Examining and addressing how place shapes learning in STEM.
OPALS Lab studies the spatiality of learning and teaching — from spatial reasoning, to the physical orientations of classrooms, to geography. Space is not neutral. We use cutting-edge technologies and methods to understand it.
Opportunity
The opportunities K-12 students and teachers have to learn about STEM content, and how they are made available in classrooms and communities.
Place
How geography, school context, and local culture shape the STEM learning possibilities for students, teachers, and the community.
Learning
What is taken up, understood, and applied by students, teacher learners, and the community, and the role of space and place in these processes.
in STEM
Grounded in science, technology, engineering, and math contexts, particularly focused on K-12 and community learning.
How we work
Data-driven
We use quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches — including data science and AI — to investigate the intersection of space, learning, and opportunity.
Place-based
Place and space shape if, how, and what people learn. We take seriously the role of place, culture, and geography in the way learning opportunities are presented, facilitated, and supported.
Relevant to Practice
We deeply value the complex and meaningful work that is teaching, and we work to support teachers in meaningful, practical ways through our projects and research.