2012
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One hundred and twenty grade 9 and 12 students and 12 teachers from minority and underserved schools will engage in IT education and computer programming, leading to the development of a working knowledge of linear algebra and culminating in working teams that will develop visualization tools with which to test research hypotheses.
I-C-STEM IN My FUTURE
Project years 2010 - 2014
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I-C STEM In My FUTURE is a two-year, year-round, informal learning program for 80 students focusing on mathematics, the use of hand-held technology, computer literacy skills, technical training and career paths. The project will examine the impact of this technology-enriched intervention program on the STEM career interest of underrepresented minorities.
Urban Ecology, Information Technology, and Inquiry Science for Students and Teachers
Project years 2005 - 2008
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In Boston, 100 middle and high school teachers and 100-400 of their students are developing, evaluating and disseminating IT materials for integration into field-based urban ecology modules.
YES To Technology (YES-2-Tech)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Sixty high school students in St. Louis, Missouri develop computer fluency through concrete application experiences such as designing and building a greenhouse. The project introduces teens to real-life technology applications and challenges through ongoing peer and mentoring relationships.
MyBEST: Mentored Youth Building Employable Skills in Technology
Project years 2003 - 2006
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200 students in grades 7–12, with special emphasis on girls and youth of color, from the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area work with museum staff and community and industry mentors to learn programming, engineering and multi-media production.
Virtual Access to STEM Careers (VASC)
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivation and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). To meet the diverse needs and future demands of a STEM workforce, national initiatives have highlighted the importance of encouraging students from underserved groups to explore STEM careers.
Zipping Towards STEM: Integrating Engineering Design into the Middle School Physical Science Curriculum
Project years 2015 - 2019
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This project will advance efforts to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics through the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program. It will integrate engineering design principles into Akron Public School district's curriculum unit on force and motion for 1800 underrepresented eighth grade students across 12 schools and 98 classrooms.
Watershed Awareness using Technology and Environmental Research for Sustainability (WATERS)
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing a middle school science curriculum focusing on water and water-related career awareness.
Developing Abilities and Knowledge for Careers in Design and Engineering for Students on the Autism Spectrum by Scaling Up Making Experiences
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This is a proposal submitted to the Successful Project Expansion and Dissemination strand of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program. People on the autism spectrum are very capable of leading productive lives and have interests and abilities that can enable them to make valuable contributions to their communities. For example, research shows that young people with autism who go to college choose science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors at higher rates than college students in the general population.
Cultivating Elementary Students' Interest in Cryptography and Cybersecurity Education and Careers
Project years 2019 - 2024
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Recent technological advances have popularized cryptography, the art of making and breaking codes. This project will capitalize on the societal interest in cybersecurity and cryptography and explore how the skills that underlie the encrypting and decrypting practices in cryptography parallel the skills that children must develop to become successful readers and writers.
Engaging Youth in Expanded STEM Career Pathways through Clean Energy Literacy Development
Project years 2014 - 2021
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The University of California, Berkeley, Lawrence Hall of Science plans a five-year project to investigate the capacity of a previously developed clean energy-focused intervention model to affect positive learning outcomes and greater career awareness among a broader audience of under-represented group students aged 14-16.
Game Design with Mentoring for Computer Science and Math Achievement for Educationally Disadvantaged Students
Project years 2011 - 2015
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Two successive MESA cohorts totaling 80 local underrepresented high school students take a one-year introductory computer game programming course at the university and at their high school, along with mentoring and other activities.
Engaging Young Black and Latino Students in Data Science Through Water Security
Project years 2021 - 2025
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Communities of color across the nation face increasing challenges with affordable access to safe drinking water. Using data science to explore why, where and how this is happening, and what is being done about it, provides a powerful vehicle for the engagement of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to help develop a digital work force with appropriate representation from the affected communities.
Launch-IT
Project years 2006 - 2011
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Lehigh University proposes that the "Launch-IT" program (formerly named "S.T.A.R.T.--Students That Are Ready for Technology") will promote academic achievement in information technology (IT) for at-risk middle and high school students in the Greater Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. "Launch-IT" will include summer and academic year programs on information technology for seventh through twelfth grade students. "Launch-IT" will build on successful curricula developed for the Lehigh Valley Partnership for Teaching Fellows, an NSF GK-12 project.
STEMware - Designing Immersive Biology Learning Simulations for Formal and Informal Settings
Project years 2009 - 2013
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The STEMware™ project brings together collaborators in science and education research, teaching, and industry and incorporates an innovative professional and youth development program to create, implement, and evaluate STEM-based “serious games”.
SoBRO TEC
Project years 2005 - 2008
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One hundred and eighty high school students in the South Bronx area of New York City develop technological fluidity by exploring products of urban design that involve IT systems and networks such as transit systems, parks and recreation; exploring film and performance technology and music production and architectural modeling technology.
The Bessie Coleman Project - Using Computer Modeling and Flight Simulation to Create STEM Pathways
Project years 2018 - 2021
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This strategies project advances efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). Specifically, the project will use computer modeling and flight simulations as mechanisms to provide unique entrées to STEM and STEM careers for predominately underrepresented elementary and middle school students in the Rocky Mountain and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
Common Error Diagnostics and Support in Short-answer Math Questions
Project years 2021 - 2024
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One important way to help struggling students improve in math is to deliver personalized support that addresses their specific weaknesses. Many math questions have common wrong answers (CWAs) that correspond to specific errors students make during their answering process, caused by misconceptions or a general lack of knowledge on certain math skills. To date, CWA identification and support remains a labor-intensive process at a limited scale because it requires significant effort by teachers and/or domain experts.
Connecticut Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
Project years 2011 - 2015
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High schools students participate in "The Connecticut Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences" that fully integrates cyberlearning and content courses in math, science, digital arts/media, and technology.
Effects of STEM/ICT Aspirants' High School Experiences on STEM and ICT Course-Taking
Project years 2012 - 2015
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The proposed project is a three-year, longitudinal, multiple-method study that addresses questions about high school students' course-taking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or information & communication technologies (ICT). In particular, it focuses on the effects of STEM/ICT academies--secondary schools that specialize in these subjects. The project will contribute greatly to our understanding of factors that may support or hinder students' interest and persistence in STEM/ICT courses.
