Ep. 45 - Examining the State of Education: An Interview with Project Lead The Way's Vince Bertram In this episode, host Dave Goldberg interviews Dr. Vince Bertram, president and chief executive officer of Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. Join Vince and Dave to…
Despite high demand for computer science skills across industries, student access to computer science is low: Estimates show that just one quarter of all the K-12 schools in the United States offer access to high-quality computer science. It is vital that every student is empowered to become a creator, instead of merely a consumer, of technology. For young students, this…
K-5 students already have the qualities of great innovators problem solvers, but traditional rote-learning environments can often stifle young learners’ natural curiosity, engagement, and confidence. Bringing hands-on, relevant learning to K-5 classrooms through engineering activities, projects, and problems, however, can empower students to embrace their exploratory nature and stay excited about discovery – now and for years to come. And…
School is out for the summer, but student learning doesn’t have to – and shouldn’t – stop. Countless studies show summer learning loss is a real challenge for American students. The average “summer slide” in math and reading amounts to one month per year, with a two-month loss of reading skills occurring among low-income students, according to a 2011 RAND…
Engineering: It’s not just about skill. It’s about a mindset. Technical understanding is essential to engineering, but in order to truly unleash engineers to fulfill their potential, we must look deeper than just technical aptitude. Engineers find success and personal fulfillment when they couple technical skills with a mindset to create extraordinary value for others. Possessing an entrepreneurial mindset is…
Though there is great demand for talent to fill the vast and varied job opportunities in STEM fields, a staggering 75 percent of students talented in math and science decide not to pursue STEM in college, according to one study. While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to this education and workforce development challenge, one helpful way to support students’ STEM interests…
Though women make up nearly half of the working population, they remain underrepresented in STEM occupations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In fact, women accounted for just 24 percent of workers in STEM, and only one in 10 STEM professionals is a minority woman. Experts point to a number of reasons for this gender disparity, from girls losing interest…
Big Beacon is pleased to announce the relaunch of the #BigBeacon weekly twitter chat as The Big Beacon Media Network for Educational Transformation (BBMNET). Combining the reach of the twitter chat with new programming from both new and existing media affiliates and affiliated bloggers, BBMNET will carry the voice of educational transformation around the globe with renewed vigor and force. This…
Guest post by Project Lead The Way The five W’s of measuring student growth and learning in STEM Education Measuring student growth and learning has gained a significant amount of national attention in recent years, for better or worse. What are the best ways to assess STEM learning? There is tremendous value in discovering what students are learning in the…
Curious to know what people in STEM fields love about their jobs? Ever wonder what it takes to begin a STEM career? Join experts from Project Lead The Way (PLTW), Lockheed Martin, USA Science and Engineering Festival, Bucknell University, and special guest Big Beacon on Twitter to discuss the many paths to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. PLTW…