Mark Herring

Codey Rocky – the coding robot and invention tool in one!

If you’re a teacher in a classroom these days, it’s pretty hard to not know about the need to get students engaged with coding, robotics, and the new buzz words floating around at the moment, ‘Invention Literacy.’

But the biggest question we always get asked, through the work we do as digital learning specialists in schools, is ‘What robotics tool should we buy for our class?’ And the second most asked question would be, ‘What would be a good robot for my junior class?’ Well – here’s a great option that would cover both of those questions.

This review is about Makeblock’s new addition to their robotics lineup, the ‘Codey Rocky’, which the team at Makeblock have been kind enough to give me an advance trial of. I’ll be weighing the Codey Rocky up against five criteria that I always recommend teachers think about when they are looking at digital tools. Pretty simply, they are;

⁃ Scalability
⁃ Reliability
⁃ Durability
⁃ Modularity
⁃ Cool factor

Are you looking for a coding tool for your classroom, that has great scale, reliability and is durable? Check out our review of the @makeblock #CodeyRocky Click To Tweet

1. Scalability

So, our first one, scalability, is all about the age and ability range that the tool can be used with. Is it able to challenge young students, right up to older ones? Can it be challenging for students will low levels of skills right up to students with high levels of skills? In my opinion, the best tools can be adapted through multiple levels. Especially as schools often have limited budgets and will want their dollars to stretch as far as they can.
The first thing you notice about Codey is that it just looks so totally cute! You only have to see students’ reactions to it to know that people just bond with it super quickly. It’s got the cute factor, that’s for sure. I’ve also seen research (don’t ask me where) that suggests that girls are more likely to be drawn into a coding tool if it has some kind of personality attached to it. Kids love this panda looking robot and from my experience, it just hooks people right in!

So how about scaling up the ability? The main interface for the code, a program you can download, is called Mblock and is super easy for young children to just ‘drag and drop’. They can adapt pre-made coding programs very easily and transition into making their own coding algorithms pretty quickly.
How about older students? Well, on the face of it, Codey Rocky looks like a younger student’s tool but, looks can be deceiving. The main console of the Cody Rockey can be attached to the invention tools from Makeblock called Neuron, which allows it to become part of some pretty sophisticated inventions. This is especially so once you connect it to WIFI and the, ‘If this, then that’, recipes you can adapt make the Codey Rockey into an ‘Internet of things’ tool. It could be designed, for example to measure the moisture of some soil, and send you a text message when the levels get too low. How cool is that! This is aside from the ability to have students code using the JavaScript mode inside MBlock. The scalability is very high. So, for scalability, I’d give it a 4 out 5.

2.Reliability

The next criteria, reliability, is such an important aspect for most teachers. If you have experienced what it’s like to have a class learning ‘flow’ interrupted by the fact that a tool just won’t work… then you know what I mean. We need classroom tools that work pretty much 100% of the time, taking out human error.

To be honest, I’ve found the Codey to be extremely close to faultless so far. I did have issues getting it connected to my MacBook Pro, but that could be something to do with the dreaded USB C adapter issue that any MacBook user knows about. Connecting to my Surface Pro was as simple as could be, and the buttons and charging cable seem to work flawlessly. The MBlock5 program is currently available on a Mac, Windows 10 and the Google Chrome Web Store so it will work with any laptop or Chrome Book.

At the moment I’d give reliability a 4 but pretty close to a 5 if I solve this MacBook connection issue.

3.Durability

So how durable is Codey? Well, just look at the images of the build quality, especially the hardened plastic shell and the bullet proof tractor tread. I don’t think, save covering it with foam or bubble wrap, you’d have a design that was more ‘kid proof’. I haven’t been game to let my only Codey be pushed off a table to test it, but I’d imagine it would be pretty robust. The buttons, the wheels and the casing seems pretty solid and kid friendly. I’d have to give it a 4 out of 5 for that as well. The only tool I’ve ever seen that I’d give a 5 is the Sphero SPRK+ but that robot can take weight of up to 110KGs, so it’s a high benchmark to reach. I’m very impressed with the Codey Rocky’s build quality!

The @makeblock Codey Rocky is one of the most durable STEAM tools for coding out there at the moment! Perfect for junior through to middle students. Click To Tweet

4.Modularity

When I talk about modularity I’m looking for the ability of a tool to be added to, adapted and reinvented. How creative can we get with the Codey and get it to help us invent stuff? Well, on its own, there are so many uses for automating it with Codey’s movement, its obstacle avoidance, line tracking… it goes on. But the creativity goes to another level when you combine the Codey with the Neuron tools, as I explained above. Through the magnetic connections of the modules in the Neuron kits, the sky seems like it would be the limit.