Collaborative Research: Exploring Theory and Design Principles (ETD): Investigating the relationships among making, wearables, curiosity, computational thinking and STEM careers
Project years 2023 - 2025
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This project will examine and iteratively improve the design of a youth-centered 30-hour summer school curriculum that will engage high school students in making e-textiles (i.e., wearable technologies). The research builds on an existing curriculum (STEAM-Maker) that, when piloted, showed a promising capacity to improve participants' computational thinking.
Influence of Industry-Informed STEM Pathways on Student Experiences and Outcomes in Non-Selective Urban School
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). This Industry-Informed STEM Pathways for Students is a project concerned with underrepresentation of people of color and women in STEM fields.
Empowering Math Teachers with an AI Tool for Auto-Generation of Technology-Enhanced Assessments
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and powerful Large Language Models (LLMs) has evoked excitement and confusion among K-12 teachers regarding AI's impact on teaching, assessments, and student work. It is vital for researchers with expertise in human-centered teaching and learning to share empirically grounded proofs-of-concept of teacher-AI teaming to enhance teacher capacities for better learning outcomes for all students.
Media-Based Resources to Support the ITEST Program
Project years 2007 - 2010
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WGBH Educational Foundation produced and disseminated an integrated set of media-based resources to support the national ITEST program, its Learning Resource Center, and local ITEST project participants across the country.
Maximizing Mentor Effectiveness in Increasing Student Interest and Success in STEM: An Empirical Approach Employing Robotics Education - Collaborative Research
Project years 2011 - 2016
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This collaborative project is conducting a research study to delineate the effective components of mentoring for underrepresented and non-underrepresented students in STEM, utilizing a robotics educational program.
Integrating the Computer Science and Computational Thinking in Three Rural Eastern North Carolina School Districts
Project years 2017 - 2022
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Rural youth and urban youth must be comparably well prepared to take their places on the global stage at both the high school graduate and higher education graduate levels. A large proportion of children are educated in rural school districts, in which district administrators may be challenged both to recruit and retain high quality teachers and to provide appropriate professional development for teachers.
An Impact Study to Examine the Efficacy of a Mathematics Professional Development Program for Elementary Teachers
Project years 2015 - 2021
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The project will develop and research the impact of an expanded model for mathematics professional development (PD) for elementary second and third grade teachers.
Broadening Life STEM Participation Among Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Project years 2017 - 2023
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In meeting the national need for a stronger and more diverse future workforce, NSF supports contributions from all segments of the STEM community through investments in programs targeting underrepresented populations and institutions. Responding to the Life STEM initiative, this workshop will use information from NSF's longstanding efforts for broadening participation to help minority serving institutions create, implement, and evaluate innovative models of intervention in STEM for the students they serve in life science and bioscience.
GIS/T Resources and Applications for Career Education (GRACE)
Project years 2014 - 2018
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The GIS Resources and Applications for Career Education (GRACE) project builds upon a recent NSF-funded project, the Mayors Youth Technology Corps (MYTC), that developed a model of geographic information systems and technology (GIS/T) based education.
Salmon Camp Research Team I
Project years 2003 - 2008
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One hundred and eighty first-generation college-bound middle and high school Native American students in Oregon, Washington, and California perform archaeological surveys and utilize computer modeling to map the hunting paths of their ancestors.
A Career-Driven AI Educational Program in Smart Manufacturing for Underserved High-school Students in the Alabama Black Belt Region
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into advanced manufacturing has promising potential to revolutionize productivity and generate new jobs in smart manufacturing. There is an urgent need to investigate "what to teach" and "how to teach" AI in order to prepare future workforce with the necessary AI skills, as most K-12 educators and schools lack the knowledge and experience to teach students AI skills for smart manufacturing. This project will initiate an age-appropriate career-driven AI educational program for high-school students and evaluate its effectiveness.
Dan River Information Technology Academy (DRITA)
Project years 2006 - 2011
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Ninety six students – with a focus on African-American and Hispanic youth - from the Danville, VA area will develop solid Information technology skills, and will acquire the background and encouragement needed to pursue higher education in STEM fields.
My STEM Story: Scaling STEM Motivation Through Digital Storytelling and Near Peer Relationships
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project will engage high school students to use videography to capture their conversations with undergraduate students about their academic struggles and successes in science. The goal is for the digital storytelling videos to bring to life the experiences students from underrepresented groups have in their pursuit of careers in STEM fields.
Seeding the Future of STEM researchers through emerging agricultural technologies
Project years 2018 - 2023
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Researchers at Boston College will engage high school aged youth in a three-year pathway framework that will engage the youth in conducting authentic scientific research. The project will involve emerging agricultural technologies like transparent soil (a recent discovery which is a hydrogel that behaves like soil), a near-peer and college-focused mentoring model, and interaction with scientists. The youth will learn to build and code Raspberry Pis (small and affordable computers that students can use to learn programming) to share their data with agronomists and plant scientists.
Developing AI Literacy Interventions to Teach Fundamental Concepts in AI
Project years 2020 - 2021
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a foundational technology that impacts on every sector of the economy and every corner of society. AI?s rapid expansion across fields and industries and its dramatic impact on the economy and national security necessitate developing a workforce knowledgeable and capable of working with AI. There is an urgent need to research K-12 students? capacity to learn AI concepts and processes and how best to support their development of AI skills and career interests.
Broadening Participation of Latina/o Students in Engineering Using an Integrated Mathematics, Engineering and Computing Curriculum in Authentic, Out-of-School Environments
Project years 2016 - 2021
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The goals of the project are to motivate the participation of middle school students in urban and rural settings to pursue STEM and computing (STEM+C) careers. The project will develop an integrated curriculum that supports the learning of computing and engineering fundamentals through the underlying mathematics concepts.
Rural Schools Science and Information Technology
Project years 2004 - 2007
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In Washington state, 60 teachers are mastering and implementing a curriculum that applies GIS, modeling/simulation and game development to environmental sciences. Teachers will work with 700 students.
Innovative Collaborative Research Experience and Technical Education (iCREATE)
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The overall objective of this project will be testing a model of community engagement in STEM learning through the design and implementation of a high school level career and technical education (CTE) bioscience course. The problem, the spread of infectious disease, specifically influenza, was chosen for the local community (Coconino County, AZ) after consultation with community partners. The project emanates from efforts in education designed to develop the next generation of STEM innovators who can productively participate in our increasingly global society.
