NNX16AB95A, ED 1501206
The NH-based MSP “STEM Literacy Community of Practice” educators and an ELO student share views of Project-based activities that advance ELA critical reasoning and documentation skills while supporting rural community relevancy to STEM. Their activities include the introduction of coding, applying ELA skills to extend the reasoning described as “cascade of Practices PBL Sequence” (from Bell et al., 2011) research to place-based practice.
The activities build on science literacy research (Moulding 2013), increasing critical reasoning support and increasing experiences. These additions ensure local relevancy and leverage from existing community programs. The video shares varied grouping from collecting evidence and model development to historical site data. This approach enables skills to be developmentally appropriate, formatively accessed and accessible while maintaining student privacy. Their middle students are preparing for changing high school “Extended Learning Opportunities” requiring progressive ELA support and communication skills.
Since NH is known for the “worst weather”, this year’s video focuses on the challenge to observe and document movement in a spatial context. The phenomenon of wind serves to focus the varied projects from design to movement documentation and the complexity involving mapping invisible wind turbulence.
Since the MSP teacher/researchers use a variety of digital tools in projects, continuing to extend STEM projects beyond their classroom to informal program applications and model building that include engineering practices relevant to their geographic community.
The research as a Community of Practice enables partners to join and continue to update activities as evidence is published. Time is flexible to teaching and learning with activities providing the documentation through technology. Building on the findings, the teachers can adjust to changes and take advantage of micro-credentialing while students build skills to advance spatial literacy. The video invites interactive discussion.
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Welcome!
Educators in the community of practice submitted videos, documenting their events and projects that advance STEM activities. These include data collectors involve in the “toolkit” in the NASA/AREN project. We thank the organizers who developed captions for the video. These caption turn on if you click the 'cc' in the bottom right and select the button for captions.
The video includes current teacher projects filmed to document varied activities, practicing stages of critical reasoning as they integrate technology in STEM education. Their middle school projects, initially began as a Math and Science Partnership and continue to expand. Students prepare for potential Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO’s) an option in high school and we will include an ELO participant who is assisting the filming.
increasingly ELA critical traditions remain, yet differ with technical integration. Terms matter. Process into spatial concepts is developmental. Teacher mentorship encourages technology interests while including discussions of privacy, intellectual property and following inquiry concepts.
Please join our discussion. Share ideas that build safe practices of collecting local data that is relative to students, encourages their involvement in testing out their reasoning from observation and practices positive narrative and decision-making through data evidence. We look forward to your additions.
Brian Drayton
Co-Director
Hi, Betsy,
This was a tantalizing smorgasbord of images. Clearly too many stories to fit into 3 minutes!
I have two questions:
1. You refer to "ELA traditions" — this seems to me to hint at a dimension of "community of practice" theory that is too often overlooked in educational innovations. Can you say a bit about these "traditions"?
2. Your abstract refers to micro-credentialing, though I missed any references to it in your video. Can you say a bit about how this fits into the picture?
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Yes, thank you, Brian. I quite agree. Always like to show even more of how the teachers extend their interests, carry them back to their classes and share as a community of practice. This year teachers shared pictures from Lake George studies in the fall, Mt Washington Observatory and an intern was out yesterday in and under water collecting spring data.
ELA traditionally engages in “criticism”, evaluating aspects of written work within their “community” of readers and writers. This relates well to the STEM community of practice. Especially in the educational area there’s a need for peer trust and comment with varied start up projects that use similar technology. As with written work, the characters may change but the methods and processes can be aided by adding other views and perspectives. The value with a STEM CoP is ability to move beyond set institutionalized professional and location expectations.
Micro-credentialing started in the MSP through the USGreen Building Council’s collaboration with their Green Educator certification. Teachers in the MSP enjoyed their initial online certification and as USGBC expands their certifications to both high school and college levels, the interest grows. We continue to align the sensors to their LEED award system. Activities that involve sensors require constant knowledge upgrading as the technology continually advances. The broader concept of micro-credentials fits well with technology integration. The product is a seamless evaluation or the stage of knowledge
Michael Michael Kaspar
Senior Policy Analyst
Good morning! As a co-presenter I, too, welcome you! As Brian just pointed out, there are a lot of stories to fit into 3 minutes, but I hope that it does intrigue you to want to know more.
I have been the STEM senior policy analyst at the National Education Association and the Director of Science for the District of Columbia Public Schools. So, this project has been of particular interest. For example, and by no means comprehensive, the use of tools/tool kit that might not be readily accessible to teachers/schools and the use of appropriate terms.
It clearly fits the name of the showcase: STEM for All, because the school and students are in a rural area, an area too often overlooked for the needs of the urban schools
What resonates with you? Where might you see yourself and your work reflected?
