MusiQuest STEAM: interactive digital media for K-5 STEM education integrating audio and music

Project Summary/Abstract STEAM is an educational model that presents science, technology, engineering, arts, and math through interdisciplinary instruction. Research shows that STEAM programs can produce STEM learning outcomes and engage a higher percentage and broader diversity of students than traditional STEM instruction. However, three barriers limit the implementation of STEAM in elementary schools: 1) access to resources, 2) teacher expertise and bandwidth, and 3) class management and assessment. In response to these barriers, Edify Technologies proposes to develop MusiQuest STEAM: interactive digital media for K-5 STEM education integrating audio and music. MusiQuest STEAM comprises six hands-on technical components – Animals, Audio Engineering, Genetics, Industrial Design, The Brain, and Waves – that will be integrated into 60 total lessons which address Next Generation Science Standards, ten each for grades K-5. By incorporating audio (music, sound, hearing, etc.) in every lesson, MusiQuest STEAM will present artistic connections to STEM that help build students' knowledge of key concepts, and inspire their interest in learning more about biomedical science and related research. MusiQuest STEAM will be produced by Edify through an iterative development process in partnership with researchers at WestEd. First, plans for MusiQuest STEAM will be reviewed by subject matters experts. Next, two usability studies with students and teachers will help ensure that the product's technical components and lessons are well developed. A classroom feasibility study will measure MusiQuest STEAM's outputs and outcomes in the classroom in order to determine if teachers can implement the program with fidelity. Finally, WestEd will conduct summative research on a full implementation of 10 Grade 3 and 4 lessons in 30 schools with 750 students. Teachers and classes will be randomly assigned to either the treatment or control condition. The intended outcomes of this SBIR project are that: 1) students' knowledge of grade-appropriate STEM concepts grows as measured through formal assessments; 2) students display an understanding that audio and music can impact human and animal health; and, 3) students demonstrate increased interest in studying STEM, and pursuing potential careers in STEAM vocations in the future– leading to greater long-term participation in public health professions, especially from underrepresented groups.