You may have heard that we will be participating in the upcoming Cambridge Science Festival next week and even hosting a few events on Wednesday and Thursday. Science and the rest of the STEM subjects are the key to today’s students developing the hands-on skills they will need to succeed in the future, so we feel it’s imperative to do what we can so that educators have an idea and an advantage when it comes to this kind of transformational education. Our workshops are sold out, but we’ll let everyone know how they go!
Modernizing Science Education for Modern Times
Recently, much has been made about the balance between powerful in-class technology and its correlation to teaching required educational standards. It seems, for one reason or another, that it’s increasingly difficult to get the two aligned so that the technology is actually helping illustrate the concepts that students need to be learning. If there was ever a subject in which integrating technology might just work out, that subject might just be science. There are so many ways to employ EdTech in science classrooms or labs so that students may actually witness concepts like conductivity or acceleration rather than reading about it. Technology helps bring science alive in a way that both teachers and students will love.
One of the biggest ways that technology can help in the science classroom is by simply generating a buzz. Unfortunately, many students today—especially the younger ones—just are not interested in the core principles of science. They might not know it, but they all have what it takes to absorb and enjoy the material that’s being discussed and technology can help in both of these areas. They won’t so much care (or even fully realize it), but many of today’s jobs require an understanding of STEM areas even if they are not directly tied to a science field. To that end, it’s getting more important every year that students receive a high-quality science education and, thanks to EdTech products as well as an Educator Discount, it has become easier to give it to them.
Project-based and inquiry-based learning facilitate a deeper level of engagement by placing students directly in the role of a scientist. In some states, the adoption of modified and modernized science standards has begun and have already challenged schools to raise the bar on what students need to know. On the other side, it also raises the bar for what they are capable of doing in their classes. By integrating tech tools into course work, students are more apt to realize the connection between core scientific ideas and big-picture concepts. Instruction should focus more on exposing kids to hands-on experimentation and real-world applications of science. This emphasizes the development of problem-solving skills and encourages productive failure in a way that traditional learning does not. That is what the heart of modern science education is all about.
Eliminating Science Achievement Gaps in K-12 Education
Did you know that some of the STEM achievement gaps can start developing as early on as kindergarten? As some students display a knack for science, plenty of others are left to wonder what’s going on in the classroom on a daily basis. While, at this time in a child’s life, it’s not prominent—sometimes not even noticeable—it will catch up to them down the road. Research has shown that kindergarten children’s basic world knowledge is the strongest predictor of their general first grade knowledge, which, in turn, gives a general indication of their future abilities when it comes to science. In other words, a students’ ability to engage in and absorb basic science concepts in kindergarten could be a real tell for how they will perform down the road.
We’re not saying that kindergarten students should be learning with technology all the time, but, with this evidence at hand, it certainly may be in everybody’s best interest to give it a try. Over time, this gap will widen if not addressed adequately at the earliest stage possible. The research suggests that the reason for this ongoing struggle is a lack of knowledge about the natural world, i.e. a lack of hands-on exposure to realistic learning experiences. Educational technology not only provides these hands-on opportunities, it facilitates and enhances them, building tiny problem solvers with an increased likelihood to look for creative solutions.
These achievement gaps are sometimes caused by factors that these young kids simply cannot control, such as economic, racial and geographical variables. One thing we can work to reduce, however, is the economic variable. Technology tends to get expensive—there’s no doubt about that—and, for public schools, who struggle to concoct a conducive budget every year, the last thing they’re thinking about is spending more money. Educator Discount programs are the best way to ease this burden. Many educational resellers (including THIS ONE!) offer educational pricing on the tools that students need to build vital skills for the future. Discounts on some items range well over 50 percent and all you have to do to qualify is be a part of the academic community—parent, teacher, student, administrator, whatever. Technology has been proven to help kids beat the adversity they’re handed. It’s an ideal solution to solving the achievement gap problem in science before it fully evolves and really sets kids behind.
Keeping Up With the Science
Call them science labs, makerspaces, fab labs or whatever you’d like, but it’s getting harder and harder to deny that there’s a large change taking place in what we all used to collectively refer to as the science lab. When you think of science labs, the traditional vision is tables grouped together so kids can perform experiments together, some outdated posters on the wall, and not much else. Maybe a beaker or two. Why, we ask, are lab supplies not changing to adapt to modern times, especially when the tools available are so, well, awesome? Long are we past the days of Bunsen burner experiments and tadpole ecosystems—it’s time to use this modern technology to interactively illustrate conductivity, circuitry and acceleration and bring learning alive.