How might you build on this project...what are some next steps?
(I'm having some problems with posting. Let us know if you do too.)
Betsy Stefany
Donna Beth Murphy
Hi, as a member of this community of practice, I have begun using text-based coding in my NH Sixth Grade ELA classroom. In the Venn Diagram of Science, Math and ELA Processes we identified the area of critical reasoning where ELA and coding connect.
We are new to text based coding, but had tried The 4-H coding project in the fall of 2018 using block coding with SCRATCH. Cooperative Extension has been a community of practice partner since the beginning and we continue to use their October STEM materials.
I am currently developing a micro-credential in Critical Reasoning with Betsy Stefany of The Sabens Group for my personal professional development.
Betsy Stefany
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Hi Donna Beth,
Thanks for sharing the process of building the activities around “critical reasoning”. This term emerged from the idea of building open narrative from the term critical thinking. Thinking seems an individual process whereas reasoning builds in an active interest in communication and also answering a broad question with possible differing views and experiences. This process is a hallmark of engineering and the recent NRC publication, Literacy for Science includes the Venn Diagram (p12) that unites of science and engineering practices including ELA. The central overlap includes the term “critique” with the equally domain specific term “argument”.
In the video the intent is to observe the further process from the perspective of including the T of STEM. For any of you using a system of digital tools you know that we tend to expect a sensor or software to provide solid evidence but the process remains dependent on human engaging. The name of this video “mapping the invisible” at first applied to capturing wind data, then merged to include the invisible thinking processes that emerge when using technology and varied materials. We can see that practice in the students explaining their wind turbines. Once students work with the AeroPod, a remote sensing element. As ISTE Standards are designed by roles those students have selected actual roles and are documenting how the tool works from that perspective. The final video leads into the next critical reasoning session of what remote sensing actually offers them and how they will implement the next step. Will be interest to explore how other projects are building the ELA into their processes.
Tina Bishop
Education Evaluation and Research Specialist
Hello and welcome to all! This is an exciting showcase of videos. I am pleased to have worked with the SABENS group for a number of years, particularly on the NH MSP project. I have been a program evaluator and educational researcher for both informal and formal science education projects for over 25 years. It is good to see the ever expanding community of practice engendered by this project. It is fun too to see the engagement of both students and teachers that is highlighted by the SABENS video.
Betsy Stefany
Ginger Fitzhugh
Senior Research Associate
Intriguing! Could you describe how your community of practice if organized? Is it virtual, in-person, or some combination? How do you facilitate interaction and the sharing of resources?
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Ginger,
Glad that someone has asked this question! The concept of offering a community of practice to a Math Science Partnership project ten years ago enabled teachers to join into STEM integration while removing the stigma of Schools or Districts in need of Improvement. They could join as individuals, develop cohorts with fellow science or math...or other educatiors with an interest in STEM without the remedial stigma. They in turn pass this same positive concept on to their students.
The concept originated in business for professional use and applies to the positive side of educational change. As NCLB rules move to ESSA these educators were prepared to adjust from focused PD to learning through their interests in the then new concept of STEM. We were able to define our definition of STEM and the process of how teachers would build their professional development within a structure that was established by industry.
As you have astutely suggested, we’ve been able to create the combination of technology as it fits the partnership of content design and also “where the teacher are” by their choices in program content partnerships as well as their personal choice of communication. The term "interest" also involves their decisions on content and expectations from their district’s technology plans. All of us have realized the benefit of moving into this flexible relationship. My role after MSP funding changed from Project Manager to Coordinator and teacher at the highest level of involvement became advisory. This did not preclude new memberships or restrict our geographic span. All were relieved of the commitment to hit certain milestones, remain in grade levels or districts and enjoy our professional engagement as members.
Feel free to ask more questions. This is a valuable structure that deserves attention as the innovation of STEM integration over time.
Victor van den Bergh
User Researcher & Evaluator
Hi Betsy, How many teachers would you estimate are in your Community of Practice and how are they split in terms of representing different disciplines? I imagine you are drawing primarily from STEM and ELA teachers but I'm curious to know how broad the participation is. How many have gotten involved outside of NH? "Mapping the Invisible" is a wonderful title; I'm very interested to see what topic your community chooses to explore next!
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Thanks for asking about membership. The project began ten years ago as a Math Science Partnership. As part of the first STEM efforts within the MSP, the project was required to enlist teachers from districts with schools in need of improvement and with populations with a percentage receiving federal lunch support. The restriction of “membership” seemed a further negative qualification that had not worked out well in our local rule state with those most in need located in sparsely populated locations. Technology integration and practice required a different approach.
Our use of the business term, "Community of Practice" enabled teachers to join based on the idea of offering professional development that individuals to design their PD approach, following their personal interest and ensuring the “interest” of their district were met. This approach initially involved one school integrating a national program award for k-6.
