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STEM-on-the-Go Mobile Digital Fabrication Fleet (TIES)

Provided By
Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM
The STEM-on-the-Go van

STEM-on-the-Go Mobile Digital Fabrication Vans promote transdisciplinary STEM learning through visits to locations in the DSEC hub regions. Programming includes STEM career explorations, including the integration of AI with digital fabrication. 

Logic Model

Program Activities

Students (Grade K-12)

Engage in digital fabrication-inspired engineering design challenges​ 

Use or observe digital fabrication tools to develop/create products or protypes to address engineering design challenges​ 

Learn about STEM careers through hands-on activities and connections​

Program Near-Term Outcomes

Students (Grade K-12)

Gain awareness of the engineering design process (ask-imagine-plan-build-test-improve) ​ 

Use the engineering design process to solve an engineering challenge​ 

Learn to apply digital fabrication and design skills to open ended tasks as grade appropriate (Grade 6 and older)​ 

Increase awareness of STEM careers

DSEC Near-Term Outcomes

Students (Grade K-12)

Increased student engagement and interest in STEM (formal and informal) 

Increased participant STEM competencies (skills, knowledge, abilities, and confidence) 

Increased participant awareness of, and interest in, STEM research and careers

Participant Perspectives

Participant perspectives reflect survey responses from 2025-2026, the first year of survey administration.

Of 1,012 student participants, 107 responded to the survey.

Of 245 educator participants, 6 responded to the survey.

Students

Grades K-5

  • Strongly Disagree
  • Disagree
  • Agree
  • Strongly Agree
STEM-on-the-Go improved my ability to use the engineering design process to solve a problem.
n = 70 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go improved my knowledge of how to construct an object using digital fabrication tools (e.g., laser engraver, laser cutter, 3D printer).
n = 70 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go improved my interest in using digital fabrication tools to design objects.
n = 70 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go increased my curiosity about STEM careers that use digital fabrication tools.
n = 70 valid responses
Being part of STEM-on-the-Go made me more interested in engineering.
n = 70 valid responses
I learned about the engineering design process.
n = 6 valid responses
I learned about how to make things with machines like a laser cutter and 3D printer.
n = 6 valid responses
I want to know more about how to make things with machines like a laser cutter and 3D printer.
n = 6 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go made me like engineering more.
n = 6 valid responses

Grades 6-16

  • Disagree
  • Slightly Agree
  • Moderately Agree
  • Strongly Agree
STEM-on-the-Go improved my ability to use engineering design process to solve a problem.
n = 37 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go improved my knowledge of how to construct an object using digital fabrication tools (for example, laser engraver, laser cutter, 3D printer).
n = 37 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go increased my interest in using digital fabrication tools to design objects.
n = 37 valid responses
STEM-on-the-Go increased my curiosity about STEM careers that use digital fabrication tools.
n = 37 valid responses

Educators

  • Disagree
  • Slightly Agree
  • Moderately Agree
  • Strongly Agree
The STEM-on-the-Go program increased my confidence for teaching students how to construct an object using digital fabrication tools.
n = 6 valid responses
The STEM-on-the-Go program increased my awareness of how to use the engineering design process to solve a problem.
n = 6 valid responses
The STEM-on-the-Go program increased my interest in using digital fabrication tools as part of hands-on STEM learning.
n = 6 valid responses
The STEM-on-the-Go program increased my awareness of STEM careers that use digital fabrication tools.
n = 6 valid responses
Program Data

Program data includes participants from both years of Base Period (2024-2025 and 2025-2026). 

Students

3,567 total student participants

Student Grade Level

Military-Connected Students

Educators

400 total educator participants

Educator Type

Category Count %
District Administrator or Staff 21 5.3%
School Administrator 16 4%
Teacher 363 90.8%

Educator Grade Levels

Military-Connected Educators