Implementation and Documentation of Technology Training for Seniors and the PiMERS Middle School Program

Keywords: outreach, seniors, remote sensing, robotics, technology training, STEM, NASA

Purpose

The Pathways in Mathematics Education and Remote Sensing (PiMERS) program is a part of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) based initiative that is the result of the joint effort of Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) and NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The Association of Computer and Information Science/Engineering Departments at Minority Institutions (ADMI) also supported this contribution to the NASA national efforts for achieving excellent education. The goal of PiMERS is to foster and nurture the interest of minority students in STEM-related fields, specifically mathematics and remote sensing. The REU Outreach program worked underneath the PiMERS grant to host two events- the 2016 PiMERS Middle School Program and the 2016 PiMERS Senior Computer Training Camp at Zion Baptist Church. The PiMERS Middle School program allowed the student-researchers opportunities to engage in other related fields such as computational chemistry and aviation, computer science, hydrology, robotics and engineering. During the span of this program, the researchers partook in seminars that were created to induce interest in STEM related fields. Students also partook in math and robotics seminars that were intended to gauge their knowledge based off the Common Core standards implemented by the North Carolina school system. The PiMERS Senior Computer Training program was intended to provide basic computer and internet training for senior citizens. The PiMERS Senior Computer Training Camp consisted of biweekly training sessions that ran for five consecutive weeks. Each session was formulated to cover different aspects of modern technology in order to instill basic computer skills in the participants. The training camp was a continuation of the 2015 Senior Computer Training Camp at Zion Baptist and was held at Zion Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Virginia. The program was started by Dr. Hayden and is facilitated by the Zion Baptist Outreach team whose members consisted of Dr. Johnson, Mr. Lee Hayden and Steffi Walthall, an REU student intern. The program ran for a span of five weeks starting on the 28th of June 2016 and ending on the 28th of July 2016 and it consisted of ten training sessions. The students met biweekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12 pm for each training session.