PROGRAM PARTNERS
Explorer At Large is led and supported by several organizations working in conjunction on Production, Research & Evaluation, Analytics & Metrics, and Management.
Instructional Unit Design Partner: The PAST Foundation
The PAST Foundation, a public non-profit located in Columbus, Ohio, is committed to improving education by promoting trans-disciplinary problem-based learning (TPBL). Led by Dr. Annalies Corbin, the educators, anthropologists, curators, field and research scientists, and other STEAM experts at PAST are charged with creating Instructional Units for Explorer At Large. To do this, they review the XAL Videos, align them with education standards, and create classroom activities that are grade-band appropriate. PAST staff then train teachers at professional development workshops, where teachers review videos, play with teaching materials, and decide how to best implement Explorer At Large in their classrooms.
Production Partner: First Light Studios
First Light Studios (FLS) is a New York-based production company dedicated to engaging, inspiring, and elevating humanity through world-class content and programming. Founded by Josh Bernstein in 2014, FLS staff have created award-winning content and documentaries for audiences in over 220 countries and territories and bring a wealth of experience, insight, and passion to the mission of Explorer At Large. Everyone at FLS understands the responsibility they have to create the highest quality content to engage students and create a bridge between classrooms in schools and STEAM experts in the field.
Research and Evaluation Partner: Oregon State University
The STEM Research Center in Corvallis, Oregon is a division of Oregon State University (OSU) that conducts applied research with a broad range of partners. The Center is unique in its focus on understanding learning and engagement across all settings (in and out of school) and across the lifespan for all audiences. As XAL's Research & Evaluation Partner, Dr. Martin Storksdieck and his colleagues at OSU act as third-party assessors to determine—with brutal honesty and impartiality—what is working and what needs to be modified so that the XAL program improves from year to year.
Project Manager and Institutional Home: First Light Ventures
First Light Ventures, Inc. (FLV), a New York-based public benefit corporation, is the institutional home of Explorer At Large. Led by CEO Josh Bernstein, the FLV team oversee the management, implementation, and assessment efforts for Explorer At Large, including coordinating the efforts of all partners above. Funding and grants are coordinated, as needed, through FLV's fiscal sponsor, Fractured Atlas.