Maintaining a STEM Activity Clearinghouse to Support Science Literate Facilitators
Abstract
The STAR Library Network (STAR Net) has worked with public libraries for the past 10 years, creating exhibitions and kits, providing professional development, and hosting a Community Dialogue Framework to help public library staff their local communities. But what does this mean if the facilitator (the librarian) doesn't have access to quality STEM activities that are accurate, vetted, and (most importantly) free?
Our solution to this problem is found in our STEM Activity Clearinghouse, an online repository of almost 400 STEM activities vetted by the STAR Net team and library staff around the country. While this resource was developed for librarians, we also see heavy use by teachers, after school providers, homeschool parents, and other informal educators. Early surveys of our network found that most people used Pinterest or other online forums to find hands-on STEAM activities. This led to the spread of misconceptions and bad information. Librarians desperately wanted a place they could go to that not only had accurate, standards-based activities, but that had fun activities that they felt they could do in their spaces. This resource is constantly being updated by our various federally funded programs, and the activities are being tested, reviewed, and modified by a core group of "Clearinghouse Reviewers" who are committed to helping the library (and other fields) use accurate activities in their programming. We encourage participants to explore the Clearinghouse and consider submitting items for inclusion, or using these activities in your own hands-on STEAM programs.- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMED13F0931H
- Keywords:
-
- 0799 General or miscellaneous;
- CRYOSPHERE;
- 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0845 Instructional tools;
- EDUCATION;
- 0850 Geoscience education research;
- EDUCATION