MSOE’s STEM Center was our host again for our STEM Studio design lab. Over the course of two weeks our Fellows, working with community partners from industry, higher-ed, and nonprofits, collaborated to pull together the frameworks for a series of community-engaged learning experiences they will offer to their students this year. We start the workshop by talking through the big goals the Fellows have for their students– not what they will do, or what they might learn, but how they want students to see themselves:
We want our students to feel included, valued, and respected for who they are and what they can bring to their work, their school, and their community.
Over the course of the STEM Studio, Fellows used that vision to guide decisions about what students will be asked to take on and how they will be engaged and supported in that work. We came into the STEM Studio aiming for a next evolution of last year’s water projects and a new, challenge with an engineering focus. With the Fellows’ goal driving decisions, what emerged is a theme that encompasses both of those aims: Student driven design challenges focused on their school building, culture, grounds, and community.
School Building
Students will identify locations and conditions within the school building which support or interfere with their physical and mental comfort. This may include exploration of environmental factors (temperature, humidity, noise levels) as well as qualitative considerations such as the appearance and functionality of spaces within the school. Students will evaluate concerns, explore and test potential solutions, and make a business case for recommended solutions.
School Culture
Students will create a vision for what the culture of the school could look like, how that would be reflected in how students care for the school and each other, and what they can set in motion to achieve that vision
School Grounds
Students will create/re-boot a Green School Culture through a variety of student-driven projects focused around design and innovation. The projects will connect to green initiatives and design challenges for not only inside of the school, but in our outdoor spaces. The goal will be for students to be active participants in creating spaces and projects that they want to see as a part of their school and broader community.
School Community
Students will investigate human impacts on the environment and develop a service learning project to build awareness of an issue of concern or advocate for a solution to address the issue.
Thanks!
Throughout the STEM Studio, our Fellows benefited from the input and ideas of community partners and educators who made the time to stop by or participate in our review sessions. A big thanks goes out to all of them:
- Bart Adrian – UWM Atmospheric Science & Mathematics
- I.D. Amandah – LRL Capital
- Kevin Anderson – WI Department of Public Instruction
- Shanna Beanan – Harley Davidson
- Christine Beimborn – UWM School of Engineering
- Bev Bryant – Wehr Nature Center/Milwaukee County Parks
- Catrina Crane – Menomonee Valley Partners
- Nate Deans – MPS
- Kae DonLevy – Freshwater Tool Kit
- Peter Graven – Deer Creek School
- April Gianeselli – Harley Davidson
- Peter Haydock – Gearbox Labs
- Zoe Jump – Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful
- Joe Kmoch
- Isabel Mendiola – Gearbox Labs
- Kate Morgan – MMSD
- Katie Schober – STEAM Milwaukee
- Patricia Scuglik – River Edge Nature Center
- Kimberly Talarico – MPS
- Michael Timm – Reflo
- Alexander Timmer – UWM School of Architecture and Urban Planning
- Andrew Wellinghoff – MPS
- Willie Williams – Glen Hills Middle School
- Anna Young – Glen Hills Middle School
