The STEM Education Blog

Whether you are a teacher facing the challenge of virtual or hybrid instruction, or a parent homeschooling your child, the reality is that remote learning can be difficult. STEM learning can be even more challenging since students may not have equitable access to technologies and devices. In this post, we will focus on ways to incorporate STEM activities at home while maintaining high levels of engagement and learning.

When the pandemic descended in the spring and nearly all schools transitioned online, it was very challenging for educators to pivot without any preparation or warning. Now that we are starting the 20-21 school year, many teachers are finding themselves still online or in a hybrid setting. Are you looking for ways to infuse your online classroom with new ideas and resources? The following list should get you headed in the right direction.

Sometimes it isn’t easy to think of ways to blend technology and the arts in one classroom. However, combining the two can be critical in helping younger students create, communicate, and collaborate, and there are plenty of ideas out there, such as the ones summarized below from STEAM coordinator Ashley Blackwelder, that have worked well for schools to combine these two important subject areas.

The past several months of e-learning have reinforced the importance of student collaboration. Whether students are in the classroom or not, it’s important to provide opportunities to work as a team and learn social-emotional learning skills. Technology can be a great way to accomplish this. In her District Administration article, Rachelle Dene Poth detailed her recommendations for creating a collaborative environment, which we’ve summarized here.

With the pandemic came a rush for getting ed-tech software to make the transition to digital instruction easier. However, as many made rash purchase decisions, they quickly realized that the more research you put in, the better product you’re going to get. According to Canvas’ Trenton Goble, whose tips in District Administration we’ve summarized below, there are ultimately three things to look for when making an ed-tech purchase decision: security, scalability, and support.