Future generations will need to have robust skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) — and computer programming will be paramount. Coding-related jobs are expected to make up two-thirds of all STEM occupations in the near future, but the competition for seats in leading university computer science programs is already incredibly fierce.

That makes STEM education starting as early as pre-kindergarten a necessity. But the importance of teaching coding to kids goes beyond future employment prospects: it also teaches invaluable life skills.

“Teaching coding is a great way to promote problem-solving, creativity, and math-related learning for students,” said David Dimmett, Ed.D, president and chief executive officer of Project Lead The Way, a nonprofit organization developing STEM school curricula. “It promotes logical thinking and helps students better understand the technology and applications that are so prominent in our lives today.”

Coding for the future

“Students are using computer science in their daily lives, and they may not even realize it,” said Dimmett, noting the prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in products like Alexa or using apps for health and wellness. “Today, coding is an essential skill.”

While the ability to thoughtfully engage with the technology that’s increasingly fundamental to everyday life is important, the skills gained through early STEM education can be applied to almost any aspect of life. Learning to code also teaches problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-confidence.

“Helping students understand and use these concepts will increase the likelihood of success in school and life beyond the classroom,” Dimmett said.

Practical application

The key to STEM in classrooms lies in offering students a practical way to apply their learnings. For example, Project Lead The Way’s computer science curriculum is based on activities and projects that solve problems and let children engage in real-life challenges. The in-class environment begins with visual, block-based programming that communicates the fundamental concepts of coding in ways that are universally understandable.

Building on that foundation, the program transitions students to text-based programming using common languages like Python. Students use these skills to build real apps and websites, but also more creative projects, like creating animations from short stories or designing prosthetic devices.

“This practical application helps students retain what they’ve learned and apply it to other experiences,” Dimmett noted. “It starts with breaking down a problem into smaller, more manageable pieces, and then creating algorithms or a specific sequence of actions to solve each of these smaller problems — approaching the problem using methodical steps to produce a desired result. This could be solving a math problem, baking a dessert, planning an event with friends, sorting or searching in documents or a spreadsheet, using a specific algorithm to figure out how much to tip at a restaurant, or even thinking up a strong password.”

Professional development

Just as important as introducing students to coding and other STEM skills is empowering the educators that implement these programs. Project Lead The Way, for example, offers professional development for teachers that provides training, resources, and support. More than 80,000 teachers have utilized those resources to create collaborative spaces for interdisciplinary learning in their classrooms.

“With PLTW’s Core Training, educators receive a dynamic and best-in-class professional development experience,” Dimmett said. “We offer support and comprehensive classroom resources to help teachers focus their time and attention on engaging and inspiring students.”

Dimmett sums up coding and STEM’s importance succinctly. “These skills are essential for all students in the modern world,” he said. “Learning to apply computer science and STEM skills enriches students’ lives every day in class — and beyond — giving them immediate advantages in how to analyze data and optimize daily tasks, and puts students in position for the most in-demand careers in the future.”

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That’s compared to about 14% for all jobs, data suggest. STEM jobs include roles like mathematicians, nuclear engineers, biological scientists, and healthcare practitioners. 

It’s clear to see opportunities in STEM abound.

Yet, Brian Galvin, chief academic officer at Varsity Tutors, knows firsthand the real barriers to students pursuing fields of study in STEM.

Galvin referred to 2017 Pew Research data in which more than half of adults surveyed reported not pursuing STEM because “it’s hard.” 

That’s not untrue, Galvin pointed out, but the good news is students and their parents have tools at their disposal to make STEM more approachable. 

Embracing an exploratory attitude

Mistakes and disproven hypotheses are givens when working in STEM — anyone who works in these fields is well aware.  But for novices in STEM, these realities “can often feel like a battlefield of rejection,” Galvin said. 

You have to seek and tease out the successes in those failed experiments and wrong answers, Galvin said. But to do that, individual attention — namely from tutors — is essential.

“Tutors can find that understandable but pivotal mistake and both correct and celebrate it (‘you were so close and I can totally see why you did this’),” Galvin said. “They can create follow-up tasks for students to apply lessons and feel immediate successes. And they can ultimately steer STEM from a stressful right-or-wrong experience to an enjoyable exploration.”

Turning confusion into confidence

STEM can easily feel like an inaccessible, foreign language, Galvin said. That’s because its principles don’t show up in obvious ways in daily life, like names in history — think Roosevelt or Lincoln — do in places like on street signs and businesses.

