How the BLM Movement Can Spark More Diversity in STEM Programs

On May 26, 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd the day prior, Black Lives Matter protests began in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Since then, protests and riots against police violence have continued, with demands for racial justice. The national outcry has further spread, and individuals, businesses and industries are reevaluating their norms and values. Specifically, diversity in STEM is one field that requires large-scale changes moving forward. 

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As communities across the United States continue the momentum, people are rejecting the idea of going back to "normal." STEM diversity during BLM is a case study of why a new norm needs to come about. 

How Technology Supports Relationships Between Teachers & Students

During the three years my colleagues and I spent researching our book Whole: What Teachers Need to Help Students Thrive, we investigated the unique success stories of schools that were “out-performing their zip code.” Often situated in poor neighborhoods, the one consistent element across these “success outliers” was a culture focused on social and emotional well-being, first for teachers and then for students.Photo by ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Enter COVID-19 and an explosion of stress, emotional challenge, and a distance in space and time between teacher and student. Much of what we understood about schooling changed in a matter of days, including schools’ ability to connect with teachers and students in an emotional, caring, and personalized manner. Technology had to immediately fill the gap, and that need will continue.

How to Sanitize your EdTech Equipment.

In this blog post, we want to show you how to sanitize your EdTech equipment and help to prevent the spread of viruses, germs and bacteria. There are some easy measures to help educators, students, and parents stay healthy. Check it out!

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Making STEM More Engaging and Inclusive

We have a STEM problem in the United States. Once a world leader, the United States currently ranks 27th among developed nations in the number of bachelor’s degrees given in science or engineering. What’s more alarming is that the same research indicates that only around 30 percent of Americans believe that our education system has the capacity to provide young people with the minimum requirements to fill these STEM jobs.

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We contend that these findings are only symptoms of a larger problem with STEM: The current approach to STEM education is far too exclusionary and siloed—a problem that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

FedEx is utilizing robotic arms to sort packages

Image credits: FedEx

FedEx has flirted with robotic technologies before, most notably in the case of Roxo. The delivery robot made its debut in New York City last year, only to get the boot from Mayor Bill de Blasio. These days, however, the prospect of increased automation seems all the more pressing, as COVID-19 has left many reconsidering the human element of the supply chain.

Overcoming Teacher's Fear of Technology

It doesn’t matter if you are a new teacher or a veteran teacher; technology in general can be a bit terrifying. It’s not so much that it’s actually technology. It’s that often, as soon as new technology, software, and programs are released – and mastered – there is suddenly a new, more technically advanced version to learn.

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Then, when you throw in the fact that as teachers we are already crunched for time, so now it’s just one more area to learn, one more thing to add to our never-ending to-do list. And, we are told that we need to connect it/implement it into the students’ learning without training or with little training, so it quickly creates tension and a fear of technology within us.

How to Help Students Get Used to Masks

In many places, students returning to school buildings will be required to wear masks. These strategies can help elementary students adjust.Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash