Please join us for this engaging webinar. Go to the URL below just before the event starts.

Empowering our youth: STEM outreach initiatives for computer science integration into K-12 classrooms

Abstract:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 8.6 million jobs were STEM related in May 2015 which is 6.2 % of all US employment. Of these STEM jobs, 45% consisted of computer occupations and an additional 19% made up by engineers. A large portion of the STEM occupations were related to computers and information systems.

Literature has shown that incorporating engineering into the science classroom may increase student interest in STEM careers and increase STEM literacy. Additionally, incorporating engineering concepts into science instruction can help students develop critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creative thinking skills.

Engineering and basic science are distinct fields of study: Engineers use existing scientific knowledge to build useful devices; whereas, scientists seek to discover entirely new processes and knowledge. In short, scientists pose questions and generate hypotheses while engineers define and solve problems.

This talk will address multiple tools and resources available to expand existing curriculum to include coding. From these generalized resources targeted at a broad audience, students are equipped with the tools of collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking, and inquiry-based learning, so they are well on their way to becoming part of the growing coding world! In addition, spatial reasoning skills are critical to many technical and non-technical careers, as well as everyday tasks like packing a suitcase or reading a map. We will delve into spatial problems and discuss strategies to develop students\u2019 spatial problem-solving skills. Participants will gain an understanding of available resources to develop activities to build coding and problem-solving skills in the classroom.