The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision science competition for K–12 students engages the next generation in real world problem solving with a strong emphasis on STEM. ExploraVision challenges students to envision and communicate new technology 20 years in the future through collaborative brainstorming and research of current science and technology. Beyond engaging your students in problem solving, team-based learning, critical thinking, and communication skills, ExploraVision aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards.

ExploraVision is a science competition for K–12 students of all interest, skill, and ability levels. The competition encourages students to combine their imaginations with the tools of science to create and explore a vision of a future technology. Students work in groups of two, three or four, and are guided by a team coach and an optional mentor. Each team selects a technology, or an aspect of a technology, which is present in the home, school, or community, or any other technology relevant to their lives. They will explore what the technology does, how it works, and how, when, and why it was invented. The students must then project into the future what that technology could be like 20 years in the future and determine what scientific breakthroughs need to occur to make it a reality.

Students must complete a project describing a science or technology concept 20 years in the future. Each project must include an abstract, description, bibliography, and five sample Web pages. Each student may only submit one project via online per year. However, each teacher/coach can participate in multiple projects per year. Each complete project must consist of:

• Enter your projects via online
• An abstract (150 words max.)
• The project description (11 pages max.)
• Bibliography
• Five sample Web pages

I. Abstract; An abstract of no more than 150 words that summarizes the proposed future technology and other relevant information must proceed other project components. The Abstract should be on a separate page and does not count as part of the Description components II. Description; A project Description section does not exceed 11 pages and may be combination of text and art work. It must include the following section with heading clearly labeled and be in the following order:

1. Present Technology*: An overview of the present form of the technology including scientific principles involved in its functioning. A problem definition or limitation of this present technology that you address in your ExploraVision project.
2. History: Research and description of the history of the technology from its inception.
3. Future Technology: Description of the team's vision for what this technology would be like in 20 years, including scientific principles involved in developing the technology.
4. Breakthroughs*: Research and description of breakthroughs that are necessary to make the future technology design a reality. Description of why this future technology doesn't exist today. (Choose one of your required breakthroughs and describe an investigation that would have to be planned and carried out to test your ExploraVision project. If possible, include the kind of data or measurements that would be collected in the investigation.)
5. Design Process*: Description of three alternative ideas of features the team considered for their project. The ideas and features should be directly related to the project. Describe why the team rejected each feature and idea in favor of the ones in the submitted technology. Describe how your future technology feature is better than the rejected design feature.
6. Consequences*: Description of recognition that all technologies have positive and negative consequences including the potential positive and negative consequences of the new technology on society.

III. Bibliography; A list of all sources and references used in researching the chosen technology. Sources must be clearly labeled and include title, author, publisher, and copyright date. Footnotes are encouraged, but not required. The Bibliography is not counted as part of the 11-page limit for the Description section. IV. Sample Web Pages*; Team members must draw five sample web pages that communicate and promote their future technology vision. Web pages may be hand-drawn or computer-generated (e.g., powerpoint) and may include text, pictures, photographs and diagrams. They should relate to material presented in the written description and illustrate the attributes of the chose technology. One web page should be devoted to a model or visual representation of the technology that could be used to create a prototype for display. The model should help others visualize the design and communicate design features. Include a description of limitation s of the model. No need to create an actual website or a prototype untill a team become a Regional winner. * Section central to the Next Generation Science Standards.

The judging committees are made up of leading science educators and science and technology experts. Judging is divided into two phases: regional and national judging. All eligible projects will be evaluated in the regional judging phase. 24 regional winning teams will move on to national judging. Each category will be judged separately, based on the abilities of students in those grades.  ExploraVision has four categories:

• Primary Level (Grades K – 3)
• Upper Elementary Level (Grades 4 – 6)
• Middle Level (Grades 7 – 9)
• High School Level (Grades 10 – 12)

Judging is organized into six regional areas of the United States and Canada. Regional judges consist of approximately 50 NSTA’s district judges and approximately 12 Ph.D. scientists from NASA, NIH, NSF, FDA headed by the Head Judge and vetted through the ExploraVision judges selection process. The following maximum points are allocated to each part of the project:

• Present technology:  10 points
• History:                         10 points
• Future technology:      20 points
• Breakthroughs:           15 points
• Design process:         10 points
• Consequences:          10 points
• Bibliography:                 5 points
• Sample Web pages:  20 points

Projects will be judged on creativity, scientific accuracy, communication and feasibility of vision. Judges will award higher scores to projects that are different from those that have won previously. A judging committee will select 24 teams, one for each grade-level category in each of the six regions. Regional winners will be notified in early March.

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.exploravision.org/

Managing Organization: National Science Teachers Association

Contact:

exploravision@nsta.org

Eligibility:
All projects must meet the following requirements: <ul> <li>All entrants must be United States or Canadian citizens and living within the United States, U.S. Territories or Canada and enrolled full-time in a public, private or home school</li> <li>Students must be no older than 21 years of age</li> <li>National Science Teachers Association employees, NSTA board members, ExploraVision judges and their respective families are not eligible to enter the competition</li> <li>Any project that has won at ExploraVision's regional and/or national levels may not be re-submitted in future years</li> <li>Any project previously awarded a prize in another competition may not be submitted</li> <li>Any student who was selected as a regional or national finalist in ExploraVision can only compete in subsequent years with a new team — i.e., with students who have not previously been selected as ExploraVision regional or national finalists</li> <li>Students enter as a team of 2-4 students with a teacher/coach and optional mentor (no individual entries)</li> </ul>

Registration Opens: July 1, 2019

Registration Closes: February 11, 2020

The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision science competition for K–12 students engages the next generation in real world problem solving with a strong emphasis on STEM. ExploraVision challenges students to envision and communicate new technology 20 years in the future through collaborative brainstorming and research of current science and technology. Beyond engaging your students in problem solving, team-based learning, critical thinking, and communication skills, ExploraVision aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards.

