Project POKE: Developing a STEM Community to Offset Learning Loss Amidst COVID Pandemic Through Aerospace Technologies Project-Based Learning in Hawaii's K-12 Classrooms

Project POKE: Developing a STEM Community to Offset Learning Loss Amidst COVID Pandemic Through Aerospace Technologies Project-Based Learning in Hawaii's K-12 Classrooms

Utah State University, Logan, UT

Project POKE (Providing an Opportunity for the Keiki in Engineering) is a unique opportunity for middle and high school keiki (‘children’ in Hawaiian) in Hawaii to gain hands-on aerospace experience through interaction with a 1U CubeSat kit. The focus of the project is to build a STEM community based on collaboration and project-based learning to offset learning loss amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Project POKE program includes an educator course, CubeSat kit, collaborative digital space, open-ended design challenge, and symposium. Middle and high school teachers concurrently participate in the program’s educator course and meet with their students to teach the provided content. Project POKE builds off of the Artemis CubeSat Kit while adapting the educator course materials to K-12 education. Students are challenged to develop a mission concept to study a problem affecting their community using a CubeSat and present their design concept to STEM professionals at the culminating symposium. The first iteration of the program was completed in the 2021-2022 school year with 14 teachers and over 100 students. Surveyed participants indicated positive sentiment and several learning outcomes upon completing the program. Project POKE creates a diversified STEM community in Hawaii, while demystifying space science and aerospace engineering.