Life sciences

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Lynda McGilvary — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 23:10:47 +0000

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Lynda McGilvary Fri, 08/02/2024 - 19:10

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Description

This collection of three teacher's manuals, five videos, and one career exploration guide were created with and for Alaska Native communities as part of the Drone Research and Opportunities for Native Elementary Students project, funded by NSF I-TEST Grant Nos. 1850561 (Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks) and 1850556 (Univ. of Alaska Anchorage). The Drones in Alaska base curriculum has three versions, one with lexicon in Sugs'tun, one with lexicon in Lower Tanana Athabascan, and one with lexicon in Lower Koyukon Athabascan. The Teacher's manual for the Drones in Alaska base curriculum is applicable to all three student guides. The three place-based curricula introduce how drone-obtained data and imagery can be used to understand challenges faced in each of the three communities involved in the development of the resources. For Nenana, Alaska, the Luk'a and Drones unit focus on identifying salmon spawning grounds in the Nenana river. Associated lexicon is translated into Lower Tanana Athabascan (LTA). For Nulato, Alaska, the Studying Tokk'aano with Drones unit examines river erosion and related hazard mitigation. Associated lexicon is translated into Lower Koyukon Athabascan (LKA). For Valdez, Alaska, the Robe Lake unit addresses restoration of a culturally significant salmon harvesting site. Associated lexicon is translated into Sugs'tun. The base curriculum should be instructed prior to any of the place-based units. There is a Drones in Alaska student guide version that pairs to each dialect represented in the place-based units. Five videos supplement these print resources: the Drones in Alaska and Drone Safety videos are intended to pair with the Drones in Alaska base unit. Each of the place-based units have a corresponding video of the same name. The resources were pilot-tested with students in grades 4-6, however, due to the multi-grade classrooms in rural Alaska, some students in grades 2 and 3 also were able to interact with the curricula during pilot-testing.

Resources submitted by ITEST projects may be hosted on third-party sites or require a fee or membership for access. Permission to use these materials must be obtained from the publisher or the author listed on each resource.

Project Curricula Details

Topic(s)

Partnerships and Collaboration

Youth Motivation and Interests in STEM

Other

Website

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Target Setting(s)

Elementary school (K-5)

Discipline(s)

Data Science

Environmental sciences

Geosciences

Life sciences

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Beatriz Perret — Tue, 28 May 2024 14:04:24 +0000

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Beatriz Perret Tue, 05/28/2024 - 10:04

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Description

Indigenous sciences are foundationally based in relationships, reciprocity, and responsibilities. These sciences constitute systems of knowledge developed through distinct perspectives on and practices of knowledge creation and decision-making that not only have the right to be pursued on their own terms but may also be vital in solving critical twenty-first-century challenges. “Science” is often treated as if it were a single entity, free of cultural influences and value-neutral in principle. Western science is often seen as instantiating and equivalent to this idealized, yet problematic, view of science. We argue for engagement with multiple perspectives on science in general, and increased engagement with Indigenous sciences in particular. As scholars focused on human learning and development, we share empirical examples of how Indigenous sciences, sometimes in partnership with Western science, have led to new discoveries and insights into human learning and development.

Citation: Bang, M., Marin, A., & Medin, D. (2018). If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?. Dedalus: 148-159.

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Type

Article

Publication Website URL

https://www.amacad.org/publication/if-indigenous-peoples-stand-sciences-will-sc…

File Attachment(s)

PDF File: If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Publication Year

2018

Discipline(s)

Life sciences

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Eric Hamilton — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:11:48 +0000

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Eric Hamilton Thu, 04/25/2024 - 14:11

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

As a retrospective effort, this project employs a recently emerging tool called epistemic network analysis (ENA) to help build richer understandings of the reflections that YSP alums shared. This is an advanced methodological tool that current ITEST projects are encouraged to explore. Experiences of the alums heavily involved innovative technologies of the 1990s!

