creating a virtual engineering service learning project ......program execution - future plans...

Creating a Virtual Engineering Service Learning Project - The Ameliators

Program

Presented by Ameliators Program Head Sam Land and

Stempower President Andrea Copeland

The alphabet soup of who is who...

Girls Excelling in Math and Science -

international K-12 extracurricular

organization founded by a Purdue alumna

Engineering Projects in

Community Service - a Purdue

University service-learning design

program

Us! A Purdue University student

organization

We want to share a new perspective and provide

tools for meaningful high school STEM Education.

● Develop and APPLY

skills/learning

● See STEM in everyday

context

● See STEM help people

● Exposure to careers

Resource Options Key Themes

Presentation Overview

Starting Your OwnIdeation + Formation Program Execution

How you can apply concept of

STEM Community Service in a

way that best serves your

students.

How the Ameliators Program

arose from the COVID-19

pandemic and from high

school student insights.

A review of this year’s pilot

program.

Pilot Program

Ideation and Formation


Designing a program for

high school students


Learn tangible skills in a real world setting

COVID safe

Alternative to opportunities lost in

pandemic

Multidisciplinary exposure to

STEM careers

Virtual

STEM

Community

ServiceThese design criteria originated from

● High school student interviews

● Our personal insights as STEM

college students

● Pandemic environment

Program Development TimelineStempower:

Stempower Executive Board has idea for

how to serve high schoolers who lost

opportunities due to the pandemic

May 2020

GEMS:

Develop partnership with GEMS to

gain perspective, build program

framework

June 2020

Ameliators Pilot Program:

Program Execution begins!

September 2020

EPICS:

Coordinate with EPICS to learn

EPICS curriculum and apply it to

this program

August 2020

Lead Program


Pilot Program Execution


Prep Work: By The Numbers...

Applications for the Ameliators Program

We advertised solely through the GEMS

newsletter. Due to scheduling constraints

and our desire to start small, we accepted

14 girls, placed into 2 teams.

45 applications

High school students

are interested

Hours of EPICS training

Five our our Stempower mentors learned

how to teach the EPICS design process

through condensed workshops.

12 training hours

Enables relatable

college mentors and

access to curriculum

tools

Virtual Meetings with high school students throughout the academic year.The groups of high school students meet

with Purdue University mentors to learn the

EPICS design process and receive guidance

for their projects.

23 meetings

Long-term project that

builds self-efficacy in high

school students and

relationships


Structure and Timeline for High School Students

Learn EPICS Design ProcessOctober 2020

Reach out to Potential Project PartnersNovember 2020

Project Delivery!

Completion of Service Learning ProjectApril 2021

Finalize Project PartnerDecember 2020

Begin Design and Prototyping

Engineering Solutions for Project Partner

January

2021

Key Features of Program


Scenario Examples


Current Status of Pilot Program

Lost some attendance, consolidated into 1 group. However, girls still involved are

extremely motivated and excited!

Student Identified Community Partner:

Project Idea Shortlist:

● Interactive cat structures for outdoor “catio”.

● Design enrichment items for animals. These can be interactive toys or food puzzles that can be

sent home with foster families or adopters for higher energy dogs or cats.

● Storage solutions for community programs department that operate pet pantry program


Program Execution - Future Plans

● Execute remainder of Ameliators Program this year

● Implement Research

● Grow and improve program for the future:

○ Train new mentors for next year and retain currently trained mentors

○ Goal: 2 or 3 project groups next year - continue virtual


Starting Your Own


There are many intersections between STEM,

Community Service, and Career Insights.

STEM

Community

Service

Career

Insights

Many

Possibilities


Ways to adapt to fit students’ needs

Short Time

Commitment

Long Time

Commitment

Real World

Classroom

EPICS or Ameliators-like

program

STEM community

service days

Tie into lesson plansIncorporate into pre-

existing student clubs


Our advice and insights

Student Empowerment

● Students come up with ideas - ownership of projects, learning

● Encourage students to create community connections

Program Structure for Ameliators-like program

● Start small, pilot program

● Incorporate career exploration

● Ensure projects are doable within a few months

● Set precedent for expectations (regular work/meetings)


Conclusion

We believe STEM Community Service (virtual or in-person) will

1. Promote ownership of learning

2. Develop students’ technical and professional skills

3. Expose students to new career possibilities

4. Be fun and rewarding!

We hope The Ameliators Program may act as an example and that you will

consider STEM Community Service for your students.

Questions? + Contact Information

The Presenters:

Andrea Copeland ([email protected])

Sam Land ([email protected])

Website: https://stempowerpurdue.wixsite.com/stempower

GEMS:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://gems.education.purdue.edu/

EPICS

K-12 Outreach Coordinator (Charese Williams):

([email protected])

Website:https://engineering.purdue.edu/EPICS
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://stempowerpurdue.wixsite.com/stempowermailto:[email protected]://gems.education.purdue.edu/https://engineering.purdue.edu/EPICS

creating a virtual engineering service learning project ......program execution - future plans...

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