The Neuron kit comes with these invention cards to get you started and they help you learn what each component does, but once you’ve got these skills under your belt, there’s no end to what you could create. I’m a huge advocate for schools to have adaptable, modular tools and this totally fits the bill. You don’t want one trick ponies – the Codey is not that!
So, again, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 again – notice a pattern! The only thing letting it down is the ability to get inside and hack the components, like the main circuit board, wiring etc. But – for some teachers, that would seem like a bonus! There would absolutely be less room for things to go wrong. You all know that one student who takes something apart and then walks away!

5.The Cool Factor

The last category is the cool factor! This is important; you need this to really grab students’ attention and pull them in. Now, I know that most of the engagement will come from the way the teacher frames an experience, the dynamics of a group and so many more factors but hey, who doesn’t want tools to be awesome looking? I think, from an aesthetics point of view, the Codey would appeal more to younger students. I can’t image hard core high school or college student being that stoked about getting their hands on it. But that’s not the main market. You can tell that this is designed for younger students. It’s so cute and looks just like a Panda with those cute, big eyes. But you just have to see the reaction when primary and elementary students see this for the first time. They love it. I think it has great cool factor but that just depends on the age. So, for cool factor, I’d give it a 3 out of 5.

Overall
So, to wrap this up, we’d have to give the Codey Rocky a 19 out of 25. That’s a pretty brilliant score for a robotics tool that costs relatively little compared to its usability. This is a fantastic little robot and we’d definitely recommend it if you’re after a a coding activity to use with Elementary or Primary students and want something durable, scalable and just plain cute! To check out more information about specific specs and information, visit the Makeblock Codey Rocky site here.

If you found this review helpful and would like to get in touch about how we can support you and your school, contact us here on support@usingtechnologybetter.com, or have a look at our training options here on our website with our upcoming events.

How to get more out of your STEAM lessons in class

Posted by: Mark Herring

How to get more out of your STEAM lessons in class

Have you been engaging your students with STEM or STEAM projects and experiences but wondering how you can better focus the learning? Here are two simple ways you can maximise the learning outcomes for your students and they both begin at the planning phase.

Here are 2 ways you can focus STEAM Learning in areas that really matter! Click To Tweet

Our digital learning specialists work with schools across Australia, New Zealand and Asia and it’s very common for us to see one simple mistake when teachers are using STEAM learning in their classrooms. The trap they fall into is to focus the student learning on the tool or tool-specific skill. For example, if they are using the Sphero SPRK+ to have the students solve a challenge or problem, the learning that the students gain is ‘How to code the Sphero’ or ‘How to build a bridge for the Sphero to cross.’ Is there anything wrong with that? Not necessarily. I’ve written before how these tools can be an incredibly rich learning tool. It’s just that the tools we use in the classroom are quickly outdated and replaced and therefore shouldn’t be the focus for students.

Although, if the teacher starts with considering the ways they can focus students on deeper skills or knowledge, then things that won’t become irrelevant very quickly. Sphero SPRK+ won’t be a technology we perhaps use in the future, and a small bridge made of cardboard is unlikely to help a student in their future career.

Therefore, I suggest that the learning focus for teachers could be around things that will have a long lasting impact and be transferable to multiple scenarios in later life. The question is, what and how do teachers do this? For each of these approaches, we’ll look at some of the things that teachers can do before, during and after the learning experience.

This graphic illustrates how teachers can focus student outcomes on two deeper areas of learning. The first is around Curriculum Learning and the second is on Future Focused Skills, or ‘The 6Cs,’ based on the work of Michael Fullan.

1.Curriculum Integration

This first area of learning, Curriculum Integration, is where the teacher considers the learning outcomes of a variety of curriculum areas, or even perhaps individual areas, and plans the STEAM project from there. They can focus on a specific area to develop and choose the right tool and challenge scenario to help students discover this in collaborative groups.

For example, a teacher may want students to discover and understand mathematical concepts of distance, measurement and orientation. The Sphero SPRK+ could be a perfect tool for this, where the challenge is to navigate the robot through a maze or series of obstacles. Students would code the robot using distinct values of time, measurement units, as well as working with the degrees of an angle.

Before the lesson, a teacher would plan the maze to be achievable and challenging. They would identify which key vocabulary they would like to focus students’ attention on during the activity, as well as structuring the maze with the kinds of angles that would suit the students’ abilities.

During the activity, the teacher could be noting some of the conversations that the students have, with a small notebook or on a whiteboard, to help focus their class reflection afterwards. The teacher could also be encouraging students to take photos of the different kinds of angles the robots are taking and recording these as photos with drawing overtop on an iPad, for example.

To help students focus on the mathematical outcomes at the conclusion of the activity, the teacher could be asking groups to share their conversations about what they’ve learned about angles and distance. They could do this via reflective tools such as the video recording app Flipgrid, or sharing with the class as a whole group.

2. The Six Cs

This approach to deepening student learning with STEAM focusses students on the skills they will need to be fully future ready. The work of Michael Fullan and Andy Hargreaves with ‘The New Pedagogies of Deeper Learning’ outline six attributes that are crucial for future success. These are Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Collaboration, Character, and Citizenship. You can see more of their work and how they explain the importance of these attributes here. At Using Technology Better, we believe that to truly get the most out of STEAM Learning, especially where teachers are the main drivers of the project, teachers can begin with one of these Six C areas as a focus for the activity.

