LabZone
Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education
San Diego
About
The Lab Zone was a service-learning outreach initiative that was started in 2010 with a grant from SDSU's Presidential Leadership Funds. Funding was also provided by Subaru of America Foundation, Inc., in 2012, and The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation in 2013.
The Lab Zone brought SDSU undergraduates together with middle school students in San Diego County. The undergraduate students enrolled in a 3-unit service-learning course taught by Professor Sasha Chizhik, in which they learned theories behind informal mathematics and science education. Participating students received GE credit and meet the Early Field Experience requirement for applying to the SDSU Teacher Credential program.
The field experience named The Lab Zone was held as an after-school program for community students. In The Lab Zone, the middle school students participated in hands-on and innovative experiments, games, and other activities led by and created by university undergraduate students.
The Lab Zone may be offered again in the future. Download the LabZone 2015 flyer.
The Lab Zone reached out to a community where there is a need for increased interest and understanding of math and science among students. This need was apparent from low state standardized test scores in the schools targeted by this program.
Media
In the video below, Professor Sasha Chizhik describes The Lab Zone, and both SDSU and middle school students share their experiences of The Lab Zone, and how the informal learning setting of Lab Zone differs from traditional learning experiences. Produced by Estella Chizhik.