University

STEM INQ Lab Opens at USF St. Petersburg

By Carrie O’Brion | USF St. Petersburg

Imagine transporting students studying Shakespeare back to 16th-century England through the use of virtual reality. Or helping a geography class understand changes to Florida’s topography by printing a 3D map.

All of this and more is possible at the new STEM INQ lab in USF St. Petersburg’s College of Education. The lab allows aspiring educators and current faculty to infuse the latest in science, technology, education and math (STEM) into their teaching methods.

“We know that an understanding of STEM is key to success in a world where technology plays such an important role,” College of Education dean Allyson Watson says. “Future teachers, future counselors and leaders from throughout education can come here to gain new insight on how STEM can be integrated into every part of the curriculum.”

The lab is rich with multidisciplinary tools, including a plethora of 3D printers in addition to one state-of-the-art laser printer, VEX IQ and First Lego Robots, AutoCAD and virtual and augmented reality. It is designed to encourage experiential and inquiry-based models of learning, which means more hands-on experimentation and less time reading textbooks.

David Rosengrant, an associate professor in STEM education, believes the lab will encourage faculty to expand their view of how STEM technology can be used in the classroom. For example, a teacher can bring a history lesson to life by allowing students to explore ancient ruins by using virtual reality glasses.

“The idea is that STEM is everywhere,” Rosengrant says. “It’s not just something I do in my science classes.”

One of the devices that Ronsengrant uses as part of the STEM lab is a Merge Cube, a holographic device that allows users to interact with 3D objects through augmented reality. The device appears to be a simple foam cube, but when it’s paired with an app available on a smartphone, it can take users on a tour of a solar system, the human body or the Louvre Museum, among others.

Sandra Vernon-Jackson, who oversees the new lab, says there’s a vital need for this type of training so that future educators will be more aware of changes in technology. That will help them anticipate what their students will be experiencing in the next five to 10 years.

“I want them to ask, ‘What can we do differently and how can we use this to take on some global challenges?’” she says.

The lab is intended to be a valuable asset not only to USFSP students and faculty, but also to the university’s K-12 education partners in Pinellas County and beyond. In fact, local students from fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades got a sneak peek at some of the STEM lab’s technology during a robotics camp held over the summer. More community events are planned throughout the year.

Vernon-Jackson is particularly interested in developing an interest in STEM among girls and African Americans, who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.

“I think we are at the start of an amazing journey,” she says. “I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”