Take your STEAM Learning beyond the tool. Here are 2 ways to help you do that. Click To Tweet

An example of this could be the teacher who wishes to develop the collaborative skills of their students. Being intentional about this would involve, again, thinking about the things they do before, during and after the activity.

So, before the activity, the teacher would consider a tool and activity that would enable students to work in collaborative groups and rely on each other simultaneously to succeed. A fantastic ‘low tech’ activity for this could be the ‘Cup Stacking Challenge’, where students have a problem of building a tower of plastic cups, situated inside a 2-metre circle where they can’t enter or touch the cups with anything apart from string and rubber bands. This challenge requires them to create leavers and pulleys and to work with others to manipulate the cups around.

During the activity, the teacher could have the students discuss in pairs and then as a whole class, about the things that make collaboration work. They could collate these skills into a list and use a discussion basis for their reflection. The teacher could then encourage students to choose one of these as a goal to set for the activity.

After the experience, the teacher may guide a reflection where students rate their goal out of five and give reasons for their rating. They could discuss the impact that their success or otherwise had on the whole group and develop some next steps for future challenges.

This approach of focussing students on an aspect of the Six Cs, is very transferrable to whichever STEAM challenge or tool your students are using. It’s also a fantastic way to get more out of these experiences and to develop your students as capable, future-ready citizens for our modern world. Below is a framework for the whole progression.

If you’d like some further training, assistance and support with this, we’d love to hear from you. We partner with schools at the leadership and teacher level with our STEAM Ready Programs. Contact us to ask for more information here about these programs

We also run STEAM Learning workshops all over Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the US. Click here to see our upcoming events, our STEAM #1 or #2 workshops, or let us know if you’re interested in hosting a regional event at your school.

What does STEAM Learning look like in schools?

Posted by: Mark Herring

The STEAM learning approach can look incredibly different from school to school. It can vary from curriculum design to the intended outcomes, equipment used and even the physical spaces.

This can make it very difficult for schools to make decisions about where to start, or what to do next. Here are some different approaches that we see in schools, and some positives and negatives about each approach.

In this framework, along with the four approaches, we’ve illustrated how well they tend to achieve two things:

School-wide capacity: This relates to how widespread across classrooms and teachers the STEAM learning approach has developed.
Student agency: This is the level of choice and autonomy a student has to develop their own passions, areas of interest and solutions to authentic problems.

Here are four different kinds of STEAM learning your school can adopt and their potential impact on student agency and school wide adoption! Click To Tweet

1.Having a STEAM Specialist

This is the most common approach we see in schools. This person usually has some expertise in the technology/design process and is tasked with running STEAM experiences for students, either in a designated space or mainstream classes while teachers are released.

Pros:

This person usually develops a high level of STEAM skills and can be a ‘go to’ person for other teachers. They also often help to keep the benefits of STEAM learning in the front of teachers minds.

Cons:

There’s a danger for schools with this approach that teachers will end up deferring any STEAM experiences to this specialist teacher. As such, a school looking for school-wide adoption ends up stifling the very progress they were trying to achieve. It’s very common for any STEAM learning to start and stop with this teacher.

2. A Maker Space

Schools looking to invest some capital or grant money will often design and build a dedicated STEAM room, often called a Maker Space. This is equipped with space, gear and a person to help students connect with STEAM projects.

Pros:

Students can get set up and engaged with STEAM very easily and usually have somewhere to store and save their projects over time. The rooms are also often designed with STEAM learning in mind; very flexible, wide desks and spaces conducive to collaborative learning.

Cons:

This approach has similar downsides to the specialist teacher approach, where the momentum for change across the school often stalls past this space. Teachers tend to feel that STEAM learning is something that happens in this space and not in their classrooms. With timetabling restraints, students can find that the STEAM experiences are restricted to a few weeks in a year or hours in a week. Click here for more about this in our post, ‘Five Myths about STEAM Learning’

3. The Integrated Approach

This is the approach where teachers will integrate STEAM into their curriculum/subject areas. They may facilitate a STEAM project to help students understand some mathematics concepts, or as a follow-up activity to a reading lesson. This is fundamentally where students are using STEAM tools, methods and collaboration to discover and deepen their understanding of mainstream curriculum learning outcomes.

Pros:

Research shows that curriculum integration leads to deeper learning for students. They’re not only more engaged, but more likely to develop higher order thinking skills. This is the essence of STEAM learning – thinking and the NPDL’s description of the 6Cs of Global Skills.

Cons:

When STEAM is driven through curriculum integration, usually the key driver of this process is the teacher. This can be a lost opportunity for developing students sense of agency (the ability to act), their independent learning skills and self-motivation. The other downside to integration beginning from a subject area focus is the danger that the project is guided by the teacher’s preconceived idea of learning outcomes. This can shape the projects in ways that hinder the design thinking process, making it more contrived and inauthentic.

