Oyna aims to engage and empower Ontario elementary students studying STEM subjects, which are science, technology, engineering, and math. Through their interactions, elementary students can explore STEM in a way that is tangible, playful, and promotes co-learning with their peers.
The mobile lab doubles as a learning surface for students and storage space for teacher resources. The learning surface can be configured with different modules, or students can rearrange the modules onto the sides of the lab. Modules can also be taken out of the lab and used anywhere in the classroom.
The lab houses three separate modules: whiteboard surfaces for student brainstorming, 3D grids for practicing math foundations, and pegboards where students can learn about simple machines like pulleys and gears.
3D grid modules are used for practicing math foundations. The 3D grids contain removable whiteboard pieces, so students can create their own equations, times tables, or graphs onto the surface of the grids.
I conducted first-hand research through interviews and focus groups with teachers from various Ontario elementary schools. The purpose of the research was to gain a better understanding of the people who are a part of the education system, the space in which education takes place, the technology used to educate, and existing businesses creating STEM resources.