IT & STEM Careers Offer Flexible and Remote Work Environments
Featured Educator Kimberly Schor Technology Teacher, Branson School Online
Technology’s Wide-Reaching Impact Technology has a wide-reaching impact on nearly all facets of our daily lives, and advancements in the field of Information Technology (IT) has changed the ways that we, as a society, communicate, interact, and network. Technology has also changed and enhanced one of the oldest and most respected institutions in the world: education. IT’s influence has positively transformed the way we learn, and it has also made it possible to break down the walls of the traditional classroom and expand the reach of our educators. Teachers’ ability to teach is no longer confined to the brick-and-mortar classroom. Now, more than ever, schools can retain excellent teachers by broadening their instructor’s reach through the use of technology can impart their knowledge to support students across state lines living thousands of miles apart. This is the case for one outstanding educator, Kimberly Schor. Ms. Schor is a Technology Instructor for Branson School Online, located in Branson, Colorado. She has been teaching for 15 years at Branson, devoting the past five years solely to technologyrelated courses. She has found tremendous success during her tenure starting as a hybrid teacher working in both traditional and online settings, and now currently as a fully virtual instructor. Because Branson School Online offers both a traditional school
Engaging Students Remotely
environment as well as virtual options, the student population is quite diverse, and Kim has had the opportunity to work with
As many know, teaching online can be a difficult feat. Without
students from all different backgrounds who have a variety of
face-to-face interaction, it can be challenging to build rapport with
reasons for attending school in a virtual environment. After 15 years living in Colorado, Kim decided it was time for a geographic
environment, Kim has managed to tear down the walls of these
change and moved cross-country to Pennsylvania. Despite the
challenges thanks, in part, to finding the right tools for teaching
move, Kim wasn’t ready to leave Branson School Online, and
fully online. For Kim, the right tool has been eDynamic Learning
they did not want to see her go either. Thanks to technology, Kim
curriculum which has allowed her to open the world of technology
has been able to bridge the gaps of distance and circumstance
and IT to her students through a variety of courses: Principles of
to educate her students about the high-demand field of IT from
Internet Technology, Foundations of Game Design, Introduction
thousands of miles away. Technology is a beautiful thing when
to Programming, Programming, Microsoft Word and Excel, Web
it allows for growth and connection as it has in Kim’s case, and
Design, and Digital Photography.
the physical distance only shows the power, practicality, and application of IT in a more real-world way.
Participation can sometimes wane in a virtual setting, but Kim doesn’t allow that to happen. Through constant communicationboth inside and outside of eDynamic Learning, interest and
Technology Skills: Becoming A Graduation Requirement
feedback surveys throughout the year, and genuine care and concern conveyed during her students’ interactions, Ms. Schor
With technology integrated into almost everyone’s daily lives,
is able to establish relationships with her students and create a
work, and communications, it is becoming increasingly important for students to understand the basics of technology and have exposure to the various opportunities it can offer them in their future as they grow. As this has become more apparent, many schools across the nation have taken action and have built in new graduation requirements surrounding technology. Branson School Online is one of those schools. Their students are required to take one year of technology classes to be eligible to graduate. Ms. Schor is the exclusive facilitator of technology-based courses at Branson, so providing education on this critical subject matter falls solely on her shoulders. But, this is a challenge she both welcomes
cyclical desire for both to stay engaged. She also finds innovative To help students meet their graduation requirement, all first-
ways to incorporate elements into her courses that draw her
year students at Branson must successfully complete eDynamic
students in based on their interests.
Learning’s Principles of Internet Technology 1a/ 1b courses, giving Kim a unique opportunity to support all students who come through the halls of the school (whether physically or virtually). Since this is a required course, there are always students enrolled in her classes that may not have signed up for those courses otherwise. This puts more pressure on her to help keep them engaged and find value in what she’s offering them.
and embraces.
“ I enjoy teaching technology because it is challenging. It is constantly changing which forces me to change. I’m a perfectionist, so it keeps me on my toes to be constantly striving to learn new things so I can be my best for my students.”