Wondered about the link between STEAM Learning and PBL? Here they are, and their benefits for learning! Click To Tweet

4. Project Based Learning

This approach, when combined with the STEAM elements of computational thinking, the Design Thinking process, and ‘electro technologies,’ is where a student’s timetable is structured around an authentic problem-based process. The learning outcomes are often mapped ‘backwards’ as an outcome, rather than a driver. There are schools where the day to day activities are centered around the student’s interests, needs and a desire to create solutions to real-world issues.

Pros:

There is research to show that PBL schools and experiences result in just as effective, if not higher, achievement rates for students, higher retention and much improved higher order thinking skills (evidence and links for this research here, at Edutopia.org). Shouldn’t the goal of every school be to improve learning outcomes and lift engagement?

Cons:

There is a huge mindset shift for teachers and administrators to achieve this style of learning across their school. There is the massive disruption of timetabling, teacher identity and roles, not to mention the commitment needed by the wider parent and business community to resourcing this approach to learning. Project Based Learning, across the school, takes a large level of commitment and implementation takes time, effort and dedication, not to mention belief.

So, which of these approaches is your school implementing at the moment, or what could your school work towards as a vision for STEAM learning with your students? You could even use this framework as a way to set some goals and some strategic planning for the years ahead.

If you’d like some assistance with this, we’d love to hear from you. We partner with schools at the leadership and teacher level with our STEAM Ready Programs. Contact us to ask for more information here about these programs

We also run STEAM Learning workshops all over Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the US. Click here to see our upcoming events, STEAM #1 or #2 workshops, or let us know if you’re interested in hosting a regional event at your school.

What’s the best low cost STEAM tool for the classroom?

Posted by: Mark Herring

What’s the best low cost STEAM tool for the classroom?

I’m often asked to give my opinion about the purchase of STEAM tools. The way that question is framed is usually around cost. Anyone with experience leading schools understands the need to follow budgets, and if there’s one thing that most schools try to do it’s stretch their’s as far as they can.

So, in the spirit of wanting to help schools, I’ll answer that question shortly. However, I have to preface that with a few observations before I do. These are very closely linked to our company values and principles.

Looking for low cost STEAM tools for your school? Here are some things we recommend you consider first. Click To Tweet

1. Think about the ‘why’ before you consider the ‘whats’:

Schools with a firm understanding of their vision for STEAM learning, and how it helps them achieve their school’s overall vision, will usually make the best decisions about what to purchase. It makes sense, doesn’t it? If you know what you want the tool to do, then you’re more likely to buy the right one.

2. Always start with the ‘what’ before you consider the costs:

If someone asks, ‘What can we buy for X amount of budget?’ then my level of concern is usually raised. We think this is the wrong question. It’s much better to identify the features that your tool will need to have, and then look at your budget. If you then have to raise your budget, it’s ok, since it’s likely to end with a successful purchase. Schools that are solely guided by their initial budget usually end up paying more because they have to purchase different equipment, further down the track.

3. Test it out, trial it, ask around:

It’s amazing how many schools will make very large purchases for equipment after talking to that ‘one salesperson at a conference’ and regret it later on. We recommend that, where possible, teachers ask for a demo model to trial with a class. If this is not possible, at least ask around other schools who have long term experience with a product and ask them what they think. Taking your time and asking the right questions about reliability, ease of use and durability will enhance the likelihood of buying the right tools.

So, after suggesting all of the above, here are two tools in two categories that I recommend for 2018. The best at the lowest price, and the best for overall ‘scaleability’.

The best at the lowest price Winner:

Micro:bit Educator Set – $220 incl. GST (NZD)

If you read the above, then you’ll know that I rarely recommend making decisions based on price. BUT, the Microbit is a STEAM tool where I’m willing to make an exception. For around $220 (NZD), a school can buy a class set of tools that are perfect for:
– drag and drop / text based coding,
– inventing, developing design thinking skills,
– collecting live data,
– multi platform (iPad, Chromebook, PC and Mac).

As if this isn’t enough, the Micro:bit is very well resourced for teachers with a ton of lesson plans and project ideas. Have a look at Microsoft’s Makecode.com site here and the official Micro:bit site for more information.

@microbit_edu - the UTB 2018 STEAM tool winner of ‘The best at the lowest price!’ for 2018. Here’s why. Click To Tweet

The best overall ’scalability’. Winner:

Sphero SPRK+, Education Kit – $2000 + GST (NZD)

There are few STEAM tools that can challenge students from classes at the K-Year 1 level, right through to high school levels. But, the Sphero SPRK+ is a tool that does just that! I’ve worked with children as young as 5, using the draw coding format to solve problems, and High School teachers who tap into its live data functions to gather data sets with the accelerometer and gyroscope. Just a few of its features are:
– 3 forms of coding formats including draw, drag and drop, and syntax (Javacript),
– live data collection,
– reliable bluetooth connection,
– extensive lesson resources,
– well resourced education team who develop fun, engaging projects and ideas for schools,
– the ‘cool’ factor.

