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Prosthetics
S.T.E.M. Careers that change body and mind
Say Goodbye to Wheel Chairs The Exosuit is here
Cooperative Learning: a brain turn on! Dr. Judy Willis
GO DEEP
Dr. Richard Larson, MIT
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Understanding and application
August 2014
S.T.E.M. defined
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Please enjoy this issue. You have unlimited distribution, so your students and their families may enjoy it too.
Use it in class for homework and term papers. Parents are requesting copies too.....curiosity and learning are ageless.
Cooperative Learning: a brain turn on! Prosthetics:
a STEM Career
Teacher / Student Complaints Revisited
S.T.E.M. defined Go Deep The Impacts of Technology Through the Eyes of a Child Teacher: A STEM Career
Dr. Judy Willis Wayne Carley Staff Writer
Reproduction of contents is prohibited without written permission.
Features
Websters Dictionary..sort of Dr. Richard Larson, MIT Harry T. Roman Jodi Landers Wayne Carley
S.T.E.M. Magazine Inc. is a non-profit monthly education publication for teachers, students, their
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parents and administrators. CEO Wayne Carley is the publisher and senior editor for all content in S.T.E.M. Magazine. S.T.E.M. Magazine believes that the key to success in seeing higher graduation rates, improved testing results, student inspiration and a strong work-force rests in the hands of the teacher. The example and inspiration of individual educators carries tremendous weight on a daily basis, greatly impacting the quality and effective-
Subscriptions S.T.E.M. Magazine is provided to individual schools and districts across the nation and customized to include your local education authors to address your regional needs and concerns.
ness of the classroom environment. The atmosphere and tone of the class directly influence the learning and retention process of students.
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Student curiosity, interest and career considerations are a direct result of educator influence. S.T.E.M. Magazine will focus on issues and resources to support educators
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and their students. Inspiring and fueling the creative process of curriculum presentation while also addressing the personal needs associated with the relentless pressures of instruction, testing preparation, classroom discipline and school district demands will be a high priority in every issue.
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It’s going to be a very good school year. These will be your brightest students yet. Your personal satisfaction will be amazing. You will personally learn things that will be life changing. Your influence and example will change the lives of hundreds of students. Administration will be more supportive that ever. You’ve never been more fulfilled in your career.
S.T.E.M. S.T.E.M. you’ve already used today.
Science: Many adults and students would have had to take a medication this morning in direct response to the physiology of their body that requires it; Advil, antacid, vitamins, caffeine, blood pressure meds, and the list goes on. Breakfast.... no breakfast, what do you need to get the morning going. That’s science.
Technology: Our digital alarm wakes us up. We’ve checked the morning E-mails, watched the news on T.V., used our car or bus to get to school, perked our digital coffee, made a call or text message on our cell phone or maybe even tweeted already. Engineering: Since this is a “decision making” process, we’ve evaluated what needs to be done this morning before lunch, before the end of the day, and before bed. It’s been prioritized, evaluated, compensated for, changed and then re-evaluated. That’s engineering.
Math:
It started last night. You had to make mathematical calculations about what time to set your alarm based on the time needed for a shower, hair prep and make up (NOT IN THE CAR), pick out clothes or estimate dryer time, time to eat breakfast or stop for something on the way......so based on all of that, you calculated the estimated time requirement and set your alarm accordingly.
Life is S.T.E.M.
Prosthetic S.T
Careers you’ll love
T. E.M. Innovations
S
ince the time of peg leg pirates with wooden teeth, to returning American soldiers from Iraq, prosthetics for all body parts from eyes to feet have been needed. As technology has changed, so has the sophistication of artificial limbs, joints and organs. New man-made materials, computer chips, design, fabrication methods and imagination are changing the lives of thousands of people in desperate need of healing and mobility. Wheel chairs are becoming a thing of the past for all ages as scientists, technology, engineers and mathematicians pool their resources to innovate and redesign the human body for those who have lost their limbs.
Pros•the•sis
[pros-thee-sis ] noun, 1. a device, either external or implanted, that substitutes for or supplements a missing or defective part of the body.
For years wood was the dominant material for a prosthesis, but over the last 20 years, materials have emerged to give greater comfort and confidence for amputees or those with birth defects. Susan Kapp, an associate professor of orthotics and prosthetics at the University of Texas Southwestern School of Health Professions, says if a prosthetic foot is cut open, most likely the material found inside is carbon fiber. Carbon fiber, according to Kapp, is a much more life-like material, giving amputees a sense of life in their foot. Thermoplastic sockets give prosthesis recipients extended comfort at the site the prosthesis is fitted, and titanium gives a prosthesis longer life and durability. Bluetooth technology made the jump from the cell phone industry to prosthetics in 2007 when Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Bleill received two artificial legs after seeing combat in Iraq. Each leg was fitted with a Bluetooth device. Bluetooth is more often recognized for its ability to connect pieces of technology together without the use of wires.
Bluetooth devices communicate with each other to regulate stride, pressure and speed in the prosthetic legs. The benefit of Bluetooth technology is the programmability of the software. We can take that technology and further develop it to adjust to a patients needs. With an on-board computer within the prosthesis, people with above-knee amputations have greater control over walking, stopping and moving on inclines. These “robotic�
knees, termed microprocessor knees, analyze the pressure an amputee puts on the missing limb. Also contained within the knee is a fluid control unit, which the microprocessor monitors to appropriate joint resistance when walking on inclines.