The membership expansion started with another national program award, extending to middle school and the additional structure of MOSART testing ( a requirement that year) indicated science topics that were public misconceptions in science. The membership factor as a number varies with the topic. The interest in energy and costs to communities builds constantly relevant yet broad options. During the project we collected local data and asked contrasting locations to collect with similar digital tools. These extensions keep building the Community of Practice, attracting programs, sites…and individual members beyond NH and formal education.
Michael Blasberg
The project diversity is very exciting to see – a good indicator of student/teacher-led initiatives. It’s great to see some of PASCO’s products getting put to use (Full Disclosure – I’m a Product Manager at PASCO). The weather sensor, in particular, was designed to facilitate students collecting local data and relating it to their immediate spatial environment and too much larger data sets spanning wider geography. In an example from training, walking a path with a CO2 gas sensor. In the first image below, students examine the data on a simple road base map and can see where the data was collected but don’t have enough information to develop explanations. In the second map with a satellite base map, it’s fairly clear that the highest readings are near an intersection with cars visible and the lowest near a large green space. This led to follow-up questions around the time of day, year, and how the underlying image “data” may not be sufficiently accurate. Then the conversation moved on to using some drones for image capture, logging over time to see if the traffic level corresponded to CO2 fluctuations – a great discussion that leads to more data collection and critical thinking. This is a simple example, but extending to other atmospheric parameters, water quality, or species monitoring is very powerful.
What citizen science or other community projects are people engaging in? For educators, how do you connect with local groups to help identify meaningful projects that also have some community support?
Betsy Stefany
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Mike,
Thanks for adding to this discussion! Especially valued is your views of data purpose and collection activities progression. The PASCO weather sensor arrived in NH in early February, just in time for both our winter data collection and chasing spring data from Florida Mangroves to Maine’s Acadia National Park. The video title page shows the other sensors next to the NASA/AREN developed tool that also rides on the Aeropod with the students later in the video. The ability of us to watch the tool adjust to wind directions while the app displays gusting patterns has been a huge addition to our field work…and engaging to those who watch!
The other key benefit is the Bluetooth capacity emerging in data collection tools. These enable critical reasoning on the spot as well as the ability to document that process through journal communication. Teaching the responsibility and ensuring the privacy of images and data becomes a part of the process rather than an aftereffect.
The initial video of NH’s broad view is from near the top of Mt Sunapee, capturing a phenomenon of the dramatic temperature change and fume of woodstove smoke stuck at low level. This environmental factor is not a usual NH event. The weather sensor recorded on the chair lift, set up at the top and at this panorama location, documenting the long/lat through GPS while skiing back to the base. Riders on the chair lift caught the potential of data in a relevant activity. I enlisted our current intern due to the short ride. He’s out this week filming to expand from the ending of the video taken from the NASA Aeropod over low tide patterns last fall. Here’s the view of the site pictured at the end of the video.
ocean low tide Aeropod site from satellite
Knitting satellite views with close low observations are increasing the new extension of “geocaching” adding the portal questions at informal group discussion level.
Tracey Hall
Betsy and team, very much enjoyed your video and see so much potential for student learning and communities of practice for students and educators. I would be interested in learning more about the community engagement in the projects.
Betsy Stefany
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
This aspect is increasingly important at all levels and types of engagement. Our interest is to ensure the privacy of individuals and community, yet find positive ventures that engage youth in relevant projects. We've been lucky with our partnerships and timing.
The participants of the MSP practiced online certification through the US Green Building Council’s system, collecting room data on light and temperature during various seasons. Their efforts were to quantify issues in glare and excessive heat. By last year they could recognize patterns and work on strategies to improve their classroom environment. The idea connected with their building maintenance resulting in engagement between internal departments that usually do not interact.
The data collection of extremes contrasts includes a spiral of locations and a pattern of seasonal data collection. Intended for internal use, the concept attracted the heating and air conditioning profession that use visual dashboards to evaluate conditions. These communities meet regularly to showcase their unified systems within new building designs. They are also interested in attracting new workers into the emerging opportunities of smart systems. USGBC’s recent tools are part of our continuing evolving project.
JASON Learning has been a founding program, supporting the middle school level entry into online STEM content. During the span of the MSP JASON released new content in measurement, geology, energy and climate and participants received hands on PD. The impact of the energy curriculum is the experience with the broader communities involved with communications as well as the renewable energy knowledge base. Students learned to create QR’s for their school community and developed info on their solar array.
In NH there’s a growing interest in micro-grids which offer a location with several types of renewable systems. This interest and broadening between systems has the potential to unite traditional communities of practice with STEM activities beyond the school footprint with positive “bottom line” outcomes for each area and type of community.