This is an incredibly engaging, versatile and creative STEAM tool that I’ve written about, as my favourite STEAM tool, and here regarding it’s huge engagement factor!

@SpheroEdu ‘s SPRK+ - the UTB 2018 STEAM tool winner of ‘The best over-all ’scalability’’ for 2018. Here’s why Click To Tweet

We run STEAM workshops all over Australasia, Asia and America and these are always very hands-on sessions. One of the aims for these days is for teachers to see the potential of a variety of STEAM tools and test them out for themselves. If you or your staff would like to attend one in your region, or even host an event at your school, contact us here for more information. You can also see examples of some recent workshops here, in a Twitter moment. We’d love to hear from you and hear how we could support you with your school’s STEAM Learning journey!

Why the ‘Why’ is Critical for your School’s Steam Learning Program

Posted by: Mark Herring

For most teachers and educational leaders, the STEAM acronym conjures images of robots, computers and scientific equipment. There’s no doubt that these tools can often be found in a classroom engaged in STEAM learning. But it can be far too easy to be blinded by the ‘whats’ and ‘hows’, without considering your vision for ‘why’. Here are three reasons why you should consider YOUR ‘why’ for STEAM before you think about anything else.

Want to see a quick summary? Here it is.

Your ‘why’ will drive your ‘whats’ and ‘hows’.
Your purpose indicates your values and beliefs and this is what people are drawn to.
Your vision helps people see through the pain of change.

Designing your STEAM Learning program but forgotten your why? Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t! Click To Tweet

1. Your ‘why’ will ultimately drive your ‘whats’ and ‘hows’.

All decisions about which tools to buy, how to design your learning environment and the ways to structure your teaching practice will be dictated by your purpose. For example, it’s very common for schools to spend a large amount on equipment and furniture if their purpose for STEAM is about attracting new students and ‘optics’. I have had a principal tell me once that they purchased large desktop computers because “They look great for parents when they walk in the door”. It’s very easy to judge and criticise that decision as being made purely for optics and how it looks. But you’d have to wonder whether this major purpose is going to help them achieve the goals they have for those tools and whether it will help them realise their ‘why.’

Having a well defined, sound purpose for your STEAM program can lead to sound decisions for the ‘whats’ that enable and equip your students and teachers towards your STEAM goals. It also helps you steer clear of common STEAM pitfalls and dead ends.

2. Your purpose indicates your values and beliefs and this is what people are drawn to.

Simon Sinek’s work around the importance of the ‘why’ focuses on people’s inbuilt connection with values and beliefs. We are much more likely to connect with ‘what we believe’ rather than ‘the things we do’ and he argues, this is what all successful businesses and organisations promote.
He uses the example of Apple in his widely viewed Ted.com talk here. He describes that Apple tell us that their ‘why’ is ‘thinking different,’ and is all about ‘challenging the status quo’. Once we connect with that value, then they promote their ‘whats’: their computers and phones.

This can work the same for the people in our learning communities. If we clearly articulate our reasons for developing a STEAM learning approach, however it ends up looking, and explain the values and beliefs of those reasons, then we will have much more buy in and commitment from all concerned.

Knowing and communicating your ‘Why’ of STEAM helps build buy in and commitment. Click To Tweet

3. Your vision helps people see through the pain of change.

Having everyone understanding your ‘why’ will help them adjust to the change (think TIME and EFFORT) that will definitely result. Students, teachers, leaders and parents will all be a part of this adjustment and any change will mean some kind of change in thinking, and also some level of ‘pain’.

It’s like planting new crops. If you want a new harvest then some old crops need to be pulled out, soil needs to be plowed and new seeds planted and watered. If everyone has a clear vision of what this new harvest will bring, then they will understand what this period of change is for, and help them through it.

If you’re interested in exploring your ‘why’ for STEAM learning in more depth, we’d love to help. We support many schools at a leadership level to unpack and articulate their educational values and beliefs and how STEAM can help them see these realised. Contact us here for more information about our STEAM Ready Schools Program, a 1 year ongoing development program, and also our STEAM Certified Trainer Program.

5 Myths about STEAM Learning

Posted by: Mark Herring

STEM and STEAM would be one of the biggest buzz words going around education at the moment. Many schools are wanting to engage their students with this approach to learning.

All I do is put the gear on the table and let the students go for it!” See why this is just one of 5 big myths about STEAM learning. Click To Tweet

As UTB’s Lead STEAM Trainer, I talk with teachers and principals all over the world about the benefits and challenges of integrating STEAM. But there are also lots of misconceptions about what it is and how to implement it effectively.

Here is a list of the 5 most commonly held myths I often hear about STEAM Learning.

