Danielle Harlow from UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School will feature the work of three of her National Science Foundation (NSF) grants as part of the 2021 STEM for All Video Showcase. The 2021 NSF STEM for All Video Showcase: Learning from Research and Practice is held online May 11 - 18. This event is created and facilitated by TERC and is funded by the National Science Foundation. This year’s themes are STEM for All: Equity & Social Justice.
Harlow’s videos are:
- Engineering Explorations: A collaborative 3-year National Science Foundation funded project that leverages partners from multiple education sectors (K-12 schools, interactive science centers, higher education, and afterschool programs) to provide engineering learning experiences for youth and increase local teachers’ capacity to deliver high quality engineering learning opportunities.
- Informal STEM Facilitator Training Program (with doctoral student Ron Skinner): An examination of a year-long training program at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation in Santa Barbara, California, a new museum that was designed to engage visitors of all ages in constructing understanding of STEM topics through interactive engagement in STEM practices.
- Explaining Quantum Computing to Kids (with Diana Franklin, Univ. of Chicago): A program that strives to identify the intuitive concepts of quantum computing and illuminate those through engaging activities so that middle-school and high-school students can gain confidence and knowledge in this important future field.
The 2021 NSF STEM for All Video Showcase is an annual online event. Each year, it hosts between 100-200 three-minute video presentations from federally funded projects that aim to improve STEM (Science, Math, Engineering, and Mathematics) and computer science education. During the seven days of this online event, Principal Investigators, practitioners, administrators, researchers, policy makers, industry and the public at large are encouraged to participate. All participants will be able to view the video presentations, post to the facilitated discussions related to each video, and vote for the videos that are most effective in conveying the creative work being done. All videos and discussions will be archived for future access thereafter. In addition, all videos from this Showcase will be added to the collection in the STEM for All Multiplex after the online May event.
Danielle Harlow is a Professor in the Department of Education and the Gevirtz School’s Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Faculty Development. Harlow’s work focuses on science and engineering education for elementary school children and teachers and the role that informal science environments can play in children’s and teachers’ learning. Harlow also collaborates on multiple research and education programs with MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, a museum designed to encourage visitors to learn about science and engineering through exploring and innovating, a vision that aligns with national goals for schools. Harlow teaches courses in the graduate program in Education about technology, STEM education, and design-based research and teaches elementary school science methods in the Teacher Education Program. Each year, Harlow directs the UCSB School Maker Faire, where elementary student teachers facilitate interactive science and making activities for local children.