“STEM,” he said, “hits students with a double-whammy: To understand the concepts, they often need to sift through unfamiliar notation and vocabulary. And if they struggle to even know what they’re reading or looking at, it’s easy to give up hope of actually understanding it.”

Again, that’s where tutoring can help. Tutors know when a student needs a breather from jargon, and can instead offer a real-world example for how the concept might play out. Tutors can also act as memory refreshers, reminding students what specific previously taught symbols or words mean, so that they can grasp the subject at hand now.

“The personal attention and expertise of a tutor can make sure the intimidating syntax of STEM doesn’t block understanding and get in the way of curiosity,” Galvin added.

Galvin also notes that a critical aspect of STEM is that it builds upon itself. This creates two critical needs for personalized intervention:

1. Identifying when someone has fallen behind 

“You can get clobbered by Shakespeare and it won’t affect your ability to read Steinbeck and Twain,” he said. “But if you’re not comfortable with algebra, you won’t be comfortable with higher-level math or physics classes. STEM subjects tend to follow a firm prerequisite path, so it’s critical that learners identify and fill gaps quickly. Falling behind simply makes catching up harder.”

2. Helping students see the trees first, so they can see the forest later

“As students grapple with the challenges of seemingly binary wrong answers, inaccessible notation and language, and a need to build skills that don’t quite connect to anything useful just yet, the attention of a tutor to build those connections to personal interests — to show that really incredible payoffs are coming — can be  instrumental in building and maintaining the persistence necessary to stick with STEM,” Galvin added.

As for those who come out on the other side with a career in STEM? They learn to love the very things about it they perceived as a challenge from the beginning. 

“It’s a process of trial-and-error and the coming together of various branches of knowledge to solve big problems,” Galvin said. “With some personalization and extra attention, what at first seems frustrating can become fascinating instead. STEM subjects just need a bit of extra support.”

The post Why Tutoring Is the Key to Getting More Students Into STEM appeared first on Education and Career News.

PreK-12 educators can play a crucial role in closing gaps and creating a more inclusive, equitable STEM workforce. One way to provide all students with opportunities to build their knowledge, skills, and confidence is to de-silo STEM education.

Most real-world problems require interdisciplinary approaches. Integrating science, technology, engineering, and math allows students to see how the subjects they are studying apply in real-world applications.

Having students participate in hands-on activities is a great way to de-silo STEM and spark their interest early. These practical experiences show girls and boys that anyone can do STEM. Digital platforms, such as STEMscopes, can also help teachers support inquiry-based learning and cross-curricular connections in any learning environment.

Another way to break down barriers is to expose students to career connections and diverse role models. This not only makes STEM more relevant, but it helps them see themselves in these fields.

Since most subjects are currently taught separately, de-siloing STEM will require new pedagogical approaches. Professional learning for teachers can ease the transition. Organizations, such as the National Institute for STEM Education, can help with STEM certification programs for teachers and schools, and just-in-time online courses and micro certificates.

All students are capable STEM learners. De-siloing STEM means seeing these subjects for what they are — part of an integrated whole. By creating connections, educators can cultivate a sense of belonging and close STEM gaps for girls and underrepresented groups. Building a diverse, inclusive STEM talent pipeline is essential to solving the world’s most pressing problems. Today’s STEM learner is tomorrow’s STEM leader.

Learn more at stemscopes.com/desilo-stem-education.

The post Tear Down Silos to Get More Girls in STEM appeared first on Education and Career News.

What made you want to pursue a career in educational leadership?

I decided to pursue a career in educational leadership because I have been in and out of the classroom for about 18 years, and although I love it, I am ready to step into an administrative position. I will hopefully not only get to help students but also teachers grow. I enjoy the personal relationships with students and staff and feel like I can use my strengths to reach a wider range of people. 

How has being in a program prepared you for your future career?

The University of Cincinnati’s online Master of Education in Educational Leadership program has been instrumental in my growth as I am trying to make a transition from classroom to administrative office. I have always enjoyed learning and constantly look for ways to improve my teaching to help my students, and this program has helped me take the next step in becoming the leader of a staff, students, and community. I appreciated the organized structure of the program from the beginning and the wide variety of classes that will make me feel more confident to address the needs of a school.

Most of all, Dr. McCauley was so great at supporting all of the students. He understood the demands of working full time and having a family, while encouraging us to get the most out of the program that we could. I feel the hands-on experiences were the most beneficial: scenarios to consider and discuss with my mentor principal, observing another principal in a different district, participating in observations, interviewing other staff members, and leading my master’s project. It was definitely a lot of work, but two classes at a time was manageable. Dr. McCauley was great at communicating and that helped me stay on schedule so I could arrange for the out of school experiences in a timely manner. My goal was to gain the necessary information and experiences to lead a school successfully and I think I achieved that through this program.

How do you plan to implement things you’ve learned as an educational leader?

There is so much that I will implement, but here are some of the things that come to mind: creating a collaborative culture; building relationships; supporting staff; instilling high expectations; having the confidence to have difficult conversations if necessary; make school-wide decisions based on the vision and mission; use data to make decisions, hire, and retain quality teachers; support new teachers and help them grow; advocate for equity; follow the law to meet student needs; recognize staff strengths and build on them; and most of all, grow students socially, emotionally, and academically. I know my success will depend on my relationships and the culture that is established, so my first priority will be to observe and learn what is already there and how we can make it even better as a team. 

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At only 14, I had already been exposed to the backhand comments of boys in my program who felt I was lesser than them. I wanted to prove them wrong and show them that girls could do robotics too, but losing this match felt like I had played into their negative beliefs.

A love for STEM

At times like this, it felt impossible to advance in robotics, a field I had found so much passion and love for. My realization that I was born a left-brained thinker is what stopped me from giving up. I like logic,facts, and simplicity. It’s the reason I love STEM. Everything surrounding it has a foundation firmly grounded in reality.

Some people are born wanting to be artists or musicians, but I was born with a craving to find solutions to problems. That “aha!” moment provides the same rush to my body as does caffeine. From what I have come to learn, the life of an engineer is filled with a plethora of these “aha!” moments. It was this exact motivation that urged me to never give up my commitment to STEM and beyond.

Keeping up the fight

Since that initial loss, I’ve competed at quite a few more robotics matches. I’m currently the co-captain of a team called Prototype G. This year, Prototype G won the Inspire Award at the first Tech Challenge Regional Qualifier, competing against some of the same students who had earlier doubted our abilities to win. The coolest part? Prototype G is an all-female team.

I’m so glad that I didn’t let one defeat keep me from pursuing my passion for robotics. If you are interested in finding robotics or other STEM resources near you, be sure to follow @Girls.Collaborative on Instagram.

The post How a Passion for STEM Led This Student to Robotics appeared first on Education and Career News.

So how can parents support future scientists — their children — now? Extended school closures paired with summer break provides parents with a unique opportunity to further their children’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning at home.

For parents looking to actively engage their children in meaningful and continuous STEM learning while children are not physically in school, it is important to:

• Understand science standards: What concepts and content should children learn at different grade levels? The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K-12 set the expectations for what children should know and be able to do at each grade. Just like teachers in the classroom, knowing the standards will help you design appropriate learning experiences for your children at home while ensuring they stay on track with grade-level expectations. There are even NGSS parent guides available to help.
• Know proper safety protocols: What simple steps can you take to ensure your home is conducive to safe science exploration? When it comes to investigations — whether in a classroom lab or at home — safety should be the No. 1 priority. For parents, James Palcik, Director of Safety, Compliance, and Education at Flinn Scientific, says knowing the outcome of any given investigation is important so that they can understand potential hazards, take necessary precautions, and plan accordingly. He suggests watching an online tutorial or demo of the investigation before testing it out for the first time at home.
• Make real-world connections: How can you help your children make meaningful connections? How can you connect STEM learning to everyday life? From gardening to cooking to coding activities, there are many ways to tie scientific concepts to activities that students enjoy. This resource from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) suggests asking open-ended science questions during grocery trips or park visits, taking apart (and reassembling) old toys or appliances, and more.
• Utilize readily-available resources: What videos, labs, and digital solutions can you easily access for free? Answer: a lot. Many education companies have curated collections of resources to help support at-home learning. For example, Flinn has a library of free science activities available that utilize common household items such as dish detergent and straws, as well as a video lab series with scientists and more. Many local museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums are also releasing fun and engaging at-home activities for children to complete at home. For example, the Maryland Science Center has DIY experiments teaching children how to make Alka-Seltzer fireworks and butterfly feeders, just to name a few.

These four best practices will help parents both engage their children in STEM at home as well as ensure children are prepared for when they return to the science classroom. Remember, parents: with science, the possibilities are endless.

The post How Parents Can Instill a Love of Science in Children appeared first on Education and Career News.

Ashley Telman

Master of Science in Early Childhood Education (Campus, Licensure), Erikson Institute

What made you want to pursue a career in early childhood education?

I began my career teaching adult education, mostly with English language learners, and just loved working with learners and their families. Through a position in a research laboratory, I learned about the power of education in the earliest years, when the brain is still developing, and realized that I could play a key role in the lives of young children, families, and even communities by pursuing early childhood education.

