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Articles 1 - 30 of 85

Full-Text Articles in Science and Technology Studies

Advancing The Iot4ag Agbridge Program Through Continuous Improvement Practices, Yury A. Kuleshov, Yaguang Zhang Jan 2026

Advancing The Iot4ag Agbridge Program Through Continuous Improvement Practices, Yury A. Kuleshov, Yaguang Zhang

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The authors are implementing improvements to the pilot AgBridge program. The AgBridge program is a mentorship program that brings together graduate students in engineering and/or engineering technology and education and matches them with educators in agriculture-related fields with support from faculty members and volunteers. Each team creates an educational product for use in a K-12 classroom, such as school curriculum focused on a research project. The program approach differs from a conventional post-secondary classroom, where students of different majors have minimal interaction with one another and have limited input from practitioners and/or industry professionals. The authors used feedback data to …

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Proceedings Of The Eleventh Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Stem Journeys, William S. Walker Iii, S. Selcen Guzey Jan 2026

Proceedings Of The Eleventh Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Stem Journeys, William S. Walker Iii, S. Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2026 conference is STEM Journeys, celebrating the multiple pathways and experiences that advance student learning in STEM education.

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Renewable Energy Innovation: A Mathematics-Driven Integrated Stem Approach For K-12 Classrooms, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Dayat Hidayat Jan 2026

Renewable Energy Innovation: A Mathematics-Driven Integrated Stem Approach For K-12 Classrooms, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Dayat Hidayat

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief presents Renewable Energy Innovation (REI) as a mathematics-driven Integrated STEM (iSTEM) approach for engaging upper elementary and middle school students to design, analyze, test, and refine solar cars and wind turbines through mathematical modeling (MM) and problem solving (PS). Research suggests that renewable energy activities support students’ abilities to design systems, quantify variables, construct multiple representations, and refine mathematical models to clarify relationships between energy output and design features. Positioning mathematics as the driver in REI iSTEM engineering design contexts aligns with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and foregrounds mathematics as a primary organizing discipline …

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Stem Integration Through Environmental Data Analysis For Real-World Problem Solving, Abigail Erskine Jan 2026

Stem Integration Through Environmental Data Analysis For Real-World Problem Solving, Abigail Erskine

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrating authentic, environmental-based data can make STEM instruction more meaningful. As part of a broader high school STEM curriculum, I designed a lesson that connects mathematical and statistical concepts, technology, and environmental data through environmental data analysis to develop real-world problem solving. Using local deer mortality data, I examined how descriptive statistics and data interpretation could reveal population and ecological patterns. Designing with real data highlighted how mathematics can serve as a lens for understanding environmental issues and promote connections across STEM disciplines. This research brief focuses on the instructional design and reflection as the lesson designer.

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From Coursework To Research: A Scalable Model For Student-Industry Ai Collaboration, Hyeong Kyun Park, Andrew Joon Cha Jan 2026

From Coursework To Research: A Scalable Model For Student-Industry Ai Collaboration, Hyeong Kyun Park, Andrew Joon Cha

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Preparing students for advanced technical careers requires more than foundational theory; it demands a shift to genuine research methodology. With the rising need for university-industry partnerships in AI innovation, this case study dissects a successful student-industry AI engineering collaboration project and transforms it into an essential preparation model easily adopted by technology personnel. The student participants include undergraduate and graduate engineering, data science, and computer science students working directly with practicing industry AI engineers. While universities publish most AI research and generate higher-novelty work, industry contributes state-of-the-art models, large datasets, and computational resources. Students gain research readiness, data literacy, and …

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Document Analysis: Indiana Doe Stem School Certification Process Through A Liberatory Lens, Steve Heinold Jan 2026

Document Analysis: Indiana Doe Stem School Certification Process Through A Liberatory Lens, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Indiana Department of Education awards a STEM School Certification (IDOE, 2024) to schools that exhibit priorities for integrated STEM education. Currently over one hundred schools in Indiana have received this certification, including many that represent communities of color and under-resourced communities. While the STEM certification process has thus far been representational for low-income and Black students (Duarte, 2025), many disparities and deficits remain in closing opportunity gaps for students of color in STEM in the state of Indiana. This research brief, utilizing BlackCrit theory in education, analyzes Indiana’s STEM School Certification process for addressing the systemic barriers that under-represented …

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The Influence Of Teachers And Career Counselors Of Middle School Students' Interest In Pursuing Stem Careers, Damilola Ayokanmi, Paul Asunda Jan 2026