Available since the early 1990s, microprocessor knees have revolutionized the arenas of safety and stability for people without knees. People that receive the prosthesis don’t have to worry about the knee buckling under them. When the i-LIMB hand debuted in the United Kingdom in July 2007, people caught a glimpse of the future of robotic prosthetics. The i-LIMB applies myoelectric technology, where the prefix myo- denotes a relationship to muscle. Myoelectric prostheses are controlled by placing muscle sensors
against the skin at the site of amputation. The electric signals generated by the muscle at an amputee’s stump controls a processor aboard the prosthetic. This myoelectric technology allows for greater control and precision in the five fully functional digits, enabling recipients to perform everyday tasks such as picking up coins and opening tabbed aluminum cans.
Amputees are in the infant stages of controlling prostheses directly with their minds. Through targeted muscle invention, the nerves from the amputated limb are re-energized in a different part of the body, for example, the chest. When an amputee wants to use their arm in a particular fashion, he or she thinks the action, prompting the nerves in the chest to react. That reaction sends a message to a microprocessor in the robotic limb, which performs the action.
bi•on•ic
[bahy-on-ik] adjective
1. utilizing electronic devices and mechanical parts to assist humans in performing difficult, dangerous, or intricate tasks, as by supplementing or duplicating parts of the body: The scientist used a bionic arm to examine the radioactive material. 2. Informal. having superhuman strength or capacity.
Every day, at least 500 people in the United States undergo an operation to amputate one or more of their limbs. More than 80 percent of those surgeries are vascular-related, caused by conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
Other people lose their limbs to cancer, various illnesses or trauma. Today, two million American have experienced and live with the loss of a limb. According to The Amputee Coalition, that number is expected to double by 2050 as our society gets older, more obese and generally less healthy. So where can people who have lost a limb turn to as they hope to regain their mobility and improve the quality of their lives? The growing field of prosthetics holds many of the answers.
Exoskeletons could be regarded as wearable robots: A wearable robot is a mechatronic system that is designed around the shape and function of the human body, with segments and joints corresponding to those of the person it is externally coupled with.
EXO
A powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, exoframe, or exosuit, is a mobile machine consisting primarily of an outer framework (akin to an insect’s exoskeleton) worn by a person, and powered by a system of motors or hydraulics that delivers at least part of the energy for limb movement. The main function of a powered exoskeleton is to assist the wearer by
boosting their strength and endurance. They are commonly designed for military use, to help soldiers carry heavy loads both in and out of combat. In civilian areas, similar exoskeletons could be used to help firefighters and other rescue workers survive dangerous environments. The medical field is another prime area for exoskeleton technology, where it can be used for
enhanced precision during surgery, or as an assist to allow nurses to move heavy patients. Working prototypes of powered exoskeletons like XOS by Sarcos, and HULC by Lockheed Martin (both meant for military use), have been constructed but have not yet been deployed in the field. Several companies have also created exosuits for medical use, including the HAL 5 by
Cyberdyne Inc. An electric powered leg exoskeleton developed at MIT reduces the metabolic energy used when walking and carrying a load. The exoskeleton augments human walking by providing mechanical power to the ankle joints.
The people working in prosthetics are passionate about what they do and they swear there’s no other way to make a living. “I still can’t believe we get paid for doing this,” says Brian Glaister, President and CEO of Cadence Biomedical, a new company he co-founded to develop technologies for people with disabilities, including prosthetic legs for lower-limb amputees. “We’re getting up every morning, working hard, and immediately seeing the difference we’re making. We can put one of our devices on somebody and immediately see the smile on their face.”
“I do a little bit of electrical engineering, a little bit of mechanical, a little bit of software, and then I still work clinically with the amputees,” he says. “The field is so wide that you can stretch yourself and go as far as you want to. There are almost no limits to the edges of the field.” This is S.T.E.M. at its core using science, technology, engineering and math all at the same time, in the same job by the same person.
That could be you. References
Andrew Bache, a mechatronic engineer with orthopedics manufacturer in Iceland, calls prosthetics “a feelgood profession.” He says he wanted a job that would be more than just a job, and he got it. “It’s not uncommon for you to see someone shed a tear of joy,” he says. “You can see someone who was told they would never be able to walk again and get them to take their first steps. It really is that dramatic. Some people in prosthetics specialize in areas such as artificial intelligence or biomechanics. Many find themselves working on a very broad level.
