U of A Teacher-Education Students Provide Guidance in Design Challenge
Leverett Elementary students walked away with the first-place trophy from the Razorback STEM Big Cat Challenge on Dec. 9, in a competition University of Arkansas organizers hope will become an annual tradition.
Vinson Carter, assistant professor of STEM education in the College of Education and Health Professions, said Washington and Leverett elementary schools in Fayetteville both have cats as mascots, Washington wildcats and Leverett lions, so the idea was to build on the friendly rivalry. The winner will bring the trophy back to next year’s competition as they attempt to hold on to it with a victory.
Students in the teacher-preparation programs in the College of Education and Health Professions helped prepare the competition and “sold” building materials to the competitors in exchange for credits they received with the contest instructions. A U of A student worked with each team of elementary pupils as a mentor during the contest.
The design challenge based on STEM principles, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, began with a scenario in which a zombie apocalypse has occurred. The students must design and build a wind-powered vehicle to travel the furthest distance from the scene of zombie destruction to a zombie safe house in a neighboring town.
Each vehicle had to carry a golf ball while it was propelled by an electric fan at the start of the track built of folding tables with a barrier constructed of balloons surrounding it.
“The event gives our students an opportunity to gain experience working with small groups on a STEM challenge,” Carter said.
The event was funded by the University of Arkansas Education Renewal Zone, also in the College of Education and Health Professions.
Topics
Contacts
Heidi Wells, content writer and strategist
Global Campus
479-879-8760,
heidiw@uark.edu
Headlines
Four Students Named Goldwater Scholars; Two Earn Udall Honorable Mentions
Four U of A students have received the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, an award for top students in mathematics, science, and engineering.
Cross-Campus Collaboration Culminates in New Outdoor Geological Installation
Grand opening event to celebrate the new GeoLab installation at the U of A’s Gearhart Hall courtyard is set for May 3. The installation will be open to the public year-round.
First Students to Use Online Degree to Hone Nursing Leadership, Elevate Patient Care
Hanna Baxendale and Wendi Kimbrell will begin coursework in the Doctor of Nursing Practice-Executive Master of Business Administration program offered by the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing and Walton College.
Join the Office for Sustainability on a Final Cruise to Campus
Cruise to Campus Wednesdays have fostered a gathering space for individuals interested in biking to campus. Drop by the Old Main Lawn from 7:30-10 a.m. Wednesday for coffee, something to eat and conversation.
Fay Jones School Student Ambassador Program Gives Voice to Design Students
The student ambassador program at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design is built to connect top design students with their school, its alumni, its future students and others inside and outside the school.