Underwater LEGO Robotics as the Vehicle to Engage Students in STEM: The BUILD IT Project’s First Year of Classroom Implementation

Publication

The BUILD IT project is a university-school collaboration to increase precollege student and teacher interest and achievement in engineering, science, mathematics, and information technology through a novel underwater robotics project that utilizes LEGO Mindstorms kits, theNXT programmable brick, and related equipment. The project is being implemented in 36 socioeconomically and academically diverse schools throughout New Jersey for students in Grades 7-12. Through a series of increasingly complex challenges, BUILD IT exposes students to science,mathematics, and engineering concepts such as

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Journey North: A Global Study of Wildlife Migration and Seasonal Change

Curricular Materials

Journey North engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. Use this site to track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, bald eagles, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes and other birds and mammals; the budding of plants; changing sunlight; and other natural events. Find photos, real-time mapping, the latest news, a compendium of facts, and other resources on these and other topics. K-12 students are invited to track and share their own field observations with classmates across North America on this site and now through a downloadable app.

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NSF Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Principal Investigator & Evaluator Convening 2014

Event

STELAR hosted the NSF Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) Principal Investigator & Evaluator Convening on Tuesday, August 19, and Wednesday, August 20, 2014, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. The convening was for active ITEST PIs and evaluators and was an opportunity to share successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the ITEST program. The event preceded the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Principal Investigator Meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park.

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Learning to Think Spatially

Publication

This National Research Council publication examines how spatial thinking might be incorporated into existing standards-based instruction across the school curriculum.

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A Program Director's Guide to Evaluating STEM Education Programs: Lessons Learned from Local, State, and National Initiatives

Publication

In today's world of high accountability, strong evidence on intended outcomes is key to building credibility and replicability of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. This primer, for program directors/managers, educators and others responsible for developing and implementing STEM programs: Provides evaluation guidelines and resources for program leaders who are implementing STEM programs in schools and community-based organizations. Reduces "evaluation anxiety" for individuals who are not professional evaluators by providing guidelines for good evaluation

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STEM Semantics Survey

Instruments

The STEM Semantics Survey measures student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as interest in STEM careers. The survey is comprised of five scales each with five items measured on a 7-point scale. The STEM Semantic Survey is appropriate for administration to middle school students and teachers. The link below provides access to the instrument as well as information about the instrument. Authors provide instrument validity and/or reliability information.

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North Carolina Test of Geometry

Instruments

The North Carolina Test of Geometry is a 60-item, multiple choice achievement test to be administered following the completion of the Geometry course of study.The link provided includes the North Carolina Test of Geometry, its answer key, and a raw to scale score conversion.

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Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT)

Instruments

The Technology Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT) has been designed for:teachers, to determine their own levels of technology proficiency and to identify personal technology professional development needs;schools/districts, to assess their professional development needs and to plan professional development activities that will help all teachers become proficient in technology;and, the State, to gather and report data on technology competencies and technology professional development.The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education adapted the Technology Self-Assessment Tool

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