Hi Sarah! It is so wonderful to see students out in National Parks (this year's prompt) and having fun/being inspired by a school project. I'll ask the researchers to tell you more about the study design...

Thanks!

Hi Sarah,

Our design uses a mixed-methods assessment strategy that explores contextual factors that contribute to student development of their science identity (Heidi Carlone commented below and she's done a lot on that topic).  In our first two years, we've been doing a comparative study of student learning, sense of their own place in the science enterprise with a comparison group of kids doing something similar not focused on STEM. We're developing a model that looks at the contribution of the experience, role of mentors, teachers, student peers, media types, and even topic.  We're interested in self-efficacy, student and community STEM and media literacy, and student interest in pursuing STEM careers once they are done. With the number of students involved in this project, we anticipate having a very robust quantitative model that can describe contextual factors that surround interest in STEM interest and career choice.

Hi Heidi! Teachers implement the program over the course of a year - usually in journalism, film-making or broadcast programs. This year the STEM Labs covered science in National Parks - the site will launch at the beginning of June, but you can see examples here: 

Pygmy Mammoth skull found in Channel Islands

Students help scientists hoping to save bats at Mammoth Cave National Park

West Virginia searches for alternatives as coal mines close

We are in teacher-led classrooms and after-school programs. Other topics:

Outside the Box … young people challenging gender stereotypes

The New Safe … how the concept of school safety has changed since Newtown

Letters to the Next President

New Americans

Our very first series was Tough Calls … concussion awareness in youth sports programs

 

Leah,

Oooh, thanks for giving the sneak peek... LOVE the National Parks theme! Video is such a powerful medium... so empowering for the youth and compelling for the public. I will be following this work closely-- I'm so glad that I found out about it here.

Hi Claire - most of the participating teachers are broadcast, journalism and film - this project is about making interdisciplinary connections. Many of the teachers were nervous about STEM, but our curriculum is really about inquiry, helping students figure out what they don't know, investigating and talking to researchers. 

Teacher reactions include:

"They worked in teams all day and the park officials made them feel important and so very welcomed. I know that Friday had to be the most inspirational day in my entire teaching career. To see all of my students filming and watching a sunset for over 30 minutes was amazing. I am so, so proud of my students."

Student reactions include: 

• Working on the STEM story affected my thinking on STEM issues by really opening my eyes. My group did an ocean pollution story based off our waste and runoff affecting ocean life and even ourselves. I learned so much from research and I have become more conscious of my decisions and how they affect the environment. 
• I view myself as a more capable storyteller. I actually researched a topic and dedicated many hours to actually make questions and get educated on my topic. By doing this I felt more confident in the story I was trying to tell.
• It made me realize that STEM is more interesting than some people make it out to be if you care about the issue and want to learn.
• I viewed Star Wars in a totally new and scientific way. ​

Thanks, Leah! I've been asking this of other projects, and I'll ask it here too - do you have any good takeaways on what you've learned about working with classroom teachers and designing programs that work with the constraints they face?

Hi Louise - just checked out your project... wish we had connected last year!

We are in 8 middle schools and over 100 high schools. I'd love to share our video story-telling curriculum so that we can see if your intro course instructors want to use it. Thanks!

Leah,  I will definitely check out the materials you linked.  Thank goodness for this showcase, its a great way to see so many great projects that we would miss. We have an AISL conference, but I imagine we would have missed your project if you are focused on classroom-based learning.  We should chat to see if there is potential for collaboration between iSWOOP and the Student Reporting Labs!  I'll send an email shortly.  We are actually mid way to Acadia for another round of PD sessions with the Interps there.

Thank you for sharing!

Dear Vivian:

One of the wonderful aspects of our program is that the students get exposure to real STEM scientists and mentors and have the opportunity to advance their projects through these interactions, but also these interactions gives them a chance to learn things not necessarily associated with their project.  How did you get interested in Glaciology, when did you know this was the career for you, what's your day like as an astronomer... Just great basic understanding of what it is to be a scientist, an engineer, or a mathematician.  

One of my favorite quotes is from a scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab: "Engineering is about imagination".  What a great message for students.  I understand that as a scientist and an adult, but I'd never heard it expressed that way.  We are opening doors, but it is our students who are walking through them.