Design Make Play for Equity, Inclusion, and Agency: The Evolving Landscape of Creative STEM Learning

by Harouna Ba (Editor), Katherine McMillan Culp (Editor), Margaret Honey (Editor)

Overview

This pioneering book offers a resource for educators, policymakers, researchers, exhibit designers, and program developers that illuminates creative, cutting-edge ways to inspire, engage, and motivate young people about STEM learning in both informal and formal education settings.

A follow-up to the popular book Design, Make, Play (2013), this volume combines new research, innovative case studies, and practical advice from the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) to define and illustrate a vision for creative and immersive learning, focusing on STEM learning experiences that are truly equitable and inclusive, and that foster learners’ agency.

Featuring contributions from program developers, facilitators, educators, exhibit designers, and researchers, the book provides real-world examples from informal and formal settings that fill the need for high-quality STEM learning opportunities that are accessible to all learners, including groups underrepresented in STEM education and careers. Chapters of the book describe strategies such as using narratives to make engineering learning more inclusive, engaging English language learners in digital design, focusing on whole-family learning, and introducing underserved students to computational thinking through an immersive computer game.

This book offers both a challenge and a guide to all STEM educators in museums, science centers, and other informal and formal education settings who are seeking out ambitious and more equitable forms of engagement. With leading-edge research and practical advice, the book provides appealing and accessible forms of engagement that will support a diverse range of audiences and deepen their approach to creative STEM learning.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138572126
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/17/2021
Pages:	252
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Harouna Ba is Director of the Sara Lee Schupf Family Center for Play, Science, and Technology Learning at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), as well as a senior research scientist specializing in children’s STEM learning across formal and informal educational settings.

Katherine McMillan Culp is Chief Learning Officer at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI), where she oversees research, exhibition, and program development; educational and community outreach; and youth development programs.

Margaret Honey is President and CEO of the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) and leads the museum’s commitment to nurturing a generation of creative and collaborative problem solvers in STEM.

Table of Contents

List of Figures viii

List of Tables xi

About the Contributors xii

Acknowledgments xx

Introduction: Design Make Play for Equity, Inclusion, and Agency Harouna Ba Katherine McMillan Culp Margaret Honey 1

Part I Designing for Visitors' Agency 11

1 Designing for Agency in Informal STEM Learning Environments Susan M. Letourneau 13

2 From Explaining to Engaging Visitors: Transforming the Facilitator's Role Priya Mohabir Dorothy Bennett C. James Liu Daisy Tetecatl 28

3 Narratives, Empathy, and Engineering: Creating Inclusive Engineering Activities Susan M. Letourneau Dorothy Bennett Amelia Merker Satbir Multani C. James Liu Yessenia Argudo Dana Schloss 44

4 Co-Designing Learning Dashboards for Informal Educators Elham Beheshti Leilah Lyons Aditi Mallavarapu Wren Thompson Betty Wallingford Stephen Uzzo 61

Part II Relinquishing Power and Authority in Informal Settings 81

5 Museum-Community Engagement to Support STEM Learning Andrés Henríquez Marcia Bueno 83

6 Big Data for Little Kids: Developing an Inclusive Program for Young Learners and Their Families C. James Liu Kate Maschak Delia Meza Susan M. Letourneau Yessenia Argudo 100

7 Designing Maker Programs for Family Engagement David Wells Susan M. Letourneau Samantha Tumolo 120

8 Innovation Institute: Follow the Youth David Wells Elham Beheshti Danny Kirk 134

Part III Playing and Learning Across Settings 153

9 See, Touch, and Feel Math: Digital Design for English Language Learners Dorothy Bennett Tara Chudoba Xiomara Flowers Heidi Slouffman 155

10 Learning Physics through Embodied Play in a School Setting Harouna Ba Christina O'Malley Yessenia Argudo Laycca Umer 173

11 Integrating Computational Thinking Across the Elementary Curriculum: A Professional Development Approach Anthony Negron 195

12 The Pack: Playfully Embodying Computational and Systems Thinking Leilah Lyons Stephen Uzzo Harouna Ba Wren Thompson 208

Index 226