...to participate in an exciting grant-funded research project, "Story of Things 1.0: From Concept to Wearable Design Specifications - Igniting Curiosity for Sustainable Futures," in collaboration with Dr. Alissa Antle and myself, researchers in Child-Computer Interaction. This project explores emerging wearable technology to engage youth in environmental literacy and civic engagement. It’s motivated by an award-winning idea we presented at a youth design conference and recent initiatives in California to support environmental literacy and civic engagement education.

 

What Will You Be Asked To Do? Our grant supports early-stage exploratory design research, including interviews/focus groups, co-design workshops, and experience probes. Planning starts this summer and activities will take place next school year in the fall. Dr. Antle and I have previously worked with teachers and conducted studies in schools, ensuring flexible scheduling and adding value to the classroom. We also ensure that all students can participate in activities and learning opportunities, regardless of consent for data collection, so no one gets left out. 

 

What’s In It For You And Your Students?

• Innovative Learning Opportunities: Students will think about how emerging technology can support better relationships with the planet, fostering curiosity and critical thinking about environmental issues and their role as local/global citizens.

• Integration of Art-Based Practices + Design Thinking: Encourage art-based practices and design thinking in the production of STEM-related prototypes, allowing students to creatively engage with complex topics through familiar materials and developmentally-appropriate methods.

• Exposure to STEM Careers: Provide students an opportunity to learn about research and future careers related to STEM beyond traditional 'coding' or computer science roles by sharing my experiences as a child-computer interaction design researcher.

• Research Acknowledgment: Students will be acknowledged as contributors to grant-funded research, giving them a sense of involvement and importance in real-world scientific inquiry.

• Future Technology Use/Testing: If a technology is built as a result of this research, your students will be given access to test it out, providing them with a firsthand experience of the research outcomes.

• Teacher/Classroom Donations: We always want to give back to those that support our work. We work with teachers on a meaningful way to "compensate" them and their students for including us in their busy academic schedules (e.g. classroom donations, enrichment activity, etc.)

 

For a bit more details please watch the short video below. If you're interested in learning more or discussing potential collaboration, please email or call/text me (PI, Dr. Jillian Warren). Thank you for considering this innovative initiative. I look forward to the possibility of working together!