Yes, thank you, Brian.  I quite agree.  Always  like to show even more of how the teachers extend their interests, carry them back to their classes and share as a community of practice.  This year teachers shared pictures from Lake George studies in the fall, Mt Washington Observatory and an intern was out yesterday in and under water collecting spring data.

ELA traditionally engages in “criticism”,  evaluating aspects of written work within their “community” of readers and writers.  This relates well to the STEM community of practice. Especially in the educational area there’s a need for peer trust and comment with varied start up projects that use similar technology. As with written work, the characters may change but the methods and processes can be aided by adding other views and perspectives.  The value with a STEM CoP is ability to move beyond set institutionalized professional and location expectations.

Micro-credentialing started in the MSP through the USGreen Building Council’s collaboration with their Green Educator certification. Teachers in the MSP enjoyed their initial online certification and as USGBC expands their certifications to both high school and college levels, the interest grows.  We continue to align the sensors to their LEED award system.   Activities that involve sensors require constant knowledge upgrading as the technology continually advances. The broader concept of micro-credentials fits well with technology integration. The product is a seamless evaluation or the stage of knowledge

Hi Donna Beth,

Thanks for sharing the  process of building the activities around “critical reasoning”.  This term emerged from the idea of building open narrative from the term critical thinking.  Thinking seems an individual process whereas reasoning builds in an active interest in communication and also answering a broad question with possible differing views and experiences.  This process is a hallmark of engineering and the recent NRC publication, Literacy for Science includes the Venn Diagram (p12) that unites of science and engineering practices including ELA.  The central overlap includes the term “critique” with the equally domain specific term “argument”.

 In the video the intent is to observe the further process from the perspective of  including the T of STEM.  For any of you using a system of digital tools you know that we tend to expect a sensor or software to provide solid evidence but the process remains dependent on human engaging.  The name of this video “mapping the invisible” at first applied to capturing wind data, then merged to include the invisible thinking processes that emerge when using technology and varied materials.  We can see that practice in the students explaining their wind turbines.  Once students work with the AeroPod, a remote sensing element.  As ISTE Standards are designed by roles those students have selected actual roles and are documenting how the tool works from that perspective.  The final video leads into the next critical reasoning session of what remote sensing actually offers them and how they will implement the next step. Will be interest to explore how other projects are building the ELA into their processes.

Ginger,

Glad that someone has asked this question!  The concept of offering a community of practice to a Math Science Partnership project ten years ago enabled  teachers to join into STEM integration while removing the stigma of Schools or Districts in need of Improvement. They could join as individuals, develop cohorts with fellow science or math...or other educatiors with an interest in STEM without the remedial stigma.  They in turn pass this same positive concept on to their students. 

The concept originated in business for professional use and applies to the positive side of educational change.  As  NCLB rules move to ESSA these educators were prepared to adjust from focused PD to  learning through their interests in the then new concept of STEM.  We were able to define our definition of STEM and the process of how teachers would build their professional development within a structure that was established by industry.  

As you have astutely  suggested, we’ve been able to create the combination of technology as it fits the partnership of content design and also “where the teacher are” by their choices in program content partnerships as well as their personal choice of communication.  The term "interest" also involves their decisions on content and expectations from their district’s technology plans.  All of us have realized the benefit of moving into this flexible relationship.  My role after MSP funding changed from Project Manager to Coordinator and teacher at the highest level of involvement became advisory.  This did not preclude new memberships or restrict our geographic span.  All were relieved of the commitment to hit  certain milestones, remain in grade levels or districts and enjoy our professional engagement as members.  

Feel free to ask more questions.  This is a valuable structure that deserves attention as the innovation of STEM integration over time.

Hi Betsy, How many teachers would you estimate are in your Community of Practice and how are they split in terms of representing different disciplines?  I imagine you are drawing primarily from STEM and ELA teachers but I'm curious to know how broad the participation is.  How many have gotten involved outside of NH?  "Mapping the Invisible" is a wonderful title; I'm very interested to see what topic your community chooses to explore next!

Thanks for asking about membership. The project began ten years ago as a Math Science Partnership. As part of the first STEM efforts within the MSP,  the project was required to enlist teachers from districts with schools in need of improvement and with populations with a percentage receiving federal lunch support.  The restriction of “membership” seemed a further negative qualification that had not worked out well in our local rule state with those most in need located in sparsely  populated locations.  Technology integration and practice required a different approach.

Our use of the business term,  "Community of Practice" enabled teachers to join based on the idea of offering professional development that individuals to design their PD approach, following their personal interest and ensuring the “interest” of their district were met.  This approach initially involved one school integrating a national program award for k-6.

 The membership expansion started with another national program award, extending to middle school and the additional structure of  MOSART testing ( a requirement that year) indicated science topics that were public misconceptions in science.  The membership factor as a number varies with the topic.  The interest in energy and costs to communities builds constantly relevant yet broad options.  During the project we collected local data and asked contrasting locations to collect with similar digital tools.  These extensions keep building the Community of Practice, attracting programs, sites…and individual members beyond NH and formal education.

Mike,

 Thanks for adding to this discussion! Especially valued is your views  of  data purpose and collection activities progression.  The PASCO weather sensor arrived in NH in early February, just in time for both our winter data collection and chasing spring data  from Florida Mangroves to Maine’s Acadia National Park.    The video title page  shows the other sensors next to the NASA/AREN developed tool that also  rides on the Aeropod with the students later in the video.  The ability of us to watch the tool adjust to wind directions while the app displays gusting patterns has been a huge addition to our field work…and engaging to those who watch!  