Robotic Exoskeletons from Cyberdyne Could Help Workers Clean Up Fukushima Nuclear Mess “Exoskeletons await in work/care closet”. Japan Times. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013. Raytheon unveils lighter, faster, stronger second generation exoskeleton robotic suit Exoskeleton Suits for Wheelchair Users Mooney LM, Rouse EJ, Herr HM. “Autonomous exoskeleton reduces metabolic cost of human walking during load carriage”. JNER. “Ask him how he’s going to power it.” Yagin, Nicholas. “Apparatus for Facilitating Walking”. US patent 440684 filed February 11, 1890 and issued November 18, 1890. Kelley, C. Leslie. “Pedomotor”. US Patent 1308675 filed April 24, 1917 and issued July 1, 1919. Specialty Materials Handling Products Operation General Electric Company,”Final Report On Hardiman Prototype For Machine Augmentation Of Human Strength And Endurance,” 30 August 1971. Exoskeleton John R. Platt is a freelance writer and entrepreneur, as well as a frequent contributor to Today’s Engineer, Scientific American, Mother Nature Network and other publications. - See more at: http://www.todaysengineer.org/2012/jul/career-focus. asp#sthash.4sh7sZ4W.dpuf Pons, J. L. “Wearable Robots: Biomechatronic Exoskeletons”. Retrieved 2008-02-10. Building the Real Iron Man http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/21/hulc-exo-skeleton-readyfor-testing-set-to-hit-the-ground-runni
Freedom
Cooperative Learning is a Brain Turn-On Dr. Judy Willis
Consider the increased comfort and enjoyment that students have when pleasurable social interaction is incorporated into their learning experience (Reeve, 1996). This is especially true during adolescence when peer group influence plays such an important developmental role in the psychosocial process of separation from parents along the road to individualization. For example, in early elementary school, students often raise up from their seats when they wave their hands enthusiastically in hopes of being called upon to answer a question. By middle school, some students consider it uncool to volunteer answers or even appear intelligent in class. These same students are more willing to participate
and even show enthusiasm about challenging tasks when they are engaged in learning activities with supportive cooperative groups. Erikson (1968) theorized that the developmental “crises� of adolescence are turning points during periods of increased vulnerability, and these turning points present opportunities for the development of psychosocial strength. He proposed that during these developmental stages the adolescent develops new capacities and psychosocial strengths by working through these developmental crises. Inclusion, a sense of belonging to a group where a student feels valued, builds resiliency. Resilient adolescents have greater success, social competence, empathy, responsiveness, and communication skills. They also demonstrate
greater flexibility, self-reflection, and ability to conceptualize abstractly when solving problems.
“emotional” portion of the limbic system on Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies.
Successfully planned group work can help to support students during these developmental crisis opportunities by reducing the fear of failure that can cause them to avoid academic challenges. Well-structured cooperative group activities build supportive classroom communities, which, in turn, increase self-esteem and academic performance.
When the amygdala is in this hyper-excitable, anxiety-provoked state, there is profound reduction in the neural activity indicative of information flow into and out of the amygdala. In the normal, relaxed state, the brain receives information as sensory input (e.g., for hearing or vision) into specific sensory receptive centers.
...increase self-esteem and academic performance. During periods of high stress or anxiety that some students may experience when asked to do a math problem on the board or make an oral presentation to the class, their emotional state is associated with greatly heightened metabolism (more glucose and oxygen use) flooding this
From these areas, neural pathways project this information to the amygdala. In the amygdala emotional meaning may be linked to the information and connections are made with previously stored, related knowledge (Chugani & Phelps, 1991).
“When students participate in engaging learning activities in well-designed, supportive cooperative groups, ... their brain scans show facilitated passage of information from the intake areas into the memory storage regions of the brain.”
The new information, now enhanced with emotional or relational data, then travels along specific neuronal circuits to the higher cognitive centers of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, where information is processed, associated, and stored for later retrieval and executive functioning (Kato & McEwen, 2003). In fMRI scans of adolescents in states of affective, emotional anxiety, the pathways that normally conduct information in and out of the amygdala show greatly reduced activity. Thus, new information is blocked from entering the memory banks by this metabolic blockade of the hyperactive amygdala (Toga & Thompson, 2003). When students participate in engaging learning activities in well-designed, supportive cooperative groups, their affective filters are not blocking the flow of information. When you plan your group so that each member’s strengths have authentic importance to the ultimate success of the group’s activity, you have created a situation where individual learning styles, skills, and talents are valued, and students shine in their fortes and learn from each other in the areas where they are not as expert. They call on each other’s guidance to solve pertinent and compelling problems
and develop their interpersonal skills by communicating their ideas to partners. The brain scans of subjects learning in this type of supportive and social learning situation show facilitated passage of information from the intake areas into the memory storage regions of the brain. This is consistent with the original cognitive psychology research and theories of Krashen (1982) about the affective filter— that learning associated with positive emotion is retained longer and visa versa.
Learning associated with
Reward-Stimulated Cooperative Learning Studies of brain neurochem-
istry also support the benefit associating rewarding, positive social experiences with the learning process. This has been called dopamine-based reward-stimulated learning (Waelti, Dickinson, & Schultz, 2001).
positive emotion is retained longer and visa versa.
Information travels along nerve cells’ branching and communicating sprouts (axons and dendrites) as electrical impulses. However, where these sprouting arms connect to the next neuron in the circuit, the information has to travel through a gap between the end of one nerve and the beginning of the next one. In these gaps, called synapses, there are no physical structures, unlike the wires that connect appliances to electric outlets, along which the electric impulses can travel. When crossing over synaptic gaps, the information impulse must be temporarily converted from an electric one into a chemical one. Neurotransmitters are brain proteins released by the electrical impulse on one side of the synapse, to then float across the synaptic gap, carrying the information with them to stimulate the next nerve ending in the pathway. Once the neurotransmitter is taken up by the next nerve ending, the electric impulse is reactivated to travel along to the next nerve cell. Dopamine is the chemical neurotransmitter most closely associated with attention, memory storage, comprehension, and executive function. The theory of reward-stimulated learning and other reinforcement learning theories are based on the assumption that the brain finds
some states of stimulation to be more desirable than others. The brain is believed to make associations between specific cues and these desirable states or goals.
