Design and Development of an Inclusive Online STEM Course for Families

Abstract Marginalized individuals and communities have been largely disengaged in science museums, science festivals, or informal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM ) education. This study recognizes these difficulties and aims to develop an inclusive STEM course. A conceptual framework comprising seven recommendations guided our online STEM course that comprised three STEM workshops, relevant to everyday life, and included art and traditional methods and tools. These workshops underwent a pilot phase for improvement and later included deaf/hard-of-hearing students. The improved workshop promoted inquiry question submissions from the group of students with lower interest in science and technology and its quality; however, significant differences were not noted in inquiry report submissions. The study emphasizes the importance of examining the inclusion of those with lower interest, and of examining the impact of long-term courses on student learning to ensure continuous access to resources.