Design Elements From a Rural, Multi-Organization Collaborative

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

On a Saturday afternoon last May in Hamilton, Montana, 150 people gathered in a college gymnasium for the Bitterroot Maker Fair. At tables around the room, student educators from the University of Montana (UM) spectrUM Discovery Area guided K–12 students and their families in activities such as jigsaw-puzzle creation and forced-perspective photography. A group of students clustered around a robotics station where they programmed Cubelets; many were already familiar with the modular robotic blocks from in-school making and tinkering experiences co-led by spectrUM educators and local K–12 teachers. Students from Hamilton Middle School’s SciGirls Code Club displayed the robots they had created at the school library, and the middle school Science Olympiad team led interactive chemistry demonstrations. Down the hall, visitors toured the Bitterroot FabLab, where they explored virtual reality challenges and learned about rapid-prototyping technologies available for use by members.

Keywords:

• Stem
• Informal Education

Acknowledgments

spectrUM Discovery Area and our community partners are grateful to the Jane S. Heman Foundation and the Martin Family Foundation for their commitment to funding STEM education and career pathways–building in the Bitterroot.

Author Contributions

Beth Covitt ([email protected]) is head of science education research and evaluation at spectrUM Discovery Area at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.

Vic Mortimer ([email protected]) is school librarian for Corvallis Middle School in Corvallis, Montana.

Nick Wethington ([email protected]) is the making and tinkering program manager for spectrUM in Missoula, Montana.

Nathalie Wolfram ([email protected]) is director of the Broader Impacts Group at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beth Covitt

Beth Covitt ([email protected]) is head of science education research and evaluation at spectrUM Discovery Area at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.

Vic Mortimer

Vic Mortimer ([email protected]) is school librarian for Corvallis Middle School in Corvallis, Montana.

Nick Wethington

Nick Wethington ([email protected]) is the making and tinkering program manager for spectrUM in Missoula, Montana.

Nathalie Wolfram

Nathalie Wolfram ([email protected]) is director of the Broader Impacts Group at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana.