The Maths Within… Robots

There is lots of maths in robots! Think of almost any of the clever things robots can do, its maths that makes it happen.

5 Ways To Use Drones In The Classroom: Cherishing Students' Passion For Technology

Mobile devices may have enabled the breakthrough of disruptive technology in modern classroom, but new gadgets keep enriching the possibilities to engage students in more interactive classes.

Alongside smartphones and tablets, a number of new devices have entered a classroom – from smart boards to VR headsets, a wide range of tech inventions have helped reinvent traditional teaching methods. Among the latest tech trends, the use of drones has become a widespread among photographers, journalists, farmers, police officers and many others. For teachers, using drones in the classroom open up a new set of opportunities to make classes more relevant and engaging for students.

How can drones be integrated into your curriculum?

6 Ways 3D Printing Helps Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills

To thrive in the 21^st century our students need to be able to collaborate effectively with others, identify and develop innovative solutions to problems and challenges, and know how to think creatively and critically.

So, what is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and logically and to apply reasoning processes to ideas and situations. Critical thinkers ask questions and challenge information they are presented with. They seek to understand information from a range of perspectives, rather than jumping to conclusions and taking everything at face value.

Here we will look at ways that 3D design and printing can help our students develop these skills.

What makes a STEM teacher?

Developing identities of STEM teachers at emerging STEM schools

What kind of picture of a STEM teacher do you have? El Nagdi and colleagues attempted to answer this question by conducting a study with participants of emerging STEM schools in the US, published in the International Journal of STEM Education. Since STEM schools are a recent initiative, a STEM teacher is a learning, developing and multi-disciplinary-oriented not yet defined kind of person.

Why Children Have To Learn The Importance Of Robotics And Coding

Robotics and coding are just some of the many ideas that are reserved for the technically-inclined adults. But is it possible to teach these concepts to our kids these days? Are their innocent minds able to handle the complexities of computer science?

Read further as we are going to discuss some reasons why children have to learn the importance of robotics and coding.

8 Ways for Old School Teachers to Embrace Technology

Technology only became the in-thing in the classroom environment recently. Previously it was used to enhance learning systems and lesson plans, but the actual learning was based on books. Teachers who entered the profession in recent years have had a hard time embracing technology mostly because many of them lack training in new technologies and are not sure how technology may affect their lesson delivery. Here are eight ways old school teachers can embrace technology.

Getting students excited about STEM

Many school districts struggle with how to expand students’ interest, excitement, and achievement in STEM. Without the right approach, however, the result is often random acts of STEM that do little to show students how fascinating or relevant these subjects really are.

Unlike the science and math classes of yesteryear, STEM is not about reading from textbooks or memorizing facts and formulas. STEM is about doing. It’s about helping students to develop a deep understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and giving them ample opportunities to apply that learning. Creativity, communication, and innovation are essential pillars of this journey.

Here are a few of the strategies we’ve implemented to give students hands-on, inquiry-based STEM learning experiences that are preparing them for college and careers.

4 Things All Project-Based Learning Teachers Should Do

Gone are the days when students were expected to sit passively at desks while teachers lectured endlessly, expecting children to soak up the information being thrown at them.

In today’s educational environment, students are expected to collaborate, think critically, and work together to develop innovative projects and answers to complex questions. To support this mission, many schools have begun to take part in a practice known as Project-Based Learning (PBL).

PBL allows teachers to expose students to a wide variety of 21^st Century skills, and allows students to interact with curriculum in a way that is engaging, authentic, and fun!

Making a shift from traditional forms of learning to PBL can be challenging. PBL can require a lot of prep work on the part of the teacher. But the gains in student engagement and achievement are immeasurable. Here are four steps to help you create a Project Based-Learning classroom.

Here’s how to encourage more girls to pursue science and math careers

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. In the field of engineering, for example, women earned fewer than 20 percent of doctorates in 2014.

Such gaps, however, are not the result of differences in intellectual ability. Girls currently make up over half of the United States’ gifted student population. If girls have the smarts needed for success in STEM, then what factors explain why they don’t pursue education and careers in these fields?

Teaching STEM This Fall? Here Are Some Things To Do in July

In my years teaching middle school science, summer was always an ideal time to kick back and let my mind drift over events of the previous school year. Inevitably, ideas for changes and improvements drifted to the surface as I thought about what went great and not so well.

Since STEM is a relatively new initiative, summer is the ideal time to think through some ways to ratchet up your success in the coming school year. And if you’re a new STEM teacher, this is a perfect time to dive in and wrap your head around what you’ll be doing so you’ll get off to a great STEM start.

Here are some of my suggestions for what you could be doing in July to prepare for the beginning of school in August or September.