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

As a retrospective effort, this project explores how the many partnerships at the time – and there were many across major technology firms, scientific laboratories, and universities – helped shape an awareness by participants of opportunities for STEM career pathways. At the time, field trips proved the most common form of partnership. They were eye-opening and contributed to the holistic approach of the program nationally.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

One aspect of this retrospective study involves documenting the many ways that faculty nationwide sought to insure and build equity. One principal strategy involved careful attention in recruiting in ways that actively sought to broaden participation in coming alongside STEM professionals, and actively promoted building a more inclusive STEM workforce. And, the holistic and asset-based approach of YSP PIs treated STEM fields as natural and accessible to middle and secondary students.

Discipline(s)

Computer and informational technology science

Engineering

Interdisciplinary

Life sciences

Mathematical sciences

Physics and astronomy

Target Gradespan(s)

Middle school (6-8)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Educators

American Indian/Alaska Native participants

Black/African American participants

Hispanic/Latino participants

Project Setting(s)

Informal Education

Category

Exploring Theory and Design Principles (ETD)

Scaling, Expanding, and Iterating Innovations (SEI)

Synthesis

EAGER

Research Study

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

Jerrod Henderson — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:41:56 +0000

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

Jerrod Henderson Wed, 04/24/2024 - 17:41

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Weekly, youth participate in hands-on engineering design activities that engage them with technology by building with the engineering design process as their framework. In addition to building innovative solutions to the weekly engineering design challenge, they also become ongoing users of standard tools used in STEM labs and industry (e.g., beakers, scales, lab notebooks). Recent activities have included windmill design, shoe design, and polymer exploration.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

By partnering with local companies, we emphasize the possibilities of engineering careers. We include industry partners by (1) inviting them to volunteer during Saturday sessions, (2) inviting engineering professionals to serve as Scientist of the Week, and (3) highlighting the span of careers available at their companies (e.g., those that require certificates, two-year degrees, and bachelor's and advanced degrees). Participants get to interact with industry representatives and ask about their careers.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

SEBA uses assets-based approaches and embeds equity throughout the program design. We are implemented in two of Houston’s most diverse areas, thus connecting us to families who are historically underrepresented and underserved in STEM Education. Mentors are from similar backgrounds as participants. Mentors are paid to support them if they have to work to pay for school and trained in culturally responsive pedagogy to support the formation of strong relationships with participants.

Discipline(s)

Chemistry

Engineering

Life sciences

Mathematical sciences

Physics and astronomy

Target Gradespan(s)

Elementary school (K-5)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Parents / caregivers / families

American Indian/Alaska Native participants

Black/African American participants

Hispanic/Latino participants

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participants

Project Setting(s)

Informal Education

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Steven McGee — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:35:39 +0000

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Steven McGee Wed, 04/24/2024 - 16:35

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Students use CODAP to conduct their analyses of data. CODAP’s drag-and-drop interface creates an accessible environment for creating a variety of high-quality visualizations. The Data Jam project has curated Luquillo LTER datasets about hydrology, shrimp populations and dragonfly populations to scaffold students in using CODAP to investigate their own research questions. Data Jam provides students with structured challenge activities that build data science capacity and empower them to develop their own projects.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Luquillo LTER scientists serve as Data Jam mentors for both teachers & students. They meet regularly with a team of teachers to provide feedback on Data Jam progress. They also present to each teacher’s class, describing their professional journey and providing an example of Luquillo research. At the end of Data Jam, the mentors attend the symposium and provide students with feedback on their posters. Both teachers and students have commented on the importance of the mentors for building students’ scientific identity.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

An important pillar of Ladson-Billings’ culturally relevant pedagogy model is student empowerment. She stresses that schools should empower students to apply what they are learning to their daily lives. Data Jam exemplifies this empowerment by engaging students in conducting research about their environment. For many teachers, Data Jam is the 1st time they have been able to introduce students to authentic data from a local iconic forest. Data Jam has provided students with a new perspective on their local environment.

