Conference proceeding | STELAR - STEM Learning and Research Center

Review of Literature on Quantum Information Science and Technology Programs for High School Students

Publications

This review of literature critiques recent research (2019–2023) on quantum information science and technology (QIST) programs designed specifically for high school students. Since QIST research and applications are advancing rapidly with an accompanying global demand for QIST workforce development, it is important to understand how high school students may be introduced to QIST concepts and skills early in the academic pipeline. The review identifies best practices for QIST teaching and learning, how prerequisite mathematical skills are addressed, methodological approaches and limitations, as

Computational Thinking Without Writing Code: What’s Next for Computational Modeling?

Publications

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) introduces exciting new possibilities and challenges to the established field of computational modeling education. The ten posters in this symposium provide different perspectives on the changing landscape and present examples of educational programs, professional development strategies, pedagogical approaches, and digital tools that have helped learners and educators develop the skills needed to interrogate and cocreate scientific computational models with AI. The posters address each stage of computational modeling education, including reading and

Pulse Oximeters as a Concrete Anchor for Illuminating Bias in Healthcare AI

Publications

As healthcare systems increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI), engineering students need greater awareness of how measurement bias can influence medical care, downstream AI models, and clinical decisions. This short paper describes a hands-on pulse oximetry experiment that is part of a semester-long, high school course on data science and AI in healthcare that was implemented across 10 high schools ( approximately 400 students) in one northeastern U.S. state. Pulse oximeters estimate blood oxygen saturation using red and infrared light and are widely used despite documented accuracy

Healthcare Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning: Exploring Context-Based Learning for High School Students

Publications

This paper reports perspectives of high school students and their teachers on how context-based learning can support students with varied educational and vocational aspirations to engage with and learn about emerging fields. Specifically, through analyses of qualitative data from student and teacher interviews, this study explores how a healthcare context-based curriculum featuring in-class activities and an out-of-class datathon can introduce students to core concepts, practices, and the role of fields like data science, AI, and ML. Suggested citation: A.D. Bopardikar, M. Cassidy, A. Gardiner

Puffins!: Scientific Sensemaking and Improving Middle School Students' Data Attitudes

Publications

The study of Atlantic puffins among Maine middle-school science students provides a fascinating subject for integrating ecology, ornithology, and data practices. Atlantic puffins have made a remarkable comeback in Maine over the last 50 years under the leadership of ornithologist Stephen Kress and the National Audubon Society's Seabird Institute (Kress & Jackson, 2020). Studying the extent to which this seabird population has changed, and the reasons for these changes, is the focus of the Puffins curriculum project (Tumblehome, n.d.; NSF DRL-2241777). The curriculum combines a place-based

Decolonizing the digital divide: Problem based spatial design though immersive technology for STEM education in minority populations

Publications

This work-in-progress paper reports preliminary findings from surveys, participant observation, and co-design discussions with educators and elders of a Native American community about how to modify STEM learning activities for their unique tribal culture in afterschool settings using immersive technology and spatial design.

Delivering Hands-On Experiences with STEM Technologies in Virtual Learning Environments: Professional Development for a Diverse Network of School Educators

Publications

Diversifying the STEM pipeline requires reforming school educator practices to adjust how STEM messaging and learning experiences influence diverse young people’s interests and trajectory into STEM long-term. Catalyzing Inclusive STEM Experiences All Year Round (CISTEME365) is an NSF multi-pronged project designed to offer professional development and networked community for school educators to improve their knowledge and implementation of STEM experiences for their students. We worked with school educators to create and implement informal hands-on activities with STEM technologies for

Your Phone as a Sensor: Making IoT Accessible for Novice Programmers

Publications

Distributed computing, computer networking, and the Internet of Things are all around us, yet only computer science and engineering majors learn the technologies that enable our modern lives. This paper introduces PhoneIoT, a mobile app that makes it possible to teach some of the basic concepts of distributed computation and networked sensing to novices. PhoneIoT turns mobile phones and tablets into IoT devices and makes it possible to create highly engaging projects through NetsBlox, an open-source block-based programming environment focused on teaching distributed computing at the high

The Effects of Providing Starter Projects in Open-Ended Scratch Activities

Publications

Examples of projects using Conditional Loops

Given the importance of broadening participation in the field of computing, goals of supporting personal expression and developing a sense of belonging must live alongside the goals of conceptual knowledge and developing disciplinary expertise. Integrating opportunities for students to be creative in how they enact computing ideas plays an important role when designing curricula. We examine how student creativity, as expressed through theme and the use of costumes, backdrops, and narrative in Scratch projects, is affected by using a themed starter project. Starter projects are Scratch projects

Telepresence Robots Outperform Traditional Videoconferences in Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study

Publications

This paperpresents the results of an evaluation study on the use of telepresence robots in higher education. For the first time, infour seminars,35 teacher traineestook part both viatelepresence robot andviaSkype videoconference. Overall,we foundthat students showeda high acceptance ofusing telepresence robotsin higher education. Students’ acceptance was already high at the beginning of the seminars, increased further during the seminars,and exceeded the acceptance ofusingconventional videoconferences at the end of the seminars. In addition, students did not find the presence of the robots

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