Dopamine activity can be evaluated through neuroimaging. It has been found that dopamine release is increased in brain centers associated with learning and memory in response to rewards and positive experiences. Research found that the brain released more dopamine into these learning circuits when the individual was playing, laughing, exercising, and receiving acknowledgment (e.g., praise) for achievement (Salamone & Correa, 2002).
Many of the motivating factors that have been found to release this dopamine are intrinsic to successful cooperative group work such as social collaboration, motivation, and expectation of success, or authentic praise from peers. Because dopamine is also the neurotransmitter associated with attention, memory, learning, and executive function, it follows that when the brain releases dopamine during or in expectation of a pleasurable experience or reward, this dopamine will be available to increase the processing of new information. That is what occurs when students enjoy a positive cooperative learning experience, and even when they anticipate participation in that type of activity.
Dr. Judy Willis is an authority on brain research regarding learning and the brain. With the unique background as both a neurologist and classroom teacher, she writes extensively for professional educational journals and has written six books about applying the mind, brain, and education research to classroom teaching strategies, including an ASCD top seller, Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa as the first woman graduate from Williams College, Willis attended UCLA School of Medicine where she was awarded her medical degree. She remained at UCLA and completed a medical residency and neurology residency, including chief residency. She practiced neurology for 15 years before returning to university to obtain her teaching credential and master’s of education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She then taught in elementary and middle school for 10 years. Currently, Dr. Willis gives neuroeducation presentations, and conducts professional development workshops nationally and internationally about educational strategies correlated with neuroscience research.
Go Deep Dr. Richard Larson, Mitsui Professor of Engineering Systems at MIT
STEM teaching in high schools:
There’s so much to cover. And so little time to prepare an excellent lesson. According to the OECD, U.S. high school teachers are employed to work almost 2,000 hours per year. For every hour of in-class instruction, there is only about one other hour to do everything else: grade papers, figure out homework assignments, prepare next lessons and do PD – Professional Development. Good luck with that! Adding to the stress is that “The System” always seems to be changing.
These days we can point to implementation of Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS). Beyond frequent changes like these, we have on-going debates about “teaching to a test” with such high value placed – by parents and colleges – on students’ numerical scores on multiple-choice tests. A teacher’s job security may be at risk if the students in her/his class do not score high enough. No wonder there is such teacher turnover/dropout, especially in the early years. Having taught at MIT for many years, I cannot even contemplate what it must be like to be a high school STEM teacher operating in this environment. Call it “Stress City”! Something needs to be done – structurally, to relieve the stress and to bring greater job satisfaction to
each teacher. New technologies may be great, but the most important component of each classroom is the teacher. She not only presents the material to the students, she acts as guide, mentor and motivator. The teacher directly affects each student’s passion to learn and eventual choice of major field of study. In reflecting on my own teaching, I find I am most relaxed and provide my best lessons on subjects I know deeply, “in my soul.” I am much less relaxed and probably teach least effectively when I am presenting material for which I have no first-hand knowledge. I believe the students experience this too, as they can see my passion much more clearly when I’m presenting and discussing a topic I know deeply. They are motivated to learn more when they are presented a topic known very well by their teacher.
Here is my idea: Change the Rules in order support each and every STEM high school teacher Going Deep in at least one aspect of what she teaches. By Going Deep, I mean that the teacher becomes a true content expert on that particular topic. She reads books and articles about the topic. She studies how best to teach it, and how students best learn it. Instructional hours are freed up, maybe about 100 hours per year, to provide time for this effort. Ideally, each teacher would be supported to attend and participate in one professional conference per year, a conference that included presentation of Best Practices in teaching the “Going Deep” content.
This is all easy for me to say, a faculty member at a research university. I get
My hypothesis is that such a plan would
first-hand knowledge doing research,
enhance a teacher’s professional pride
usually with students as colleagues. But
and overall job satisfaction, give them
how is a STEM high school teacher to
great motivation, and provide a
obtain first-hand knowledge of some of
wonderful role model to students.
the topics she teaches?
Also, a teacher who is a content expert – say in matrices, or angular momentum, or DNA, or plastics – is an important resource to the school district. She can share that knowledge by visiting other classrooms, thereby magnifying the impact of her expertise. Of course, if all teachers are able to Go Deep in varied topics, the classroom sharing can become a common practice. Please let me know your thoughts on this idea… Crazy bad or crazy good? And if good, what are the chief impediments we need to overcome?
Email me at rclarson@mit.edu.
#1 Teacher complaint
Reprinted and edited from last school year
#1 Student complaint
W
ith a new school year comes the same challenges of the past. The average attention span of a student is one minute per year of age. How long is your class?
It’s ironic that mass surveys reveal that both teachers and their students identify classroom discipline as their primary hindrance to the learning process and class environment satisfaction.
Question: “How much of your class-
room distractions or discipline challenges are due to restlessness from an expired attention span?” I don’t know either, but I think we should consider it, especially when most learning ends with the end of attention. This is important to not only STEM education but any subject taught in any class due to its disruptive affect on a variety of levels. The power has been taken away from the educators to institute effective discipline plans in most schools resulting in a free for all 50 minute
circus in many classes. As the dropout rate of teachers continues to rise, can we afford to ignore this behavior issue? Too many teachers result to yelling and threatening the disruptive students in the very midst of the rest of the students who are emotionally burdened with having to sit there and listen, watch and endure the drama. That’s not fair.
