This week in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math):

• an arts school uses robotics to emphasize team sports
• wood shop gets a modern update through the maker movement
• an MIT student is living proof of the benefits of starting STEM learning early and
• a school network uses a flipped classroom model to succeed in STEM

Robotics Team Replaces Sports in Washington School

At the School of the Arts (SOTA) in Tacoma, Washington, students don’t have the option to participate in sports.

Even though the school is an arts school, STEM isn’t lost as art is blended into high-tech training.

In fact, while the school doesn’t offer students an opportunity to participate in sports, it has several team sports like its robotics team.

"The team is currently working on building a working robot for the upcoming First Robotics competition. ... [Robotics] is a field that’s desperate for new talent,” according to King5.com.

Read the full story. 

Wood Shop Gets Modern Update Through Maker Movement

Tinkering has now became a pedagogy, says the New York Times.

This is thanks to the maker movement that is sweeping across K-12 schools and higher education because of an ever increasing emphasis on STEM learning.

3D printers and other high tech tinkering tools placed together in one space designed for student collaboration has become the modern-day-woodshop, NYT says.

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Teenager Invents Snow-Day-Predicting Algorithm, Becomes MIT Computer Science Wiz

At sixteen years old, David Sukhin had already invented an algorithm to analyze several streams of data to predict whether or not a school is likely to call a snow day.

Six years later, Sukhin is a junior at MIT studying computer science and business and hopes to use his experience analyzing data to became a major player in the computer science industry.

Sukhin may be a good example for educators to share with parents and others. His experience underscores the importance of being exposed to STEM subjects earlier so that students can get better at creatively solving problems.  

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STEM School Breaks the Norm with Flipped Classroom Model

STEM3 Academy in Los Angeles is able to support a wide range of learners, including those with learning disabilities, thanks to its flipped classroom model.

"Students spend time diving into projects that allow them to take a hands-on approach to learning. Homework turns into lesson reviews similar to teachers who are prepping for their lecture or lesson on the following day.”

Choosing to employ "the flipped classroom model is a big decision to make for administrators because it would require a complete change in the traditional classroom. However, it’s an option and one that is proving to have some pretty positive effects on students,” as evidenced by STEM3 Academy’s current successes.

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