Helping students learn through both independent and guided experiences can enable them to view their education differently. When we use the term ‘scaffolding,’ we’re typically referring to any targeted teaching and learning approaches that gradually evolve and ultimately empower students to lead their own learning, which is very relevant in hands-on STEM experiences.
In afterschool programs, educators enjoy more freedom to introduce ideas they might not have time to work into a regular lesson plan. For our newest Teacher Talk, I chatted with Mallory Davis, a curriculum director who works with afterschool programs. We had a wonderful conversation about how to integrate STEAM and SEL and the benefits of afterschool STEM education.
When using the SAM Labs kits in your classroom, the wireless setup helps make everything easier to integrate. With the SAM Labs projects, students can apply logic, reasoning, design thinking, and computational thinking as they build inventions and, not only are they great for coding in elementary school, each kit is also great for makerspaces and afterschool activities.
In the webinar, we joined RobotLAB’s VP of Business Development, Cedric Vaudel, who guided the audience through a demo of using RobotLAB’s VR systems, content, and hardware. He began with explaining how their team utilized feedback from educators for designing this final product, including some very specific, education-focused upgrades. Watch the replay inside!
You might hear this a lot, but almost every school makerspace may feature unique learning and building materials. Because makerspaces are found all throughout the K–12 grades (and even college), an elementary makerspace will often look a whole lot different than one you’ll see in a high school. So, using the right supplies at the right times makes a significant difference.
As the Maker Movement continues to influence early education, K–12, and even higher education, many times, it is school librarians who’ve helped to create these hands-on STEAM experiences. So, we’ve compiled this white paper with tips on leveraging library environments in designing unique and active lessons, measuring success in school makerspaces, and more.
We’re kicking off our new Teacher Talk blog series by sharing this interview with Lisa Blais, a fifth grade science and math teacher in the Boston Public School system. Lisa has plenty of awesome insights on the accessibility of STEAM education, how she enhances activities she uses in her classroom, and how learning in the science subjects can help kids build crucial skills.
Integrating the arts with elements of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics often means that students can access more opportunities to think creatively and discover their passions. As STEAM solutions become increasingly prevalent in schools, including in arts and humanities classes, we’ve pinpointed eight of the most helpful tools for your theater students.
The 3Doodler Create+ is great for middle school makerspace activities and takes only about a minute to heat up. To make things simple, its light turns blue when it reaches the highest heat setting and green when it is on lower heat. Other than that, students just need to plug it in to work and teachers can create great makerspace experiences with fun 3D printing projects.
ChatGPT’s vast knowledge base and uniquely effective imitation of human writing styles make it a powerful tool for both educators and students. But, as a lot of students employ ChatGPT as a homework aid, some educators are wondering whether its disadvantages outweigh its uses. Let’s see what ChatGPT can—and can’t—offer to kids in 21st century education.
