Group items tagged

The challenge is to ensure that students within a STEAM programme are better prepared than they might be if they studied the disciplines in isolation and that in seeking to integrate diverse fields we do not weaken the efficacy of one for the inclusion of another.

Making the most of Maker Spaces and STEAM will require professional development and a new mindset for all learners. 

After two days of talking about curriculum, integration, STEM, STEAM and HASS I am left with more questions than I started with. In some respects, the concept of curriculum integration is simple. It is after all something that Primary teachers almost take for granted. But for Senior and Tertiary educators the question of curriculum integration is inherently complex. At all levels questions emerge of what curriculum integration might achieve, what purposes it serves, what it could and should look like and how it should be supported by curriculum planners. In the current climate, with its debate around the role of education within an innovation economy, shaped by technology and confronting demands for a STEAM enabled workforce the shape of our curriculum is under pressure. 

STEAM is a 21st-century educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for learning that encourages students to think more broadly about real-world problems.

Making, Maker Centred Learning and STEAM fit neatly alongside Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) for many schools. Commonly this approach includes a constructivist view of knowledge and teachers seek to establish conditions which allow students to explore questions and ideas with greater independence than may occur in the traditional classroom.  Learning becomes a collaborative partnership between teachers and students with a clear focus on a learner centric approach.

Sydney has become a beacon that brings people together and sparks conversations. Most recently the conversation centred on the topic of girls in tech and what might be done to re-dress the gender balance in STEAM subjects and related career pathways. Sponsored by INTEL this Vivid Ideas event drew a mix of entrepreneurs, educators and tech luminaries to the Museum of Contemporary Art on a Saturday afternoon to share their ideas on what might be done.

Tony Bates is one of the original gurus of highly interactive modern e-learning. In this blog he lets off some steam. Just reading this made me feel better.

Krissy Venosdale (https://twitter.com/KTVee) has amassed a superb collection of images and posters for the classroom on her blog and Flickr steam. Also find great ideas and resources for your classroom, especially for teachers of gifted and talented classes. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Displays+%26+Posters

A great simple music search engine that streams free music from Grooveshark up an uncluttered page. Search by title, artist or album. You can get the widget to embed and then stream music from your own site. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Music%2C+Sound+%26+Podcasts