Keep Youth Interacting

STEM activities should be engaging, interactive and hands-on experiences for youth. But what happens when members of a group are not interacting? As you watch this video, pay close attention to how the facilitators work with a group if members become disengaged.

As you watch the skill video below, think about these questions:

• What does the staff member do to give the group direction? Listen for the supportive but firm voice of the adult, as she re-directs the group.
• Pay special attention to how staff listen, maintain a supportive attitude, and model effective collaboration skills.
• What strategies do you see that encourage group interaction?

Now that you’ve watched the video, reflect on what you saw and post your responses.

• What are important strategies youth need to know in order to work together collaboratively?
• What are roadblocks youth can hit when they don’t know how to work together collaboratively during STEM?
• What did you like about how staff modeled working together in groups during STEM?  What would you do differently?
• What other strategies could staff use to encourage collaboration during this activity?