Discipline(s)

Data Science

Environmental sciences

Life sciences

Target Gradespan(s)

Middle school (6-8)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Educators

Project Setting(s)

Formal Education

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Anna DeJarnette — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:30:23 +0000

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Anna DeJarnette Wed, 04/24/2024 - 16:30

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Biology Meets Engineering creates learning experiences authentic to modern approaches to robotics design. Students in the summer program and in the undergraduate course build robots that incorporate a variety of sensors (e.g., light, sonar, color). They are exposed to the fundamentals of robot control and electronic sensors. Students learn about animal sensory behavior and computer programming, and they apply that knowledge to create robots that autonomously respond to stimuli in the environment.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Biology Meets Engineering incorporates an internship experience for students to gain work experience and career preparation through paid positions in biology and engineering research labs in the summer at the University of Cincinnati. Faculty mentors in biological sciences or engineering opened their labs for these research opportunities.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Biology Meets Engineering has remained committed to recruiting students primarily from urban schools that serve larger percentages of students who are historically underrepresented in STEM compared to suburban schools. We have also prioritized gender parity in the summer program. The project team visited high school courses and built relationships with teachers, guidance counselors, and other school personnel to help recruit interested students. This strategy paid off in the interest we have seen in the program.

Discipline(s)

Computer and informational technology science

Life sciences

Target Gradespan(s)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Project Setting(s)

Formal Education

Informal Education

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Mark Weckel — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:58:10 +0000

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Mark Weckel Wed, 04/24/2024 - 14:58

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

During the Summer Institute, students conduct several mini scientific investigations while navigating the ML pipeline. Through plugged and unplugged techniques, students use four different ML methods: linear regression, principal component analysis, decision trees, and artificial neural networks. The culminating project involves using “Wallace,” a code-light professional platform used by biodiversity scientists, to run ML models to predict species distribution using locality data and climate variables.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

SRMP is a STEM workforce development program that provides mentored-research experiences and scaffolded supports. SRMPmachine was co-developed by scientists, STEM educators, MIT AI experts, and SRMP alumni. Our alumni, all emerging computer science and IT professionals in academia and industry, were critical to the development of SRMPmachine. These young professionals captured both the spirit of what students need in their informal education experience and the skill sets that have propelled them in their early careers

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

AI requires broad participation to fulfill its potential and minimize the risk of harm, which means creating learning spaces that support a diversity of learners as valued members of the AI community. We employed the YESTEM Core Equitable Practices (CEP) of “Authority Sharing” & “Shifting Narratives” to guide the development of the Summer Institute. These CEPs position educators and youth as "co-learners, co-disruptors, and co-creators of a more just world" within and through STEM (Greenberg & Calabrese Barton, 2021; YE

Discipline(s)

Data Science

Emerging Tech (Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Blockchain)

Interdisciplinary

Life sciences

Physics and astronomy

Target Gradespan(s)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Project Setting(s)

Informal Education

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Mark Weckel — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 18:40:53 +0000

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Mark Weckel Wed, 04/24/2024 - 14:40

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Discipline(s)

Data Science

Emerging Tech (Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Blockchain)

Interdisciplinary

Life sciences

Physics and astronomy

Target Gradespan(s)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Project Setting(s)

Informal Education

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Amaris Mohammad — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 13:17:14 +0000

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Amaris Mohammad Wed, 04/24/2024 - 09:17

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

World Smarts provides students with an opportunity to utilize and engage with educational technologies that support communication, collaboration and simulate global workforce environments and scenarios. The official program tools include Canvas – Instructure, Pronto, Flipgrid, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The program also offers and encourages students to use other school-approved tools for increased accessibility and usability considering each classroom setting and context. Educators are trained on how to use these tools.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

The project engages school partners and STEM professionals to support students’ engagement throughout the exchange. Partnerships with schools aid the facilitation of student supports, e.g. community services hours for career development. STEM professionals serve as mentors, guest speakers, and consultants to inspire students’ STEM learning, provide technical advice, and offer insights on pursuing STEM/ICT careers. Students prepare and present at an expo where they practice public speaking to a diverse global audience.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

A robust outreach plan and recruitment strategy engages educators and students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, including Black, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged and female students. Outreach to public schools includes showcasing diverse role models and collaborating with industry for real-world experiences. Educators engage in IREX-led training focused on implementation, inclusive facilitation methods, and fostering an environment that recognizes and respects diverse learning styles.

