Page 102 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education

Systematic Support for STEM Pre-Service Teachers

Invention Convention

The Invention Convention in Project Engage is a learning activity that can be used to improve STEM pre-
service teachers’ STEM knowledge and skills, and gain hands-on experience about STEM learning and
STEM teaching. The Invention Convention in Project Engage focuses on involving STEM undergraduate
students and K-12 students in competitions which foster STEM creativity and discovery. During year
one of Project Engage, STEM undergraduate students were involved in a robotics competition hosted
in-house at the University. The undergraduate STEM students were taught programming in several ses-
sions, divided into teams, and given the challenge of building/programming a robot to complete a task.
Survey results indicated students agreed (58%) or strongly agreed (24%) that the robotics competition
increased their knowledge in STEM. However, during year two the robotics competition was coupled
with an enrichment trip to the Marshall Spaceflight Center where undergraduate STEM students were
exposed to programming and robotics under the tutelage of NASA scientists. As a culminating activity,
STEM undergraduate students competed in a robotics competition on site at the Marshall Spaceflight
Center. Results from the year two survey showed an increase in the percentage of students from 24% to
63% strongly agreeing that the robotics competition increased their STEM knowledge. Working with the
NASA scientists at Marshall Spaceflight Center had a positive effect on STEM undergraduate students’
perception of their increased STEM knowledge.
The K-12 component of the Invention Convention has taken various forms including 1) creating in-
ventions from recycled materials, 2) building and testing egg drop carriers, and 3) making boomerangs.
UWA STEM students received hands-on experience working with K-12 students as the K-12 students
competed head-to-head in these various STEM –themed events. The experience of leading and assisting
the K-12 students as they competed provided an authentic “teaching” experience as the undergraduate
pre-service teachers developed the skills needed for teaching success. First-hand experience working
with K-12 students is invaluable preparation for pre-service STEM educators.

STEM Challenge

The STEM Challenge component of Project Engage is another activity that can be used to help STEM
pre-service teachers gain hands-on experience with K-12 students. The STEM Challenge incorporates all
facets of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) using a crime scene investigation
theme to pose a real world problem for Project Engage and local K-12 students to solve. During year one,
both undergraduate STEM students and K-12 students worked on the same crime scene to collect and
analyze evidence as well as create and present their solutions to the crime scenario. The setting for the
STEM Challenge was complete with a judge, bailiffs, and suspects creating an authentic atmosphere for
the crime solving. Feedback from the undergraduate STEM students indicated they preferred more of a
teaching/leading role in the STEM Challenge, thus for year two, the STEM undergraduate students were
assigned as leaders for the various K-12 student teams rather than as competitors in the event. Fifty-six
percent of the K-12 participants in year two indicated that the STEM Challenge increased their interest
in STEM. The excitement of working with college-level students to solve a simulated crime promotes a
curiosity about STEM fields which can inspire future generations of STEM majors.

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