How has being in a program prepared you for your future career?

Erikson’s programs use early childhood development as a lens for considering policy and practice. The coursework requires you to consider theory, policy, and practice based on what research tells us about how children learn and grow. I’m certain that Erikson’s programs will challenge students at any point in their career to reflect on their role and practices as they work with children, families, and policymakers.

What advice can you give to other students who are considering a career in early childhood education?

If I could share any piece of advice with others considering the same career path, it would be to find a program like Erikson’s, one that emphasizes development, evidence-based practices, and reflection in all of its courses. Find a program that recognizes the power of relationships and creates a cohort of learners to challenge and support you. Then get started and get out there. We need you.

Kathryn “Katie” Suriano

Master of Science in Early Childhood Education (Online, Non-licensure), Erikson Institute

What made you want to pursue a career in early childhood education?

When I was an undergrad, I completed an internship working with and researching a population of “high-risk” teen girls. I learned that many of these young girls would struggle with incarceration, drugs, teen pregnancy, mental illness, and several other problems. I felt that working with young children would allow me to help to change the trajectory of their lives, especially those who come from low-income or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

How has being in a program prepared you for your future career?

Erikson’s program has prepared to address the range of challenges that I will face in our increasingly diverse classrooms and to advocate for my students’ needs, taking into account their unique cultures and contexts. Through this program, I have learned to apply principles from the early childhood literature and research in ways that help me to critically examine and ultimately better my own practice.

What advice can you give to other students who are considering a career in early childhood education?

If you love a challenge and love to keep learning, this is the field for you. Working with young children is such a joy and so much fun. It is also challenging, but it is never boring. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Today, some may discourage you to follow your passion to teach, but I think it has been one of the best decisions I have made. 

Ron Anderson Grady

Master of Science in Early Childhood Education (Online, Non-licensure), Erikson Institute

What made you want to pursue a career in early childhood education?

Early childhood fascinated me because of the deep complexity underlying what appear to be the simplest processes in a young child’s life — saying words, choosing playmates, moving crayons across paper. It is also the ultimate intersection of art, science, psychology, community advocacy, and many more — and, what’s more, each day I am able to celebrate the beauty of children’s lived experiences and to work with them to make these as rich and fulfilling as possible.

How has being in a program prepared you for your future career?

The beauty of this program is that throughout your coursework you are invited to consider both contemporary and broader historical trends, issues, and developments in the field while drawing upon your own experiences as well as the experiences of peers in diverse sectors of this field. You are learning, collaboratively, and for real life. It is challenging and nuanced in the way of the real world.

What advice can you give to other students who are considering a career in early childhood education?

I would, above all, encourage them to embrace the profession with a wide lens. There are many possibilities in early childhood: teaching, advocacy, consulting, research, policy, or any combination of those. Do not be afraid to dream up your own path — the field is rife with opportunity and need for educated, qualified professionals and intellectuals — namely, anything is waiting for you.

The post Why You Should Pursue a Master’s in Early Childhood Education appeared first on Education and Career News.

Resources for success

Each month, NMSI coaches and AP Chemistry teachers from across Martin’s school district meet in an online forum to discuss lessons, resources, struggles, and successes in the classroom.

Before joining the online cohort, Martin knew the answer to chemistry questions but couldn’t always clearly explain to students why it was the answer. Through the regular online check-ins, the teacher at M.E. Stilwell School of the Arts in Jonesboro, Georgia, says it’s given her “confidence in myself and the content. Before, I had the ‘this is just what it is.’ Now, I have the why and the how, and that makes a difference to the kids.”

Online learning

Online delivery is not new for NMSI, which is building on its experience to maintain and grow supports for students, teachers, and school systems across the country. Thousands of teachers and students who were scheduled for in-person sessions this spring received NMSI’s online-only trainings and study supports that are live and recorded.

NMSI’s interactive, live online student supports feature a coach providing time to study and review content for the AP exam. Gina Ruiz-Houston, an AP Physics teacher at Barbara Goleman Senior High in Miami Lakes, Florida, says the NMSI online student supports offered this spring have “helped tremendously. They present a normal human being in a normal situation bringing normal to a drastic situation we’re having right now.”

To help educators as they continue to adjust to online learning, NMSI also offers a set of free video lessons in math, science, and English. NMSI’s free lessons are available via YouTube and include work that students can do to apply what they have learned. 

Creating inspiration

John Urschel, a former lineman for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, said he provided a video for the project because he wants to inspire more students to understand and appreciate math. 