YouthAstroNet: Research on the scale-up of innovative technology experiences in astronomy and science imaging
Project years 2021 - 2026
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The Youth Astronomy Network (YouthAstroNet) project will support and research the scaling-up, broadening of participation, and sustainable implementation of an innovative online platform for learners ages 11-14. It features customized access to robotic telescopes, support for authentic engagement with scientific and computational analysis tools and practices, opportunities to pursue space science-related activities and investigations of personal interest.
Harlem Children Society (HCS) Science and Engineering
Project years 2008 - 2011
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The Harlem Children Society (HC) was established in 2000 with 3 students from 2 schools by a research scientist at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The project now serves 800 students from over 150 schools with 1500 mentors at 150 institutions. HCS seeks NSF support to focus on the critical IT skills involved in bioinformatics, molecular biology, and protein chemistry, and on the innovative uses of technology for collaboration, communication, and community involvement.
Developing a culturally responsive pedagogical framework for STEM self-efficacy and career interest in the middle grades
Project years 2020 - 2023
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The goal of this project is to promote STEM self-efficacy and career interest among youth from the Navajo Nation through relevant and meaningful experiences with integrated STEM during their critical academic development years in middle school.
STEM-based University Pathway Encouraging Relationships with Chicago High schools in Automation, Robotics and Green Energy
Project years 2022 - 2026
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This Developing and Testing Innovations project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers by connecting faculty and undergraduate students at Illinois State University with students and teachers at four Chicago-area high schools and four Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) that serve the communities around them.
Engaging Middle School Girls in Computational Electronic Design
Project years 2014 - 2018
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This project will engage middle-school urban girls in learning sophisticated computer programming and electronics within supportive communities where the learning is embedded in meaningful projects.
Adapting and Implementing a Geospatial High School Course in Career and Technical Education Clusters in Urban Settings
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This is a collaborative project submitted to the Successful Project Expansion and Dissemination (SPrEaD) strand of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program (Program Solicitation NSF 17-565) to advance efforts to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).
DesignIT Studio
Project years 2003 - 2008
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The DesignIT Studios youth-based project creates four IT studio sites to work with 160 7th and 8th grade students. The four project sites—a central site at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, sites at each of two Boys and Girls Club branches, and a site at an area school—infuse digital technology and science, math, and engineering concepts into a creative art studio environment. Projects, springing from the children’s own cultural backgrounds and interests, incorporate commonplace materials with digital media to naturally create fluency in IT.
Inquiring with GIS (I-GIS) Project: A Partnership Between Scientists and Educators
Project years 2004 - 2007
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This comprehensive ITEST project will provide sixty middle and high school teachers with an introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies. The project, which brings together a leadership team of educators, science researchers and experts in resource management, is based at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Appalachian Laboratory, a research facility that studies stream and forest ecosystems.
Robot-Mediated Learning: Exploring School-Deployed Collaborative Robots for Homebound Children
Project years 2020 - 2023
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Over 2.5 million children in the US are medically homebound. They are socially isolated, physically segregated, and current educational practices largely exclude them from their school communities. Telepresence robots have emerged as a possible means to support these children to return to their local schools, however, it is not yet understood how homebound children can effectively use these robots for optimal learning and social development experiences.
Creating a Virtual Infrastructure for Engaging Rural Youth in STEM Disciplines through Computer Science
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will develop and study an educational intervention for rural youth to engage with computer science and math concepts through a popular videogame.
Designing Tactile Picture Books: Critical Making in Libraries to Broaden Participation in STEM Education and Careers
Project years 2016 - 2021
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Middle and high schools students from groups underrepresented in science, including visually impaired students, will digitally design and fabricate 3D-printed tactile storybooks for young children with visual impairments.
WNY Genetics in Research Partnership: Expanding Exposure, Career Exploration and Interactive Projects in Basic Genome Analysis and Bioinformatics
Project years 2013 - 2017
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This project will develop an ongoing partnership with disadvantaged schools across a 14-county region of New York that will facilitate teacher and student recruitment, preparation, and mentorship for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Project activities will focus on basic genome analysis and bioinformatics, and the partnership will be directed by the University at Buffalo Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences (BCLS) and the New York State Area Health Education Center System (NYS AHEC).
YouthQuake: Engaging urban students in a computational geology experience to forecast earthquake hazards and manage risks for their community
Project years 2023 - 2026
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This project will contribute to the Earth science education community's understanding of how engaging students with computational activities and prioritizing their knowledge, personal experiences, and community values can broaden the participation of diverse students in geoscience. The YouthQuake project will engage Hispanic and African American middle school students in Stockton, California, in authentic investigations of their community's earthquake hazards, risks, and preparedness using practices of professional geoscientists.
Web Adventures Interactive: Innovative Online Activities as Effective Tools for Broadening Participation in Science
Project years 2020 - 2022
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This project will accomplish the exploratory groundwork needed to create Web Adventures Interactive (WAI), a set of interactive educational game websites, to study the effectiveness of the interactive features on science learning, motivation, and interest in science careers.
Beyond Rubrics: Moving Towards Embedded Assessment in Maker Education
Project years 2017 - 2019
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This project is supported by the STEM+Computing (STEM+C) program, which advances applied research integrating computational thinking and computing activities within disciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teaching and learning in early childhood education through high school (PreK-12). Because of its fundamental focus on collaborative, iterative, process-based learning--key 21st century skills--maker education's learning outcomes cannot be adequately tracked by tests, the traditional means of assessment in classrooms.
Understanding the Science Connected to Technology (USCT)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Eighty teachers and 758 students in the Fargo, North Dakota, area assume leadership roles as citizen volunteers and conduct surface water quality monitoring activities, analyze data and disseminate results to enhance local decision-making capacity. Training includes collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of scientific data.
ACTIVATE: Advancing Computing and Technology Interest and innoVation through Teacher Education
Project years 2008 - 2013
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Approximately 100 northern Appalachian high school students and their STEM teachers learn computational thinking and computer programming using Alice and Java.
