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.

This three-year project address the ongoing marginalization of Indigenous communities in informal science learning spaces by developing and studying a model that strengthens rightful presence: the idea that visitors will experience a sense of belonging and respect. 

As AI becomes increasingly integral to a broad range of industries, it is critical that the field develops equitable and justice-oriented instructional models that can support youth to integrate technical knowledge about AI with ethical principles for AI development and deployment. This project will design and study an online course for high school aged youth that is a collaborative learning experience for building workforce skills. The project will strengthen and broaden youth capacity for, and disposition toward, artificial intelligence (AI) domains and careers.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.