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SLATE App User Guidelines

The SLATE app is a new tool to measure Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning outside of school. Our goal is to find out where children and their families engage in STEM learning and what kinds of experiences increase (or decrease) engagement in science, technology, engineering, or math.

General log in information.

Each time you use the app, you need to enter three things:

1. Your participant number. This number is located in your folder. For families with multiple children, each child has a unique number. Please make sure you use the same number throughout the study.
2. Age.
3. Gender.

The SLATE app can be use in two ways: by checking into specific locations and by user-directed check-ins.

Specific Locations

We have three specific locations that we would like you to visit. One is a physical location (Great Lakes Science Center), the other two are online (ideastream, and the Irish Independent Newspaper). For each of these locations, we will ask you to use the app before and after your visit.

Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC). Each family has been provided a family membership and parking passes to the Great Lakes Science center. Here are specific directions for using the app at this location:

1. When you arrive at the center, log into their wireless network so that you can make use of the app.
2. If you have any trouble logging in, please show the wireless request card (in folder) to someone at the admissions counter and they will assist you (e.g., you may need to get the password to log in).
3. Once you have logged in, select “Great Lakes Science Center” on the Choose a Survey page.
4. Before beginning your visit, please select “Planning for a visit”. You can complete this information before you go to GLSC! Very important:  Please answer the brief survey before you visit the NASA exhibit. And, make sure to submit your answers when you are done.
5. After you have completed these questions, enjoy the center, but make sure to visit the NASA Glenn Visitor Center on Level 1- Main Level.
6. Within 24 hours after your visit to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, please log into the app again. As before, select “Great Lakes Science Center” on the Choose a Survey page and then please select “I visited this place before”. Please answer each question and make sure to submit your answers when you are done.

ideastream

1. Once you have logged in, select “Ideastream” on the Choose a Survey page.
2. Before viewing the video, please select “Planning for a visit”. Please answer the brief survey before you watch the video. Make sure to submit your answers when you are done.
3. After you have completed these questions, please watch the following video:
4. Within 24 hours after you have watched the video, please log into the app again. Select “Ideastream” on the Choose a Survey page and then “I visited this place before”. Answer each question and make sure to submit your answers when you are done.

Irish Independent Newspaper

1. Once you have logged into the SLATE app, select “Irish Independent” on the Choose a Survey page.
2. Before reading the article, please select “Planning for a visit”. Please answer the brief survey before you read the article. Make sure to submit your answers when you are done.
3. After you have completed these questions, please read the following article:
4. Within 24 hours after you have read the article, please log into the app again. This time, please select “Irish Independent” on the Choose a Survey page and then “I visited this place before”. Then, please answer the questions in the survey. Make sure to submit your answers when you are done.

User Initiated Check-Ins

The other way to use the app is by user-initiated check-ins.

How to check in

1. Please log into the app and select “Current Location” on the Choose a Survey page.
2. The first page helps us understand where you are.
   1. Your Current Location provides a pull-down menu to describe where you are engaging with STEM content. If none of these describe the location, please choose “Other”.
   2. Feel free to add any information you would like in the Additional Location Information box, particularly if you chose “Other” from the previous question.
   3. What Are You Currently Doing provides a pull-down menu of options to describe how you are engaged with STEM content.
   4. Feel free to add any information in the Additional Activity Information, particularly if the descriptions of your activity don’t fit the descriptions provided.
3. The next pages pose a few questions for child and two questions to be answered by their parent. Please answer each question and make sure to submit them when you are done.

When to check in

The simple answer is this: Check in anytime you are engaged with STEM content, whatever you think that means! It can be something that takes a few minutes, hours, or days. We are most interested in what you consider STEM content.

Here are a few examples:

Watching a TV show. Many shows are related to STEM content. People think of shows like Mythbusters, Cosmos, NOVA, National Geographic shows but there are many other shows that have science content. We would like to know if you are watching shows that have STEM content.

Internet content. The internet provides nearly limitless STEM content online. There are websites that provide activities, games, videos and animations, tutorials, etc.

Camps. There are many STEM enrichment activities available in the area, including camps, afterschool programs, and trips to state parks.

Activities around the house. Families frequently engage in STEM content around the house. Sometimes this is directed at learning about a specific content area. For example, doing a science experiment with electronics (e.g., making a battery out of a lemon) or building a LEGO robot. At other times, STEM content is part of everyday activities. For example, playing board games, cooking and baking, and building and repairing can all involve STEM-relevant activities.

Trips to STEM-related locations. There are a lot of places that families can visit to engage in STEM content other than a science center, such as an arboretum, a Children’s museum, or trip to a state park provide rich opportunities for learning.

Please do not limit yourself to the examples presented above. Please add any experiences that you or your family have for engaging in STEM. Remember, we are most interested in what you consider STEM experiences! Please let us know!