Updates:
Instructional Tidbits: After our Full STEAM Ahead day yesterday, you might find yourself asking the question, "What is STEAM?" While there isn't always one consistent definition, aside from what the individual letters mean, there is a consensus that this work is important. We know careers in STEAM industries are growing exponentially, and that we do not have enough people to fill the jobs now, much less 10-20 years from now. We know drone pilots and computer science engineers are the top two jobs growing jobs, and the technology is changing faster than people can keep up. We know girls are less likely to be involved in STEAM or lose interest by 8th grade, therefore women are just a fraction of the industry. As we prepare our students for life, we know critical thinking, communication, collaboration, problem solving, risk taking, and failure are vital. STEAM is a way to incorporate those skills, focusing on Design Thinking, and truly answering questions or solving problems that do not have an exact answer or solution. It allows creativity and innovation to come to the forefront so that students can contribute in different ways and different outlets. It integrates the five areas of science, technology, engineering, art, and math in a real world application, so that students aren't just showing their knowledge, but they are demonstrating their skills, strategies, and processes. The great news is we are already doing a lot of this work! One of the Design Team's ideas from our first meeting is that STEAM should be service oriented. In effort to solve real world problems, as stated above, it should be linked to making a difference and helping others. Yesterday, you saw Natalie and her students sharing the story of the necklaces, and the problem solving that came together as they figured out they could just make necklaces here and send the money, which ultimately meant allowing their counterparts in Uganda to keep more money. Five year-olds came up with that. That makes me excited about the future of education and the future, in general. Stay tuned for more on STEAM. If you've volunteered for an Action Team, we'll be in touch soon!
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AuthorI am an elementary Campus Instructional Technologist in Highland Park ISD Archives
May 2017
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