Atlin, British Columbia While there is a significant body of research on the value of science education and STEM programs in larger towns and cities across North America, much less is known about the value of these programs in rural and remote towns and villages with populations less than two thousand residents. This is particularly true where the student populations in this community may range from a few individual students to no more than one hundred primary and secondary students. Given the likelihood that most rural and remote educators tend to be generalists and are often teaching in multiple grade settings with few opportunities for professional development and access to science museums/technology centres, supporting quality science education in the small town can be quite daunting. However, for educational researchers and curriculum developers like myself, there are ways to support our colleagues far out on the prairies, remote islands and far north across Canada. The rapid evolution of mobile communication and participant-based science app development like our research project at Deep Bay may provide educational tools for science outreach and increased participation by teachers and students in small towns. Mobile science activities be developed in partnership with rural and remote communities that blends the best elements of formal and informal science learning within the context of place based learning and the exchange of scientific knowledge and experiences of rural students with informal science educators at some of the nation’s best natural history museums and science technology centres. It is exciting to be part of this effort here in Canada and beyond.
