Classrooms from 25 states have now experienced USS Midway Museum’s distance learning virtual field trip programs presented by Qualcomm Incorporated. In all, since distance learning programs began, more than 250 live broadcasts covering 14 locations on board Midway have reached more than 10,000 students in more than 440 different classrooms.
According to educators who’ve experienced Midway’s distance learning programs, the reason for their popularity is not only the engaging live presentations, but also the pre- and post-lesson materials and activities received as part of the experience which included downloadable video content that supports the live experience; live questions and answer time which allows students to demonstrate their grasp of STEM principles; the ability to use the distance learning content in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments; and the technical ease of participating.
“We meet the teachers where they are, using whatever technologies and platforms they have available to them,” said Wayne Nuzzolo, Midway school programs manager. “With Midway technology, we can make our distance learning programs available to virtually any classroom, educator, or student live or through content downloads like the Midway Math application.”
“We’re thrilled that the Midway’s virtual programming has expanded their reach to students across the country,” says Natalie Dusi, manager of corporate responsibility at Qualcomm Incorporated. “Connecting students to these hands-on STEM experiences is vital to providing equal access to educational resources and encouraging students from all backgrounds to participate in the STEM ecosystem.”
Teacher’s from around the country have been thrilled with the quality of Midway’s distance learning program.
“The moment it was over, my class was buzzing about their favorite parts,” said a teacher from Anchorage, Alaska. “And it was also cool for some kids to get to see sunny California, since some of them haven’t ever left Alaska.”
“We had such a great virtual tour,” said another teacher from Las Cruces, N.M. “It was full of information and was engaging for our students.”
On another exciting note, Midway’s new Introduction to Computer Science program, also presented by Qualcomm, supports students in grades 6-8. The program teaches basic computer technology and shows how computers, computing systems, hardware, software, cybersecurity, and data analysis were used on board Midway.
For asynchronous study, Midway’s STEAM Student Tour app is another popular program. Using video, animation and augmented reality, the app, presented by Qualcomm, guides students on a virtual tour of Midway spaces like the fo’c’sle, enlisted berthing, flight deck, the ship’s galley. It also portrays underway replenishment and helicopter flight operations. At each stop, students are challenged with IRL (in real life) math problems that must be solved in order to continue their virtual tour. The module was developed for both synchronous and asynchronous educational settings, meaning the experience can be conducted within a classroom setting or assigned to students to explore and experience on their own.
Qualcomm also continues their support for Midway’s “No Child Left Ashore” scholarship fund hosting the first 250 classrooms which register each year for distance learning field trips and Midway education’s Damage Control Shipboard Engineering program. The program uses the Navy’s damage control model to teach middle school students how to identify and use engineering concepts to create solutions for situations sailors might encounter onboard.
Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch, and expansion of 5G. When we connected the phone to the internet, the mobile revolution was born. Today, our foundational technologies enable the mobile ecosystem and are found in every 3G, 4G and 5G smartphone. We bring the benefits of mobile to new industries, including automotive, the internet of things, and computing, and are leading the way to a world where everything and everyone can communicate and interact seamlessly.
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