Geotechnology Experiences for Students and Teachers
Project years 2017 - 2020
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by its focus on geotechnology (also called GIS or geospatial information systems) careers.
Synthesis: Impact of integrating innovative technologies in STEM classrooms on K-12 students' STEM career outcomes
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This Miami University project will synthesize research conducted from 2000 to the present regarding the effects of innovative technology-based educational interventions on PreK-12 students' STEM career outcomes. This mixed-method study will include two concurrent, interrelated components?a quantitative meta-analysis and a qualitative synthesis. The goal of the project is to provide a more complete understanding of rigorous intervention research regarding the effects on students' STEM career outcomes.
Expanding Socio-Environmental Science Investigations with Geospatial Technologies in High Schools
Project years 2020 - 2024
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This project aims to develop high school students' and teachers' understandings of and skills in geospatial technologies in order to improve STEM literacy and access to the STEM workforce. Researchers collaborate with teachers in six different high schools to develop new teaching materials that use geospatial technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS) and GPS-enabled iPads or other mobile devices.
Build IT Underwater Robotics Scale Up for STEM Learning and Workforce Development (BISU)
Project years 2009 - 2015
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The project is creating and assessing an adaptable scale-up model that enables the participation of underserved audiences in intensive, experiential STEM learning, acquisition of 21st century skills, and increased engineering career awareness.
Supporting the Scientific Practice of Data Analysis through Creative Investigations of Long-Term Ecological Datasets
Project years 2021 - 2026
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This project will focus on research and development for a new professional development model to support teachers in engaging middle school and high school students in independent data analysis research projects, using local ecological data. While there has been a tremendous explosion of publicly available datasets on all facets of environmental science, teachers and students often have limited access and exposure to learning opportunities in data analysis to make good use of them.
STEM Career Clubs: Enhancing the Potential of Underrepresented Students in STEM Careers through a Strategic Teaming Model
Project years 2014 - 2018
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STEM Career Clubs builds on a successful and research-based Strategic Teaming Model to increase the likelihood that participating students will pursue STEM majors and careers.
ITEST Convening: Advancing Research on Youth Motivation in STEM
Project years 2010 - 2013
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The ITEST Learning Resource Center at EDC hosted a convening designed to develop a theoretical framework to guide future research on youth motivation in STEM with a particular emphasis on populations most underrepresented in STEM. Two guiding questions were be the focus of the event: What is currently known about motivation in STEM for underrepresented youth? What can be done to cultivate new research around STEM motivation for underrepresented youth?
Science Technology Engineering and Math: Developing Education and Career Opportunity Systems
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing, testing, and disseminating tools and strategies for increasing awareness of STEM-related careers among high school students with disabilities. Participants in the project will include students having learning, emotional, developmental, or physical disabilities who are eligible for special…
The Youth Digital Storytelling STEM Academy
Project years 2015 - 2019
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The project will develop a student-directed intervention designed to give students the opportunity to use video storytelling to tell their own stories in a meaningful way for their communities to encourage student interest and engagement in the STEM-related field of climate science.
TechREACH
Project years 2006 - 2010
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One hundred and eighty 12—18 year old students and their teachers in 6 schools in Eastern Washington state use GIS, GPS, robotics, videogame programming and more to investigate local community issues by conducting research with scientists and mentors.
Actualizing STEM Potential in the Mississippi Delta
Project years 2015 - 2022
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The program will positively influence the engineering self-efficacy and orientation to STEM majors with African American students living in an underserved region of the United States, the Mississippi Delta. Students in this program are immersed in engineering design activities requiring the application of science and mathematics principles. The program model includes pre-engineering courses in computer science, computer aided drafting, and electronics. These are designed and facilitated by university faculty. Undergraduate seniors are trained by faculty and then serve as mentors. Engineering d…
Early childhood maker literacies: Fostering computational thinking among Navajo youth and educators
Project years 2024 - 2027
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Research has demonstrated the value of introducing computing education in early childhood for its cost-effectiveness and longer-lasting impacts compared to later interventions. This Designing and Testing Innovations project addresses the need for diverse approaches to render computing accessible and developmentally appropriate for young children, while actively integrating their linguistic, cultural, and communal identities.
Rural Energy Futures: Facilitating community understanding of energy transition opportunities through middle-school math skills development
Project years 2024 - 2027
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As climate change pressures increasingly weigh on communities across the United States, national policy and investment have signaled a priority in developing a capable energy transition workforce. These initiatives are often focused in rural areas where available natural resources support energy transition technologies. However, such efforts rarely account for the community and cultural threats that energy transitions pose to existing economies and social fabrics.
Activating Student Potential through Innovation and Real-World Experience
Project years 2018 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Connecting Youth with Science through Mentored Experiences in Nature - Collaborative Research
Project years 2010 - 2012
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Intellectual Merit: This is a collaborative scale-up project between Colorado State University (CSU) and the National Council for Science and Environment (NCSE). The goal of Connecting Youth with Science through Mentored Experiences in Nature is to provide rich STEM activities and research experiences for 600-700 high school students through the existing EnvironMentors (EM) program.
Memphis Virtual STEM Academy at East High School
Project years 2013 - 2019
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The Memphis Virtual STEM Academy at East High School project investigates the implementation of a virtual STEM curriculum that utilizes self-paced modules, face-to-face STEM laboratory projects, and field experiences designed to help students (grades 9-12) understand pre-engineering concepts and principles as well as develop an interest in and motivation to pursue STEM and ICT careers.
Fostering Interest in Information Technology
Project years 2007 - 2012
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Eighty high school students, 8 K-12 STEM teachers, and university students in Southeastern Michigan engage in design teams focused on IT-intensive STEM areas including environmental science, robotics, and bioinformatics, using diverse software systems.
Photonics Leaders II
Project years 2008 - 2011
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This North Carolina State University (NCSU) project entitled Photonics Leaders II (PL2) is a Strategies project for 80 underrepresented minority and rural 10th grade students, their parents or caregivers, and 60 teachers. The project nurtures interest in optics, electronics, computer hardware and software, while building the intellectual, communication and personal skills needed for success in the STEM workforce.
