STEM education is evolving. Educators want more personalization in their classrooms, from more flexible curriculum and environments, more collaboration, and better technology integration. It sounds like a tall order, right? Pitsco Education has the answer with Expeditions. Pitsco’s cloud-based STEM Expeditions promote science inquiry, math practices, and engineering design principles by incorporating STEM concepts into real-world, relevant activities. Each Expedition begins with an Essential Question, which sets the focus and shapes students’ thinking. The overall goal is to create critical thinkers and problem solvers by presenting real-world challenges to engage learners with the subject matter. Students are exposed to career connections woven throughout each
Expedition. Fundamental to the Expeditions learning process are collaboration and teamwork. Students collaborate in pairs and in teams as they seek to answer their Essential Question while recording data in logbooks and data sheets to authenticate their learning. Expeditions are designed to be tailored to teachers and blend teacher-led instruction with student-directed, collaborative activities. These activities guide student exploration through hands-on discovery and experimentation. Activity Resources are delivered in various forms including interactive content, and videos provide instruction, relate procedures, teach concepts, and provide opportunities for practice. This curriculum ensures that teachers can teach and that students will develop the expertise that will benefit them in the classroom and beyond. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing new information regarding Expeditions. Stay tuned for that info! In the meantime, check out this post from Pitsco:
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While catching up on one of our favorite columns, we came across an interesting piece on Makerspaces. A Makerspace is a dedicated space in a school, often in a library, resource room or common area, which encourages creativity and exploration. Outside of a typical classroom, they provide a safe space where students of all ages can build, design and test their own theories. Makerspaces can come in a lot of different forms and contain a host of different tools, but they generally have a few things in common:
A Makerspace can have a huge impact on educational outcomes, but seem like a fun break from the normal classroom routine for your students. Does your school have a Makerspace? Tell us about it – share your Makerspace Best Practices in the comments section! Additional reading from Pitsco Education: FANUC America is inviting all FANUC CERT schools to design the next Project Based Learning (PBL) kit!
The FANUC Advanced Automation Challenge provides a unique opportunity to show us your innovations. FANUC is asking Tomorrow's Innovators to highlight the utilization of robotic automation and technology through Project Based Learning that exemplify STEM learning outcomes. Show us your creative ideas using Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to problem solve real-world challenges and strengthen your STEM knowledge. Great prizes at stake, including: 1st place: (1) FANUC MliA Tabletop robot and (1) $1500 scholarship award 2nd place: (2) Teach Pendants and Conversion Kits, (10) Academic ROBOGUIDE Licenses*, and (1) $500 scholarship award 3rd place: (10) Academic ROBOGUIDE Licenses* and (1) $500 scholarship award Click here for submission guidelines, as well as the official submission form: Many STEM projects focus mainly on the STE-, neglecting the M(ath) component. Meanwhile mathematics proficiency in high school students has fallen to 32% -- disqualifying many graduates from entry-level jobs. Our team of roboticists, engineers, teachers and professors are dedicated to fixing the education system using 21st century technology, bringing math to life and preparing students for their future, ensuring their career and college readiness.
RobotsLAB BOX moves abstract mathematical concepts away from the white board and transforms them into real life demonstrations. Students can see a quadcopter teach quadratic equations, a rover demonstrate angular and linear concepts conversions, and a robotic arm will show you what the word cosine really means. Why Teach Math with RobotsLAB BOX?
Myra Hudson was doing a fine job teaching science in her fifth-grade classroom at Miller Park Elementary School in Omaha, Nebraska. With nearly 15 years of teaching experience, Hudson knew plenty about science, going all the way back to her days as a student in a traditional science lab. In fact, by all accounts, she was an above-average science teacher at the elementary level, where science often is viewed warily by teachers better versed in reading and math. The disruption for Hudson occurred late last school year when she was asked to implement a pilot program of Pitsco elementary science Missions. To say she was skeptical would be an understatement. To say she was eager for the change would be an overstatement. “The science lab I grew up with, there were sinks, Bunsen burners, no carpet, only wood,” said Hudson. “And then I got in here for the training, and I thought, ‘This doesn’t look like a science lab.’” Instead, there were seven four-student workstations with colorful bins of inviting, age-appropriate materials, uniquely laid-out binders with detailed information and assessments set up in “windows” and “intervals,” and a specific role for each member of the Crew: Commander, Information Specialist, Communications Specialist, and Materials Specialist. “Before the professional development, I thought, ‘I don’t see how this is going to tie in to our curriculum.’ I did the Forces Mission by myself because I wanted to see all four roles and how it would work so I could internalize it. It got to the point where it didn’t matter what I thought about it because it’s all about how the kids react to it,” Hudson said. “I thought, ‘Maybe I’m looking at this wrong because of the way I was taught.’ This is a science lab, and they do so much in here.” Read more of the Omaha Public Schools case study here. Finding the right career fit is a challenge most students face and when asked what they want to do professionally when they graduate, the choices can be overwhelming. As a way to ease the transition for students making strides to their prospective career pathway, CEV Multimedia announces the addition of the Career Cluster Interest Inventory (CCII) tool to its comprehensive iCEV platform. The CCII provides assistance to students from eighth grade to higher education during the critical steps of education and career planning. A student completes the interest inventory within a 15- to 20-minute time period and receives information on a career cluster that best fits the student’s interests and skills. Career clusters, 16 groupings of related occupations developed by the U.S. Department of Education, provide essential knowledge and skills to guide in developing programs of study to bridge secondary and postsecondary curriculum. The clusters also assist in creating individual student plans of study for a complete range of career options. "This is an important addition to the CTE curriculum offered through iCEV that will assist students and educators alike in studying and exploring various career paths by identifying an interest pattern based on responses of career and activity related questions," said Dusty Moore, iCEV President. "Additionally, schools value survey tools to gain an understanding of the courses they need to offer to meet their students' needs and career aspirations."
