This post is the fifth installment of our #SportsInSTEM Series, which explores, demonstrates, and illuminates how sport serves as a vehicle to train and enlighten students of all ages in pursuing interests and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. If you or someone you know is using sports to help with STEM education, then please let us know so we can include their work in our series.
Somewhere along the line, we as a nation have lost our children’s attention when it comes to learning about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Kids today have technology that is pretty straightforward to use; few buttons, a touch screen, and recognizable icons.
The fact is though, that kids just aren’t as interested in how and why things work. If it doesn’t have a touch screen, it’s too “complex”.
With just 16% of high school seniors being proficient in math and interested in a STEM career, we need to find a way to recapture our children’s attention. And by merging STEM studies with a topic that kids are interested in, this is possible to say the least.
Just ask Principal Bill Runey of Attleboro (MA) High School.
The Attleboro 94Fifty Project
At first glance, the “Attleboro 94Fifty Project” sounds like a secret flying saucer code name that comes straight out of Area 51. But for the sake of this article, it sounds really exciting and without a doubt, it is.
This project was born out of an observation: Principal Runey noticed that the high school’s basketball team was using a high-tech basketball for the sake of improving shooting and ball-handling skills.
Attleboro’s Basketball coach explained that the 94Fifty basketball – made by InfoMotion – was able to measure every force that gets applied to the ball because of nine inertial motion sensors that are tucked away inside the ball itself.
These sensor arrays are able to analyze the full 360 degree aspect of the ball’s motion in order to collect data. A free smartphone app then allows users to visualize their performance statistics. Dribble counts, dribble force, shot release speed, shot arc, and backspin data can help players instantly adjust to improve their game, with adaptive workouts built right into the app.
So, by introducing instant feedback that the students could easily visualize via smartphone, Principal Runey decided to apply the same idea to the school’s curriculum. Because student’s weren’t enthusiastic about learning STEM in a stand-alone way, why not merge it with something that kids are interested in? Sports!
And that is exactly what he did.
As Principal Runey told SportTechie, “As an administrator that faces the same constraints as many schools, we have to constantly think out of the box to get our students enthusiastic and engaged with STEM.”
Runey borrowed some 94Fifty basketballs, gathered some teachers from a diverse range of departments, and put together a test curriculum that spanned two of the school’s departments. If his hunch was right, student’s would love the added sports element, the interaction, and immediate feedback that the sensor basketball provided.
The two test curriculums set up at Attleboro High School were the following: Design and Visual Communications and Engineering Technology.
Mike Crowley, Founder and CEO of InfoMotion, explained his outlook on Runey’s idea and its potential for STEM learning in the US:
“When you realize how kids learn today, everything is instant and digital. So much so that they have come to expect everything they touch to produce a similar experience. When Bill Runey approached us, we were intrigued because we have had coaches in the past mention this idea. But this was the first time that a Principal of an entire school had a vision for his curriculum, and his perception was spot on. Students immediately engaged in the project. We are excited about the implications our products can have for advancing STEM learning in the U.S.”
Excited is the key word here.
Design and Visual Communications Class
By looking at the curriculum, it’s easy to see why students were immediately engaged. As part of the Design and Visual Communications class, students had to brainstorm ideas for a 94Fifty ad that was to the “client’s” expectations. And as any adman will tell you, you must know the product you are trying to sell.
Students were placed in groups and asked to test the product out by downloading the 94Fifty app and giving the basketball a test-drive. It was important for them to note exactly what the basketball is able to measure.
Job-title-assignment came next to ensure a “workflow” model was appropriately taught and carried out. Each student was assigned to one of the following positions: Art Director, Copywriter, Content Developer, Designer/Illustrator, and Proofreader. For those of you that are fans of Mad Men, you will find this workflow setup vastly familiar.
The students then chose the best advertising ideas, drew out some thumbnail sketches, and started the design stage. Everybody was assigned a task based on their creative title.
Finally, the students presented their final printed advertisements to the rest of the class and Principal Runey. The overall goal of the project was to “Promote Science, Math, Physics, and Engineering in schools around the USA using the 94fifty basketball as a tool to make learning more fun.”
By utilizing sports technology and merging it with STEM topics, Principal Runey found that kids were immediately and happily engaged in the learning aspect.
Engineering Technology Class
The second class to be included in the “Attleboro 94Fifty Project” was Engineering Technology. Gaining a better understanding of the 94Fifty basketball and finding out how physics, math, and engineering are used in the game of basketball were the main focuses of this class. Students were first asked to find out what exactly the basketball was capable of measuring and what related concepts were used in its design.
They were then split into groups of two and set free to find the dimensions of the school’s basketball court. CAD (computer aided design) software was then used to digitally reproduce the scaled drawings of the court.
The 94Fifty basketball and app were then utilized to help students collect data and chart the results. Calculable information collected included average hand speed/dribbling power, backspin, shot speed, and launch angle.
Equations were calculated, numbers averaged, and charts were graphed. After collecting all of their data, the students were required to brainstorm and explain the engineering behind the 94Fifty basketball.
Perhaps the most engaging part of the entire class was the interactive obstacle course. With the ball in-hand and the app connected via bluetooth, students had to complete various tasks. For instance, the kids were required to make three shots with a backspin of 130-150 RPMs before moving onto the next task. With stats and data being graphed, the students were able to learn in a fun and engaging environment.
As for the results? According to Runey, they exceeded expectations.
Results You Can See
Results aren’t always something that can be seen in numbers. When speaking of the “Attleboro 94Fifty Project”, Principal Runey said that he had seen student engagement go through the roof. With the test classes fostering collaboration and problem solving skills, it’s safe to say the pilot has been a success. But what really stood out to Runey were some of the responses he was hearing from the kids:
“Working on the 94Fifty basketball advertisement was very educational and extremely FUN! It gave us a chance to be creative, work with the senior engineering class, and not work out of a book.”
“Maybe this will help me understand this better in AP Physics right now.”
As good as results-in-numbers can be, they will never explain what the above student statements do.
And as far as the future is concerned, the idea of merging sports and STEM education is off and running, and Attleboro High School can prove it:
“The 94Fifty ball is a “game changer” for STEM education in our school. The fact that it is ‘portable’ on a student’s iPhone or iPad allows teachers to have students engaged immediately and throughout the lesson. A student’s outlook on math and science courses can be positively affected by infusing technology and sports into a classroom that provides the foundation for the many types of employment found in the STEM realm. The pilot was in our Engineering and Design & Visual Arts classes but we see the possibilities of incorporating it into Physics, Statistics, and Calculus.”
So the future of STEM within our educational system looks to be promising. Attleboro High School is leading the revolution by example.
As far as students are concerned, they are looking for something tangible, something to hold their attention, something that will give them instant feedback. In this case, it was the 94Fifty basketball. Now that the bar has been set, it’s time for schools around the nation start building their own Sport STEM curriculums.