ReturnSTEM on a Budget
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Colorado Convention Center, Mile High Ballroom 2B
Explore and create: Exploratory Creation lab 
Trips and Tours
Preregistration RequiredPresenters
Session description
Purpose & objective
STEM on a Budget is designed around helping enhance creativity and critical thinking through the engineering design process (EDP). Participants will be guided along each step of the EDP to design, to build, to test, and to refine a solar panel robotic prototype.
-Attendees will understand how the engineering design process can be implemented and used throughout a STEM activity.
-Attendees will design, construct, test, and refine a solar panel robotic prototype made from items found in a dollar store.
-Attendees will leave with an understanding of circuitry and solar panels as well as a turn around lesson to be used with their students on those topics.
-Attendees will develop an enhanced understanding of circuitry and solar panels as well as take home a turn around lesson to be used with their students.
This session will take around 60 minutes to complete. The presenter will assist with background knowledge and then walk attendees through the engineering design process as they design a prototype that uses energy from solar panels within a group setting.
Outline
Presentation will be on Google Slides and the hands-on materials from the dollar store will be provided by the presenter for the creation lab portion of the presentation.
-Introduction and Agenda Walk: 5 minutes
-Review of tools used and needed: 2 minutes
-Circuitry Basics Information: 3 minutes
-EDP - Break and Make Stuff Section: (Use timers for pacing and Graphic organizers for recording thoughts)
--Ask: 3 minutes
--Imagine: 3 minutes
--Plan: 3 minutes
--Create: 15 minutes
--Improve: 5 minutes
--Repeat (if necessary): 10 minutes
-Show-N-Tell
-Wrap Up
Supporting research
Habig, B., Gupta, P. Authentic STEM research, practices of science, and interest development in an informal science education program. IJ STEM Ed 8, 57 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-021-00314-y
Session specifications
Laptop: Chromebook, Mac, PC
Tablet: Android, iOS, Windows
Google Slides application but not necessary if the device has internet connection.
Designer
- Explore and apply instructional design principles to create innovative digital learning environments that engage and support learning.
- Create learning opportunities that challenge students to use a design process and computational thinking to innovate and solve problems.
Innovative Designer
- Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.