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STEM-Centric Career Assessments

Websites to Encourage Tech Learning

August 23rd, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

Mixing up the curriculum and the methods of teaching students is important in maintaining younger students’ interest. These websites offer great alternatives for teaching. This also gives students the opportunity to work with technology – a vital skill for their future. The article offers 5 websites and the topics range from grammar to typing and even a game show style question program. They are free to use and have been effective for Alyssa Nucaro, the 6th grade English teacher who recommends the sites. The influence of technology is everywhere and constantly growing, so incorporating tech in early schooling can benefit students in years to come.

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Stop the Stigma of Women in STEM

August 22nd, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

A female in engineering!? People assume a female student must be extremely gifted to be studying STEM, instead of an average student who has chosen a major based on interest. This can cause major anxiety among female students in STEM, and studies have shown it can hinder the ability of the student to learn. In today’s society, it shouldn’t be shocking that women are in STEM. The stigma can take a toll on female students mental health. They feel like they don’t belong or are not equal to the males. In reality the students are perfectly qualified to be there, however it is a natural desire to assimilate well in their chosen program. The article recommends female students have mentors to aid them in integrating into their male-dominated environment. Soon it will not be anything out of the ordinary for women to be in STEM.

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Students Dismiss STEM Early On

August 10th, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

When are students losing interest in STEM? The answer is earlier than we thought. In a study focused on interest in astrology, scientists found middle school is the time the desire significantly declines. The study was based off of asking students of four different age groups what their interests were, and they wanted to do when they grew up. Categories ranged from taking care of animals to watching science fiction. The results also showed that children are less likely to choose astrology if they had never been star gazing. Proving once more how beneficial and important introducing STEM, especially early on, is to a child’s potential career path. A positive find in the study was proof that even if a student did not pursue Astronomy, an introduction to the subject led them to something else in the STEM field.

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New Movies and TV Introducing STEM

August 9th, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

Youths commonly see something in a movie or on a TV show and say “I want to do that!” or “if she can do it so can I!” There is an incline of science and technology influence, especially with female roles, in the media – a great way to introduce young audiences to STEM careers. For parents, it is essential to encourage and support behavior in STEM if their young children are interested in the subjects. This new wave of STEM in the media will hopefully inspire young females to see strong role models in STEM fields and want to pursue them. Examples such as The Big Bang Theory, The Imitation Game and most recently Ghostbusters, all cast strong female lead roles with STEM jobs. These are the stepping stones to increasing females in STEM.

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Virtual Reality, A Game Changer in the Classroom

July 25th, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

Technology has always been a large part of the classroom, improving learning and allowing curriculum to be taught in unique ways. Virtual Reality (VR) has the power to completely transform the classroom in the coming years and could change the way we educate students. Instead of simply lecturing on the Solar System, for example, VR gives educators the opportunity to visually re-create content for students. The technology is great to boost creativity and exploration, making learning like a real life The Magic School Bus. This article highlights how Virtual Reality was introduced to a classroom in a suburb of Chicago, and the students’ experience with topics they read about in books coming to life.

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Young Inventors Turn Saltwater into Freshwater

July 20th, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

Young learners often ask how to make an impact on the world. As a part of a summer internship at MIT four high school students helped improve the global water shortage by making a portable filtration system that turns salt water into fresh water. The students developed the idea from discussing the tragic water crisis happening in Haiti and they thought they could invent something to help. They were very successful by the end of the program. The students received some assistance from several professionals. However the idea was all their own, which once again proves that youth are very capable of contributing to new technologies in big ways. Young students just need support and opportunities to prove their talents because their ideas are enormously valuable and can make a large impact on the world.

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Invest in Youth Innovators Now!

July 19th, 2016 by Ellen Donnelly

The U.S. is currently 4^th in the world for innovation. However, in order to maintain and increase innovation the country must invest in the younger generation. In a study on innovators, researchers found that students from low income families were less likely to file a patent for an invention than students from high income families. They also found a lack of diversity in this area with white males as the majority. Instead of focusing on getting the most out of current innovators, as the government does now, it should turn to younger generations from diverse backgrounds to inspire new visionaries. Investing in future innovators while they are young will lead to long run economic growth in the U.S.

To read the full article click here.