Socio-Environmental Science Investigations Using the Geospatial Curriculum Approach with Web Geospatial Information Systems
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project will develop, implement, and evaluate a series of innovative socio-environmental science investigations (SESI) using a geospatial curriculum approach with STEM-related mentoring that will provide economically disadvantaged students in the 9th grade of the Building 21 school in Allentown, PA with technology-rich geospatial learning experiences to develop STEM-related skills. Project is available at: https://eli.lehigh.edu/sesi
Co-Robots for STEM Education in the 21st Century
Project years 2012 - 2015
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The project uses Mobot (a modular robotics platform designed for K-12 education) to prepare teachers to engage students with relevant pedagogy that illustrates abstract math concepts with concrete applications using computing and robotics.
Using Squeak to Infuse Information Technology into the STEM Curriculum in Grades 7-12
Project years 2006 - 2009
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This project targets approximately 75 STEM teachers (one cohort of 25 teachers each year) and 150 grade 7-12 students over three years, focusing on the Squeak media authoring tool as a modeling environment to infuse IT skills into the core STEM curriculum. Using Squeak allows STEM teachers to create 'virtual laboratories' in which to engage students in inquiry-based learning. The project is proposed as collaboration with New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick County Schools -- all Southeastern North Carolina (SENC) school systems heavily populated by rural, underserved students.
Integrating AI Learning into Middle School Science through Natural Language Processing
Project years 2022 - 2025
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This project responds to the growing recognition that learners of all ages should have the opportunity to engage with and learn about artificial intelligence (AI). Of AI's many subfields, natural language processing (NLP) is one of the fastest growing. NLP focuses on how to automatically understand spoken or textual data, and billions of these textual or spoken exchanges are recorded online every day.
Using Flow-Based Music Programming to Engage Children in Computer Science
Project years 2023 - 2027
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Achieving the goal of broadening participation in the computer science (CS) workforce will require that children have access to early opportunities to engage with CS. However, the reality is that most underrepresented children in elementary schools do not have access to CS at all. To remediate that lack of access, this project seeks to create a deeply engaging music-based CS education program and curriculum, M-Flow, that can be easily adopted by elementary schools.
Riverside Air Monitoring Project
Project years 2019 - 2024
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by developing and testing an innovative and locally-relevant air quality curriculum for high school students.
M-SOS-W: Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World
Project years 2008 - 2013
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M-SOS-W: Middle Schoolers out to Save the World in this project, approximately 600 sixth graders from seven middle schools in Louisiana, Maine, Texas and Vermont are monitoring home energy use under supervision of their (14) teachers. The data are being used to develop optimum scenarios for conserving energy and reducing production of greenhouses gases in local communities. The teachers are receiving professional development to carry out the project.
Community Science Investigators (CSI)
Project years 2009 - 2012
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Community Science Investigators (CSI) is an ITEST Strategies project that brings together the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in offering year-long, career-focused technology experiences for 360 middle school youth and 36 teachers in an out-of-school setting. Through CSI, participants from St. Louis and Boston will learn to apply geospatial, simulation, and communication technologies as they address environmental and conservation-related issues.
Life STEM: Promoting STEM Career Awareness, Engagement, and Identity, via a Culturally Relevant and Technology-Infused STEM-Based Curriculum
Project years 2019 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Smart Clothing, Smart Girls: Engineering via Apparel Design
Project years 2012 - 2016
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Smart Clothing, Smart Girls is a strategy proposal using apparel design as a vehicle to attract middle school girls to STEM learning and engineering careers. Based on a theoretical framework that supports mechanisms for engaging young, female participants in STEM, the project team has thoughtfully designed an intervention that is hands-on, collaborative, and relevant - all combinations that have shown to improve how girls develop STEM identities, build self efficacy, and become motivated to pursue STEM-related activities.
Narrative Modeling with StoryQ: Integrating Mathematics, Language Arts, and Computing to Create Pathways to Artificial Intelligence Careers
Project years 2020 - 2023
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The future workforce is being drastically reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The advancement in AI theories, algorithms and practices has not only created great demands for AI scientists, engineers, technicians and entrepreneurs, but also reformulated the nature of work in almost all industries. Importantly today's students must gain a fundamental understanding of AI in order to be prepared to enter the workforce of the future.
Collaborative Research: Minoritized Youth Computer Science Learning, Belonging and Career Interest: Coding and Creating with Beats
Project years 2021 - 2025
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Computer science knowledge and skills are essential in the digital world. Despite progress in the availability of computer science (CS) coursework in secondary school settings, a number of student groups remain substantially underrepresented in computing. This project aims to broaden youth participation in computing by focusing on innovative technology experiences centered around coding-based music. The project will engage Black, Latinx, and female youth during the critical middle school years when many students decide whether future opportunities in CS merit consideration.
Broadening identities for diverse youth in STEM through socioenvironmental problem solving
Project years 2017 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Project ReCharge
Project years 2014 - 2018
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Project ReCharge will engage middle school and high school students as energy detectives in their schools. Using tablet computers to collect data on school energy use, students will learn to track electrical loads in their buildings.
Ocean Explorers: GIS, IPA, and Ocean Sciences for IT Literacy and Skills
Project years 2003 - 2006
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With primary project activities completed in August, 2006, Ocean Explorers was a three-year project funded by the Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and implemented by the Center for Image Processing in Education (CIPE). The project employed GIS, digital image analysis, and ocean science as ways of incorporating information technology (IT) into science and mathematics education in California.
Mixed Reality Based Interactive Cybersecurity Education for Middle School Students
Project years 2021 - 2024
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Individuals and organizations around the world are turning to information and communication technology (ICT) to help manage all aspects of life and businesses. ICT companies are at the same time continuously developing new approaches to advance online safety, security, and privacy. The shortage of cybersecurity professionals creates risks for both national and homeland security. These risks are exacerbated by the lack of diversity among cybersecurity professionals.
COVID-Inspired Data Science Education through Epidemiology
Project years 2023 - 2025
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides a starting point for empowering young people to understand uses of data science through epidemiology. Through this program, 400 underserved youth nationwide will engage in a 15-hour out-of-school multimedia program centered on a project-developed text, The Case of the COVID Crisis, which is integrated with data activities, modeling, animations, and career exploration.
