A cooperative pivot into virtual and at home STEM education by a scientist-educator partnership

Abstract:

PLANETS (Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science) is a NASA-funded collaboration with the US Geological Survey, Northern Arizona University, and Museum of Science Boston aimed at developing out-of-school time (OST) content to engage middle- and elementary-school students, particularly those underrepresented in STEM, in the excitement of planetary exploration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PLANETS shifted focus to providing content that learners can access and complete at home, independently or with limited oversight.

The key to the success of PLANETS has been the deliberate partnership between educators, curriculum developers, and subject matter experts (SMEs). We have found that the best way to develop materials is to play to the strengths of each partner. This means including SMEs from the start to brainstorm activities with education experts and incorporate realistic and accurate science and methods. Then the educators structure the initial ideas into effective activities and curricula. Before the materials are piloted, SMEs review them for accuracy and impact. All team members work together to improve materials after piloting and external review. This method has been solidified through the development of three OST units, each containing science and engineering activities. We recommend that SMEs focus on collaborative and iterative work with educational experts in their engagement efforts to develop strong relationships and to create effective educational materials.

The pandemic has increased the need for virtual content that is easily accessible to learners and caregivers at home. During the Spring and Summer of 2020, PLANETS converted each OST unit into an engaging set of at-home activities using the collaborative method described above. Each activity uses materials that can be requested for free on the PLANETS website (planets-stem.org), and most can be printed at home. The release of activities coincided with a social media campaign to complement the resources and encourage interaction with SMEs. So far, the most shared posts have been “Ask the Scientist” videos, in which SMEs briefly answer science questions related to the activities. These videos require little time commitment from SMEs but are an engaging addition to the PLANETS at home activities.