Explore Interactive Join Forces with Museum of Science, Boston’s EiE Team to Expand Research-Proven, Digital Resources for Elementary STEM Teaching and Learning
Reported by: K12 Dive; eSchoolNews; Educators Writing Association; Ace Ed
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Feb. 7, 2023) – Explore Interactive and EiE, the award-winning curricula division of the Museum of Science, Boston, are now collaborating to expand engineering and STEM curricular resources to teachers and students across the globe. MindLabs by Explore Interactive brings state-of-the-art technology that, combined with award-winning EiE curricula, will provide teachers with standards-aligned, engaging activities to help students build skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, engineering design, and team collaboration — all skills required for jobs in the 21st century.
Explore Interactive and EiE will combine the power of research-driven curricula with engaging activities that use augmented reality (AR) for hands-on discovery. EiE currently develops research-based, classroom-tested programs that empower children to become lifelong STEM learners. Its pre-K-8 curriculum encourages all children, including those from underrepresented groups, to see themselves as engineers. MindLabs brings to the partnership expertise in augmented reality and digital resources for STEM learning as well as critical components for teaching, such as digital assessment, digital engineering notebooks, and integrated technology for social-emotional learning.
“Involvement in STEM subjects can help to develop a student’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, all essential for success in STEM fields. Early exposure can also pique a student’s interest in STEM subjects and careers as well as dispel stereotypes or misconceptions about STEM fields,” said Katie O’Shea, Associate Director of Curriculum and Instructional Design at EIE, Museum of Science, Boston. “By incorporating MindLabs, we’re furthering our goals of helping students learn to think like engineers and promoting their STEM literacy.”
“We know that children learn best through play, curiosity, and hands-on practice,” added Amanda Thompson, CEO of Explore Interactive. “We are thrilled to partner with EIE at the Boston Museum of Science to further enrich the experiences of students through in-school and after-school learning activities. With AR, students can see concepts come to life right before them. Adding that interactive aspect can make all the difference in inspiring a young mind to go into science or engineering.” MindLabs’ AR technology is funded, in part, by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. In 2020, Forbes named MindLabs the STEM product with the best hands-on and AR integration, and in January 2023, FETC awarded MindLabs first place at Pitchfest in the Immersive Technology category.
About Explore Interactive
Explore Interactive is an educational technology company dedicated to democratizing STEM education with accessible and interactive learning through augmented reality. Supported by America’s Seed Fund SBIR grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, Explore Interactive developed MindLabs, a product that pairs an innovative augmented reality app with a physical card sets available at MindLabs and PASCO Scientific. This dynamic digital and physical combination gives parents and educators of elementary students hands-on STEM learning that is easy to learn and use. The guided engineering challenges teach concepts while the open-ended design space provides a venue for collaborative projects even for remote learners. Explore Interactive is located at Purdue University’s Research Park and has received seed funding through the Purdue Foundry and Elevate Ventures.
About the Museum of Science, Boston
Among the world’s largest science centers, the Museum of Science, Boston engages millions of people each year in the wonders of science and technology through interactive exhibits, digital programs, large-screen productions, and through EiE, the award-winning curriculum division of the Museum. EiE develops evidence-based, classroom-tested programs that empower students to become lifelong STEM learners and passionate problem solvers. EiE’s PreK–8 programs are offered in flexible print, digital, and blended hands-on learning formats to bring engineering and computer science together to prepare students for today’s fast-paced, global, technology-savvy world.