Earth Partnership: Indigenous Arts and Sciences - Connecting STEM to Native Science
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will engage students, educators, elders, informal educators, natural resource professionals, and parents in community dialogues and relationship building, informal-formal professional development collaborations, and indigenized STEM learning experiences and mentoring for students in grades 8-12.
IMMEX Fayette Consortium: Community Integrated Problem Solving
Project years 2003 - 2007
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Forty 7th–12th grade students and 86 teachers in Lexington, Kentucky worked on IMMEX problem solving teams construct interactive, problem-solving simulations.
Minoritized Youth Computer Science Learning, Belonging and Career Interest: Coding and Creating with Beats
Project years 2023 - 2025
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Computer science knowledge and skills are essential in the digital world. Despite progress in the availability of computer science (CS) coursework in secondary school settings, a number of student groups remain substantially underrepresented in computing. This project aims to broaden youth participation in computing by focusing on innovative technology experiences centered around coding-based music. The project will engage Black, Latinx, and female youth during the critical middle school years when many students decide whether future opportunities in CS merit consideration.
Middle School Pathways in Computer Science
Project years 2014 - 2018
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This ITEST Strategies project will create a partnership of the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML), the Tri-City Technology Education Collaborative Inc. (TRITEC), and the urban school districts of Medford and Everett, MA to bring project-based, socially-relevant computing experiences to district middle school students.
Understanding and Supporting K-12 School Leaders' AI-related Decision-making
Project years 2023 - 2024
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The 2022 launch of ChatGPT has accelerated the need for school leaders (at both the district and building level) to make important and time-sensitive decisions related to the use of artificial intelligence in their schools. Given the rapid development of artificial intelligence, there are few established practices or guidelines for school leaders to rely on, and school leaders' current knowledge of artificial intelligence may be too limited to inform these decisions.
Cultivating Creativity to Integrate Computation and Science Problem Solving in Informal Learning
Project years 2019 - 2023
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Future challenges that we face as a nation such as the growing need to optimize agricultural output and management of extreme weather conditions will demand armies of imaginative scientists and engineers, equipped with a robust understanding of the ways in which scientific and computational knowledge converge to enhance problem solving. Many of these future scientists and engineers are currently children. The goal of this project is to investigate best ways to prepare the youth to confront future science and engineering problems.
Digitally Inoculating Viewers Against Visual Misinformation With a Perceptual Training
Project years 2022 - 2025
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Misinformation impedes people?s ability to make informed decisions in many areas, for example politics, health care, purchasing, or investing. Misinformation can be created by accident or intentionally. Misleading graphs are a particularly dangerous form of misinformation because they can make false information more believable and reach viewers faster. To combat misinformation in graphs, one needs to consider two aspects of graph comprehension: conceptual reasoning and perception. Prior research has focused on conceptual reasoning about graphs.
Integrating Students' Interests, Identities and Ways of Knowing with Network Visualization Tools to Explore Data Literacy Concepts
Project years 2023 - 2026
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This project is responding to the growing recognition that youth can benefit from a wide range of data literacy skills. Network visualization is a particularly powerful and relevant approach for learners to understand. In a network visualization, people, places, and things are the nodes in a network, displayed as circles. These nodes are connected by lines that represent interactions. Learners can view relationships between nodes and lines in a network using either a dynamic visualization or they can view network data as a table.
Digital Mathematics Storytelling: Fraction Stories from Urban Emergent Communities
Project years 2020 - 2025
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Many elementary school children in urban communities are not given the opportunity to relate what they see in school to the mathematics they see in their homes, families, and communities. This project will help solve this problem through a digital storytelling approach. It will investigate how elementary grade children can use mobile technology to create digital mathematics stories. These stories will be made from videos, photos, and audio. Students will connect mathematics from out-of-school settings to the mathematics they learn in school.
Collaborative Digital Bioscience Career Awareness Curriculum and Teacher Professional Development
Project years 2016 - 2019
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This project is a collaborative effort involving scientists, educational researchers, and computer programmers from the Center for Translational Science Education at the Tufts University School of Medicine and teachers and biotech researchers in the Boston metropolitan area.
Augmented Reality Experiences in 21st Century STEM Careers
Project years 2019 - 2023
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The project will develop and research a series of next generation augmented reality (AR) digital learning labs and incorporate the labs into an existing curriculum, STEM 21. AR has been proposed as an effective means of motivating previously disengaged students through authentic experiences. By focusing the intervention in high schools with a large proportion of underrepresented students1, the project addresses the lack of opportunities for underrepresented youth to be engaged in rigorous STEM learning that incorporates emerging technologies, aligned with 21st century workforce skills.
Advancing Geospatial Thinking and Technologies in Grades 9-12: Citizen Mapping, Community Engagement, and Career Preparation in STEM
Project years 2014 - 2018
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Given recent advancements in geospatial technologies and the expanding geospatial technology industry, this project is timely in its focus on spatial thinking and strengthening geospatial technology skills among high school students.
Peering a generation into the future: NSF's Young Scholars Program and the nation’s STEM workforce
Project years 2021 - 2024
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The first pre-college programs that the National Science Foundation (NSF) administered when it restarted pre-college education funding in 1988 included the Young Scholars Program (YSP). The YSP reflected NSF’s intention to reach high-achieving students and to increase the likelihood that they would subsequently enter science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and the STEM workforce. YSP targeted adolescents, grades 7-12, with summer, weekend, and after-school enrichment programs.
Supporting collaborative reflection by K-12 teachers with analytics from intelligent tutoring software
Project years 2021 - 2024
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One way K-12 teachers engage in lifelong professional learning is by reflecting on their own practices, for example by reviewing video recordings from their class sessions. Past research shows that reflection has powerful effects on teachers’ classroom practice. A separate line of past research shows that students learn very well with AI-based intelligent tutoring software (ITS), for example, in middle-school and high-school mathematics, and that teachers' support contributes to this effect.
Network Science for All: Positioning Underserved Youth for Success in Pursuing STEM Pathways
Project years 2020 - 2024
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Boston University, in partnership with Sociedad Latina, will investigate the role that a middle school network science curriculum plays as both an input and outcome of science learning. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.
Supporting Science Inquiry, Interest, and STEM Thinking for Young Dual Language Learners
Project years 2020 - 2024
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) knowledge and skills are essential for navigating the demands of life and work in the 21st century.