ExploraVision is a science competition for K–12 students of all interest, skill, and ability levels. The competition encourages students to combine their imaginations with the tools of science to create and explore a vision of a future technology. Students work in groups of two, three or four, and are guided by a team coach and an optional mentor. Each team selects a technology, or an aspect of a technology, which is present in the home, school, or community, or any other technology relevant to their lives. They will explore what the technology does, how it works, and how, when, and why it was invented. The students must then project into the future what that technology could be like 20 years in the future and determine what scientific breakthroughs need to occur to make it a reality.

Students must complete a project describing a science or technology concept 20 years in the future. Each project must include an abstract, description, bibliography, and five sample Web pages. Each student may only submit one project via online per year. However, each teacher/coach can participate in multiple projects per year. Each complete project must consist of:

• Enter your projects via online
• An abstract (150 words max.)
• The project description (11 pages max.)
• Bibliography
• Five sample Web pages

I. Abstract; An abstract of no more than 150 words that summarizes the proposed future technology and other relevant information must proceed other project components. The Abstract should be on a separate page and does not count as part of the Description components II. Description; A project Description section does not exceed 11 pages and may be combination of text and art work. It must include the following section with heading clearly labeled and be in the following order:

1. Present Technology*: An overview of the present form of the technology including scientific principles involved in its functioning. A problem definition or limitation of this present technology that you address in your ExploraVision project.
2. History: Research and description of the history of the technology from its inception.
3. Future Technology: Description of the team's vision for what this technology would be like in 20 years, including scientific principles involved in developing the technology.
4. Breakthroughs*: Research and description of breakthroughs that are necessary to make the future technology design a reality. Description of why this future technology doesn't exist today. (Choose one of your required breakthroughs and describe an investigation that would have to be planned and carried out to test your ExploraVision project. If possible, include the kind of data or measurements that would be collected in the investigation.)
5. Design Process*: Description of three alternative ideas of features the team considered for their project. The ideas and features should be directly related to the project. Describe why the team rejected each feature and idea in favor of the ones in the submitted technology. Describe how your future technology feature is better than the rejected design feature.
6. Consequences*: Description of recognition that all technologies have positive and negative consequences including the potential positive and negative consequences of the new technology on society.

III. Bibliography; A list of all sources and references used in researching the chosen technology. Sources must be clearly labeled and include title, author, publisher, and copyright date. Footnotes are encouraged, but not required. The Bibliography is not counted as part of the 11-page limit for the Description section. IV. Sample Web Pages*; Team members must draw five sample web pages that communicate and promote their future technology vision. Web pages may be hand-drawn or computer-generated (e.g., powerpoint) and may include text, pictures, photographs and diagrams. They should relate to material presented in the written description and illustrate the attributes of the chose technology. One web page should be devoted to a model or visual representation of the technology that could be used to create a prototype for display. The model should help others visualize the design and communicate design features. Include a description of limitation s of the model. No need to create an actual website or a prototype untill a team become a Regional winner. * Section central to the Next Generation Science Standards.

The judging committees are made up of leading science educators and science and technology experts. Judging is divided into two phases: regional and national judging. All eligible projects will be evaluated in the regional judging phase. 24 regional winning teams will move on to national judging. Each category will be judged separately, based on the abilities of students in those grades.  ExploraVision has four categories:

• Primary Level (Grades K – 3)
• Upper Elementary Level (Grades 4 – 6)
• Middle Level (Grades 7 – 9)
• High School Level (Grades 10 – 12)

Judging is organized into six regional areas of the United States and Canada. Regional judges consist of approximately 50 NSTA’s district judges and approximately 12 Ph.D. scientists from NASA, NIH, NSF, FDA headed by the Head Judge and vetted through the ExploraVision judges selection process. The following maximum points are allocated to each part of the project:

• Present technology:  10 points
• History:                         10 points
• Future technology:      20 points
• Breakthroughs:           15 points
• Design process:         10 points
• Consequences:          10 points
• Bibliography:                 5 points
• Sample Web pages:  20 points

Projects will be judged on creativity, scientific accuracy, communication and feasibility of vision. Judges will award higher scores to projects that are different from those that have won previously. A judging committee will select 24 teams, one for each grade-level category in each of the six regions. Regional winners will be notified in early March.

This competition has not yet listed it's awards.

Website: https://www.exploravision.org/

Managing Organization: National Science Teachers Association

Contact:

exploravision@nsta.org

Entry Fee:

Eligibility:
All projects must meet the following requirements: <ul> <li>All entrants must be United States or Canadian citizens and living within the United States, U.S. Territories or Canada and enrolled full-time in a public, private or home school</li> <li>Students must be no older than 21 years of age</li> <li>National Science Teachers Association employees, NSTA board members, ExploraVision judges and their respective families are not eligible to enter the competition</li> <li>Any project that has won at ExploraVision's regional and/or national levels may not be re-submitted in future years</li> <li>Any project previously awarded a prize in another competition may not be submitted</li> <li>Any student who was selected as a regional or national finalist in ExploraVision can only compete in subsequent years with a new team — i.e., with students who have not previously been selected as ExploraVision regional or national finalists</li> <li>Students enter as a team of 2-4 students with a teacher/coach and optional mentor (no individual entries)</li> </ul>

Registration Opens: July 1, 2019

Registration Closes: February 11, 2020