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This Research-Work-in-Progress presents the development of an e-learning tool that facilitates the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into non-STEM lesson plans. The present effort adds features to promote attraction to STEM. To increase the rate of attracting students to STEM, the researchers are investigating the strategic use of e-learning. The e-learning tool is being designed to be widely accessible online and easily integrated with most K-12 curricula. The tool focuses on enabling students to actively explore the dependencies of STEM-related models without needing to understand the underlying math and science, which is the usual barrier. The researchers previously developed a beta test tool framework for researchers and educators to upload integrated STEM lessons to a shared community of users (K-12 students and teachers). Uploaded lesson materials include a narrative, a representative image, searchable keywords, and a parameterized STEM model. Users can explore various outcomes by dialing-in various input values. This effort advances the prior work by integrating features that are likely to increase attraction to STEM. These features are based on dispelling misconceptions to increase mindfulness and offers guidelines for developing lessons that balance cognitive load and ease. To measure attraction, pre- and post-surveys and statistical analysis will be facilitated through the tool. |
