Participate and share: Poster 
The purpose of this presentation is to share the ways technology was integrated into a Green STEAM initiative with outdoor learning projects, global collaborations, and project based learning at a United States military elementary school in South Korea. Participants will learn how to incorporate technology tools including green energy sources, real-time sensors and probes, cameras, robots, and more, into a variety of different learning objectives, including but not limited to project based learning, global collaborations, and providing student voice in real-world problem solving. Participants will see how use of these technology tools enhanced the projects that were part of the Green STEAM initiative. Participants will learn tips for how to use these tools in outdoor learning environments and take back ideas and activities and task cards to use in their own schools. One of our challenges is meeting the diverse needs of our transient population of military children, and providing real-world opportunities to problem solve and generate solutions to environment and sustainability problems that are both local and global, and make connections through global collaboration with other military students around the world helps them to fit in and feel like part of a community. We will use tools such as Padlet, Google My Maps and Flip in projects and global collaborations to help bridge those connections around the world. Our students were able to use these technology tools as part of intentionally-designed projects related to the environment and sustainability, but also to provide opportunities for creativity and innovation as students could begin to consider issues and problems that exist now but will definitely be part of the future. The evidence of success is the amazing projects that were created by the students, the level of engagement in Outdoor Makerspace, and the enjoyment that the students had meeting and sharing ideas with students from around the world.
During my poster session, I plan to engage with attendees through peer-to-peer interaction and a brief slide presentation that demonstrates examples of how the specific technology components were used in the outdoor learning space, and what projects were developed by students. I will answer questions about any of the technology applications and student projects. I will have QR codes displayed, and on handouts, that will link to all of the session materials and takeaways. I intend it to be a free-flowing conversation but will be able to provide a 5-7 minute overview to larger groups using the slide presentation when necessary. I would like to have some of the technology tools available, too, but at this time I am not sure what I can bring from my school in South Korea.
Using technology tools in all learning spaces is a research-based best practice that connects learning goals in all subjects to hands-on learning, real-world problem solving, collaboration, and project-based learning. Outdoor learning is a growing trend in education that is also research-based and I am providing citations to multiple research papers and websites that support the importance of outdoor learning and technology integration in outdoor learning spaces.
Back, Jon, et al. "Designing children's digital-physical play in natural outdoors settings." Proceedings of the 2016 CHI conference extended abstracts on human factors in computing systems. 2016.
Dyment, Janet E. "Green school grounds as sites for outdoor learning: Barriers and opportunities." International Research in Geographical & Environmental Education 14.1 (2005): 28-45.
Knight, Sara. "Forest school and outdoor learning in the early years." Forest School and Outdoor Learning in the Early Years (2013): 1-176.
Kreos, Ülle. "Using Technology in Geography Lessons for Outdoor and Indoor Learning." Geophysical Research Abstracts. Vol. 21. 2019.
McKay, Christian, Tarrence Banks, and Scott Wallace. "Makerspace classrooms: Where technology intersects with problem, project, and place-based design in classroom curriculum." International Journal of Designs for Learning 7.2 (2016).
Shively, Kathryn L. "Reflections from the Field: Creating an Elementary Living Learning Makerspace." Learning Communities: Research & Practice 5.1 (2017): 3.
Vallera, Farah L., and Alec M. Bodzin. "Integrating STEM with AgLIT (Agricultural Literacy Through Innovative Technology): The Efficacy of a Project-Based Curriculum for Upper-Primary Students." International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 18.3 (2020): 419-439.
Waite, Sue. "‘Memories are made of this’: Some reflections on outdoor learning and recall." Education 3–13 35.4 (2007): 333-347.
Zita, Adam. "Technology Works in the Outdoors." Pathways: The Ontario Journal of Outdoor Education 20.2 (2008): 8-10.
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