Discipline(s)

Chemistry

Computer and informational technology science

Data Science

Engineering

Environmental sciences

Geosciences

Interdisciplinary

Life sciences

Mathematical sciences

Physics and astronomy

Other

Target Gradespan(s)

Middle school (6-8)

High school (9-12)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Educators

Girls (or women)

American Indian/Alaska Native participants

Black/African American participants

Hispanic/Latino participants

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participants

English learners

Students eligible for free lunch or reduced-price lunch

Participants with disabilities

Other

Project Setting(s)

Formal Education

Informal Education

Other

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

Scale-Up

Youth-Based

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Brian Abramowitz — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:57:11 +0000

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Brian Abramowitz Tue, 04/23/2024 - 11:57

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Our project is focused on computer vision, which leverages machine learning to classify images based on feature extraction. Project participants utilize Google’s Teachable Machine to develop models capable of classifying fossil shark teeth. In the first year, participants also developed models using another platform, Roboflow; however, we found this platform to not be ideal for our middle school audience. Using ML in this context provides an innovative way to pique student interest and curiosity in STEM subjects.

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

The project sustains valuable collaborations through STEM expert-teacher partnerships. Many of the partnerships begin to be established during the teacher PD workshop. During this time, teachers hear from experts and scholars about what AI/ML is, how they use it, and future career opportunities for students. Following the workshop, experts will visit classrooms to provide content support and serve as role models as they discuss their career path and current role.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

The project focuses on equity in STEM education through its focus on Title I schools. Schools of greatest need are prioritized through the teacher recruitment process. Title I schools serve a high percentage of students from low-income families, many of whom belong to underrepresented groups in STEM fields. By targeting these schools, the project aims to address educational disparities and provide access to innovative STEM learning experiences for students who may have limited resources or opportunities.

Discipline(s)

Emerging Tech (Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Blockchain)

Life sciences

Target Gradespan(s)

Middle school (6-8)

Target Participant(s)

Youth / students

Educators

Project Setting(s)

Formal Education

Category

Developing and Testing Innovations (DTI)

Life sciences

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Drones in Alaska Elementary Curriculum

Description

Project Curricula Details

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

If Indigenous Peoples Stand with the Sciences, Will Scientists Stand with Us?

Description

PUBLICATION DETAILS

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Informing the Future with Reflections on Prior ITEST-like Experiences by Current STEM Professionals

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Peering a generation into the future: NSF's Young Scholars Program and the nation’s STEM workforce

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Enhancing Underrepresented Student Engagement in STEM through Mentoring and Family Involvement

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Data Jam: Engaging Students with Local Ecological Data in Puerto Rico

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Supporting the Scientific Practice of Data Analysis through Creative Investigations of Long-Term Ecological Datasets

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Biology Meets Engineering: Students Exploring the Connections Between Animals and Robots

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Trans-disciplinary Education in Biology and Engineering Technology

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

SRMPmachine: Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Preparing High School Students for Careers in Machine Learning through Mentored Scientific Research

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Welcome to the World Smarts STEM Challenge!

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Exploring Key Predictors of STEM/ICT Career-related Outcomes Using the World Smarts STEM Challenge Model that Incorporates Global Engagement and Mentorship

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Diving into Discovery: AI and Paleontology in Middle School

Pillar 1: Innovative Use of Technologies in Learning and Teaching

Pillar 2: Partnerships for Career and Workforce Preparation.

Pillar 3: Strategies for Equity in STEM Education

Integrating AI Machine Learning into the Teaching of Paleontology Using Fossil Shark Teeth in Middle Schools