The other key benefit is the Bluetooth capacity emerging in data collection tools.  These enable critical reasoning on the spot as well as the ability to document that process through journal communication.  Teaching the responsibility and ensuring the privacy of images and data becomes a part of the process rather than an aftereffect.

The initial video of NH’s broad view is from near the top of Mt Sunapee, capturing a phenomenon of the dramatic temperature change and fume of woodstove smoke stuck at low level. This environmental factor is not a usual NH event.   The weather sensor recorded  on the chair lift, set up at the top and at this panorama location, documenting the long/lat through GPS while skiing back to the base.  Riders on the chair lift caught the potential of data in a relevant activity.  I enlisted our current intern due to the short ride.  He’s out this week filming to expand from the ending of the video taken from the NASA Aeropod over low tide patterns last fall.   Here’s the view of the site pictured at the end of the video. 

ocean low tide Aeropod site from satellite

Knitting satellite views with close low observations are increasing the new extension  of “geocaching” adding the portal questions at informal group discussion level.

This aspect is increasingly important at all levels and types of engagement. Our interest is to ensure the privacy of individuals and community, yet find positive ventures that engage youth in relevant projects. We've been lucky with our partnerships and timing.

The participants of the MSP practiced online certification through the US Green Building Council’s system, collecting room data on light and temperature during various seasons.  Their efforts were to quantify issues in glare and excessive heat.  By last year they could recognize patterns and work on strategies to improve their classroom environment.  The idea connected with their building maintenance resulting in engagement between internal departments that usually do not interact. 

The data collection of extremes contrasts includes a spiral of locations and a pattern of seasonal data collection. Intended for internal use, the concept attracted the  heating and air conditioning profession that use visual dashboards to evaluate conditions.  These communities meet regularly to showcase their unified systems within new building designs.  They are also interested in attracting new workers into the emerging opportunities of smart systems.  USGBC’s recent tools are part of our continuing evolving project.

 JASON Learning has been a founding program, supporting the middle school level entry into online STEM content.  During the span of the MSP JASON released new content in measurement, geology, energy and climate and participants received hands on PD.  The impact of the energy curriculum is the experience with the broader communities involved with communications as well as the renewable energy knowledge base.  Students learned to create QR’s for their school community and developed info on their solar array.

In NH there’s a growing interest in micro-grids which offer a location with several types of renewable systems. This interest and broadening between systems has the potential to unite traditional communities of practice with STEM activities beyond the school footprint with positive “bottom line” outcomes for each area and type of community. 

To return to the question from co-presenter from Mike Kaspar on further directions, the Community of Practice intended to focus on the phenomenon of wind as our second energy resource. While we launch the water power at our third NH natural resource we are further extending comparison data sites.

This year the Mt Washington Observatory not only captured data the highest global level of "observable wind"  but anchors historical hiking trails including the famous Appalachian Trail.  We continue to build comparison data with the hut system and states along that trail. 

The solar eclipse in 2017 was our first grand scale cross states and types of public observers’ event. In less than five years a full solar eclipse will cross northern New England.  As we pursue the development of media to share we are also mindful that April in Maine is very different than South Carolina in August.

We continue to develop the full season activities and digital tool engagement with the Aeropod flying under kite power and learning more by creating systems of  tool progressions.    The class shown in discussing their wind turbines has data collectors shared with the mountain trails system. The extension to other systems as projects build media to support further Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO).   We'd like to connect with other sites who are building from the grassroots and natural resource opportunities expand STEM equitable access. 

Hi, Jen,

 Glad that you have entered the discussion!   Your progress through the Math and Science Partnership and carrying from initial  exploration of the glare into your classroom at the high school level during the Math and Science Partnership  to use of sensors is neat to revisit   Their continual seasonal data solved the problem and also launched the process that expanded the projects after the end of the funding.  What you developed at the high school  mentored  earlier grade levels.  The leadership is critical to support middle school into their further STEM projects.

During these four years since successfully completing the Math and Science Partnership we’ve also continued the k—5 to support for the ongoing  ELA area  by sharing aligned media. This year has been a great connection, yet the weather has held our timing back to unite activities with the school year and to show in this video. The effort will continue.

Thanks for submitting your class documentation to ensure that we share out the outcomes from this long relationships between multiple partnerships, districts and the continual changes expected for teachers during this era!  

Keep up your exciting effort to achieve LEED status!

Laurie,

 Thanks for dropping by to see the end result of the video.  Fitting the timeline and requirements meant too much of the explaining pieces fell on the editing room floor.  Your explanation is important glad you found time to share.  

The aspect of seeing words produce movement through the Dash Robots was an essential piece of how the sensors fit with ELA…and create a narrative of STEM to become “literacy”.  The computational thinking was also something we noted with the intern exploring turbulence however that piece had to be cut.  You’ve reminded me that I have the uncut version "showing" his thinking  at the end of this wind topic video Wind Exploration.

Also your assistance to add the ISTE Standards we a huge influence on how we’ll ensure that activities represent direct ties to the STEM all domains.  Your suggested indirect media is also exactly the next steps that will further the STEM Literacy from the traditional sense!  Thanks for sharing! Will be watching for the further coding ventures at Kearsarge.