The Influence Of Teachers And Career Counselors Of Middle School Students' Interest In Pursuing Stem Careers, Damilola Ayokanmi, Paul Asunda

Indiana STEM Education Conference

At the front of every STEM classroom, teachers hold more than just textbooks, they hold the potential to shape students’ aspirations, confidence, and perceptions of what is possible in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Beyond teaching content, they nurture problem-solving skills and position STEM careers as attainable (Dare et al., 2021). Career counselors complement this work by providing career-related information, exposing students to STEM professions, and guiding them through academic pathways (Rottinghaus et al., 2018). Together, these educators form an essential support system influencing students’ early career awareness (Murcia et al., 2020). This ongoing qualitative study examines how teachers …

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Green Energy Innovation As A Theme For Integrated Stem Curriculum In K-8 Out-Of-School Learning, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Paul Asunda, Swagata Sarkar, Comfort Temitope Aje, Deepanshu Gupta Jan 2026

Green Energy Innovation As A Theme For Integrated Stem Curriculum In K-8 Out-Of-School Learning, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Paul Asunda, Swagata Sarkar, Comfort Temitope Aje, Deepanshu Gupta

Indiana STEM Education Conference

In this project, we developed a theme of Green Energy Innovation (GEI) for K-8 integrated STEM (iSTEM) out-of-school learning that includes scientific concepts, engineering design, mathematical measurement, and data collection. Anchored in engineering design (English, 2016), the researchers designed a curricular unit that included simple and complex solar car models. The researcher-designed solar car prototypes serve as STEM kits that support students’ iSTEM-based engineering design activities.

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More Than A Design Task: How Questions Shape Student Attention And Learning, Isaiah Kent-Schneider Jan 2026

More Than A Design Task: How Questions Shape Student Attention And Learning, Isaiah Kent-Schneider

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Incorporating engineering design activities into education has the potential to transform learning and students' educational experiences. However, when teachers implement engineering design without asking purposeful questions to focus students' attention, students tend to focus on the task but miss out on the intended learning of underlying science and math concepts. This research brief provides practical examples of questions teachers can use to focus student attention during engineering design activities.

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Identity And Ownership As Predictors Of Stem Career Interest, Jung Han, Hyeong Kyun Park Jan 2026

Identity And Ownership As Predictors Of Stem Career Interest, Jung Han, Hyeong Kyun Park

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examined how students’ sense of identity and ownership in STEM relates to their interest in pursuing STEM careers. Using data from 319 middle and high school students, we tested whether students who felt a stronger personal connection to STEM concepts showed higher levels of career interest. Multilevel modeling was employed to account for students nested within classrooms. Sense of identity and ownership of STEM in their place consistently predicted STEM career interest, while gender, class subject, and school location showed no meaningful effects in the final full model. The findings suggest that fostering students’ identity and ownership in …

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Embrace The Journey: Exploring Induction Experiences Of Teachers In Ohio Independent Stem Schools, Laura Sass Jan 2025

Embrace The Journey: Exploring Induction Experiences Of Teachers In Ohio Independent Stem Schools, Laura Sass

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The beginning years of a new teacher are a critical period. This study investigated perceptions of induction activities of new teachers in Ohio Independent STEM schools. STEM-based pedagogies such as problem-based learning and inquiry are core strategies in STEM schools but can be new for beginning teachers. Through a Q-sort, thirteen participants from three Independent STEM Schools ranked statements on a +5 to -5 scale of agreement. This along with a post-sort survey resulted in themes. Positive school culture and colleague collaboration and the impact of the mentoring were found to be the most impactful. This research aligns with literature …

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Indiana Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Shift From In-Person To Virtual Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steve Heinold Jan 2025

Indiana Stem Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Shift From In-Person To Virtual Training During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The COVID-19 pandemic brought uncertainty to Indiana teachers in 2020. School closings caused disruptions to teachers’ classroom settings, ongoing training, and social and mental well-being (Pozo-Rico et al., 2020). Indiana GEAR UP’s commitment to teacher professional development for STEM educators led to a shift from their in-person summer teacher training sessions to virtual, just months after the school shutdowns in spring 2020. Participant evaluations showed that teachers appreciated the virtual training options and were able to learn new strategies to apply to their new virtual learning spaces. The online training sessions also had drawbacks. This research brief describes recommendations to …

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Spatio-Visual Reasoning And Teamwork Through Hands-On Stem Construction Activities, Comfort Temitope Aje, Maria Eloisa C. Nuguid, Melihan Ünlü, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor Jan 2025

Spatio-Visual Reasoning And Teamwork Through Hands-On Stem Construction Activities, Comfort Temitope Aje, Maria Eloisa C. Nuguid, Melihan Ünlü, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examined a STEM activity in which students in grades K-6 designed and built a model of Snoopy’s doghouse with considerations for constraints, teamwork, and iterative design. By combining spatial reasoning with imagination and visualization, students collaborated to create 3-D structures from 2-D plans, demonstrating enhanced spatial visualization and the ability to connect geometry to a tangible engineering task. The findings highlight the value of spatio-visual design activities in promoting skills like spatial reasoning, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

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Leveraging Undergraduate Expertise For Effective Stem Instruction: Insights From A Forensic Science Teaching Partnership, Swagata Sarkar, Hui-Hui Wang, Austin R. Jenkins, Mariah K. Stollar Jan 2025

Leveraging Undergraduate Expertise For Effective Stem Instruction: Insights From A Forensic Science Teaching Partnership, Swagata Sarkar, Hui-Hui Wang, Austin R. Jenkins, Mariah K. Stollar

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Although integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction has been cited as a viable instructional approach to increasing the number of students interested and prepared to enter the STEM workforce, teacher content knowledge can be a limiting factor to effective implementation (Ejiwale, 2013). To address this limitation, college STEM majors can use their content expertise to support the development and implementation of integrated STEM experiences for K-12 students (Ferrara et al., 2018). This research brief reports on a university-high school partnership where undergraduate students in a university forensic science club created and implemented integrated STEM lessons in a local …

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Leveraging Apprenticeship In Place-Based Education To Advance Integrated Stem Learning, Brent Farrell Jan 2025

Leveraging Apprenticeship In Place-Based Education To Advance Integrated Stem Learning, Brent Farrell

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Place-based education (PBE), which leverages local knowledge and community resources, is increasingly recognized as an effective approach to fostering STEM learning, especially in rural settings (Avery, 2013). Students from underrepresented rural populations could provide important contributions to the future STEM workforce if attracted to the disciplines during their K-12 education. Integrating real-world experiences with local industry expertise into the curriculum makes STEM more relevant and fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for future STEM careers. This research brief proposes a study on the positive effects of cognitive apprenticeship, grounded in rural PBE contexts, creating potential for increased efficacy for …

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Stem Education In Indiana: Analyzing The Availability Of Stem-Certified Schools For Underrepresented Communities, Bryan J. Duarte Jan 2025

Stem Education In Indiana: Analyzing The Availability Of Stem-Certified Schools For Underrepresented Communities, Bryan J. Duarte

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study examines the equity of access to STEM-certified schools in Indiana, focusing on differences in student demographics between STEM-certified and non-STEM-certified schools. The results show no statistically significant differences in the percentage of female, non-White, or lower socio-economic students between the two groups. However, significant differences were found in the percentages of Latiné/a/o/x, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Asian students, with these groups being underrepresented in STEM-certified schools compared to non-STEM-certified schools.

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Boosting Computational Thinking In Integrated Stem Education With Cad, Hyeong Kyun Park, Jung Han, Yunjin Lim Jan 2025

Boosting Computational Thinking In Integrated Stem Education With Cad, Hyeong Kyun Park, Jung Han, Yunjin Lim

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Integrated STEM education offers a powerful approach to enhancing students’ learning. By integrating science inquiry, technological literacy, engineering design, and mathematical thinking, integrated STEM fosters students’ 21st-century competencies, such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and computational thinking. Drawing from a national integrated STEM project, this research uses a classroom case study to investigate the integration of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and 3D printing into a STEM learning activity. It examines the use of mathematical computation to determine the best solution for a prototype that meet functional criteria. This research highlights how introducing CAD instruction enhances computational thinking within a conceptual framework …

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Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey Jan 2025

Proceedings Of The Tenth Annual Indiana Stem Education Conference: Generational Advances Through Stem Education, William S. Walker Iii, Lynn A. Bryan, S Selcen Guzey

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Indiana STEM Education Conference are edited by the Center for Advancing the Teaching and Learning of STEM (CATALYST, https://www.education.purdue.edu/catalyst/) at Purdue University. The theme for the 2025 conference is Generational Advances through STEM Education. This year’s conference provides opportunities to learn about effective STEM education strategies, curriculum, and resources to engage students by considering the advances and impact of STEM.

