Session 1: Exploring

This session will explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through video presentations, case studies and additional online resources.

Description of Session 1

This session will explore STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through videos, narrated lectures, case studies and additional online resources.  After completing this session, click on Session 2 to continue.

If this course is being taken to document Professional Development hours, use the checklist on the menu to the left.

Video Presentations

The three narrated interactive video presentations below introduce the concept of STEM. (Adobe Flash Player is required to view these presentations.) Click on the titles to load presentations:

  1. What is STEMLearn the definition of STEM.
  2. STEM Barriers and Best Practices. Learn common problems and effective ways of implementing STEM.
  3. STEM in the Standards. Learn about how STEM meets state and national standards.

Scenarios

The following scenarios can be used to apply the concepts presented in the lectures. Read each short description and consider what the best practices would be in each situation.

Sample Discussion

Below is a sample of discussion questions that can be used when training faculty with the above materials. Document your responses for credit or Professional Development hours using the checklist in the menu to the left.

Now that you have read all four scenarios, choose one child and consider the following two questions:

Recommended directions for online learners would be:

"Post your response [in the discussion section]. Once you have responded to both questions, post a reply to two other learners."

Resources

The following is a list of additional online resources for K-8 teachers:

State Resources

The documents below were prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Education to describe Curriculum Framework and Standards for K-12 schools in Massachusetts (MA).

Citation: Session 1: Exploring. (2014, August 22). Retrieved November 06, 2014, from UMass Boston OpenCourseware Web site: http://ocw.umb.edu/early-education-development/bridges-to-stem-learning-for-grades-k-8/session-1-exploring.
Copyright 2014, by the Contributing Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. Creative Commons License