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STEM -Science, Engineering and Technology – A way of thinking

STEM is a big buzzword in the United States and it has multiple implementations based on what schools perceive it as. STEM is more than a way of integrating science, maths, and engineering as part of classroom courses
STEM is not just a coding course or a science experiment but the ability to analyze and think of a concept to implementation to real-world problems of scenarios.This may be done in a non-curriculum or curriculum-based approach.
“STEM is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world and to share this accumulated knowledge. It’s a mindset that says we that can use reason and logic and honest inquiry to reach new conclusions and solve big problems.”
Former President, Obama

“Coding is a vital component of tech education, but it won’t be enough to sustain the next generation of workers.With technology changing rapidly and new job areas emerging and transforming constantly, that’s no longer the case.”
-Sundar Pichai, Google

THE CURRICULUM
The Next Generation Science Standards has created a 3 Dimensional approach to learning science that helps in integrating hands-on problem solving and critically thinking about how science can be used in everyday lives or larger real-life problems. For example, Newton’s laws of motion are used for Rocket science and the ability to understand why we study it can generate interest and engagement in students even for those who do not get excited about learning science. NGSS framework allows immersive digital content being easily incorporated as part of learning exercises and also help in deriving continuous new lessons based on each concepts linking it to new problems or areas.

TECHNOLOGY
Technology is an enabler in almost every kind of area and is the basis of the how things work and why it works this way. Technology is changing at a rapid pace with new tools and technologies included the paradigm to development of technology products. You do not need to write a 1-page program to execute a small feature in the web, but with the advent of new areas like AI, Data Science, we see frameworks and patterns where a few lines of coding or no coding can help in building new technology solutions.While many fear that technologies like AI may replace jobs or control our lives, in reality, its practical uses today can help in improving education by proving better learning paths using knowldege based on patterns and models.

HANDS-ON
The ability to adapt to technology and experiment your hypothesis is very important.Science and Engineering require multiple hands-on experimentations using devices like Arduino or Raspberry Pi Kits, Facial recognition, Interactive Circuits or Lab based experimentation like a Chemistry/Physics or a Biology Dissection Lab. The ability to create your own hypotheses can be important or simply getting to do it yourself makes the student more engaged in the next steps of learning.

AWIS NJ – What is STEM learning all about?

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The Gen Z and the “Artificial Intelligence” viewpoint

A blog by Sushmita Chatterjee
Spring break has started and it has been an interesting week at my home with two 9 and 10 years old trying to spend their time watching T.V, painting and doing other activities. I put a proposal of “Why not design an app?”.
GenZ children love apps and whether it is gaming, educational or otherwise it always lights up their face.
Most children do not perceive PCS and websites as relevant products or services other than in a tablet or a phone.
A few years back when I asked my older daughter, she came up with an idea of “doing maths” using a sequence of inputs and outputs. However, the GenZ thinks differently- It’s AI for them. They understand the potential of technologies to not only compute but can think “intelligently” or trained to follow a pattern to get outputs based on them. The thinking is no longer input x with y that is based on some structured or unstructured data. It is to enable a different kind of intelligent output using Artificial Intelligence(AI)-based models using machine learning, deep learning, and other models.
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2018 STEM Entrepreneurship finalist challenge award

March 29,2018 -We were one of the recipients the 2018 STEM Entrepreneurship challenge award organized by the AWIS (Association of Women in Science) NJ Chapter. The event was attended by Learnroll Immerse team members that showcased different STEM categories awards at Princeton Marriot, Forrestal Village. We hope to continue delivering best experiences in AR and VR for STEM learning in K-12 and higher education.

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Democratization of an educational ecosystem

How are the millennials learning? Has there been any change in their learning outcomes? These are some of the challenging questions that any “educator” needs to address. Education & Learning centers (unlike the healthcare system which has a wide variety of specialized centers), comprises of schools/institutions which are still categorized as “private schools”, “public schools” , “charter schools” ,”homeschools” or “afterschool”. We do not see a de-centralized learning process which provides specialized learning nomenclature like “STEM schools” , “LANGUAGE schools” “IMMERSIVE schools” or “ART schools” at K-12 beyond afterschool programs, where a student can go to a “center of excellence” of his/her choice to get that specific learning that best matches his/her learning styles and goals. It is very similar to a healthcare system where a hospital would recommend a X-ray done at a “University Radiology”. This helps in creating an educational ecosystem of schools, learning institutions where each individual school is not trying to be an “expert at everything” but working with other specialized centers, makerspaces, special schools to enable better learning for everyone – formal or informal.
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True knowledge is inherently interdisciplinary.

Several years ago, a college newspaper editorial board wrote an editorial suggesting that the college get rid of “useless” humanities departments, such as foreign languages and history, and funnel more resources to “useful” departments. In response, I wrote the following letter, but I never sent it. At Learnroll Immerse, we believe that education is more than grades and skill development. Grades and job skills are certainly part of the equation, but real learning can be about grades, job skill development, informed citizenship, and living a good life.

Here is my lightly edited letter.

Dear editorial board,

If you believe that the goal of a college education should be to churn out the next generation of mid-level bean counters who had their most profound thought while watching “Hot Tub Time Machine”, then you are absolutely correct, specialization is the answer. Yet I believe that our college wants and expects more of its alumni.

For example, when a physician, tells a patient that he or she has cancer, do we want the doctor to have a foundation in psychology? When a drug company offers the doctor gifts for prescribing a particular drug, do we want the doctor to understand ethics and philosophy? When the patient can’t pay for their chemotherapy, do we want the doctor to understand public policy and politics? When the doctor hires staff and makes decisions about his or her practice, do we want the doctor to understand economics and accounting? I sure hope so!

Do you actually believe that someone can be successful in publishing with only a background in communication and English? Who is going to edit and market the books and articles about science and politics and business? I suggest that you actually talk to some alumni working in publishing before you decide what is valuable. And while you are at it, why don’t you ask anyone working in a global business, a government agency, a branch of the military, or a social service or humanitarian organization about the value of speaking another language?

Last, but not least, is the sole purpose of education for the students and colleges to be “profitable?” Is there no value in explaining a painting to your kid? Is there no value in seeing a show or listening to a concert? Often it is only through the arts that we can grapple with life’s biggest questions. Perhaps if you spent a bit more time broadening your horizons and taking a variety of classes, you’d realize that the boundaries between departments are arbitrary and in constant flux. True knowledge is inherently interdisciplinary.

Sincerely,

Karen Dentler