1. We don’t really have any budget for all those flashy robots

The most common complaint from school leaders is how expensive the STEAM equipment can be to purchase. In many people’s minds, the way to get STEAM humming in classrooms is to buy the flashiest, shiniest new toys and tools. Sadly, If you go to any conference or STEAM workshop, that’s what STEAM is held up as being all about.

The danger with this approach is that teachers disregard the learning pedagogy that STEAM relies on. The best way to get the most out of STEAM is to have students collaborating and seeking to solve real-world, authentic problems.

In my experience, the shiny new tech tools can often become a hindrance as the focus becomes the tool and not the process. It’s as silly as builders running around firing their new nail guns into the wood, and thinking that they’re actually building.

So how do you avoid this mistake in your school?

When we start our STEAM workshops we always focus on the pedagogy first, and then experience and unpack that understanding with very ‘low tech’ challenges. These usually involve cups, popsicle sticks and very cheap materials. You could even run a fantastic STEAM challenge at the beach with driftwood.

The movie ‘Castaway’ is full of authentic STEAM problem solving as the main character strives to survive and improve his life on the island. In an essence, this is what STEAM is all about – solving people’s problems. The aim is to work through the Design Thinking Process, and do it over and over again until you succeed. You don’t need a robot to do that!

2 .You need a dedicated room

There are too many schools spending vast amounts of money on dedicated rooms and spaces for their STEAM programs. I’m a huge advocate for having room to create, setup and store STEAM projects.

However, the danger with these ‘maker spaces’ is that they risk becoming the latest version of the 1990’s computer lab, where the use of this powerful approach to learning is isolated from everyday learning and becomes something that we only do when we go to the STEAM space. It also gives the majority of teachers the license to avoid integrating STEAM, since that is what the ‘STEAM teacher does’ when the class goes to the maker space.

We’ll put lots of robotics gear into a room and call it ‘The STEAM Room. That’ll get our school humming with STEAM. Click To Tweet

STEAM can be done in any room, with any tools and in any environment.

There are some spaces that make it easier or more manageable, but this is not absolutely necessary and can easily be more detrimental to widespread school STEAM integration.

3. The E isn’t something we need to focus on

It’s very easy for us to see STEAM through the lens of our traditional curriculum areas. Engineering can easily be seen as something that students will explore when they reach tertiary level study, or get into the trades.

However, in essence, engineering is a way to describe the designing and making aspect of a STEAM project. It can be seen as the intersection of our science understanding and what we know as technology. This is something a 5 year old will do when they are building with lego or constructing a bridge out of newspaper.

There are also specific engineering principles we can teach students through STEAM.

There are four forms of engineering:

Chemical,
Civil
Electrical
Mechanical

All of these disciplines have a body of knowledge that teachers can plan for and enable their students to explore and discover.

Having this understanding as a teacher is why professional development and teacher experience is crucial to successful STEAM learning in your school.

4. The A just confuses things

This is something I hear from people across all levels of our school system. Some principal’s are well-meaning in wanting to focus on the Science and Technology development for their teachers, while Secondary teachers often like to focus on their speciality area of subject-based expertise.

Both of these people will state that a focus on integrating the visual arts will dilute the emphasis on the STEM areas.

However, in many minds, the ‘A’ includes far much more than the aesthetic or emotive features of a solution to a need or a want. If you unpack what the arts are, you realise that it includes all of the humanities subjects.

These involve the social impact of products and processes, including their ethics and ways that humans interact with designs.

A recent example of this includes the controversy of how Facebook is being used to influence ideas and the spread of misinformation. Some would argue that the lack of consideration and thought into the ‘A’ in STEM is a growing concern for our modern society. I think that we disregard the ‘A’ to our peril.

5. Just give it to the students and let them ‘go for it!’

This is what I often hear when teachers and leaders are lacking the knowledge of a new tool or product themselves. There’s no doubt that the curious nature and ‘give it a go’ attitude of many younger learners will keep them engaged for a while. However, it’s only a matter of time before that engagement will start to wain and boredom will kick in. For most students, this strategy only works for a limited amount of time before they get distracted or disinterested.

The role of the teacher and their understanding of a tool’s limitations and strengths is critical for getting the most from the STEAM learning approach. A teacher’s goal should be to develop the 6Cs of;

creativity,
collaboration,
critical thinking,
global connections,
character,
citizenship.

To do this effectively, students need a teacher’s understanding of a tool to help them problem solve, be inspired, and have the possibilities modelled to them.

A teacher doesn’t need to be an expert with the tools, but they at least need to know the basics to help frame a student’s thinking in the right direction and to be able to model or ‘think aloud’ when appropriate.

STEAM learning is an incredible new approach to making learning real for our students, in a way that enables them to be as ‘future ready’ as they can be.

If you’re interested in attending one of our STEAM Ready workshops, click here for the latest dates coming up near you.

