I recently returned from a presentation at the ASCD National Conference in Houston, which you can download here [Part 1] [Part 2], and one of the themes in the discussions following my presentation was on how to find and reach STEM resources for schools and districts that are interested in getting a STEM initiative going.
Today’s White House Science Fair announcement couldn’t come at a better time. You can read the press release here: [$240 million in new STEM Commitments]. As busy educators, you likely don’t have a lot of time to read through the whole of the announcement, so let me highlight a few areas of interest for you:
– We at STEM Jobs say the same thing: “For years organizations have sponsored the football team, baseball team … it’s time to sponsor math class and reinforce the value of these subjects for our students.
- 3D Systems, the Youth Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), and the Association of Science-Technology Centers are forming a network of libraries and museums focused on 3D digital design and fabrication, which will support increased access to 3D printers and relevant educational materials. The first 100 libraries and museums in this network have been awarded Cube 3D printers, and have committed to run over 1,000 3D printing programs across the United States.
- Aleph Objects will be donating over $30,000 worth of LulzBot 3D printers to schools, libraries, and educational organizations.
- Digital Harbor Foundation, with the Perpetual Innovation Fund, is establishing a new program to provide educators with free 3D printers and training in order to start youth enterprises for 3D printing at their schools. Participants commit to pay forward a portion of the proceeds from these enterprises to other schools to launch their own programs.
- The Exploratorium will offer a free online course during summer 2015 focused on the “how, what, and why” of tinkering and making activities as a follow up to the success of its first course, “The Fundamentals of Tinkering,” which enrolled over 10,000 participants. The Exploratorium is also helping to bring more hands-on STEM learning opportunities to students through the Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
- littleBits is launching a campaign to create local “chapters” in 100 cities by end of 2015, giving students, designers, engineers, and others an easy-to-access peer group of fellow makers in the open hardware community.
- United Negro College Fund, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the White House Initiative on HBCUs, with support from SparkFun Electronics and 3D Hubs, will engage students at more than ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in maker activities. This will include the first-ever Making for Change Showcase, which will highlight innovative solutions to community-based challenges.
- The Urban Libraries Council (ULC) and its public library members are expanding their commitment to making technology-driven STEM education widely available to all students, including through its annual Innovations Initiative which recognizes individual library success and provides a growing database of leading practices.
There’s certainly a lot to consider in the rapidly expanding world of STEM education, which is why we’ve created new resources and training for you. If you haven’t done so yet, check out our free resources via the links below and #DoWhatYouLove!
1. Teacher Training: classroomtrainingseries.stemjobs.com
2. Career Advisement: stemtype.stemjobs.com
3. Student articles: stemjobs.com
How are high schools involved in this initiative. High schools, including ours, constantly feel left out of the conversation and funding with most of the conversations and funding happening at the post-secondary level when much more emphasis should be place at the high schools level. For example: inviting public high schools like ours that are at the cutting edge of STEM curriculum and industry partnerships, high schools like our that have a state-of-the-art “Maker Lab”, high schools like ours that have created a non-profit research & development firm where teachers, students and private industry come together and work collaboratively while teaching students how to start and run a business as well as conduct research and development with the latest technologies and experts.
If you would like to discuss our ideas further, please contact us at: innovationdreamartstechnology@gmail.com
or halem@portlandschools.org or
Great comment – I think you’re on to a very good point. When best practices are listed – it is usually the para-school organization that gets the most praise and recognition. We’d love to learn more about the work you’re doing and will be in touch.