Articles, Reports & Books

2015 STEM Index Shows Gender, Racial Gaps Widen

 

The results of the 2015 U.S. News/Raytheon STEM Index show that, despite the efforts of corporations and non-profits, the gender and racial gaps in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have failed to improve and in some cases have gotten worse. According to the index, women continue to trail men in the number of STEM degrees granted, exam scores, and general interest in STEM fields. The same holds true for race, with White and Asian students and graduates overwhelmingly outperforming Back, Hispanic, and Native American students on all three metrics

 

The High Cost of Low Technology Skills in the U.S.–and What We Can Do About It

Millennials spend on average 35 hours per week on digital media, yet a recent research report finds that 58 percent have low skills in solving problems with technology. In fact, an international comparison of millennials’ performance on PIAAC’s technology test ranked the United States dead last out of 19 participating countries

 

How Teachers Use Ed Tech: 8 Research Studies You Need to Know

Certainly can change things, but that will depend on the teachers.

 

NBA All-Star Chris Bosh: Here’s why you should learn to code

I’ve seen lots of videos with me in them throughout the years — games, music videos, commercials — but watching myself in the Code.org video was one of the coolest moments of my life. When fans started tweeting at me that their teachers showed them a video of me along with some of the most famous tech icons in the world, it all came together for me and made one thing clear: the nerds have finally achieved their revenge.

 

Washington State Passes Bill Strengthening Computer Science Education

A bill that would establish computer science standards, create a computer science teaching endorsement, and make grants available to train teachers in the subject in Washington state is now headed to Gov. Jay Inslee for his signature.  House Bill 1813, a bipartisan proposal, passed overwhelmingly in both the Washington state House and Senate on May 28.

 

Minnesota schools scramble to catch up on computer coding classes

“We are witnessing a massive change in how the world views coding,” said Rebecca Schatz, founder of Code Savvy, a local nonprofit working to expand coding opportunities for kids. “It’s entrepreneurial, it’s progressive, it’s where the jobs are. Coding is cool.”

 

Effective Digital Learning Games Blend the Virtual and the Real, Study Finds

Younger students get the most out of digital learning games when the game combines elements of both the real and virtual world, according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University.

 

Teachers, Developers, Researchers Quickly Evaluate Ed Tech in N.Y.C.

New York City schools are bringing together classroom teachers, software and app developers, and university researchers to conduct rapid-fire evaluations of new education technology products. The project, known as the “Short Cycle Evaluation Challenge,” is part of an emerging national push to get teachers more involved in the development of ed-tech tools—and to provide better information to the school purchasing officials who buy those tools.

 

Why Basic Coding Should Be a Mandatory Class in Junior High

Anyone that has taken an introductory programming class will tell you that at the very least, it helped them understand basic programming logic, structure and design. Even those who did not go on to become software engineers say that the fundamentals of programming a computer at the coding level has helped them shape how they think logically, has sharpened their common sense and, in a lot of cases, has helped them apply what they have learned to getting more out of their smartphones, tablets, computers and other devices that now populate their lives.

 

Coding Boot Camps Are on the Rise

This year the number of graduates from such programs is expected to hit 16,000, up from 6,740 in 2014, according to a recent survey by Course Report, a business that focuses on the sector. A summary of the Course Report survey notes that the average cost of the courses is more than $11,000.

 

Teaching Kids to Code: An Economic & Social Justice Issue

Partovi wants all high schools to offer computer science classes because it represents a growing cluster of job skills but one that few schools teach — particularly schools attended by low income and minority students.

 

The Economist – A is for algorithm: A global push for more computer science in classrooms is starting to bear fruit

Digital technology is now so ubiquitous that many think a rounded education requires a grounding in this subject just as much as in biology, chemistry or physics. That is one reason that the pendulum is swinging back towards teaching coding. Employers’ moans are another.

 

Is the best second language Java, Python, or Ruby?

Coding languages are the backbone of our interconnected world. Here’s why your kids needs to understand digital language – no matter what career they pursue.

 

Adding Coding to the Curriculum

Exposing students to coding from an early age helps to demystify an area that can be intimidating. It also breaks down stereotypes of computer scientists as boring geeks, supporters argue. Plus, they say, programming is highly creative: Studying it can help to develop problem-solving abilities, as well as equip students for a world transformed by technology.

Adding Coding to the Curriculum

Exposing students to coding from an early age helps to demystify an area that can be intimidating. It also breaks down stereotypes of computer scientists as boring geeks, supporters argue. Plus, they say, programming is highly creative: Studying it can help to develop problem-solving abilities, as well as equip students for a world transformed by technology.

Other

http://www.k-12techdecisions.com/article/it_spending_on_the_rise_in_k_12_schools

http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/05/qa-looking-future-ed-tech-thomas-c-murray

http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/05/19/innovator-mark-hammons.aspx

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/05/21/favorite-tech-tools-for-social-studies-classes/

http://www.geekwire.com/2015/code-org-inks-11-new-partnerships-to-help-expand-computer-science-education/

http://www.usnews.com/news/the-next-generation-of-stem/articles/2015/05/12/students-across-the-us-show-off-stem-prowess

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/opinion/sunday/let-the-kids-learn-through-play.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region&_r=1

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/05/06/frontiers-of-digital-learning-probed-by-researchers.html

http://jennyluca.com/2015/04/18/the-evolution-of-the-employee-do-schools-understand-this/

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/7-habits-of-highly-effective-teachers-who-effectively-use-technology/

 

Books:

 

Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas  Must Read!!

 

Seen by many as the catalyst of this movement

 

Mindstorms has two central themes: that children can learn to use computers in a masterful way and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else. Even outside the classroom, Papert had a vision that the computer could be used just as casually and as personally for a diversity of purposes throughout a person’s entire life. Seymour Papert makes the point that in classrooms saturated with technology there is actually more socialization and that the technology often contributes to greater interaction among students and among students and instructors.

 

The Games Believes in You  Must Read!!

What if schools, from the wealthiest suburban nursery school to the grittiest urban high school, thrummed with the sounds of deep immersion? More and more people believe that can happen – with the aid of video games. Greg Toppo’s The Game Believes in You presents the story of a small group of visionaries who, for the past 40 years, have been pushing to get game controllers into the hands of learners.

 

Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That’s Transforming Education

At a time when standardized testing businesses are raking in huge profits, when many schools are struggling, and students and educators everywhere are suffering under the strain, Robinson points the way forward. He argues for an end to our outmoded industrial educational system and proposes a highly personalized, organic approach that draws on today’s unprecedented technological and professional resources to engage all students, develop their love of learning, and enable them to face the real challenges of the twenty-first century.

 

What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy

James Paul Gee begins his classic book with “I want to talk about video games–yes, even violent video games–and say some positive things about them.” With this simple but explosive statement, one of America’s most well-respected educators looks seriously at the good that can come from playing video games. In this revised edition, new games like World of WarCraft and Half Life 2 are evaluated and theories of cognitive development are expanded. Gee looks at major cognitive activities including how individuals develop a sense of identity, how we grasp meaning, how we evaluate and follow a command, pick a role model, and perceive the world.