Dedicated STEAM rooms can be come today’s equivalent of the computer lab in the 1990s. Click To Tweet

We also offer schools more comprehensive support to help develop their STEAM programs, including support for every teacher in every class. Click here to find out about our STEAM Ready Schools Program, and here for our STEAM Ready Certified Trainer Program. We’d love to partner with you and your school soon!

What’s the deal with the ‘E’ in STEAM? Practical ways to plan for engineering in your classroom

Posted by: Mark Herring

When I was starting one of our STEAM workshops a few months back, I asked the teachers for any specific questions they had before we started. I always try to be honest when I don’t know the answer, and say “I actually don’t know about that one.” One of the teachers asked a question which received that answer. They asked “What does the E in STEAM actually look like in practice?”

Ever wonder what the ‘E’ in STEM and STEAM actually means for your students? Click To Tweet

Last week I had the opportunity to work with a team of lecturers at a regional polytechnic to facilitate a holiday program on coding and robotics. One of the lecturers was described as an engineer. Learning as much as I could from him became my new hidden agenda!

So how do we separate the key areas of science and technology from engineering? Here are some my key takeaways from my conversations with the engineer.

Do you know how to plan for the engineering concepts when engaging students in STEAM learning? Here are some ideas. Click To Tweet

First, you can look at engineering as the intersection between science and technology. Science can be described as what we understand about the world around us, and technology as the human response to a ‘need or a want.’

Technology is either the products or systems that solve a problem and can also involve ideas such as ‘rules of thumb’ or experience that comes over time. To understand engineering then, is to use what we know from both fields and combine them in disciplines such as mechanics or electrics (more on this below). To be an engineer is to have the knowledge and skillset to combine the areas of science and technology in ways that are productive and meaningful.

An example of this is the design of a suspension bridge. To construct a successful bridge, an engineer needs the math and physics knowledge (science) to understand the loads and tensions placed on each part of the structure. They then need to be able to combine this knowledge with an understanding of the bracings, nuts and bolts, and commonly used techniques and tools (technology) to cater for these loads. The combination of these two disciplines form the engineering capability that the bridge design needs.

We also discussed the difference between ‘theoretical’ and ‘trade’ engineering. It’s easy, apparently, for there to be confusion between the two. In one sense, being an ‘engineer’ is someone who deals mainly in hands-on tasks and processes. While a ‘theoretical’ engineer is someone skilled with the conceptual understandings and theories of what makes effective design. Engineers can also be skilled somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.

Lastly, engineering can be seen in terms of four key disciplines. This graphic below shows these four disciplines, which are:

Chemical
Civil
Electrical
Mechanical

Students can build expertise in any of these areas after starting with a grounding in the basic skills and understandings that come from STEAM learning opportunities.

So, how can we help students see and reflect on the engineering skills they may be developing in a STEAM project? One way could be to construct a Venn Diagram of the 4 disciplines and have them reflect and record the skills and knowledge they construct or discover as they go. It could look like the example below.

In this example, students have used their physics understanding of energy transfer and trajectory for science for a challenge to design and create a Ping Pong Launcher. The technology skill using the ‘bounce and stretch factor’ of the rubber bands, understood as part of ‘chemical engineering’, has been combined with the power of the triangle as a strong structural shape for loading (mechanical engineering). The intersection of the two disciplines is the product of the process; this could be described as their ‘engineering reflection.’ Students could upload photos and video into this area that demonstrates these ideas. If you’d like a copy of our STEAM Engineering Reflection Template, click here.. (This Google Drawing file requires a Google account to access. Click here for a PDF version.)

We often show teachers in our workshops how it can be important for them to plan the engineering skills that students could need for any STEAM project. For the challenge that involves a Makey Makey below ( creating an electronic instrument), students would need the ‘electrical’ engineering skills of a basic circuit – what would make a circuit breaker or switch and how to use the practical tools such as a wire stripper. When a teacher is planning this lesson they could simply include this information and make sure the students have the equipment and resources needed to succeed.

So those are some things to consider when teachers are attempting to make explicit the engineering discipline in our STEAM activities. If you’d like to go deeper into some of our other learning frameworks that make STEAM projects practical and achievable for all teachers in your school, contact us for information about the nearest upcoming STEAM #1 or #2 workshops. Or better yet, ask for more information here about our STEAM Ready Program and really get your school up to speed for some STEAM action.

How to choose the right STEM / STEAM tools for your school

Posted by: Mark Herring

Is your school looking at developing a STEAM Learning program? This could be either a stand alone course or class, or perhaps an integrated program that aims to help you meet the requirements for all your curriculum goals in a hands-on, inspiring way.

No matter what type of program you choose, it’s critical to make wise decisions about the tools you buy for your learners to choose. We support schools to develop their strategic goals using our ‘9 Building Blocks of a STEAM Ready School.’ One of those blocks involves your equipment. (If you’d like to find out more about our STEAM Ready Program, see our online flyer here for more information.) It’s crucial that schools are very intentional about which tools they invest in and choose those which are right for their students. Here are 4 things we suggest you do to help make those important decisions.