“How ironic we have I cannot tell you how enraged I become when as a guest lecturer at a middle or high school when I’m abruptly interrupted by a screaming teacher who verbally attacks a student audience member for what I would consider a normal and insignificant hiccup due to their expired attention span. Personally I’ve learned to just let it go and concentrate on the majority of students who are still engaged, because they are ignoring it. Handle it later.....in private.
The months or years of frustration and lack of administration support of an effective and enforced discipline plan really take their toll. We’re human. I do have to say that both student and teacher should be held accountable and monitored for such behaviors to set a better example and lower the elevated stress levels of our halls.
the same complaint”
For schools that have a school wide discipline plan in place supported and enforced by both teachers and administrators, hope springs eternal and students express an optimistic attitude about getting the “problem students” either under control or out of the room. I’ve seen the visible relief and felt the stress lift from the room immediately upon the departure of the “disruptor”. This policy has to stay on the table of course. As educators we are unfairly expected to be disciplinarians, counselors, and ring masters in addition to what should be our primary focus of time…. educating. During a typical fifty minute class, a one minute scolding session and discipline intervention results in a class wide loss of focus and may take as long as 10 minutes to get back on track.
Add to that the stress of the conflicts on the teachers and students which day after day, week after week accumulates into an unhealthy stack of baggage directly impacting the learning process and well being of all involved. I’ve tried a few things which are completely OUT OF THE BOX but have met with varying degrees of success in different schools and grades. I would first recommend an effective schoolwide plan designed and enforced by the administration, but as is the case in so many schools, we may have to consider plan B. I’m privileged to teach nearly 15 thousand plus students annually so please keep an open mind as I discuss
a few of my “experiments” and keep the laughing to a minimum please.
“12 minutes” In several classes, primarily middle schools, I took into consideration that the average attention span of the 7th graders before me was about 10 minutes, even when I was really on a roll with exciting and engaging curriculum.
What I did was negotiate with the class to teach for 15 minutes (time depending on the grade level) with their complete and silent attention in exchange for a 7 minute-
“socialization break” where they were allowed to talk to one another, check their texts, cat nap or whatever within reason. At the end of their brief break, they agreed to “reboot” their attention spans and surrender back to my presentation. This continued for the duration of our class period with a variety of surprising and encouraging results. It’s NOT wasted time, as is the public reprimand and embarrassment. As one or two students chose to bend or break our deal, other students immediately vocalized a reminder to their peers about the deal we had struck and things settled down right away. Students said that they appreciated my flexibility and understanding about who they were as teens and what they needed in order to stay focused. It has been a popular approach for me and I believe resulted in greater content retention overall and reduced disrup-
tions. I think it makes sense on a number of levels but has been seen as too innovative by older adults and administrators who thrive on control and attention. Give it a try once in a while and see for yourself…..maybe not every day, but who knows. * Remember, a calm and happy student is an information sponge. It actually doesn’t take much to make them happy, especially when they witness your flexibility and innovation on their behalf. Of course, this is an “agreement” that if abused can easily be withdrawn. “My job is not to make my students happy, it’s to teach the required curriculum with limited time.” To this person I would say “do your research into brain activity and information retention that say otherwise.” It’s hard to argue with brain scans that show a happy, calm student learns more completely with long-term retention. (Article in the July issue of STEM Magazine) www.stemmagazine.com/514513.php “The Science of Joyful Education”
Another approach I’ve used in blatantly wild classes with a number of clowns who are quickly identified is the” inside out” approach. Having selected the socially needy wildcats, I immediately take one of them aside with a smile and handshake and ask the following: “You look like a leader and I could really use your help. I never yell or raise my voice to students and you know everyone here, so when things start to get out of hand do me a favor by standing up and calmly asking your class to please give Mr. Carley their attention. Do it in the way you expect your teacher to and the way you would if you were teaching.” You’d be amazed how well this can work from time to time. It gives respect, responsibility and minimal authority to the needy disrupter in class while taking the load off the teacher for even a brief period. A combination of approaches like this used randomly from time to time could make a difference. What have you got to lose? I’d love to hear about your results.
In connection with the earlier mentioned “socialization break”, when students take personal responsibility for their own class conduct (which most are willing to do), it takes the stress off of you and allows students to be “trusted” with their learning experience. This is only practical in 4th grade and up since that seems to be where the problems usually start.
“The atmosphere of the classroom is critical” The atmosphere of the classroom is a critical component to effective learning and retention of all subject matter, including S.T.E.M. Imagine a class period of quite curiosity and engaging interaction. If you already experience that, you are truly blessed and I envy you and your students.
Wayne Carley
Establish and enforce your classroom / school, discipline plan right away. This is a must, not for the trouble makers or class clowns, but for the majority of well behaved students who deserve a calm, peaceful, well flowing classroom learning experience.
