skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Search for: All records

Award ID contains: 2241802

Note: When clicking on a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number, you will be taken to an external site maintained by the publisher. Some full text articles may not yet be available without a charge during the embargo (administrative interval).
What is a DOI Number?

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.

  1. This extended abstract describes early-stage research on the research, design, and development of two culturally situated STEM curriculum units for Navajo Nation (DinĂ©) middle school students, on the topics of energy and water, blending immersive and hands-on experiences. The first unit addresses the significant issue of energy access on Navajo Nation, where 32% of homes lack electricity. Culturally relevant, virtual experiences provide engaging and motiving narrative-based contexts for learning, aiming to inspire the next generation of DinĂ© engineers and scientists to use their cultural and STEM knowledge to support their communities. We present the design of a prototype exploring options for solar energy on Navajo Nation, using immersive, place- based virtual representations, and feedback from teachers and students who engaged with the prototype. We describe the design of the full energy unit, and upcoming plans for classroom testing during spring, 2025. Initial findings from this classroom testing will be shared in the poster presentation of this extended abstract at the ILRN conference in June 2025. 
    more » « less
    Free, publicly-accessible full text available June 14, 2026