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

STEM工作室采用主动的、探究式的学习，通过工程设计活动来促进概念的变化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，吸引和鼓励农村的阿巴拉契亚中学学生使用节能和可持续发展的基本概念来学习STEM。这种设置允许学生创造性地探索和分享问题和解决方案，通过使用个人博客记录他们的经验。该项目建立在先前试点的跨学科课程“拯救动物”的基础上，该课程是与弗吉尼亚中学工程教育倡议合作开发的，重点是解决与能源相关的问题，探索影响动物和人类的相关环境问题。在这个项目中，四个课程模块被呈现并按年分组。学生们围绕着“拯救企鹅”（节能住宅）中的能源转移、“拯救鱼类”（水电大坝）和“拯救蝙蝠”（风力涡轮机）中的替代能源发电以及“拯救海鸥”（太阳能汽车）中的替代交通工具进行探索和设计。所有模块都包含5e学习周期（参与，探索，解释，阐述和评估）。学生参与者与弗吉尼亚理工大学工程学院的本科生志愿者以及行业/社区合作伙伴进行互动。完成后，STEM工作室将为300多名6-8年级的学生提供服务，并通过一系列专业发展研讨会培训200多名中学教师和本科生志愿者，以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，利用在线调查、观察和专门为项目设计的焦点小组。

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.