Yang G., Jenner F., Noomnam P. (2015) Shaping STEM Learning Experiences Through Community Partnerships and Staff Education The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library

1. 6-12
Directed Learning
Shaping STEM Learning Experiences Through Community Partnerships and Staff Education [#1024 ]
The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library has offered science programs to the Broomfield community since 2004. The primary focus has been to build
foundations in STEM concepts for tweens and teens (ages 9-14). In 2014, the library launched the Discovery Lab—a STEM/Makerspace which both
increased and challenged our abilities to present a wider variety of science programming through staff education, renovated space, and new community
partnerships. In this session, library staff will share our experiences, successes, and challenges in developing new
programming formats for STEM learning and provide an overview of the realities of current STEM programming and the future needs we hope to meet by
creating new models and stronger collaborations with community members and organizations.
Library Overview
 Single topic with 1-4 activity centers
1-50
Maker-In-Residence Format
 Activities designed by an artist/maker
 Learning through observation & practice
 Contribution to a community project
 ALL AGES
 Individual & large group work
 Single topic
 Community project
 Contacting & scheduling artists/makers
 Staffing programs
 Local artists & makers
 Volunteers as greeters
Outcomes: Exposure to an artist at work, contribution to a community project, family learning
opportunities and engagement
Challenges: Finding, scheduling, booking artists/maker, unseen audience demographics,
additional staffing
Successes: High attendance, return rate, exposure of artist/maker and other maker programs,
enthusiasm for future programs
Future needs: Unlimited pool of artists/makers, financial support for funding presenters/
materials, innovative programming (outdoor, large scale)
Example Programs: Woodworking, Collage, Weaving
Passive Format
 Self-guided activities
 With or without instructions
 ALL AGES
 Individual work
 Individual & large group
 Single topic with 1-4
activity centers
 Staff time spent researching &developing
activities for a greater age range
 Preparation and restock of supplies
 Staff driven
Outcomes: Self-directed learning , reinforces Discovery Lab as a place for exploration outside of structured workshops, creates
family and intergenerational learning opportunities
Challenges: No staff presence = library receives minimal feedback or evaluation of activities, accurate attendance numbers,
unseen audience demographics
Successes: Extends participation to a wider audience beyond ages 9-14yrs, offers curiosity driven and independent learning,
draws attention to Discovery Lab programming
Future needs: Prepared modules from outside organizations with simple learning models or activities that staff could choose
and order on-line.
Example Programs: Take it Apart and Put it Back Together (Bicycle), Pocket Solar System, Snap Circuits, Musical Instruments
Broomfield Library’s
Science Task Force
Number of Programs Attendance
Science Task Force 8 226
Multi & Single Sessions 58 494
Maker in Residence 15 415
Passive 36 6,779
The Science Task Force is a community-based group of citi-
zens with backgrounds in teaching and/or research in vari-
ous fields of science. This group of volunteers was estab-
lished in 2004 with an objective to design activities and
demonstrations that build inquiry and reasoning skills on
topics of science discovery, research, and technology.
2014 Program Snapshot
1-100
1-12
Multi-Session Format
Outcomes: Skill building/ learning, process rather than product
Challenges: Participants and presenters to commit to multiple sessions. committing to one topic for an
extended period, storing and tracking materials/projects over the duration of the course, limited number
participants at a time
Successes: Staff/participants build a relationship with the experts & community partners, audience are self
-selected participants who are interested in the topic, participants can go deeper into the topic & practice
advanced skills, peer to peer sharing/learning
Future Needs: “Program in a Box” - curriculum and materials for staff to facilitate programs, ask
ORGANIZATIONS if they can offer/design multi-session programs, continued financial support for funding
presenters and materials.
 Activities designed by an expert
 Product driven by specific parameters
 Ages 9-14
 Individual & small groups
 Attendance required for all sessions
 Single topic
 Skills are built over multiple weeks/sessions
Outcomes: Skill building/ learning, inventing, critical thinking
Challenges: Designing activities that allow for invention, offering enough variety for participants to invent,
hour time frame, planning ahead to identify and purchase materials
Successes: Peer to peer sharing/learning, empower participants to create rules and be the expert,
encourages participants to explore non-traditional learning structures
Future Needs: Staff time/training dedicated to STEM learning and program design, develop partnerships
with experts who can offer INVENTION as a learning outcome
Example Programs: Land, Sea, and Air, Rube Goldberg, Green Screen
Exploratory Learning
 Activities designed by participant
 Product driven by invention & creativity
 Ages 9-14
 Individual & small groups
 Single topic
 Skills are built over multiple weeks/sessions
 Staff time spent researching, testing, and implementing activities
Directed Learning
 Contacting & scheduling experts
 Collaborating with experts to create curriculum & outcomes
 Staffing programs
 Individual hobbyists: library staff
 Amateur experts: members of the local community
 Professionals in the field
 Volunteers: Teens to help staff programs : “Teens for Tweens”
1-12
Outcomes: Skill building & inventing
Challenges: Designing the activity to appeal to the designated audience, designing activities that allow for
invention, offering enough variety for the participants to invent, hour time frame, planning ahead to identify
and purchase materials, compliance with city safety standards
Successes: Peer to peer sharing/learning, empower participants to create rules and be the expert,
encourages participants to explore non-traditional learning structures
Future Needs: Offer single sessions multiple times with different set of participants, staff time/training
dedicated to STEM learning and program design, develop partnerships with experts who can offer inven-
tion as a learning outcome
Example Programs: Emulsions, Food renovation, Take it Apart (Electronics)
Exploratory Learning
 Activities designed by participant
 Product driven by invention & creativity
 Ages 9-14
 Individual & small groups
 Staff time spent researching, testing, and implementing activities
Outcomes: Skill building & exposure to topic
Challenges: Finding experts who have knowledge and skills to educate and motivate youth attendees,
incorporating hands-on learning, managing and making learning meaningful for large groups, staff time
dedicated to STEM learning
Successes: Staff/participants build a relationship with the expert & form continuing relationships with
community partners, participants exposed to new learning styles and experts who work in the field,
peer-to-peer sharing/learning
Future Needs: Unlimited pool of community experts, continued financial support for funding presenters,
identifying materials and presenter needs
Example Programs: STF programming, Anatomy in Clay, Electronic Greeting Cards, Birdhouses
Directed Learning
 Activities designed by an expert
 Product driven by specific parameters
 Ages 9-14
 Individual & small groups
 Single topic with 1-4 activity centers
 Contacting & scheduling experts and staffing programs
 University Educators: CU Science Discovery
 Adult Volunteers: Science Task Force
 Museums: Denver Museum of Nature & Science , Molly Brown House
 Local businesses: Sandoz Pharmaceuticals
Single Session Format
 Volunteers: City’s Health & Human Services, IT
 Volunteers: Teens to help staff programs: “Teens for Tweens”
 Single topic with 1-4 activity centers1-50 1-50
Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library Broomfield, Colorado
Pauline Noomnam, Fran Jenner, Gigi Yang
Directed Learning
(Activities designed by an expert):
Exploratory Learning
(Activities designed by participant):
Audience (Age and Group size):
Number of Participants Per Day (1-100):
Level of Staff Involvement (Low to High):
Community Partnerships:
1-12
Key
1-12