Community Voices and Collaborative Partnerships Inform Development of Informal STEAM Education Experiences

Collaboration is key to designing inclusive and culturally responsive educational experiences. In order to respect and include a diversity of knowledge, the design and development of programs must honor multiple perspectives and worldviews. Responding to the importance of water in the Four Corners region, the We are Water project designs learning experiences with Indigenous science educators, scientists, learning researchers, informal educators, evaluators, and library staff with the goal of inviting communities to explore and learn about water together. Starting with a collaborative design process to inform learning goals, the We are Water project created informal STEAM programs and a traveling exhibition to be displayed at tribal and rural libraries in the Four Corners region where individuals and families can explore and learn about local water topics through storytelling, personal reflections, and hands-on learning. Community identified water topics informed the foundation for the traveling exhibition; its content and interactives were created with the expertise of project partners and building on principles of place-based education. Virtual and take-home activities, including games and art activities, were designed to complement the learning goals of the traveling exhibition and reflect community interests in local water topics. In this presentation we will share the principles, process, and initial results of the design of educational experiences about water.