DAHLGREN, Va. – Fifteen K-12 educators from Maryland and Virginia enhanced their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teaching skills while collaborating with Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) STEM leaders at a workshop held virtually from July 20-24.
The five-day workshop is the first under the recently funded Virtual STEM Initiatives effort from the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
“Multiple longitudinal studies suggest that the best age range of engaging students is the middle school years,” said Mike Young, director of Academic Engagement for NSWC Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). “As the Navy transitions to digital engineering and ever more software-intensive systems, our need for computer scientists, computer engineers, and people who are comfortable working with information technology will only continue to grow.”
Charlotte George, NSWC Carderock Division STEM and Outreach Program director, joined Jamshaid ’JD’ Chaudhry, NSWCDD STEM Outreach Program deputy director, as featured guests at the STEM Train the Trainer event. The ultimate goal of the program is to ensure a reliable, skilled supply of STEM employees in the future.
“Our world-class, diverse naval STEM workforce is the ultimate force behind the naval fleet,” said Young. “In our current era of great power competition, naval technological superiority enables mission success and security at home and abroad. By positively influencing our region’s educational systems, we hope to increase the region’s overall economic prosperity.”
The STEM Virtual Initiatives program is designed to enhance the ability of STEM educators in the Virginia and Maryland areas to understand and better teach aspects of coding, computer science, and basic electronics.
The Train the Trainer virtual workshop taught educators the fundamentals of Arduino programming, coding, and basic electronics. Arduino is an open-source electronics platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software.
Young says an extremely effective way to reach students across the region is by a train the trainer approach. For this virtual event, NSWCDD partnered with NSWC Carderock Division, NSWCDD Dam Neck Activity, Surface Combat Systems Center Wallops Island, and the National Center for the Advancement of STEM Education to provide extra training to area educators.
One of those educators was Lisa Lewis, a STEM instructor and coordinator for Fredericksburg City Public Schools. “My favorite part of this course and process was the hands-on aspect,” said Lewis. “We had the items in-hand and it wasn’t just listening to someone tell us about it or just watching videos. It was personal.”
After attending the virtual learning conference, Lewis was inspired to create a coding and experimental learning curriculum for her fifth graders. “Arduino is an electrical engineering platform that provides training so kids can get real-world understanding of the jobs that may be available.”
Using Donors Choose, Lewis developed the initial program ideas to get her students access to hands-on experience, like what she experienced. “The hope is to get these kits into the kid’s hands to help them connect with it,” said Lewis. “I want them to feel like there’s unlimited capabilities in their hands. Part of my program’s plan is to let the kids ask the questions and find the answers they want to learn.”