Developmentally Appropriate Strategies for Targeting Early Adolescents' Motivation in STEM
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will develop specific strategies for teachers, STEM career professionals, and caregivers of economically disadvantaged African American middle school adolescents.
Robotics: Fundamentals of Information Technology and Engineering
Project years 2004 - 2007
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TechBoston and Northeastern University are working collaboratively in this comprehensive project to integrate an innovative robotics curriculum into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses in the Boston Public Schools and in other racially diverse and economically disadvantaged Massachusetts school districts.
Tri-C Youth Technology Academy: STEM Academy for Youth featuring Youth Essential Skills - SAY - YES!
Project years 2013 - 2017
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This ITEST strategies project is providing high school students with experiences in robotics to galvanize their interest in STEM and prepare them for STEM programs at the college level. The project is delivering a pre-engineering experience, advanced math coursework, and project-based instruction. High school teachers receive technical training to build their STEM teaching competencies. Over 100 underrepresented students are being recruited from MC2 STEM High School in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
Researching A School District's Integration Of The Maker Movement Into Its Middle And High School
Project years 2016 - 2018
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This research project uses case study methodology to articulate how the Elizabeth Forward School District (EFSD) integrates the Maker movement into its secondary schools.
Connections in the Making: Elementary Students, Teachers, and STEM Professionals Integrating Science and Engineering to Design Community Solutions
Project years 2017 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). This project will develop and study community-connected, integrated science and engineering curriculum units that leverage mobile maker space and digital notebook technologies to support diverse elementary students' science and engineering ideas, practices, and attitudes.
Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World (MSOSW)
Project years 2013 - 2019
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The project aims at helping middle school students understand the relationship between energy, economics, and climate change by monitoring home-energy consumption. Students use energy-monitoring equipment to assess the amount of stand-by power consumed by their home appliances and entertainment devices when these units are powered off. Service-Learning is the theoretical foundation underlying the project, which is based on a student empowerment model that values their contributions to solve problems.
Identifying Stakeholder Perceptions and Practices to Develop a Comprehensive Framework for Bioscience Industry Internships for Underrepresented Youth
Project years 2019 - 2023
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This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Program. Bioscience fields are changing to keep pace with rapid advances in technologies and scientific innovations. These fields need diverse, prepared personnel who can meet workforce demands using cutting-edge technologies and a deep knowledge of science. This project meets this need by preparing underrepresented high school students for the bioscience workforce through innovative internship experiences.
Building a Learning Ecology to Increase STEM Participation Among Middle School Girls
Project years 2019 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Everyday AI for Youth: Investigating Middle School Teacher Education, Classroom Implementation, and the Associated Student Learning Outcomes of an Innovative AI Curriculum
Project years 2021 - 2023
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Everyday Artificial Intelligence for Youth (EdAI) addresses the need to develop a diverse workforce with the knowledge and skills to work with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The ubiquity of AI technologies in industry and in daily life calls for accessible and age-appropriate AI preparation of all learners. Broadening participation in AI is important in ensuring that AI technologies of the future are founded on principles of inclusivity and equitability.
Extreme Experience Lab
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Sixty high school Hispanic, English language learners at the Latino College Preparatory Academy in East San Jose engage in interactive, hands-on, creative science workshops and research opportunities to inspire and motivate them towards STEM education.
Promoting STEM Interests and Careers through Families and Museums Exploring
Project years 2016 - 2023
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This ITEST project aims to research the STEM career interests of late elementary and middle-school students and, based on the results of that research, build an informal education program to involve families and community partners to enhance their science knowledge, attitudes, experiences, and resources. There is an emphasis on underrepresented and low income students and their families.
Investigating Green Energy Technologies in the City (GET City)
Project years 2007 - 2011
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In GET City, 70 students, 20 parents, and community leaders in Lansing Michigan investigate green energy technologies that matter in the city using GIS, scientific modeling, and field experiences, and communicate community outcomes through digital media.
Comprehensive Information Technology Education in Rural Appalachia (CITERA)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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Comprehensive Information Technology Education in Rural Appalachia (CITERA) emphasizes career and educational pathways and provides information technology (IT) skills and knowledge to North Central West Virginia 7th through 9th grade educators and students. CITERA seeks to meet the current need for technology workers in the United States by introducing students to IT concepts and careers at an early age through workshops and student IT-STEM modules.
Acquainting Metro Atlanta Youth with STEM (AMAYS)
Project years 2015 - 2018
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Acquainting Metro Atlanta Youth with STEM (
Data Modeling with Young Learners and Their Families
Project years 2016 - 2019
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There is a growing need for citizens to be able to work with data and consider how data is represented. This work employs a design, make, play framework to create data modeling learning experiences for young children and their caregivers in an informal setting. The project will develop and test a curriculum for a workshop series for 5-8 year old children to engage them in playful exploration of data modelling. Children will engage in data collection, data representation and data analysis drawing their own experiences of the world.
ScratchEncore: Equity via a Flexible, Culturally-Relevant Advanced Scratch Curriculum for Upper Elementary Diverse Students and Teachers
Project years 2017 - 2022
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The University of Chicago, in collaboration with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), is providing an actionable and empirically-grounded answer to the question: Can we create advanced 4th to 6th grade Computer Science (CS) instructional materials that give equal value to improving equity and student learning outcomes? While there are solid introductory CS curricula for grades 4-6, more advanced materials are either commercial offerings that are expensive, or free, ad-hoc activities that require experienced teachers.
Closing Gaps: Connecting Assessment and Culture to Increase Achievement
Project years 2016 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by investigating ways to make science assessment and science instruction more culturally relevant to Native Hawaiians.
STEM Learning and Research (STELAR) Center: A Resource Center to Support Research and Development on STEM Careers
Project years 2013 - 2025
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The STEM Learning and Research (STELAR) Center is the resource center for the NSF ITEST program, housed at Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and funded from 2013 to 2019 (formerly the ITEST Learning Resource Center - LRC).
Eagle Vision: Employing Geographic Information Technologies in Indian Schools and Communities
Project years 2004 - 2008
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The "Eagle Vision" project was designed to train high school math, science, social studies and technology teachers within the Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school system to integrate Geographic Information Technologies (GIT) into their classrooms. Over the three-year life of the grant, CETIA worked intensively with 20 teachers selected from a geographically diverse set of schools.