“The atmosphere of the classroom is critical�
sci•ence
noun
S.T.E.M. defined [sahy-uh ns]
1. a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences. 2. systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. 3. any of the branches of natural or physical science. Physical Science Physics Chemistry Earth Science Ecology Oceanography Geology Meteorology Life Science Biology Zoology Human biology Botany Social Science
Formal Sciences Decision theory Logic Mathematics Statistics Systems theory Theoretical computer science Applied science 4. systematized knowledge in general. 5. knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study. * Notice the interconnectedness with math, social sciences, computers, and logic. S.T.E.M is a complex interwoven acronym that covers all subjects and all careers. Every teacher is a S.T.E.M teacher. Every school is a S.T.E.M. school. Every career is a S.T.E.M. career.
tech•nol•o•gy noun
: the use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or to solve problems: a machine, piece of equipment, method, etc., that is created by technology. a : the practical application of knowledge especially in a particular area : engineering 2 <medical technology> b : a capability given by the practical application of knowledge <a car’s fuel-saving technology> c: a manner of accomplishing a task especially using technical processes, methods, or knowledge <new technologies for information storage> d: the specialized aspects of a particular field of endeavor <educational technology>
en•gi•neer•ing Show Spelled en-juh-neer-ing noun
1. the art or science of making practical application of the knowledge of pure sciences, as physics or chemistry, as in the construction of engines, bridges, buildings, mines, ships, and chemical plants. 2. the action, work, or profession of an engineer. 3. skillful or artful contrivance; maneuvering.
en•gi•neer
en-juh-neer noun 1. a person trained and skilled in the design, construction, and use of engines or machines, or in any of various branches of engineering: a mechanical engineer; a civil engineer. 2. to arrange, manage, or carry through by skillful or artful contrivance: He certainly engineered the election campaign beautifully.
3. to design or create using the techniques or methods of engineering: The motor has been engineered to run noiselessly. 4. a member of an army, navy, or air force specially trained in engineering work. 5. a skillful manager: a political engineer. verb (used with object) 6. to plan, construct, or manage as an engineer: Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s engineered several big industrial projects.
Engineering Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Define your problem Consider possible solutions to your problem Test / consider solutions Evaluate test results for problem solution Choose best solution to defined problem. Problem solved.
* Note Every teacher, student, administrator, parent and human being uses the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Engineering Method dailyâ&#x20AC;? but does not realize it.
It is a decision making process for life.
math•e•mat•ics
noun, plural but usually singular in construction : the science of numbers, quantities, and shapes and the relations between them. Full Definition of MATHEMATICS 1: the science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations, and abstractions and of space configurations and their structure, measurement, transformations, and generalizations. 2: a branch of, operation in, or use of mathematics <the mathematics of physical chemistry> Science of structure, order, and relation that has evolved from counting, measuring, and describing the shapes of objects. It deals with logical reasoning and quantitative calculation. Since the 17th century it has been an indispensable adjunct to the physical sciences and technology, to the extent that it is considered the underlying language of science. Among the principal branches of mathematics are: Algebra Analysis Arithmetic
Combinatorics Euclidean & non-Euclidean geometries Game theory Number theory Numerical analysis Optimization Probability Set theory Statistics Topology and trigonometry. * Have your students look up the definitions to these types of math and attach a job that might use it. As you see, S.T.E.M. is not a “standalone” subject field that requires specialized curriculum or a special school to be understood and applied. STEM schools of course may have specialized classes that emphasize careers that need strong STEM abilities, but everyone needs some level of STEM skill and understanding.
Administrators and politicians usually don’t get it, but educators do. Since 73,832 principals in America said “no thank you” to STEM Magazine this year without even opening it, I’m comfortable with the position that most do not understand STEM or realize its importance in the lives of every student and educators on campus. A heart felt thank you to those that do. For those of you with vision, interest and an appreciation of how important STEM is to American students and our national economy, our hope is that you’ll share this knowledge with the dozens of teachers at your school who don’t think STEM applies to them. Think about it.
Here is a sample STEM class you can teach any day you wish. No experience required: Time required: 15 seconds Verbal Curriculum: “How many of you know that any job you ever have will use science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM?” You’re done. You’ve planted a small dose of curiosity in the “sponge” minds of your students, and curiosity is the foundation of seeking new knowledge and the consideration of future endevors.
Identifying and Evaluating the Impacts of Technol By Harry T. Roman The Sociological Impacts of the Internet/Telecommunications
The Internet accounted for
If you are in college today, you cannot remember a time when the Internet was not available. It has always been there for you-serving your information needs and quietly changing your life, along with all the other inhabitants on Planet Earth.
U.S. economic activity in
An interesting culture and mystique surrounds this ethereal portal into all things written and compiled. Conspiracy theories lurk about the government getting ready to tax its use, to tales about how the government is going to track your most intimate activities through it. This is how pervasive this technological wonder has suffused itself into our culture-in less than a generation.
