The purpose of this paper is to explore results from a qualitative study of how high school aged BLV youth used spatial language during a virtual engineering experience administered by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Findings from this study can provide recommendations to enhance language in curricula that better reflects BLV students' content and may ultimately encourage more BLV students to pursue careers in STEM fields.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Gary TimkoNatalie ShaheenWade GoodridgeTheresa GreenDaniel Kane
This paper describes the development and preliminary validation of a new spatial ability instrument that is designed to be accessible non-visually. Although additional work is needed to finalize the test, preliminary analysis indicates that the test has high reliability and validity.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Sarah LopezWade GoodridgeIsaac GouglerDaniel KaneNatalie Shaheen
This paper seeks to illustrate the first steps in a process of adapting an existing, valid, and reliable spatial ability instrument – the Mental Cutting Test (MCT) – to assess spatial ability among blind and low vision (BLV) populations. To adapt the instrument, the team is developing three-dimensional (3-D) models of existing MCT questions such that a BLV population may perceive the test tactilely with their hands.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Tyler AshbyWade GoodridgeBJ CallSarah LopezNatalie Shaheen
"Conectando Saberes" united experts and learners from diverse backgrounds to explore the current landscape, amplify voices, and identify priorities for equity and transformation in STEM learning among Latiné youth and families.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
resourceresearchMuseum and Science Center Exhibits
This white paper describes outcomes from a conference about using non-science art in science education. Art and science are often combined for entertainment, education (STEAM) and inspirational value. However, in almost all cases the art is science-themed (scientific visualizations, science-inspired art, art about scientific topics, etc.). This conference asks the question “what about art for arts-sake?”. That is, what is the impact of non-scientific art in science education? Can non-science themed art be used to broaden perspectives about science? Can it cue people to think about science more
This report grew out of work by the Issues Laboratory Collaborative, in which five science museums joined together to investigate effective ways to present issues in science and technology and to share what they learned with other centers. Each member developed and evaluated a presentation that explored various aspects of the same topic: global climate change. ILC museums were: Discovery Place, Charlotte, NC; The Franklin Institute Science Museum, Philadelphia; Museum of Science, Boston; Orlando Science Center; and Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland. An appendix to the report
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Ann MintzMinda BorunMargaret Chambers
In collaboration with the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) and Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN), and with support from the National Science Foundation, the Institute for Learning Innovation will virtually bring together 4-5 dozen diverse (expertise and role, background, demographics, geography) thoughtful STEM learning professionals to collaboratively re-imagine the future of the science museum community, in particular the particularly vulnerable small to medium size science museum sector. Participants will be asked to think
This whitepaper introduces the Strategic Outcomes Framework, a taxonomy of outcome types within eight outcome categories (interest, attitude, knowledge, STEM skills, 21st century skills and social emotional evelopment, behavior, STEM capital, and career path). It summarizes proceedings of the NSF-funded Strategic Outcome Progressions Conference: Exploring a Framework for Measuring Informal Education Outcomes and Institutional Impact (award # 2039209) and changes made to the framework as a result. Among these changes are the necessity of nesting the framework within what we have come to call
Across literature on STEM practice and STEM education, definitions of "imagination" vary in a number of ways. The visual tool below presents a way to organize the characteristics of these definitions along three dimensions: essence, ways of thinking, and context. Using this framework, you can build definitions of imagination relevant to your work.