The STEM Explorers program started in Lubbock during the spring semester of 2019 at a disciplinary alternative education program within Lubbock ISD with six students as a STEM/robotics education and behavior intervention and has grown to include six sites in the spring of 2022. It explicitly incorporates social and emotional learning and cognitive behavioral techniques and strategies to support students beyond the STEM content. There has been marked improvements in student behavior, attitudes toward school, academic achievement, and future interest in both STEM and education. The program also provides undergraduate students (many studying to become teachers themselves) with an opportunity not found in many courses. The STEM Explorers Program was presented by Daniel Kelly, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction, TTU College of Education.
Winner of the 2022 President’s Engaged Scholarship Award for Excellence in Engaged Teaching