Photo credit: science.nasa.gov
Navigating Space Science in Tribal Communities: A Collaborative Workshop
On August 29, 2024, a significant professional development workshop centered on space science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) was conducted for Tribal libraries at the New Mexico State Library. This initiative, part of the NASA Science Activation program’s NASA@ My Library project, was led by Christine Shupla and Claire Ratcliffe Adams. Input from various stakeholders, including Cassandra Osterloh, the Tribal Libraries Program Coordinator at the New Mexico State Library, and representatives from the Santa Clara Pueblo Library and the P’oe Tsawa Community Library, played a crucial role in shaping the workshop’s content.
The collaborative effort aimed to ensure that the workshop not only addressed space science but also reflected the cultural nuances and interests of the tribes involved. Feedback from Tribal advisors highlighted the importance of co-designing workshop activities, enabling participants to adapt content in ways that resonated with their communities. While space science was a focal point, there was considerable interest in related topics like Earth science, environmental issues, and engineering design.
The workshop featured a range of STEM activities tailored for library contexts, categorized into four distinct types:
- Passive programming activities available as participants arrived
- Physically active tasks
- Engineering design challenges
- Art/Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Mathematics (STEAM) activities
After each activity, participants engaged in discussions to reflect on what worked well, how to enhance cultural relevance, and additional activities that could be included. This dialogue was seen as integral to the co-design process, allowing participants to share their unique insights and experiences.
Throughout the session, the facilitators emphasized the value of participant input, fostering an environment where attendees felt empowered as custodians of their community’s knowledge. Feedback from participants underscored the constructive atmosphere created during the workshop. One attendee remarked on the instructors’ supportive approach, stating, “I like how the instructors were reassuring throughout the session. Making sure everyone was comfortable and making it feel safe to share ideas.” Another participant shared, “I tend to not participate, but observe, because I’m not a scientist. It was awesome (feeling comfortable) to design too!”
At the conclusion of the workshop, sixteen participants completed evaluation surveys, with over half expressing that the experience surpassed their expectations while others felt it met those expectations. Importantly, feedback revealed participants’ appreciation for the collaborative nature of the workshop, which allowed them to contribute to and modify activities for greater cultural significance. A particularly rich discussion emerged following a crater-creation activity, where participants discussed the potential to substitute suggested materials with those native to their region and incorporate elements of local art and geography. Many attendees expressed a strong interest in future workshops.
The NASA@ My Library project operates under the auspices of NASA, backed by cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE30A, and forms part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. This initiative is designed to bridge connections between NASA science experts and community leaders, fostering scientific engagement that deepens understanding of both terrestrial and cosmic phenomena. For further details about how Science Activation is making a difference in science education and community engagement, visit NASA Science Activation.
Source
science.nasa.gov