From Data To Awesome (D2A): Youth Learning to be Data Scientists

2015 - 2018

Increasingly, the STEM workforce requires knowledge of data science and data analysis including representations of data for public use such as in media outlets. 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. The technology platform, Local Ground, allows youth to collect, map and visualize data.

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The Youth Digital Storytelling STEM Academy

2015 - 2019

The project will develop a student-directed intervention that leverages research on motivation to encourage student interest and engagement in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related field of climate science. The intervention is designed to give students the opportunity to use video storytelling to tell their own stories in a meaningful way for their communities. Through this experience, students will develop competencies in climate science, engineering design, media technology, and communications including storytelling.

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Zipping Towards STEM: Integrating Engineering Design into the Middle School Physical Science Curriculum

2015 - 2019

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.

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ET-ECS: Electronic Textiles for Exploring Computer Science with High School Students and Teachers to Promote Computational Thinking and Participation for All

2015 - 2019

This 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 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.

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Soft Robotics to Broaden the STEM Pipeline

2015 - 2019

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.

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LinCT: Linking Educators, Youth, and Learners in Computational Thinking

2015 - 2019

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.

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Innovative Collaborative Research Experience and Technical Education (iCREATE)

2015 - 2019

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.

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Authentic Art Making as a Vehicle for Connecting to STEM Learning and Careers

2015 - 2019

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 drawing explicit connections between the artistic practices in the studio and the practices of STEM professionals.

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Collaborative Research: American Innovations in an Age of Discovery: Teaching Science and Engineering through 3D-printed Historical Reconstructions

2015 - 2019

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).

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