FLEX-ACE Mobile Flight Lab
Abstract
The purpose of the FLEX-ACE project entitled Mobile Flight Lab is to support education inscience, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in order to develop the nextgeneration of scientists, engineers, aviators, and technicians who will have workforcecompetencies that enable the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, and other components of the Departmentof Defense to meet future mission objectives. The project will also enable a broad array ofparticipating students to become knowledgeable of other STEM career opportunities they mayhave not otherwise considered.Orlando Science Center (OSC) will collaborate with TEQGames, and the Naval Air WarfareCenter/Training Systems Division (NAWC/TSD) to develop three (3) new Naval/Marine Corpsbasedaviation mission scenarios and STEM education module content activities focused onaviation principles remotely at site locations across Central Florida and beyond. For the project, atotal of fifteen (15) mobile flight lab stations consisting of laptops equipped with the amming and recruitment of middle and high school students for the project. Recruitment forthe project will be focused to fulfill the needs of and bolster aviation related STEM education formiddle and high school students from lower-income households, Title I schools, and thoseattending schools within underserved areas of the regional community.The project will have two separate delivery periods across a two years. OSC will deliverprogramming afterschool and during out-of-school time over summer to facilitate a total of 1,890student interactions. In Year 1, OSC anticipates reaching an average of 10 students perafterschool location and facilitating programming at three locations per week reachingapproximately 30 students per week for 27 weeks providing 810 student interactions. Theprogram schedule is flexible and can be delivered to afterschool locations multiple times. ForYear 2, OSC will follow the same delivery format over a 36 week period to provideapproximately 1,080 student interactions.Additionally, in Year 2 of the project OSC will implement a pilot outreach program of theFLEX-ACE Mobile Flight Lab. The project team will identify partners such as other warfarecenters or Naval/Marine Corps museums that would be interested in facilitating the MobileFlight Lab programming. OSC will deliver up to five mobile laptop stations throughout Year 2 atmultiple locations and evaluate data collected from the participating sites of the pilot outreachprogram.OSC, TEQGames, and Naval Air Warfare Center/Training Systems Division (NAWC/TSD) willimplemeida. Conducting the program activities atlocations will alleviate barriers such as transportation and allow OSC to reach more students overa greater period of time. The mobile flight lab will offer Project-Based Learning (PBL),immersive, and informal science experiences using mission-based scenarios.Educational Objectives Support DoD and ONRs identified mission of fostering K-12 STEM education.Orlando Science Centers FLEX-ACE Mobile Flight Lab Engage 6th-12th grade students with hands-on, immersive Navy/USMC, STEM related,content experiences through active afterschool and out-of-school-time programming Inspire the next generation, especially underrepresented youth and girls, throughsuccessful Navy/USMC-themed programsand motivate them to explore STEM careersand pursue advanced studies in science, math, and engineering as they progress from highschool to college or to technical/vocational schools. Reinforce STEM content learning through experiences that model real-world careers. Assess the effectiveness of program formats in the mobile lab setting for students.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 06, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142114003
Entities
People
- Karena Chunoo
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Orlando Science Center
- United States Navy