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Ginger: The Effect Of Illustrated Storybooks On Children’S Response And Teachers’ Facilitation In Stem Education, Defne Yabas, Tugba Abanoz, M. Sencer Corlu Jan 2025

Ginger: The Effect Of Illustrated Storybooks On Children’S Response And Teachers’ Facilitation In Stem Education, Defne Yabas, Tugba Abanoz, M. Sencer Corlu

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This study aims to explore children’s and teachers’ responses to the integration of illustrated storybook content into STEM activities in early childhood. The correlation between STEM content and illustrations in children's storybooks conveying scientific information is a crucial aspect that can impact children's learning of STEM. Studies have reported the utilization of storybooks in STEM education for young children (Abanoz & Yabaş, 2022; Pantoya et al., 2015), yet an absence of research has been noted regarding the impact of illustrated storybooks on children's engagement in STEM education. There is substantial research evidence that early childhood teachers have low self-efficacy beliefs …

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Informal Education Experiences: Why Stem Camps Matter, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Dale Ruppert Jan 2025

Informal Education Experiences: Why Stem Camps Matter, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Dale Ruppert

Indiana STEM Education Conference

This research brief details some of the positive impacts of student participation in after-school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) camps provided by universities and informal education centers as described in published literature. In addition, the authors reviewed 2,841 anonymous participant surveys of 1st-12th grade students involved in nineteen STEM camps held at Purdue University Fort Wayne from 2019-2024 for related findings. Findings indicate that providing an enjoyable and enriching learning environment for STEM camps can foster a mindset of curiosity and a love for learning. Students who attend STEM camps likewise often experience a range of …

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Mathematical Modeling For Interdisciplinary Stem Problem-Solving, Dayat Hidayat, Signe Kastberg Jan 2025

Mathematical Modeling For Interdisciplinary Stem Problem-Solving, Dayat Hidayat, Signe Kastberg

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education supports students’ real-world problem solving by utilizing connections between STEM disciplines. Yet teachers have questions about how to provide such support. Mathematical modeling involves the use of mathematics content and processes to solve problems in integrated STEM contexts. In this research brief we illustrate how mathematical modeling can support students’ integrated STEM problem solving.

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Ripples Of Change: Middle School Students Navigating The Future Of Our Watershed Through Eco-Stem, Elizabeth Andrew Thiel Jan 2025

Ripples Of Change: Middle School Students Navigating The Future Of Our Watershed Through Eco-Stem, Elizabeth Andrew Thiel

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Ripples of Change is an eco-STEM unit designed to address Indiana’s environmental education goals by fostering environmental literacy and informed decision-making among middle school students. By engaging students in community-based learning activities that empower students to address watershed issues, this eco-STEM unit promotes culturally sustaining integrated STEM education. Preliminary findings indicate increased student awareness and responsibility for their impact on local ecosystems using evidence-based reasoning, highlighting the potential for Ripples of Change to inspire global citizenship in students and scalable eco-STEM approaches.

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Leveraging Algebraic Thinking In Stem Education To Equip The Next Generation Of Problem Solvers, Asenath Odondi, Comfort Temitope Aje Jan 2025

Leveraging Algebraic Thinking In Stem Education To Equip The Next Generation Of Problem Solvers, Asenath Odondi, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Algebraic thinking is a critical skill in mathematics education, involving pattern recognition, generalization, symbolic manipulation, and problem-solving. It is essential for success in STEM fields and should be developed throughout education, starting in early grades. This literature review synthesizes research on algebraic thinking, focusing on problem-based learning. The review indicates that incorporating algebraic thinking into problem-based learning with non-routine activities enhances students' understanding and real-world problem-solving in STEM.

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Impacts Of Informal Stem Summer Camps On Middle School Student Stem Identity, Austin R. Jenkins, Joshua Faith, Steve Heinold Jan 2025

Impacts Of Informal Stem Summer Camps On Middle School Student Stem Identity, Austin R. Jenkins, Joshua Faith, Steve Heinold

Indiana STEM Education Conference

Informal or out of school STEM spaces have been documented as sites of positive STEM identity development for youth historically marginalized in formal STEM spaces (Çolakoğlu et al., 2023). To increase the number of students who develop positive STEM identities during the critical juncture of middle school, Indiana GEAR UP offered summer camps to rising 7th and 8th grade students at selected middle schools across the state. Longitudinal interviews with students indicate the importance of informal STEM spaces, like summer camps, in fostering positive STEM identity development.