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Be sure to visit the other video presentation that includes more about the NASA/AREN element shown at the end of this video.
https://stemforall2019.videohall.com/presentations/1443
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
To return to the question from co-presenter from Mike Kaspar on further directions, the Community of Practice intended to focus on the phenomenon of wind as our second energy resource. While we launch the water power at our third NH natural resource we are further extending comparison data sites.
This year the Mt Washington Observatory not only captured data the highest global level of "observable wind" but anchors historical hiking trails including the famous Appalachian Trail. We continue to build comparison data with the hut system and states along that trail.
The solar eclipse in 2017 was our first grand scale cross states and types of public observers’ event. In less than five years a full solar eclipse will cross northern New England. As we pursue the development of media to share we are also mindful that April in Maine is very different than South Carolina in August.
We continue to develop the full season activities and digital tool engagement with the Aeropod flying under kite power and learning more by creating systems of tool progressions. The class shown in discussing their wind turbines has data collectors shared with the mountain trails system. The extension to other systems as projects build media to support further Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO). We'd like to connect with other sites who are building from the grassroots and natural resource opportunities expand STEM equitable access.
Jennifer Frederick
Hi I am Jen Frederick and I am one of the teachers who is pictured in the video we did some pretty cool activities this tear surrounding wind and solar power. We have also been using probes for temperature and light intensity to have students tell a story from reading a graph. When the students are creating there is a lot of op opportunity for learning. The problem-solving process can be incredibly valuable. I have been a member of the partnership for 5-6 years and the opportunities for professional development and experiences for my studetns has been powerful!
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Hi, Jen,
Glad that you have entered the discussion! Your progress through the Math and Science Partnership and carrying from initial exploration of the glare into your classroom at the high school level during the Math and Science Partnership to use of sensors is neat to revisit Their continual seasonal data solved the problem and also launched the process that expanded the projects after the end of the funding. What you developed at the high school mentored earlier grade levels. The leadership is critical to support middle school into their further STEM projects.
During these four years since successfully completing the Math and Science Partnership we’ve also continued the k—5 to support for the ongoing ELA area by sharing aligned media. This year has been a great connection, yet the weather has held our timing back to unite activities with the school year and to show in this video. The effort will continue.
Thanks for submitting your class documentation to ensure that we share out the outcomes from this long relationships between multiple partnerships, districts and the continual changes expected for teachers during this era!
Keep up your exciting effort to achieve LEED status!
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
As we enter the final day of live interaction, NH is receiving the storms that have crossed the US over the weekend. The wind phenomenon continues to be an active learning opportunity for discussion of measurement, accurate communications on strength and type of dangers involved with this type of power.
The opportunity to “harness the wind” is in place in several turbine fields in NH and this project benefited from ELA intergration with both technology tools that aid journals and as sharing of reading materials. As the project’s co-presenter refers to this approach as “ transmission of knowledge in a nonlinear way” or indirect instruction. The sharing of The Boy who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamb was part of the MSP shared resources for the teachers and various forms exist. The practice of supporting science expands to STEM and the video is hard pressed to share how this approach effect the outcome of interest in STEM however we expect to keep exploring ways to merge the domains and improve meaning.
Thanks to all of you involved with this week of discussion. Please keep in touch through email or our website SABENSgrp.com or our communitySTEM.net.
Laurie Prewandowski
I am very pleased to see the Dash Robots from our STEM Night at KRMS make it into the final video. Our goal this year was to introduce the robots and have students use them to practice coding. During our family night, we had kids working on a dance challenge and that is what is seen in the video. Later in the year, we used the Dash robots for a coding challenge with a math focus where kids had to measure a track, calculate the turning angle and face off against an opponent to win the race. Students are able to immediately see the errors in their code when the robot heads off in the wrong direction. This is a perfect way for students to engage in computational thinking.
Betsy Stefany
Coordinator STEM Literacy Community of Practice
Laurie,
Thanks for dropping by to see the end result of the video. Fitting the timeline and requirements meant too much of the explaining pieces fell on the editing room floor. Your explanation is important glad you found time to share.
The aspect of seeing words produce movement through the Dash Robots was an essential piece of how the sensors fit with ELA…and create a narrative of STEM to become “literacy”. The computational thinking was also something we noted with the intern exploring turbulence however that piece had to be cut. You’ve reminded me that I have the uncut version "showing" his thinking at the end of this wind topic video Wind Exploration.
Also your assistance to add the ISTE Standards we a huge influence on how we’ll ensure that activities represent direct ties to the STEM all domains. Your suggested indirect media is also exactly the next steps that will further the STEM Literacy from the traditional sense! Thanks for sharing! Will be watching for the further coding ventures at Kearsarge.
Further posting is closed as the showcase has ended.