The EdTech Roundup
Connect:
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Editorials & Press
  • Ed Tech Sites
  • Lesson Plans
    • Elementary
    • Secondary
  • Former Weekly Podcast
  • About Me
  • Contact

edCircuit: 6 Inspiring Ways To Continue STEM Education During the Pandemic

11/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of our lives and most significantly in areas of education. Students and educators all around the world are gearing up to a new way of learning and teaching, and many subjects have successfully transitioned online. However, STEM learning is a particularly challenging area to replicate online since it requires fieldwork and physical access to laboratories.

​While there is no denying the challenge, educators worldwide are also seeing it as an opportunity to include diverse, real-world activities into their students’ STEM-learning experiences.


The following are six inspirational ways to apply STEM learning makeovers during pandemic times:
 

(1) Enable remote capabilities for experiments
 
The Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls program’s vision is to help cultivate the next generation of female STEM professionals. Following the pandemic outbreak, the team took their weekly classes on subjects ranging from artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things online. Some of their teachers set up an Internet of Things class in their homes that allows the girls to control the LED boards remotely. The team also runs contests that let the winner set up the experiment at home. The classes have scaled quickly, and enrolments are coming in from far and wide.

 

(2) Develop online STEM resources
 
The pandemic has forced many teachers to take their regular resources online to get the students’ discussions and ideas flowing.
 
Monash Education has collaborated with teachers and developed a dedicated suite of videos called ‘Let’s Talk STEM.’ Each video is 4-6 minutes long with many resources and talking points to support student discussions around STEM. 

Another fabulous example is the ‘At Home with Dr. Science’ video series developed by Dr. Williams, a clinical professor in the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University. Dr. Williams features his own children doing basic science activities from home-based things, making STEM education fun and accessible with online learning.



(3) Support STEM teachers

The National Science Teaching Association recognizes that turning to virtual experiences is a long-term strategy with an eye toward enhancing face-to-face programming with virtual content and interactions in the future. They support the K-12 teacher network through free and open-access online resources such as the ‘Daily Do.’ to help teachers plan their activities.


(4) Analyze Real Data
 
The COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to analyze real data, and several organizations are using this to give hands-on STEM experience to their students.
 
Students enrolled at the Harrisburg University Computer Informations Science Master’s program have built data infrastructures and algorithms to track COVID-19 trends, giving students a real-world understanding of health reforms and their implications.

 

(5) Repurpose supplies for pandemic support
 
Using STEM knowledge to repurpose medical equipment for people’s safety at the pandemic’s frontlines is a great way to apply STEM learning with impact. The students of the Science and Technology department at Western Carolina University are doing just this by making visors for protective face shields using 3D printers.
 
 

(6) Create New Ecosystems For Learning
 
Since the pandemic has forced all learning to go online, homes have become the primary places for learning for millions of students. Several brands have stood up to the challenge and helped students access quality learning in their new ecosystems by creating dedicated STEM content hubs.
 
Microsoft has launched its DreamSpace HomeSpace initiative that delivers a themed STEM lesson to its users every day of the week. Following the 30-minute tutorial is a home-based challenge that helps students firm up the concepts they learned.
 
Another fabulous example is STEM Ecosystems that includes educational resources with a virtual lab accompanied by a podcast dedicated to helping students learn STEM skills from home-based environments.
 
The pandemic has truly breathed new life into the adage “If the student can’t come to school, take the school to the student.’
 
This article was originally published on edCircuit
 
 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Editorials

    Here you can find the Round Up's collection of editorial pieces and press releases where we will discuss the latest trends and ideas in educational technology


    Picture

    Featured

    Picture
    Check out our featured review | ClassroomAPP: A Complete, K-12 Digital Platform for Online and In-Person Classrooms

    Teach.com

    Connect


    Awards

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

           
​Except where noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
Picture

Copyright 2020 | Mike Karlin, Ph.D.