1.Start with your vision in mind.
2.Always trial the product where possible – with your students!
3.Use our STEAM Web tool to help you make the decision.
4.Don’t be afraid to make some mistakes and refine your purchases over time.

Here are 4 things you should do before you spend any money on STEAM tools for your school. Click To Tweet

1. Start with your vision in mind.

We always encourage school leadership teams to develop a strong understanding of what their vision is: What are they trying to achieve? Where do they want to end up/ What would it look like when they get there? This is a key driver of your decision making processes, both at the start and as your vision develops over time – as it always does.

If we had a dollar for every time we heard a school say that they bought this device or piece of equipment because the salesman sounded convincing, or ‘…the school down the road has some.’ It’s critical for you to know what your STEAM tools need to do for you and your students before you spend a cent. Every school is different and what will help one school achieve their vision is different from another.

2. Always trial the product and, where possible, with your students!

This sounds like an obvious step, but one which few schools take. Most re-sellers are open to you having a few demo models to trial for a few weeks. I’d recommend that you give these to both a competent ‘tech’ teacher, and also ones who are less confident, to trial with a group of students.

Having the STEM / STEAM equipment trialled with a range of ages and abilities is also a great idea. You’ll have a good idea at the end of the trial period about all the factors that need to be considered to make a solid decision. This canpotentially helpi you save making an expensive mistake.

3. Use our STEAM Web tool to help you make the decision.

At a STEAM workshop a while ago I spent some time with some teachers taking a closer look at the pros and cons of some of the equipment we were using. We decided to use a ‘web’ or comparison chart to plot our thinking. We compared the robotics against five criteria and graphed the results visually. This proved to be a great way to see which tools were going to suit their specific needs.

The criteria we chose were;

Cost (were we going to get our money’s worth?)
Durability (how sturdy and robust were the parts, in children’s hands?)
Scalability (what range of student abilities could this tool facilitate?)
Modularity (how well did it allow the user to be creative and adapt, add to, change, invent with?)
Reliability (did it work most times without too many ‘gliches’)

This process can be an effective way to make a decision and feel comfortable with your future investment. We know that every school will have a range of different needs and requirements so we think it’s best for schools to complete this web tool for themselves. Click this link to download a free PDF version for you to use with your school.

This ‘STEAM Web Tool’ will make sure that your decision about which equipment to buy for your school is the right one! Click To Tweet

4. Don’t be afraid to make some mistakes and refine your purchases over time.

Once you’ve gone through some of these steps and made a choice that you think is right for your school, it’s very common for technology to progress, your vision to develop further and your awareness of what tools are available to grow.

We’d suggest that this is just a normal part of the innovation process and that schools shouldn’t be too concerned about changing track and going in a different direction. Our first steps in developing new things are usually not the greatest in hindsight. We encourage schools to appreciate that looking back and regretting a purchase is actually a positive sign of growth and development. It’s also a chance to learn what to do next and continue on your journey towards developing engaging, inspiring learning opportunities for your students.

I hope this gives you a few tips that could help you make some great decisions about your growing STEAM programs.

If you’d like to talk with us about how we could further support your school with your STEAM learning program, get in touch by emailing us at this link. We’d love to partner with you and be a part of your STEAM journey.

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Codey Rocky – the coding robot and invention tool in one!

Mark Herring

1. Scalability

2.Reliability

3.Durability

4.Modularity

5.The Cool Factor

How to get more out of your STEAM lessons in class

1.Curriculum Integration

2. The Six Cs

In this framework, along with the four approaches, we’ve illustrated how well they tend to achieve two things:

1.Having a STEAM Specialist

Pros:

Cons:

2. A Maker Space

Pros:

Cons:

3. The Integrated Approach

Pros:

Cons:

4. Project Based Learning

Pros:

Cons:

1. Think about the ‘why’ before you consider the ‘whats’:

2. Always start with the ‘what’ before you consider the costs:

3. Test it out, trial it, ask around:

The best at the lowest price Winner:

The best overall ’scalability’. Winner:

Want to see a quick summary? Here it is.

1. Your ‘why’ will ultimately drive your ‘whats’ and ‘hows’.

2. Your purpose indicates your values and beliefs and this is what people are drawn to.

3. Your vision helps people see through the pain of change.

Here is a list of the 5 most commonly held myths I often hear about STEAM Learning.

1. We don’t really have any budget for all those flashy robots

So how do you avoid this mistake in your school?

2 .You need a dedicated room

STEAM can be done in any room, with any tools and in any environment.

3. The E isn’t something we need to focus on

4. The A just confuses things

5. Just give it to the students and let them ‘go for it!’

1. Start with your vision in mind.

2. Always trial the product and, where possible, with your students!

3. Use our STEAM Web tool to help you make the decision.

4. Don’t be afraid to make some mistakes and refine your purchases over time.

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