Learning Across Space Instead of Over Time - Redesigning a School-Based STEM Curriculum for OST

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley

Shifting employer expectations and education standards have increased demand for critical and creative thinking in STEM learning, including in out-of-school time (OST) settings. This paper explains how an existing teacher-led STEM curriculum was translated into a voluntary, learner-centered environment through naturalistic generalization. A central redesign strategy used space-based scaffolding rather than time-based sequencing, supported by lectures, practice, and an instructional kit enabling capstone design challenges. Summer camp outcomes indicate effective conversion to learner-centered instruction.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Learning goals and standards shift toward critical thinking

OST STEM educators and curriculum translation

Naturalistic generalization approach to redesign

Translating teacher-led materials for voluntary learning

Space-based scaffolding and learner-centered outcomes

Summer camp evidence for redesign effectiveness

Existing curriculum: Save the Seabirds and Studio STEM

Design challenge and engineering outcomes

Learning Across Space Instead of Over Time Redesigning a School-Based STEM Curriculum for OST Phyllis Leary Newbill, Tiffany A. Drape, Christine Schnittka, Liesl Baum, and Michael A. Evans Both employer expectations (National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2011) and education standards, including the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards, are shifting the focus of learning from knowledge and discrete skills to the ability to think critically and creatively. STEM educators, both in and out of school, need to be able to translate existing curricula to meet new goals and priorities. Books, curriculum guides, online resources, and social media all provide rich sources of lesson plans and teaching ideas, but many are specifically designed for teacherled classroom environments. Searching for curriculum materials can be frustrating for out-of-school time (OST) STEM educators who want to promote the self-regulated learning that is at the heart of informal education. This paper describes the process of translating an existing teacher-led STEM curriculum to fit a learner- PHYLLIS LEARY NEWBILL, Ph. D., is associate for outreach and engagement at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology at Virginia Tech. Her research interests include informal science education, creativity, and the maker movement. TIFFANY A. DRAPE, Ph. D., is a senior research associate in the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. She is interested in STEM integration in formal and informal contexts. CHRISTINE SCHNITTKA, Ph. D., is associate professor of science education in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching in Auburn University’s College of Education. She has developed and researched four Save the Animals curriculum modules for Studio STEM. Each integrates engineering into science education with an environmental theme. LIESL (COMBS) BAUM, Ph. D., is research assistant professor and senior fellow at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology, Virginia Tech. Her research interests and goals are to develop in teachers and students at all levels a frame of mind that allows for creative thinking and innovative contributions. MICHAEL A. EVANS, Ph. D., is associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences and senior research fellow in the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, College of Education, North Carolina State University. His research interests include digitally mediated small-group learning in informal environments. led, voluntary learning environment. The essence of the process was to be open to insights gained from reflectionson the cases at hand, a research strategy known as naturalistic generalization (McKenney & Reeves, 2014) . After describing the STEM curriculum, we outline our theoretical perspectives and describe the strategies and tools we used to redesign the curriculum for OST education. A key strategy involved using space rather than time to configure scaffolded learning. The outcomes of this summer camp program suggest that our redesign strategy achieved the goal of converting the curriculum from teacher-led to learner-centered instruction. plastic eggs. Youth are reminded that every vehicle that does not use fossil fuel saves the seabirds. The lecture presentations and skills practice serve as scaffolding to help the learners understand the scientific concepts well enough to complete the capstone design challenge. The physical instructional kit contains Lego blocks, gears, solar panels, wheels, motors, multimeters to measure electrical voltage and current, a cart with weighted eggs, demonstration materials, and the curriculum guide. The original curriculum has been offered to middle school students in traditional school classrooms, summer camps, and afterschool settings (see, for example, Evans, Lopez, Maddox, Drape, & Duke, Existing Curricul

FAQs

What problem does the paper address in OST STEM education?

It addresses the difficulty OST STEM educators face when locating curriculum materials that support self-regulated, informal learning, especially when many resources are designed for teacher-led classroom environments.

What method is used to guide the curriculum translation process?

The redesign is guided by naturalistic generalization, emphasizing reflection on cases and open insights gained during the process.

What key redesign strategy distinguishes the new curriculum approach?

The authors use space rather than time to configure scaffolded learning, aiming to move the curriculum from teacher-led instruction to learner-centered learning.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanley