Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Marketplace trend update: 5 new ed-tech developments

Remaining a tech-savvy educator means keeping on top of the myriad changes and trends in education, how technology can support those trends, and how teaching and learning can best benefit from near-constant change.

For instance, a new report highlights the link between arts-based learning and STEM education; a new challenge asks participants to explore and report on local folklore traditions; tutoring gets a social treatment; and more.

Below, we’ve gathered some of the latest and most relevant marketplace news to keep you up-to-date on product developments, teaching and learning initiatives, and new trends in education.…Read More

6 ways to support computer science education

New report offers policy recommendations to sustain momentum for computer science education

U.S. schools should make every effort to expand computer science education to keep up with workforce demands, according to a new report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

And though interest in computer science education, and access to it, is growing, the report found that not enough students are taking high-quality computer science classes at the high school and university levels.

The report found that just half of U.S. states actually count computer science as a math or science credit rather than an elective, and 29 states lack computer science teacher certification programs.…Read More

New Va. high school to focus big on coding

Students will enter an innovative program that teaches core graduation skills alongside industry internships and computer science

coding-schoolHigh school isn’t what it used to be.

That’s the consensus of a growing number of educators who say how and what students are taught must change in order to better prepare them for a rapidly changing workforce that demands new skills.

With that goal in mind, a group of 13 Richmond-area school systems have banded together to start a new regional high school that will allow students to meet their core requirements while getting an education focused on computer science.…Read More

Buoyed by Congress, STEM and coding are on the rise

New legislation makes computer science an official part of STEM education

STEM-edSTEM education, while always a national focus, is receiving more attention in recent days, as surveys and legislation reveal awareness of its importance to the nation’s success.

Three out of four Americans in a recent survey said they think “science is cool in a way that it wasn’t 10
years ago.”

Seventy-three percent of participants in the Finger on the Pulse opinion survey, from Horizon Media’s WHY Group, agreed with the statement that “in the future, all the best jobs will require knowledge of computer coding languages.”…Read More

12 STEM resources for all grades

These sites are intended to help students strengthen much-needed STEM skills

stem-resourcesIn classrooms across the nation, STEM education is hailed as one of the most important concepts for today’s students.

After all, STEM know-how, coupled with skills such as problem solving and strong communication, will help students compete with peers on a global level.

We’ve compiled a list of STEM websites for elementary, middle, and high school students. Each grade range features one science, one technology, one engineering, and one mathematics resource.…Read More

5 ways to remember STEM’s forgotten ‘E’

Engineering experts are urging U.S. schools to incorporate the subject in a few novel ways

engineering-STEMSTEM education–a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math–has cemented its place of importance in U.S. schools and in the global economy.

And while science and math skills remain at the top of educators’ lists, engineering, often called the “forgotten E” in STEM, is equally important in today’s world.

Students need to know what engineering actually is, experts and stakeholders say. What has traditionally been viewed as a stereotypically dry and numbers-heavy career actually has vast applications in today’s workforce. Engineers can specialize in space engineering, special effects, sports, toys and entertainment, and more.…Read More

3 ways to boost students’ STEM interest

STEM education is critical, but schools struggle to keep students interested

STEM-edEducators hear it all the time: STEM education is one of the keys to a competitive and successful U.S. workforce. But for all the emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math, these subjects often can be dry and leave students wondering how they’ll apply these concepts in the real world.

The latest PISA results paint a grim picture of U.S. math and science performance–in math, the U.S. ranked 26th out of the 34 testing countries, and the nation ranked 21st in science.

There also exists a gap between U.S. performance and that of top-performing countries. For instance, Shanghai-China’s performance “is the equivalent of over two years of formal schooling ahead of those observed in Massachusetts, itself a strong-performing U.S. state,” according to the results.…Read More

5 easy steps to increase female engagement in STEM

Simple solutions to encourage more girls to pursue STEM education

girls-STEMWomen today make up a large percentage of the work force, and are employed in almost half of the jobs in the United States.

But despite that, according to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and STEMConnector, fewer than 25 percent of females work in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, where employment opportunities are growing rapidly.

To bring awareness to this issue, STEMconnector, which works with corporations and other organizations to provide tools and resources to promote STEM education, initiated the Million Women Mentors campaign. The campaign brings together corporations, nonprofit organizations, government entities, and education groups to inspire young women and show them the possibilities of STEM careers.…Read More

Here’s a quick way to connect students and STEM experts

Website helps students learn real-world value of STEM

STEM-NeprisA new online platform helps connect students and teachers to real-world STEM professionals in an effort to help students link classroom STEM lessons to careers and how they might use STEM learning in the real world.

The platform, Nepris, operates in two ways. STEM professionals and experts can sign up and offer their services, specifying subject areas they are qualified to discuss. Educators sign up and pick a curriculum topic or student project for which they’d like help from a STEM expert. Nepris connects the two and suggests potential match-ups. All interactions are virtual and recorded for later use, and every student has the chance to submit a question and participate in the discussion.

The impetus to design Nepris came in large part from a “STEM participation gap,” said Sabari Raja, the founder and CEO of Nepris.…Read More