Transforming Preschoolers’ Spatial Orientation: Leveraging New Technologies for Learning in Early Childhood Classrooms and at Home
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
Using AI to Focus Teacher-Student Troubleshooting in Classroom Robotics
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
Connecting Students with Autism to Geographic Information Science & Technology Careers
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
Mixed Reality Based Interactive Cybersecurity Education for Middle School Students
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
Exploring Key Predictors of STEM/ICT Career-related Outcomes Using the World Smarts STEM Challenge Model that Incorporates Global Engagement and Mentorship
Preparing Secondary Teachers and Students for Quantum Information Science
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
Building a Youth-Led Learning Community through Automating Hydroponic Systems
Supporting Early Learning of Computational Thinking Using Mixed Reality Technology
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
Everyday AI for Youth: Investigating Middle School Teacher Education, Classroom Implementation, and the Associated Student Learning Outcomes of an Innovative AI Curriculum
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
Investigating Barriers and Strategies to Increase HBCU Participation in STEM Education Research
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