Upon completing the inventory and being matched with a cluster, students are guided to post-secondary information and specific occupations. CCII complements the current iCEV career curriculum nicely as it allows a student to complete the interest inventory, identify their top cluster choices, then dive into the curriculum to watch videos, listen to industry experts via career interviews and complete projects to provide a better understanding of the clusters. After completing the study, students take a post-evaluation survey to see how their work impacted their original decisions. "The Career Cluster Interest Inventory enriches what we can offer to iCEV users and better connects them to the best education path leading towards their career choice," Moore said. "Students are able to look for general information on their career interests, as well as seek specific career titles, the credentials needed and college majors." Developed by CEV Multimedia, iCEV offers practical, interactive learning with professional demonstrations to prepare students for postsecondary education and high-skill, high-demand careers. Educators can quickly monitor, track and engage students directly through the platform’s interactive lessons. Through iCEV, students can also enhance their career training with industry-backed certifications. Every survey tells a story. In December 2015, Moss sent a survey to elementary educators and administrators to gain a better understanding of the state of elementary education, and where they thought STEM fit into the equation. While we anticipated some of the findings (66% of survey respondents indicated STEM was a priority for their district), other findings were not as obvious to us when we sent the survey. A sample of the results:
Read More: We examine the need for STEM education for the youngest students, and provide practical, hands-on solutions. Download a FREE copy of our eBook, A Simple Introduction to Elementary STEM to learn more. "Education has grasped 3D printing in a tremendous way. Teachers around the world are incorporating this technology into their classrooms to inspire students, and to enhance comprehension and learning. Whether students use 3D printing in science, math, arts, or shop classes, the results are the same: they want to learn more; they want to do more. We’ve collected another 10 stories from educators about their incorporation of 3D printing into their classrooms, or learning spaces. By keeping up with technological advancements, they are preparing their students for the future." Afinia has compiled a series of stories about how educators are innovating in the classroom with 3D printing, and we are excited to share it with you! At Moss, we believe 3D printing is a vital component of a well-rounded STEM education, so we love it when we have the chance to share stories of teachers who are using it in the hopes we will be able to inspire others. How do you use 3D printing in your classroom or district? If you have a story to share,you could be featured in the next edition of the eBook! Contact Afinia to share your story with them.
Classroom furniture used to mean student desks with arms on them, arranged any way the teacher wanted on a particular day. (Some days they were in rows, some days in a circle!) We never used to give classroom design much thought or consideration. But, with studies coming out about the importance of the classroom learning environment and the affect it can have on student performance, educators are giving more consideration to furniture design as part of their overall education strategy. The right classroom design complements the right curriculum and enhances the student experience. We’ve done the research for you and developed a list of must-haves for the modern classroom. Classroom Furniture Essentials:
Need ideas? Interior Concepts has put together a Slide Deck of the Top 10 STEM Lab Designs. This presentation includes configuration suggestions and materials appropriate for different room functions. Moss is your one-stop-shop for affordable, reliable, durable classroom furniture. Our Education Specialists can help you customize a furniture solution right for your district.
It’s 2015 – the “future” that Back to the Future dreamed about almost 30 years ago. While we don’t have hover boards or self-lacing tennis shoes, we have made some important advances – especially in the classroom. No class has changed more over the last 30 years than Career and Technical Education. In 1985, Career and Technical Education would have been known as “wood shop” or “metals” or “shop class.” In 2015, CTE classrooms have taken a decidedly different spin – and are a vital part of today’s education. So, what will CTE education look like in the next 30 years? Emphasis on Technology In the next 30 years, CTE will rely more heavily on technology – whether computer coding, robotics, or drafting work, technology will play a significant role in technical education. Hands on will always be important, but the way we deliver hands on education are changing today. In 30 years, we will rely more on 3D virtual reality for our education, where students will be able to learn a wider variety of subjects with a single piece of technology. (The future is closer than we think - check out zSpace for next level technology!) New Innovation In the next 30 years, 3D printing (or additive manufacturing) will be more prominent when designing and developing new models. Students will be familiar with computer design, and have a greater understanding of how math and visual design work together in the design process. Educators will place a greater emphasis on building knowledge and skills early. In the future, math skills will not only be taught in math class, but taught in the CTE wing as well. As a result, students will have a greater understanding of the hands on applications of math (and other STEM subjects). A Greater Umbrella Gone are the days when “CTE” refers only to wood shop. As Career and Technical Education transforms, so do the classes in the CTE wing: CTE can refer to computer programming, to welding, to Business and Marketing, Family and Consumer Science, or Renewable Energy education. In the future, CTE will take on a greater emphasis in career planning and education, making education more customized and efficient for all students. Many schools are already encouraging students to take classes in the CTE wing because it encourages K-12 students to prepare for careers after high school. Through the Test of Time Some technologies are tried and true – and the skills will always be relevant. Skills like welding, laser cutting and engraving, and industrial certification training will stand the test of time. These skills will remain relevant, even though techniques will evolve as the need for these skills changes. Do you need help bringing your CTE programs into the future? Are you looking for ideas to bring your current program into the 21st Century? Our Secondary Education Specialist is here to help – Contact Dan Sorenson for tools and ideas. |
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