STEM Jobs Are Attainable and In-Demand
students and find ways to support them. Despite the distance and
“ I had a student last year who was extremely upset because he had to take a technology class. His mom called me and asked why he had to take the class and I explained to her that no matter what he did in life, he would be exposed to technology. After speaking with her, the child completed all of his work. At the end of the year, the student came and asked if he could take my Video Game Design class the next year.”
“ Teaching is my passion. I want my students to become productive individuals and be prepared to go out into the real world. eDynamic Learning gives me the tools to educate my students, yet allows me to incorporate my own curriculum into my classes through personalization.” One area she consciously integrates is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
STEM is one of the fastest growing and highest contributing fields to the world economy. According to a study conducted by Science is Us, “STEM supports two-thirds of U.S. jobs (67%), 69% of U.S. GDP and $2.3 trillion in annual federal tax revenue.” This study also found that, “one-third of U.S. workers are direct STEM professionals, accounting for 39% of U.S. GDP. STEM-related jobs include doctors, bioengineers, architects, nurses, electricians, advanced manufacturing specialists, laboratory technicians, military communications systems managers and more. In the same study, “59 percent of America’s STEM workforce does not hold a bachelor’s degree. This cohort has a variety of post-secondary education and training, from associate’s degrees to technical certificates.
“STEM is extremely important to students because it allows them to be hands-on and learn both hard and soft skills and apply them in the real-world. Our students learn valuable skills that will help them be successful in the 21st century. It allows our students to discover their potential and have the ability to dream: Not only dream, but become successful adults in today’s society.”
The T & E of STEM Ms. Schor’s students are exposed to STEM elements throughout each eDynamic Learning course she teaches. They learn the science behind the technology that they are exposed to on a daily basis. They learn how technology is created and how it is used in today’s society. While Kim incorporates some additional STEM elements into the curriculum using eDynamic Learning’s customization feature, many exist inherently within the courses as they are built.
“They see math throughout my courses when they learn about binary numbers in Principles of IT and how to convert numbers from binary to decimals or decimals to binary. They learn that computers use 0’s and 1’s because it is the simplest form of the number system. In Foundations of Game Design, students learn the science behind some of the most popular games including both board games and video games. They learn how to use their imagination to create video games that would allow individuals to experience things that they might not be able to experience in the real world. Engineering is taught in my classes like the building of computers and the hardware behind their design and functionality. They learn about software engineering in both Game Design and Programming. Students learn about problem solving and troubleshooting processes in relation to technology and how it relates to the real world.” Through the technology-related yet topically-varied courses Kim teaches, she is able to educate, inspire, and connect important dots for her students in a way that makes real-world sense. And it’s something her students appreciate.
Forging Relationships With Her Students Building relationships with students, seeing them connect the dots, and seeing their accomplishments are motivating forces for teachers. We, as educators, do what we do to help them succeed. But sometimes, helping students down their learning journey can be overwhelming with often large course loads. This school year she is facilitating 10 courses, but she believes when you
Learning’s curriculum as she feels it is thorough, engaging, and well-organized. eDynamic Learning provides essential planning and implementation resources that set teachers up for success and make lesson design feel like second nature.
“The curriculum is designed by teachers who have been in classrooms, so they understand what we’re going through. I think that makes teachers feel more comfortable with the curriculum. I like the way the content is broken down and the fact that the critical thinking questions follow right after the unit lessons. Then it goes into the lab and then the activity. The way it’s organized is extremely helpful and it makes sense.”
Changing the Way We Live & Work Technology and the field of IT has changed the way our day-today life operates and the way we communicate and connect. It has also changed the way we learn. When the right pieces are in place- the devices, the curriculum, and the educator- technology has the ability to break down walls and open the horizon to student success, both in the physical classroom and across virtual miles. In Ms. Schor’s case, this is exactly what happened, thanks to her innovative teaching strategies, ability to build relationships with her students, and finding the right curriculum to support her goals in eDynamic Learning. She’s able to not only teach her students how valuable this career field can be, but also demonstrate the flexible nature a career in IT can offer her students who may wish to work remotely in the future. Ms. Schor was recently recognized by eDynamic Learning as a 2022 Career Compass Award recipient for her incredible work with her CTE students in helping guide passion to purpose. We know she will continue to ignite passion and help them shine bright in the future for years to come!
have the right tools in place that insurmountable hills become manageable. She credits much of her success to eDynamic
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