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Innovative Stem Learning Through Solar Oven Design: Promoting Creativity And Teamwork In Stem Education, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Abigail Erskine, Comfort Temitope Aje Jan 2025

Innovative Stem Learning Through Solar Oven Design: Promoting Creativity And Teamwork In Stem Education, Humphrey Chinenye Ochulor, Abigail Erskine, Comfort Temitope Aje

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM education benefits significantly from integrating design-based learning (DBL) which fosters student creativity and teamwork. This research brief examines how solar oven design projects for K-12 students that involve DBL promote students' creative skills and teamwork. A literature review was done to investigate how solar oven design activities impacted student learning. Research has shown that students improve creativity and teamwork when these activities are carried out using DBL strategies.

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Coded Bias In Applicant Tracking Systems, Prithvi Dhanabal, Emily Hao Dec 2024

Coded Bias In Applicant Tracking Systems, Prithvi Dhanabal, Emily Hao

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

This Tech Justice Lab project explored potential hiring discrimination against transgender and gender-nonconforming job applicants in the hiring process by evaluating the impact of including pronouns in résumés submitted to an applicant tracking system (ATS) platform. The research team began by collecting background information regarding existing discrimination against transgender job applicants and how ATS platforms can reflect and magnify existing biases in the hiring process. A “sock puppet” audit was then conducted by submitting fake user résumés to test the platform’s response. The chosen platform was Jobscan, an applicant-facing software claiming the ability to simulate a résumé review by major …

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Popular Stem Related Career Choices For Middle School Students, Damilola B. Ayokanmi, Paul Asunda Jan 2024

Popular Stem Related Career Choices For Middle School Students, Damilola B. Ayokanmi, Paul Asunda

Indiana STEM Education Conference

In order to build and sustain student interest in STEM disciplines, it is important to first ascertain the existing trends in their career choices including factors influencing them. Middle school is a pivotal time for both boys and girls as they start forming identities and career choices and can begin to select both elective courses and extra-curricular activities, based on interests (Webb & Rosson, 2013), and yet, these early years are given low priority in integrated STEM education discussions. This study was guided by the following research question, “What are the popular career choices selected by middle school students …

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Implementing Integrated Stem Forensic And Soil Sciences Lab Activities To Promote Interest In Stem Careers, Mariah K. Stollar Awan, Caroline J. Rakowski Jan 2024

Implementing Integrated Stem Forensic And Soil Sciences Lab Activities To Promote Interest In Stem Careers, Mariah K. Stollar Awan, Caroline J. Rakowski

Indiana STEM Education Conference

We implemented forensic and soil science integrated STEM lab activities with 11 middle school youth at a 4-H day camp at Purdue University. STEM perceived knowledge increased overall for participants. However, the pre- and post-assessments did not show a statistically significant difference. More students also indicated STEM career interest after participating. Because this study was exploratory and had a small sample size, more research on these integrated STEM lab activities should be conducted with larger samples.

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The Future Of Future City: A Stem Program, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Shelby Werling Jan 2024

The Future Of Future City: A Stem Program, Jeffrey A. Nowak, Shelby Werling

Indiana STEM Education Conference

The idea of integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is still an enigma for many educators (Dare et al, 2021). Recent academic standards favor curricula that interweave the principles of integrated STEM into all content areas. Finding a “one size fits all” curriculum is challenging, perhaps even impossible. Future City is a national program that specializes in hands-on cross-curricular STEM education. Students work collaboratively using an engineering and design process to showcase their solutions to citywide sustainability issues. This research brief examines how educators can utilize the Future City program as the cornerstone of their STEM curriculum.

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The Impact Of Geospatial Contexts And Out-Of-School Experiences On Students' Stem Identity Formation, Hillary Ongoyo Omoze, Abigail Erskine, Asenath Odondi Jan 2024

The Impact Of Geospatial Contexts And Out-Of-School Experiences On Students' Stem Identity Formation, Hillary Ongoyo Omoze, Abigail Erskine, Asenath Odondi

Indiana STEM Education Conference

STEM teaching faces challenges in varied geospatial contexts (Mulvey et al., 2023), where place and space factors play a significant role. This research brief explores the influence of place and space in shaping students' STEM identities throughout their educational journey, with a specific emphasis on the role of out-of-school experiences in fostering student learning and interest in STEM careers, particularly among middle school students.

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