“Math is foundational to everything in our lives, and I’m happy to do what I can to show young people that they can be successful in it,” said Urschel, author of “Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football.” “I’m also happy to provide help to teachers and to families struggling to deliver online education. It’s a challenging time, but we’ll get through it together.” 

Along with Urschel, NMSI’s video lessons come from teachers from across the country who each have a record of successfully preparing students for college. Those and hundreds of other teachers help NMSI deliver two of the nonprofit’s primary programs.  

Helping teachers

The Laying the Foundation program helps teachers (grades 3-12) prepare students for rigorous high school courses. The flagship College Readiness Program supports AP® teachers and students and helps school systems provide more equitable access to advanced courses. 

NMSI also supports students of military members through its Military Families Mission. It increases access to computer science education and helps prepare pre-service STEM teachers through a partnership with the UTeach Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. 

Mentioning NMSI’s philosophy to give all students an opportunity to take advanced courses, Ruiz-Houston says that it’s “beautiful NMSI is trying to help the kids who didn’t consider themselves as important enough to be scientists. Those are the people who change the world because it was hard for them, and they persevered.”

Founded in 2007, NMSI is a Dallas-based nonprofit that has reached more than 2 million students and 50,000 teachers across the country through in-person, online-only, and blended services. Find out more at nms.org.  

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The early gender divide

Research on students’ self-efficacy in math and science subjects shows a startling reality: girls and boys begin developing gender stereotypes and self-selecting out of these subjects as early as second grade. By the time girls reach high school, they make up only 25 percent of students pursuing science and engineering pathways. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 2015 women earned fewer than 19 percent of bachelor’s degrees in engineering.

Childhood experiences matter

What these startling statistics tell us is that the biggest threat to gender diversity in STEM disciplines is not lack of interest, but rather self-selection out due to a lack of early, engaging experiences. To address this and engage more high-school-aged girls in STEM, we must provide formal and informal STEM educational experiences as early as kindergarten, continuing all the way through high school. Girls who have early exposure to high-quality, relevant STEM experiences build confidence and begin to see themselves as scientists and engineers. This is especially important for girls who may not traditionally consider earning a college degree, much less a degree in engineering or science.

Supporting teachers

A critical component of this solution is providing teachers with the training and ongoing support to effectively facilitate these experiences. Quality professional development for early childhood educators should include the building of content knowledge within the STEM disciplines, training around how to serve as a facilitator of project- and problem-based learning experiences, and support and training to help students gain in-demand transportable skills such as communication, creative problem-solving and collaboration.

The role of parents

Parents play a critical role addressing this issue, but they don’t need a background in science or engineering to do so. They simply need to believe their daughters can become scientists, engineers and computer scientists. They can build confidence and provide support as their girls form opinions about who they are and who they want to become. Parents can also advocate for early STEM education in their schools.

With earlier experiences in STEM subjects, as well as the support of educators and parents, we can address the gender divide and make real improvements in the number of girls who are interested in pursuing STEM-related careers.

The post Engaging Girls in STEM Starts in Kindergarten appeared first on Education and Career News.

Engage

NASA designed the website more than a decade ago to engage young learners using space-related content, information and activities that are safe, educational and fun. In addition to the reliable, fact-based information provided, visitors to the site can play games, do puzzles and answer trivia questions, all while learning the basic tenets of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

Interactive features are packaged into five progressive skill set levels, allowing for both challenges and successes that keep the audience wanting more. At Level 1, students use observational skills to solve puzzles and challenges. By Level 5, they are learning about the planets in our solar system and what properties make each unique.

Keeping up-to-date

There are modules on Orion, NASA’s next-generation spacecraft that will take astronauts farther than ever before: airplanes and flight; stars and how their brightness and temperature vary; the components that make up a rocket. New activities are featured on a weekly basis.

NASA Kids’ Club has something for everyone, whether you’re a kid or just a kid at heart. Now in Space is a regular feature that highlights the current Expedition crew living and working aboard the International Space Station, 250 miles above Earth.

From virtual to historical

In March 2015, American astronaut Scott Kelly began a yearlong stay on the space station. That has never been done before, and the agency is hoping to gain valuable insight on the effects of long-duration spaceflight on humans. This will be essential as NASA prepares to send future crews to Mars and other destinations in our solar system.  

By taking young students along on these virtual journeys, NASA hopes to spark their interest in exploration and inspire them to pursue STEM studies, and eventually STEM careers. They are America’s next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers—and the beginning of their journey of discovery is just one click away.

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