Create a Makerspace for Your School in 5 Easy Steps

If you’re ready to foster your students’ curiosity by creating a makerspace on a budget, we’ve got you covered!

Learning should remain authentically connected to the real world, and the Maker Movement exemplifies that while encouraging creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Progressive New York City educator Angelo Patri said, “The substitution of direct experiences for indirect ones leads nowhere.” 

5 Ways to Get Girls into STEM

As a society, we learn about the world and advance our well being through science and engineering. The United States may be known around the world for its higher education, but compared to many other leading and steadily emerging countries, we lack a strong focus on educating scientists and engineers. One significant reason that we have fallen behind is that we do not encourage our female students to pursue career paths in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

We Can’t Predict the Jobs of the Future, But We Know What STEM Skills Matter

What do a drone operator, genetic counselor, and data miner all have in common? None of these jobs existed five years ago, and all of them will likely transform again in the next five years. The crystal ball for career planning is decidedly less certain than it was in the past. By some estimates, 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet, and there are number of STEM skills that will help students be successful.

4 benefits of 3D printing for schools

With the growing importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects, 3D printing has taken on greater interest in schools across the world.

So what benefits can this technology offer schools in the new year?

Computational Thinking Across the Curriculum

As defined by Jeannette Wing, computational thinking is “a way of solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior by drawing on the concepts of computer science.” To the students at my school, it’s an approach to tackling challenging questions and ambiguous puzzles. We explicitly integrate computational thinking into all of our classes, allowing students to draw parallels between what they’re learning and how they’re approaching problems across all disciplines.

Our students rely on four computational thinking skills, as well as a set of essential attitudes.

Closing the STEM Gender Gap in K-12 Education: How Teachers Can Help

It is, unfortunately, no surprise that the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) still exists – from primary school right up through STEM-related careers. Recent reports call attention, once again, to the statistics: women earn disproportionately fewer STEM undergraduate degrees; women hold nearly 50% of all jobs in the US, but less than 25% of the STEM jobs; women with STEM degrees are more likely to work in education or healthcare than their male counterparts.

The Benefits of a STEM Education

In a job economy driven by rapidly changing technology, it’s more important than ever that our schools foster a love of learning. Starting our students on a steady dose of STEM curriculum in elementary primes them to become the inquisitive kiddos that lead to ambitious adults.

How To Use Robots in Education

Would you rather learn from a robot teacher or a human teacher?

The use of robots is rapidly becoming more commonplace all around us – in our workplaces, our homes, and soon even in our schools.

Although the use of robots is quite new in the field of education, some experts predict that within the next ten years they will be regularly used in classrooms around the world.

Education is one of the areas of society on which artificial intelligence has the potential to make the most positive impact.  AI tutors could help students significantly with their learning processes, could also provide teachers with valuable information about how students learn, as well as recommendations on how to better personalize each student’s learning experience.

8 Tips for Gearing Up to Teach STEM

So, you’re going to be teaching STEM? That’s great! You may be a first-time STEM teacher, or perhaps you’re an experienced STEM teacher eager to add new energy and pizzazz to your lessons. In either case it’s time to roll up your sleeves and dive in to learning, planning, and preparing. I’m guessing that one question you have is: How can I plan and organize to make my STEM classes successful?

The questions listed here might help you think through some STEM issues.

5 Hot Engineering Jobs for Grads

Engineering graduates can look forward to working in an innovative and lucrative occupation in a variety of fields, ranging from computers to materials to machines. Positions requiring technical skills, such as those in computer science, engineering and information technology, have higher average salaries than those in other fields. In addition, some of the fastest growing careers are in engineering.