Exhibit – AUDITE
Luke Pereira
Exhibit – AUDITE
[Audite = latin for “listen”]
Welcome to my Exhibit. I have great admiration and respect for those educators in the disability field. For over 20 years, my love for astronomy and science has led me to intertwining my recent courses in education technology with inclusive design, my two master’s programs. In my current work in academia, I am hoping to bring some tangible change in STEM enrolments for visually impaired kids, with my focus being in the field of astronomy. In my research proposal, I looked at the idea of activation/motivation/intervention that would elicit change perceptions for visually impaired kids who might or might not have had interest in STEM, especially in astronomy. I have developed a prototype concept which I envisioned as project AstroVision – Toolkit for the blind – to help with my research in addition to other factors, and hope to assist and foster growth for these visually impaired kids into space science and more!
THE BIG IDEA
Why do kids get interested in science? to be a doctor, astronomer or even mathematician perhaps! There are lots of opportunities and visuals all around to spur interest. All it takes is motivation and a push. Now, what about visually blind kids? what motivation and push would they afford to have the same opportunity as their peers?
Let’s follow this path and see where this leads us.
Problem 1
Lack of mentors for blind students
Lack of internship opportunities
Lack of opportunities for visually impaired to get into sciences in schools and post-secondary (Bell & Silverman, 2018)
Problem 2
Attitudinal barriers by educators
Creates a perceived barrier for space science opportunities for the blind, deterring careers in sciences (Prema & Dhand, 2019).
Problem 3
Lack of enforced disability legislation
Educators find challenges in developing techniques for teaching blind students with current methodology and practices (Miyauchi, 2020).
These are just some of the many barriers that definitely prevent visually impaired kids from being better informed of their chances of success in STEM sciences.
But is it fixable? Before we tackle education reform in post-secondary for all disability groups STEM and question low enrolments, we have to listen and understand to the deeper intrinsic and extrinsic factors of the visually impaired in their personal barriers and lack of opportunities early on.
THE VISION
Purpose
The research will look at providing physical 3d objects and materials for visually impaired students to elicit emotion, interest, in sciences focusing mostly in astronomy. While similar tools do exist for the sighted in STEM toys, we are looking to inspire, educate and generate discourse and interest by packaging an experience of space to the blind of all ages allowing them to see the benefit of science careers and resolve in action.
Identifying outcomes
The research outcomes hope to identify motivations/enablers through interventions that activate a change i