The Beta Lab at UC Davis studies how young people learn and develop through participation in making and the Maker Movement. We investigate the nature of learning that occurs during extended, youth-driven maker projects, and we design learning environments and tools to support learning through making.
The Integrating Literacies Project explores the nature of work and communication in the lives of Latinx youth. Our aim is to generate knowledge about young people’s work-related communication skills and strengths, and the conditions that encourage their development. The project’s practical goal is to inform programs and policies that shape the career opportunities and trajectories of Latinx youth.
Our research focuses on the language and literacy development of young children, particularly dual language learners. We have several ongoing projects. The lab is supported by grants from the National Institute of Health, Foundation for Child Development, Language Learning, and Yolo Community Foundation.
With Youth-focused Citizen and Community Science (YCCS), youth contribute to authentic science. They can do this through data collection, but also interpreting or sharing findings. But what does this mean for science learning? To answer this question, we began conducting case studies with YCCS projects in Northern California and bringing together key stakeholders to explore when and how YCCS works best.
