Multiple United States federal reports continue to call for improvement in STEM education to meet the challenges of a globalized workforce. There is promising research in integrated STEM education approaches that blend science and math learning with engineering design and advance technologies like 3D printing, CAD, and computer science. However, K-12 teachers lack proven integrated STEM models that promote technology and engineering practices while improving STEM achievement. The problem is exacerbated for rural school teachers where professional development opportunities are limited. Additional challenges for teachers in rural communities include a) identifying local rural STEM contexts, e.g., knowledge of place and students’ cultures to engage students, b)lack of STEM pedagogical context and content knowledge, c) lack of awarenessof technology-rich STEM workforce practices, and d) lack of funds to purchaseSTEM equipment (i.e.: 3D printers, CAD software) and e) limited technicalsupport. Furthermore, rural school students experience many barriers to STEMcareer readiness in part due to lack of STEM role models, limited school advisingfor STEM careers, lack of interest in pursuing STEM, inaccessibility to post-secondary education, and a general lack of course work on advance STEMclasses. However, recent K-12 STEM research has found place-based educationto be effective in rural schools. Place-based education (PBE) is a form of situatedlearning as a context for teachers to use local rural knowledge of history, nature,habitats, culture, and the economy as context for learning STEM in rural schools.A collaborative effort of researchers from Purdue University, University ofMaryland Eastern Shore, Otero College, and University of Hawaii expanded anexisting National Science Foundation program called TRAILS 2.0 (Teachers andResearchers Advancing Integrated Lessons in STEM) to address the needs of highschool students and their teachers along the Eastern Shore (Delmarva regionDelaware, Maryland, Virginia), Southeastern Colorado, and Northern NewMexico, and the Hawaiian Islands. The research objective is: Exploring theimpact of the TRAILS program on student career interest and sense of place whilestudents engage in lessons that includes the use of place-based learning throughteaching of science (Biology/Environmental) and engineering design to create 3Dprinted biomimicry design solutions. Research methods include: Researchers useda student Place Attachment Inventory (PAI) that assess place identity and placedependence.

Author: Todd R. Kelley

Published in: London International Conference on Education (LICE-2023)

• Date of Conference: 13-15 November 2023
• DOI: 10.20533/LICE.2023.0013
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-66-2
• Conference Location: St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK