South Fayette began its first IC4 (International Club for Collaborative Content Creation) in 2016 funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant. This project, entitled “Research on an International Network of STEM Media-Making and Student-Led Participatory Teaching,” is a collaboration of Pepperdine University and the New York Hall of Science which promotes students working together across national and cultural boundaries in producing digital media to illustrate or explain scientific, computational, engineering or mathematical concepts and problems. It establishes a network of STEM-related digital makerspace clubs comprised of after- school students (ages 10 – 19) and teachers in the U.S. and in other countries including: Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Brazil, the United States and Finland. (See http://ic4.site/index.html)

Currently the number of clubs has grown to over fifteen in six countries. The media produced by the students includes a range of formats such as videos, short subject films, games, computer programs and specialized applications like interactive books. The content of the media produced by the students focuses on the illustration and teaching of scientific, computational, engineering or mathematical topics. This project builds on previous work on localized media clubs by now creating an international network in which after-school students and teachers collaborate at a distance with other clubs. The central research questions for the project pertain to three themes at the intersection of learning, culture and collaboration: the impact of participatory teaching, virtual networks, and intercultural, global competence. The research combines qualitative, cross-cultural and big data research approaches. The research team has also developed a network assessment tool, adapting epistemic network analysis methods, developed at the University of Wisconsin, to the needs of this initiative.

To learn more click on this link to one of the IC4 Showcase highlights: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ehff68oocbbelm/STEMShowcaseIC4Project-2017.mp4?dl=0

NSF Award information found at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/plu512a1mhxkefq/AISLAwardExcerpt.pdf?dl=0