STEM/STEAM

Students who graduate from Skyline High School’s Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics Academy in Colorado’s St. Vrain Valley School District receive a special certificate—a STEM seal—along with a diploma. Providing seals are part of a growing trend. At least five states, including Ohio, Nevada, New York and Texas, offer special endorsements for high school graduates […]

A STEAM learning philosophy is just one of many trends that districts will incorporate more over the next five years, according to the latest New Media Consortium/CoSN Horizon Report, which annually tracks short- and long-term edtech trends that will affect districts. Makerspaces have emerged as the key conduit for STEAM because the “act of making” […]

When Nita Cochran was district math coordinator for Norman Public Schools in Oklahoma, she was looking to help the district’s elementary school students improve their mathematical foundation. There are nearly 16,000 students in NPS, which is located in Oklahoma’s third-largest city and is also home to the University of Oklahoma. Cochran, who is currently math […]

Middle and high school students in Providence, Rhode Island, can earn badges—and class credit—for skills learned in after-school programs. The Providence Afterschool Alliance offers badges to its 2,000 students for completing STEM activities and for displaying skills such as problem-solving, communication and perseverance. “We work to give value to learning beyond the school space” says […]

Rochester, New York, students have some bragging rights when it comes to space exploration. East High School students in the Rochester City School District recently earned the opportunity to send their microgravity experiment to the International Space Station. The experiment—which tests the role of microgravity in the production of chlorophyll—is one of 21 student projects […]

Two years ago, when it became clear that their previous curricula for grades 6 through 8 did not align with required math standards, school leaders at Berwick Alternative K-8 School in Columbus, Ohio, began looking for a replacement. Berwick has 700 students, 60 percent of whom qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Keith Emrick, a […]