Recent articles

A student examines here bot in a robotics classroom.

Computer Science for ALL: Where Does Your State Stand?

10/12/2022

Topics: Computational Thinking, computer science

All jobs of the future will require some computer literacy skills so it’s increasingly important that quality computer science (CS) education is an urgent priority for school systems around the globe. 

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Three boys tinker with robotics at an after-school program

4 Strategies for Building a Community STEM Program

12/21/2021

Topics: Makerspaces

ISTE Certified Educator Shares Tips for Informal Learning Organizations

As more informal learning organizations begin to offer programs that engage kids and foster real-world skills, many are…

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a person making a digital drawing on a phone

Students Can Create a Work of Code Art

05/12/2021

Topics: art, coding, computer science

Tim Needles is an advocate for bringing the arts to STEM education. But one of his favorite classroom projects actually brings STEM to the arts.

Needles, an art teacher at Smithtown High School East on…

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A student works on a robotics project with her teacher

Equity Literacy for STEM Educators

02/19/2020

Topics: Computational Thinking, digital equity

In the context of STEM education, it is not enough for schools to identify the content and skills needed for K-12 students to become STEM ready. School leaders, STEM educators and educational stakeholders must…

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Three students around a laptop working on a coding project.

Lessons to Keep Hour of Code Going Year-Round

11/29/2021

Topics: Computational Thinking, computer science

Each December, schools around the world celebrate Hour of Code. Launched by Code.org in 2013, the…

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Reflections on coding from an open-minded skeptic

Reflections on coding from an open-minded skeptic

02/05/2019

Topics:

“We’ve come full circle since 1981.” That was my first thought a few years ago, when I began to hear about the necessity of teaching coding in K-12 schools.

Back in the 1980s, programming was the buzzword. Logo, BASIC and Pascal programming were required classes for the…

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Profile of a technologically literate graduate

Profile of a technologically literate graduate

01/07/2019

Topics:

When school leaders set out to create a profile of their ideal graduate, many trip up on defining technological literacy and subsequently struggle to…

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Three girls at a laptop

Use Coding to Engage Students in Reading, Writing Lessons

02/26/2021

Topics: Coding & robotics, Literacies

It’s easy to think of coding as a skill that applies only to math or science, or to think coding is something not easily taught to the youngest learners. Heidi Williams is busting those myths, proving coding can be applied to reading and writing,…

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Why STEM recruitment programs aren' 't working

Why STEM recruitment programs aren't working

12/28/2018

Topics:

Maker faires, science camps, robotics competitions — they’re often the go-to strategies for recruiting students to STEM careers. Kids who are passionate about STEM find them irresistible. But are they effective at winning over students who are on the fence about it?

The…

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Embed literacy into STEM projects

Embed literacy into STEM projects

05/01/2018

Topics:

STEM is nothing without literacy.

As STEM/STEAM educators, we want to help students think and…

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