STEM lending library created by CybHER

August 13, 2020

Dakota State University’s CybHER program will impact a lot of children with a new STEM lending library.

Funded through a $10,000 mini-grant from AAAS IF/THEN, CybHER purchased a variety of technology devices, including Osmo learning game systems, Dash robots, and Makey Makey invention kits.

These devices will be housed in the Madison Elementary School library for teachers to check out. Curriculum will be provided with the devices.

“The devices in the lending library have uses far beyond computer science,” said Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, CybHER co-founder. “They can be used with any curriculum -- art, English, mathematics – so they bring everything together,” she said. Podhradsky is the associate dean of The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences, and associate professor of information assurance and forensics. She is also an IF/THEN ambassador.

By providing these educational devices and curriculum at the elementary school level, the hope is to educate and motivate young students about STEM at a young age. “The earlier we impact the students the better,” she said.

Janel Guse, principal of Madison Elementary, said “We are fortunate to have such an awesome partner in education.”

CybHER’s next goal is to create a similar lending library for the middle and high schools. CybHER partnered with the Madison Central School Education Foundation for the project.