K-12 Educators Forum: Session I
Sponsored by: ACerS
Program Organizers: Kathleen Richardson, University of Central Florida; Adelle Schade, Albright College
Monday 9:00 AM
October 10, 2022
Room: 405
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center
Session Chair: Kathleen Richardson, University of Central Florida
9:00 AM Invited
The Art of Teaching Materials Characterization Techniques to K-12 Students: Julie Donnelly1; Rashi Sharma1; Casey Schwarz2; Matilynn Lam1; 1University of Central Florida; 2Ursinus College
A novel, interdisciplinary, highly accessible program that combines physical science’s common characterization techniques and industry tools with art and science communication will be introduced. The program was designed to 1) engage students of all levels with high-tech tools and techniques used for characterizing materials and 2) build students’ science communication skills by connecting them to visual aesthetics. Implementation of the Total Experience Learning instructional and learning model was utilized throughout this project. Examples of lessons and in-class activities include the use of a virtual Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to explore materials such as glass and ceramics. Students learned the science behind the technique and then applied visual art techniques to acquire aesthetically pleasing images which were then used to communicate their results to a variety of selected audiences. The selected audience ranged from someone in their field, to elementary school students to a popular science article. Students developed important skills in science communication, education, and near-peer and reciprocal mentoring. Additionally, this course was built to be financially accessible to students from any school. Student outcomes and assessment, teacher training strategies, workforce development in glass/ceramics and reciprocal mentoring will be discussed.
9:35 AM Invited
Total Experience Learning in Practice: K to 12 Materials and Glass Science Inventive Education: Adelle Schade1; Karen DeNunzio1; Kayla Gordon1; Chris Spohn1; 1Albright College
(2 hours) symposium is designed as a working session to engage participants in the Total Experience Learning® method of education with a specific focus on materials and glass science applications for K to 12 education. This method of instruction provides personalized inventive and experience-based learning for students. Working sessions will guide participants to integrate Total Experience Learning as a philosophy to facilitate student innovation and agency. The process includes assisting individual students in personalized project development including problem statement identification, research, testing and prototype development, assessment, iteration, and intellectual property protection (if needed). The symposium will include presentations by the following stakeholders: 1) Albright College, Director, Learning and Innovation, 2) Albright College, Director, Project Development, 3) Albright College Science Research Institute (AlbrightSRI) high school student, 4) Albright SRI instructor, 5) AlbrightSRI, Director, Pre-College and Summer Programs, 6) Middle/High School Teacher.
10:10 AM Break
10:30 AM Invited
Glass science and Materials engineering to Engage Students (GaMES): An Interdisciplinary Materials Science Camp Designed to Inspire 4th-10th Grade Students through Unique Topics in STEM: Casey Schwarz1; Max Liggett1; Kat Swan1; Caroline Vauclain1; Jason Bennett1; Quentin Altemose1; Julie Donnelly2; Rashi Sharma2; 1Ursinus College; 2University of Central Florida
In this work we introduce and describe a model for a week-long intensive camp focused on materials engineering and glass science. Ursinus College’s Glass science and Materials engineering to Engage Students (GaMES) camp was aimed at local middle and high school students from under-represented groups in STEM. No performance criteria was used to determine eligibility. Students in this camp engaged with hands-on classroom kits, experiments, demonstrations, speakers, and community building activities. The camp focused on interdisciplinary topics including engineered materials, glass science, ceramics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, polymer science, and optics. The goal of this program was two-fold: to increase interest in materials science for under-represented students and to improve self-efficacy in undergraduate mentors through near-peer mentoring in an original materials science outreach summer camp. Overall, the camp was successful in increasing STEM knowledge and interest in STEM careers for campers and improved self-efficacy for the near-peer student mentors. This project’s correlation with and application of the Total Experience Learning instructional and learning model across disciplines and grade levels will be introduced. Specific student outcomes and assessment, workforce development in glass/ceramics and reciprocal mentoring in relationship to GaMES camp will be disucssed.
11:05 AM Invited
Uncovering the Genius That Resides In Every Child, Total Experience Learning: Adelle Schade1; Karen DeNunzio1; Ellen Albright1; 1Albright College
(2 hours) The Albright College Science Research Institute (AlbrightSRI), Total Experience Learning model encompasses a novel approach to K to 12 education, integrating Materials and Glass Science with Workforce Development and Career Readiness state and national educational standards applied systems. Through inventive education via Computer Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (CS/STEAM), this talk will include presentations in methodology, application, and data analysis by the following stakeholders; 1) Founder of Total Experience Learning, 2) K to 12 public school superintendent, 3)K to 12 public school teacher, 4) Albright SRI high school student, 5) Workforce Development expert 6) AlbrightSRI Program Evaluator- student and instructor data.