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YCDSB STEAM Hub Pilot (2019)

by | May 16, 2022 | Case Studies

The CHALLENGE

Teachers are well-aware of the importance of integrating modern STEM skills and competencies into the curriculum, but they many barriers in doing so. A key barrier faced by many is a lack of confidence due to inaccessible resources and a lack of time for professional development.

At STEM Minds, we have always believed in the power of teachers. We love working with teachers to make STEM learning more accessible and to support both teachers and students in their learning journeys.

The SOLUTION

We launched our STEAM Hub Pilot Program with the York Region Catholic District School Board (YCDSB), between March and June of 2019.

STEAM Hub is our online learning platform for grades 3-12, where we offer courses that explore a variety of STEAM topics, including coding, game design, robotics, digital art & media, and more.

Our platform is designed by certified teachers and STEM experts and strives to inspire and empower students through hands-on, inclusive learning activities and lessons.

In this program, twenty-eight classrooms were provided with access to a STEAM Hub course of their choice at no cost. Over 700 students used the platform, both in and outside of the classroom, to learn about STEM and grow as confident and creative learners.

The OUTCOME

Through this project, we had the pleasure of working with 28 teachers and over 700 students as they explored the exciting world of STEM. This not only provided us with the opportunity to extend our impact in making STEM learning accessible, but it also allowed us to receive some valuable feedback from teachers and students on our platform.

Teachers enjoyed the flexibility of the platform and the numerous ways that they were able to integrate it into their teaching. Some had students work through the courses as a class or in small groups, while others had students work independently at their own pace. Some teachers followed the course structure as it was laid out, while others reorganized the order and selected specific activities to suit the needs of their students. We were very glad to hear the variety of ways in which teachers were able to bring STEAM Hub into their classes to customize their learning experiences. 

Here’s what some of them had to say about the program:

Thanks so much for the opportunity! I learned a lot and was happy to give this Jopportunity to opportunity to my students. I told them it was a special task and they responded with Lenthusiasm, which is a wonderful way to close out the year!

The student engagement was incredible! “What they were able to create was 

Lamazing. Loved the experience!

The excitement in the classroom! Students embraced this type of learning and were so proud to share their creations with their peers. The videos were easy to follow, the modules were well organized, and the projects were engaging. The support team was also wonderful!

My favourite part was seeing the students‘ excitement at trying something different, watching some usually reluctant students do really well and participate more, and seeing L positive peer interactions and discussions during the process.

We also received a lot of wonderful feedback from students. When asked about their favorite part of the program, almost every student shared that they really enjoyed being able to demonstrate their creativity. The features they enjoyed most on STEAM Hub were our quizzes, games, and video tutorials. We were very happy to hear the enjoyed these features, and that we were able to make STEM engaging for them by providing them with a creative outlet! 

Here’s what the students had to say: 

I love this course and this has helped me improve my “science skills and that is good because when I grow up I want to be a scientist!

I think the course was a very fun experience and helped everybody improve their way of “thinking, and their creativity. I hope to get back to it again sometime because I had fun Lcreating and designing 3D designs that I could share with my friends and the class.

I loved this course so much when I started it with my class it ❞ brought a smile to my face. This is one of the best courses I have ever taken!

We are grateful for the teachers and students who provided us with invaluable feedback on their STEAM Hub experience, so we could continue optimizing our platform for learners! We were also happy to see how seamlessly STEAM Hub could be integrated with traditional classroom instruction to engage students

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