Leading the Way in STEM

What is STEM Education?

STEM is an acronym for the fields of study in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. There has been a big focus on this term since President Obama highlighted it in recent presentations on education.

But, in RRISD, STEM Education has been a focus for a while--most notably, through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. CTE encompasses many different fields of study, but offers an opportunity to many students interested in engineering through a program called Project Lead the Way (PTLW). At the Middle School level, PTLW is taught in a class called Gateway to Technology (GTT). Another STEM-focused option at the middle school level is Career Portals which helps students decide on an academy focus for high school. Mr. Borinstein is the teacher of record for these classes at CeVMS.

Recently, I caught Mr. Borinstein's class using their STEM skills in some pretty amazing ways. Check out the cars that they've made (I didn't get any pictures of the planes...):

Photo edited with http://fotoflexer.com/

In order to create these models, students learn the basics of engineering through specialized software and programs. They learn about design and functionality. Then, they put those theories to use in a practical manner.

What can you do?

Want to conjure some excitement for STEM? Check out this video created by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce:

Check out some of the other videos put together by this group. There may be one that you can show that will pique the interest of students who always seem to ask the question: "Why do I need to know this?..."

TechKNOWLEDGEy Tips: Online Photo Editors

Do you want an easy way to spice up the pictures, but don't have access or the know-how to use PhotoShop?

Here are a few online photo editors that will do the trick.

FotoFlexer

http://fotoflexer.com/

This photo editor is not complicated, but it is for the more intense user. It has a lot more options and a user-friendly interface. It is fairly intuitive and fun to play around in. You don't need to log in or register in order to use the features.

Pixlr

http://pixlr.com/

Pixlr has two options from the main page: 1) Open Photo Editor -or- 2) Retro Vintage Effects.

I enjoy using the retro effects--pretty much it's just adding a layer or filter to the existing page. For blogging and just adding a little bit of flair, this is great. When you're in the Photo Editing feature, it has a very similar feel to PhotoShop--so if you've worked in PS or are leading students to that, this is a great bridge. This one does not require a log-in or registration to use the services.

Picnik

http://www.picnik.com/

Probably the easiest out of the three choices offered. It doesn't offer a lot of bells and whistles, but it gets the job done easily and effectively. It doesn't require you to register or log-in to use the services unless you want to upgrade to the Premium version.

Don't find what you need: Click here for additional choices. (I didn't preview most of these choices, so be forewarned and proceed at your own risk.)

Sing and make music....for your computer?

This image was edited using http://www.phixr.com/photo/

RRISD Fine Arts programs have incorporated technology into music education through a program called SmartMusic. According to the website, SmartMusic is interactive music software that allows the user to practice with background accompaniment then get instant feedback about their performance. The program allows users to play an instrument (woodwind, brass, percussion, string--just to name a few) or sing a vocal performance while following along with the program in order to improve at a pace that is appropriate for the student. The band and choir directors have been incorporating this program into lessons and practice areas for students to use in class and out of class use for practicing music.

In addition to the great practice opportunities, Cedar Valley students were chosen to participate in a pilot for Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) in which they use SmartMusic to submit entries for individual contest. Students use the musical skills they learn in the classroom to play and record a pre-selected piece of contest music and then, using the program, sight-read a selection and submit it for judging. As with any pilot, there are some bugs to fix; but our Jags in band and choir gave peak performances!

This is a great example of how technology can be used to support the classroom teacher and allow students a little flexibility.

Until next time!