Studio STEM: Engaging Middle School Students in Networked Science and Engineering Projects

Studio STEM通过工程设计活动采用积极的、基于探究的学习，以促进概念变革和使用信息和通信技术（ICT）解决问题的技术。 该项目旨在通过一个非正式的设计工作室，吸引和鼓励阿巴拉契亚农村的中年级学生使用节能和可持续发展的基本概念来追求STEM。这种设置允许学生通过使用个人博客记录他们的经验来创造性地探索和分享问题和解决方案。该项目建立在以前试点的跨学科课程，拯救动物，与弗吉尼亚州中学工程教育倡议合作开发，重点是解决能源相关的问题，探索影响动物和人类的相关环境问题。 在这个项目中，提出了四个课程单元，并按年度主题分组。学生探索和设计周围的能源转移拯救企鹅（节能住宅），替代能源发电拯救鱼（水电大坝）和拯救蝙蝠（风力涡轮机），并在拯救海鸥（太阳能汽车）替代交通。所有模块都包含5-E学习周期（参与，探索，解释，阐述和评估）。 学生参与者与来自弗吉尼亚理工大学工程学院的选定本科志愿者以及行业/社区合作伙伴进行互动。建成后，Studio STEM将为300多名6-8年级的学生提供服务，并培训200多名中学教师和本科志愿者，通过一系列专业发展研讨会实施基于设计的课程。 外部评估包括形成性评估（使用混合方法）和总结性评估，利用专门为项目设计的在线调查、观察和焦点小组。

Studio STEM employs active, inquiry-based learning through engineering design activities to promote conceptual change and problem solving techniques using information and communications technology (ICT). The project aims to engage and encourage rural Appalachian middle grade students to pursue STEM using fundamental concepts in energy conservation and sustainability through an informal design-based studio. This setting allows students to creatively explore and share problems and solutions by documenting their experiences using personal blogs. The project builds on a previously piloted interdisciplinary curriculum, Save the Animals, developed in partnership with the Virginia Middle School Engineering Education initiative and focuses on solving energy-related problems that explore relevant environmental issues affecting animals and humans. For this project, four curriculum modules are presented and grouped in themes by year. Students explore and design around energy transfer in Save the Penguins (energy efficient dwellings), alternative energy generation in Save the Fish (hydroelectric dams) and Save the Bats (wind turbines), and alternative transportation in Save the Seagulls (solar cars). All modules incorporate the 5-E learning cycle (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate). Student participants interact with selected undergraduate volunteers from the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, and industry/community partners. At completion, Studio STEM will have served over 300 students in grades 6-8 and trained over 200 middle school teachers and undergraduate volunteers to implement the design-based curriculum through a series of professional development workshops. External evaluation consists of both formative (using a mixed methods approach) and summative assessment, utilizing online surveys, observations, and focus groups designed specifically for the project.