Critical Data Stories: Co-Designing Remixing Tools with Teachers to Support Critical Data Literacy with Middle School Youth
Project years 2023 - 2026
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Youth are avid creators and consumers of data-related claims through their participation on social media sites, in which they view, produce, and share content. They remix content, building off one another?s videos, gifs, and memes to represent and discuss topics they care about. However, participation on these same platforms can result in echo chambers, misinformation, and proliferation of perspectives that are detached from real-world experience.
Elementary STEM Teaching Integrating Technology and Computing Holistically
Project years 2018 - 2022
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase student motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). The E-STITCH (Elementary STEM Teaching Integrating Technology and Computing Holistically) project is a curriculum and professional development project designed to facilitate meaningful scientific inquiry with computer science in grades 3-6.
A Sleep Education Program to Improve STEM education in Elementary School
Project years 2015 - 2021
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging young learners in authentic science investigations and linking them to STEM-related professions.
Supporting English Learners in STEM Subjects
Project years 2016 - 2020
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The Board on Science Education (BOSE) of the National Academies of Sciences will conduct a consensus study focused on identifying instructional practices and professional development approaches for teachers, as well as the policies that are needed to support ELLs' accomplishments in science and mathematics education.
A Community-Inclusive AI Chatbot to Support Teachers in Developing Culturally Focused and Universally Designed STEM Activities
Project years 2023 - 2024
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Large language models (LLM) represent a new and rapidly changing technological advancement for K12 STEM learning. It is critical at this point in time to investigate and provide pathways for including justice, equity, inclusion, and community cultural capital and wealth in designing LLM-based educational systems. In the context of developing an AI chatbot, this RAPID project will research the ways in which teachers can plan universally designed and culturally relevant and responsive K12 STEM learning activities and environments.
Scaling Up Success: Using MATE's ROV Competitions to Build a Collaborative Learning Community that Fuels the Ocean STEM Workforce Pipeline
Project years 2013 - 2021
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Uses MATE's underwater robotics competition to engage and support the participation of middle and high school students in STEM. Provides professional development, curriculum, and other resources to teachers. Involves industry professionals and parents.
Bioinformatics: The Rutgers Initiative in Teacher Enhancement (BRITE)
Project years 2004 - 2007
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One hundred and fifty five high school teachers and 5,500 students in New Jersey extract DNA from worm specimens and access bioinformatics resources online to analyze the DNA sequences and submit their results to an international database.
Engaging Blind, Visually Impaired, and Sighted Students in STEM with Storytelling through Podcasts
Project years 2022 - 2025
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This project will broaden participation in STEM for blind and visually impaired (BVI) and sighted upper elementary students through engagement with podcast technology. BVI individuals are significantly underrepresented in the STEM workforce. Research has shown that BVI students face many obstacles in pursuing education pathways to STEM fields, beginning in early education. These obstacles include negative attitudes of both students and teachers regarding the ability for BVI persons to engage in STEM careers, and the lack of BVI-accessible STEM resources in classrooms.
A Laser Academy for High School Science Teachers
Project years 2006 - 2009
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Sixty-six high school science teachers from the New York City Schools integrate photonics content into physical science lessons for 3,000 students during the school year and in summer sessions.
Middle Grades Career Mentors: Digital Resources for Effective CTE STEM Mentoring
Project years 2015 - 2018
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This project will develop a suite of digital tools designed to support positive messaging around skill-based education and careers and to improve mentors' communication with middle school-aged youth mentees. Maintaining U.S. economic advantage requires attracting talent to high-growth, high-demand skill-based, STEM-related careers that are traditionally attained through Career and Technical Education (CTE). Replacing old negative perceptions with new, more accurate messages about CTE and then reaching youth with these messages before high school is essential. Career-focused mentoring is a vehi…
PROFIT: Pictures Represent Opportunities For Inspiration in Technology
Project years 2007 - 2011
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Twenty teachers and 60 incoming tenth grade students in the Greater Orlando area are involved in learning about and interacting with modules that explore the relationship between mathematics and pictorial computing.
Communities for Rural Education, Stewardship & Technology (CREST) Renewal
Project years 2008 - 2011
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CREST networked 17 island and coastal schools throughout Maine into a learning community focusing on finding ways that students can use technology to find solutions to community questions.
Promoting STEM Career Interest in the Classroom: An Exploratory Study Linking Teacher Professional Development with Changes in Teaching Practices
Project years 2008 - 2013
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This ITEST research study examined over 50 ITEST teacher professional development projects to better understand their role in teacher implementation of STEM workplace technologies.
Culturally Relevant Computing Activities and Career Readiness for At-Risk Youth
Project years 2018 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by engaging in hands-on field experience, laboratory/project-based entrepreneurship tasks and mentorship experiences.
Connecting STEM to Music and the Physics of Sound Waves
Project years 2017 - 2023
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This project will advance efforts of the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program to better understand and promote practices that increase students' motivations and capacities to pursue careers in fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) by producing empirical findings and/or research tools that contribute to knowledge about which models and interventions with K-12 students and teachers are most likely to increase capacity in the STEM and STEM-cognate intensive workforce of the future.
Maryland Sports Data Analytics Camps for Youth
Project years 2019 - 2023
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African American and Latinx youth are often socialized towards athletic activity and sports participation, sometimes at the expense of their exploration of the range of potential career paths including those in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will immerse middle school youth in the rapidly growing world of sports data analytics and build their knowledge of statistics concepts and the data science process.
Action at a Distance
Project years 2013 - 2016
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The University of Nebraska partners with the National Center for Research on Rural Education, The Center for Science, Mathematics & Computer Education (UNL), and Nebraska's 18 Educational Service Units (ESU 1-ESU 18) to utilize distance education and communication technologies to provide university outreach opportunities to students and teachers through science research to high schools in Nebraska.
Educational Pathways Into College & Career
Project years 2015 - 2018
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Educational Pathways Into College and Career is a multi-faceted summer program designed to equip students from low-performing schools, low-income families and ethnic/racial groups underrepresented in STEM fields with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to succeed in STEM majors and pursue STEM-related careers.
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DRL-1312022, 1614697 and 1949200. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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