Not only are these outdated activities essentially meaningless today, they can even be dangerous. It’s a fact that around the world, school science labs are not keeping up with the times and the futures of K-12 students are jeopardized as a result. Part of the reason that so many science labs are outdated is because new technology appears almost faster than schools can get a hold of it. And, if they do get their hands on it, it’s often obsolete by the time they know how to use it. There’s no need to go for the expensive and highly complex stuff, though. Keeping it simple is just as beneficial to giving kids the science education they need and deserve.
Updating the world’s K-12 science labs with up-to-date facilities and equipment should be a priority for the entire education community. With Maker Education reaching its peak, it’s even possible to combine the lab and the library into a full-scale Future Ready makerspace so that students aren’t faced with the risk of developing inadequate STEM skills. The real world is made up of science—and technology is everywhere. How can we expect today’s students to be prepared for their future jobs if they can’t learn in ways in which they will soon be required? Grab your proverbial lab coat because it’s time that states and districts revisit the importance of innovative, hands-on science activities instead of outdated experiments with eggs and parachutes.
Science, Science Everywhere
It’s pretty difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint just how much science is around, on and in us on a daily basis. Why is this? Because technology is everywhere—and innovations in science are the reason we have so much meaningful and vital technology to help us accomplish tasks huge and small. Now, think about the best-of-the-best jobs in today’s economy. What comes to mind? Engineer? Biochemist? Architect? The fact is that most (and almost all) of today’s highest-paying and most rewarding careers can be found in the STEM fields. And, another thing they have in common? The people who are lucky enough to fill them are required to be proficient, in all likelihood, in more than one STEM area, including coding, programming or robotics, among plenty of others.
You guessed it, the best way to get today’s students into one of these careers is to expose them to a daily dose of STEM education early and often. The fear is that, in the U.S., students do not have enough of it while, in other countries, students are only practicing STEM education. The debate regarding whether or not to adapt more technology classes in schools to bolster STEM is one that’s definitely heating up and one that definitely has a purposeful outcome in mind. Science classes are the subjects in which there lies the greatest potential for change geared to preparing kids for the real world. If taught properly, they act as an avenue for building more than just knowledge in today’s youth—there’s a chance to hone some unmistakably important STEM skills that will not be overlooked by prospective employers.
We can’t force STEM education on students despite knowing its importance and usefulness to them later on down the road. But, we can try. Hey, here’s two simple ways for school systems to do just that: make the curriculum more interesting with interactive, hands-on technology experiments from time to time (or all the time, whatever) and provide real-time support so everyone’s assured that students actually are building the skills they need. Science really is everywhere—students just need a little bit more of a chance to explore it during the school day. Educators cannot let children get bored in the classroom or, even worse, get left behind. By making science fun, interesting and relative, teachers are able to keep their attention, teach the necessary skills and hopefully guide them towards one of the lucrative STEM fields so they may prosper.
The Need for Improved Science Education
If you haven’t guessed by this point, we don’t quite approve of the textbook, pen-and-paper method of teaching and learning science in today’s times. Well, really, we don’t approve of the pen-and-paper way of learning anything. Hands-on, experiential, get-up-and-do-it learning is much more engaging, enjoyable and, to be honest, useful for K-12 students. With the state of the national and global economy, we cannot overlook the importance of STEM skills and the science education that shapes them. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that STEM literacy has become just as important as regular literacy and grade school science classes are where it all gets started.
One of the more alarming trends discovered in recent years is that not everyone is given equal opportunity to excel at STEM. Remember some of the variables we discussed earlier—race, gender, economics, etc. Well, they sometimes affect college graduates’ ability to pursue a good job (only they affected them years earlier). Women and African Americans, among other groups, are consistently behind when it comes to success in the STEM fields. Why, though? Well, part of it is because teachers lose them early on and, throughout the rest of their time in school, they never recover. It’s time that education leaders do something to avoid losing promising scientists or engineers simply because there was not an effective way to pull them in way back when.
How is this done, then? How do educators get kids to buy in? As we said, this disconnect begins early on and it seems that educational technology is one way to alleviate it and get kids interested in science again. When kids are bored, that’s when they stop focusing, damaging their future without anyone realizing the implications. Hands-on experiments that illustrate the concepts in an interactive and exciting way are far more effective at shaping an appreciation for science. There are so many tools to ensure that students remain interested—robots, circuitry kits, coding intros, you name it! Just don’t let them lose focus. There’s a reason why we put so much energy and money into shaping early education—it’s because now, more than ever, it’s used as a true stepping stone toward future success.
For the latest EdTech, STEM, and 21st century education news, follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Like us on Facebook, too, or sign up for our newsletter for our latest product announcements and offerings. If you have an idea for an Eduporium Weekly theme, send us a message on social media or comment below.