$684 billion, or 4.7% of all 2010. - Boston Consulting Group.
logyâ&#x20AC;Ś.......in and out of the classroom
About 40% of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is now using the Internet, a far cry from the original .5% in 1995; and the Internet is not just available on PCs and such. It is right there on your phone and other hand-held devices, making its use even wider, and faster. Whether you are looking for information or map locations, or where to have dinner, the Internet is at your beck and call 24/7/365. How did we ever survive without it? When was the last time you or your family went to or called the local library for information? Check out the growth in Internet users in the chart here. 1995
16 Million users
2000
351 Million
2005
1,018 Billion
2010
2,267 Billion
2013
2,749 Billion
Think of the changes wrought in the last 18 years. Our entire way of doing business has been completely shifted from brick and mortar stores to electronic transactions, with shipping right
to your front door. Our schools are racing to keep up with this technology as they teach students the 21st century skills they will need to survive in a global economy. The new mantra in the schools is STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; with a heavy dose of team work, computer skills, hands-on projects, and openended problem solving---all preceded with a researching of important topical aspects of their projects via the Internet. Colleges routinely assign and gather homework and updates on student projects via the Internet, through academic electronic portals at each school. Students even do projects in teams with other students from all over the globe. Now we have the possibility of a great leveling of the collegiate field through Internet delivered MOOCS- Massive Open, On-Line Courses. Students all over the globe would be able to attend college from their local sites using advanced electronic software. Think how this could affect the world. What a way to reduce high collegiate tuition costs!
Each Internet job supports approximately 1.54 additional jobs elsewhere in the economy, or roughly 2 percent of employment. -Harvard Business Review
Pros
Allows for the electronic meeting of many new friends, across the world, vastly expanding our arena for friendships. Has measurable impact on the national and world economies; and creates employment opportunities. Exchange ideas quickly about peace and love, and religion; and to learn about each other. Is an energy efficient way to do business, saving natural and fuel resourcesreduces physical travel, saves gasoline. No need to send a paper letter-only the symbols written on it. Levels the informational playing field, as the whole world now has access to the “planetary library”, 24/7/365. World events move at the speed of light; oppression is so much harder to hide; freedom is a concept many can experience first through the Internet and then by changing their government and leaders. Photos, Fax’s and email are the first harbingers of casting light on oppression. Education can become a basic human right through the technology of webinars, distance learning and “massive open on-line courses” [MOOCS]. The rapid exchange of visual images has the power to tug at our emotions and motivate us to speak up against injustices-spurring international dialogue.
Humans need no longer feel alone; as there are billions of people to interact with via blogs, websites, Facebookâ&#x20AC;Ś..etc. There are other people out there, just like me! Brings separated family members and long-lost friends back together. Brings diversity into sharp focus as world collaborators stay in touch via the Internet and perform their projects and passions. Technological change can spread even faster. Bibliophiles can find their beloved texts easier and quicker; and researchers can do their intellectual due diligence faster and more thoroughly. Gives teachers a more intimate dialogue with students and helps guide their development. Philanthropies can reach out to potential donors via websites and messaging techniques faster and cheaper, and as a result are learning to increase their funds brought in. Companies have saved money by going digital as much as possible, saving employee costs for general phone answering, corporate inquiriesâ&#x20AC;Ś.etc. Students can work in teams with contemporaries from other schools all over the world. 3D printing could allow for the manufacturing of products remotely, using just computerized programs of the device to be made.
Cons
Software break-ins can cause security issues and stealing of identity through scams and stolen personal data. There has been a rise in cheating issues on college campuses and in scholarly publications. Terrorist organizations use the Internet to spread their cause and to chat with local cells and other organizations. Industrial espionage is already becoming a problem between the U.S. and China; and will migrate to other countries. The ability to track almost everyone on the Internet is a rapidly growing concern using their electronic fingerprint potentially against them. Consumers can get tricked by unscrupulous companies selling bogus goods-no real human to complain to; nor organizations to represent them. Websites can be put up and taken down at will. Since the Internet is self-organizing, how you find data/information is largely a function of how good you are at describing search routines. A new set of 21st century skills are needed to work in the digital workplace. Schools are racing to catch-up; and many workers with low skills must be re-trained to survive in this new globally competitive world. The world tends to become a less personal place as sterile electronic forms of communication replace face-to-face conversations. Severe multi-tasking between different forms of communication makes for a shallow grasp of issues. 3D printing run wild could cause all sorts of patent, copyright, and manufacturing infringements on protected products. Making of weapons illegally is a big concern.
Under the watchful eyes of teachers within the school environment, the internet holds abundant and instant resources for topic exploration, diversity of opinions and perspectives, volumes of data for research along with positive interactivity that is enhancing the learning experience.
Information technology departments within schools and school districts are constantly on guard to restrict web access for the protection and benefit of the student.
As with any technology, abuse is a risk and what students do with the internet at home is out of our control. For certain, the web is here to stay and we as educators can lead the way to make it a safe and useful doorway to the world. Instant information now.....a dream come true for the curious scholar and those thirsty for knowledge and selfimprovement.
Through the Eyes of a Child Creativity vs Under-achievement by Jodi Landers
All children are creative in different ways. Some excel in art, athletic performance, debate, or even figuring out the best way to play a practical joke on their parents. Creativity is an innate gift that varies from child to child, depending on how it’s been cultivated. Ultimately, our experiences shape what we think and who we become. Nurturing your child’s creative abilities requires that you let go a little. Try to back off and leave artistic and inventive decisions up to the child. There is no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to being creative. Coloring outside the lines is as important as staying inside the lines. You can trigger imagination by asking thought-provoking questions along the way; concerning the why’s, how’s, and what’s of objects and situations. Some concrete help from you is also required. For example, it’s your job to offer your child experiences from which to create a point of reference. Without having seen, heard and participated in many of the wonders
of the world, he or she does not have a base upon which to build or play. Offering these experiences does not mean hopping on a plane to Egypt. It means long and reflective looks at everyday objects, places and people. Go for a picnic in the park. Visit the woods and nearby streams. Encouraging creativity in art projects and make-believe play are important as well. Under-achievement is due to a child’s inability to creatively approach a situation or task with the confidence that he or she will be successful. It’s very important that you be available to provide reassurance when creative ventures go awry and praise your child for trying as well as finishing. Sometimes confidence is built through completion of a task rather than its success. Remember, if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting. If you are interested in the consulting services I offer, please feel free to contact me via my website below. PeaceJodi Landers, MA Educational Consultant www.insightsconsult.org
Tea
A STEM career we really need.
acher
One question I always ask during STEM presentations to students at schools is “How many of you are considering becoming a teacher?” The average response in a group of 60 students is one….or worse. When asked why, student replies vary from “I could never put up with teenager behavior”, which is interestingly honest, to “The work is too hard and he pay is terrible”; another accurate evaluation. You ask, “Why is the dropout rate of teachers higher than student dropout rates per capita?”
Like many careers, we are ill prepared in college for the realities of the career that has captured our hearts. Been there….done that. I’m not suggesting a solution but hope to enlighten you regarding the reality that no matter what subject you teacher, you are a STEM teacher already.
Science: Every teacher is a scientist
by definition. Two definitions that every teacher uses:
1. Systematized knowledge in general. 2. Knowledge, as of facts or principles; knowledge gained by systematic study. Name a class subject, sport or career that does not use systematic learning. Teachers are required to plan their curriculum to follow specific state and national standards. They rarely get to teach what they want or what’s really needed. They follow a path of knowledge progression that continues based on past subject knowledge presented and required. This could apply to history class following the course of the French Revolution, American History of the industrial age and its progression…..you name it.
Math is easy to include in our discussion because it’s the basic language of science and grows from basic addition to algebra and on to trigonometry, physics and more.
Language Arts or English class are also a system of progressive knowledge following specific guidelines of proper grammar, the roots of words, proper use and combination of nouns, adjectives, verbs, poetic format, story format, specific writing styles and so on; all science based systematized knowledge. You ARE a scientist, not by career but in practice.
Technology Every teacher is a technologist to some degree, from computers, iPads, cell phone, projectors, calculators, web searching, twitter, Facebook, excel, Word, and on and on. (software counts too) This is an easy one. Aside from the fact that every teacher uses computers or devices daily to research, plan and present subject curriculum and then store that information on a hard drive,
subject they teach, is expected to explain its use.
thumb drive, the cloud or school server, every student in every class is expecting to use technology to successfully meet subject requirement, homework assignments, communications and test preparation. If they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand the technology application needed, that teacher, regardless of the
*This is a critical point for educators to remember. We MUST stay current on technology innovation and applications. Our students are, and will continue to utilize them, even if we do not expect to use them in our own class. As with all teaching, we have to stay at least one step ahead of our students. You ARE a technologist, not by career but by practice.
Engineering: Every teacher is an
engineer by definition.
By far my favorite subject of the STEM acronym and a topic STEM Magazine continues to beat into the ground, the Engineering Method is used daily by both teacher and student, usually without their knowledgeâ&#x20AC;Ś.until now. 1. to plan, construct, or manage. She engineered several big class projects.
2. to design or create using the techniques or methods of engineering: The assignment was thoroughly planned considering all of the requirement and outcomes. 3. to arrange, manage, or carry through by skillful or artful contrivance: He certainly engineered the class project beautifully. For every teacher in every subject, the decision making process known as the Engineering Method is useful, critical and natural. From writing a term paper, finding a ride to basketball practice, picking a date for the prom, to choosing our next job, what college to go to or what to wear to that special event, decision making happens.
1.
What is the problem?
2.
Consider / list possible solutions to the problem
3.
Test / consider / think through each possible solution
4.
Evaluate the effectiveness of those possible solutions
5.
Choose the best solution to implement
This process is used in personal relationships, at work, at school and in our personal lives. To some degree, we are all engineers by behavior even if we are not building space ships, bridges or a new artificial heart. You ARE an engineer, not by career but in practice.
Mathematics:
Every teacher uses math dailyâ&#x20AC;Ś.like it or not. For most teachers regardless of subject, daily math applications include basic calculations, measurement, estimation,
logic, statistics, analysis, graphs, probabilities and I’m sure a few we’ve never heard of.
If you use any of these often and well you would be considered a mathematician by definition, not by career, but in practice. As teachers, we should be students….. continually. What better example to our students than to be excellent students ourselves. How many of us have uttered the words, “I learn more by teaching than any other method.” What have you learned lately…..hopefully today? My request or challenge to everyone reading this article is to share it or print it out and give it you a colleague or student who’s convinced STEM isn’t relevant to them or their subject. We are STEM creatures by nature and understanding that opens every door imaginable to any career we wish. Within your subject area,you are an expert, a professional. Not only that, but you are a S.T.E.M. teacher in general and in a S.T.E.M. career.
Ex·pert
[n., v. ek-spurt; adj. ek-spurt, ik-spurt] noun 1. a person who has special skill or knowledge in some particular field; specialist; authority:
2. possessing special skill or knowledge; trained by practice; skillful or skilled 3. pertaining to, coming from, or characteristic of an expert: expert work; expert advice.
Teacher:
A S.T.E.M. Career
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