Destination Exploration going online
By Yoos, Cam on April 16, 2020.
Greg Bobinec
Lethbridge Herald
Recognizing the need for engaging young minds with STEM lessons has never been greater, the University of Lethbridge’s Destination Exploration (DE) community outreach program has taken its delivery online with the launch of At Home with Destination Exploration.
The DE program was just beginning to adapt to its new outreach space in the Science Commons when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the U of L to shift its operations to a remote delivery model, according to a release from the university. Destination Exploration was quick to adapt to a new way of reaching its audience and launched At Home with Destination Exploration on March 30. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities are now delivered to an even wider audience and designed to excite the entire family.
“We are thrilled to engage with our STEM community in this new format,” says Valerie Archibald, director of youth outreach, Destination Exploration. “Our day-to-day lives may look different, but we know that STEM hasn’t changed. Together, we can explore new ideas, create new projects and join others in our love of science, technology, engineering and math.”
Destination Exploration was designed to empower and inspire youth, parents and teachers to experience and learn about STEM in their lives. The blog-style webpage is filled with resources, challenges, activities and helpful hints on how to keep up with STEM at home. Whether it is catching up on a science unit, learning a skill, making family time away from the television or just trying something new, Destination Exploration offers three posts per week with fun ways to pass the time.
“The best part of STEM is that there is creativity in all of it, it’s not just following a procedure or working to a check box, it challenges us to think, explore and improve,” says Steph Elder, program co-ordinator for DE. “I am so excited to engage with everyone in this new format. My hope is that it brings families together to learn about all the neat STEM-related things we interact with every day, but don’t notice or realize.”
Visit uleth.ca/destination-exploration/at-home for more information on Destination Exploration and to explore STEM at home.
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