On June 23rd, members of our leadership team, Jill Olson and Heather Gunsallus, hosted an incredible webinar for STEM educators on edWeb. Their presentation, Hands-on and Virtual: STEM Learning from a Distance, covered some of our ongoing research on the impact of hands-on learning for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as examples for adapting STEM topics for distance learning.

Solving food scarcity. Preventing viral outbreaks. Designing buildings to withstand natural disasters. Through Engineering Adventures and Engineering Everywhere, learners across the country have proposed unique, data-driven solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. These flexible curricula were tested in afterschool and summer programs, but classroom educators across the country have been implementing them into their STEM instruction for years. Just ask Camie Walker, the Utah educator who was featured on our blog in 2016 for her incredible work with the Engineering Adventures unit Shake Things Up: Engineering Earthquake-Resistant Buildings. She chose units from EiE’s flexible curricula because she loves creating opportunities for learners to connect what they’re learning to the world around them and to follow their STEM interests and passions.

We sat down with Walker to learn how she uses flexible curricula to foster an inquiry-based, globally focused culture in her classroom that leads to plenty of real-world connections, and even the chance to perform with a Mythbuster!

Back to school time is upon us! Whether you're brand new to STEM or a seasoned engineering educator, it's the perfect time to reflect on your goals for the upcoming year and think about how to help a new group of learners discover their STEM identity. We've compiled a few resources that will help you with everything from syllabus planning to storage and organization, so you can start the year off right.

Within STEM, adults and children are often confused about the differences between science and engineering, especially with regard to how the two connect in elementary school. Both subjects require students to manipulate and test materials, engage in arguments based on evidence and work in teams, but there are crucial differences between the two fields. Before, during and after children engage in an engineering design challenge, it’s important to help them understand what makes each field distinct. These four questions can help you frame your explanation of the differences between engineering and science.

With our society becoming increasingly dependent on technology and STEM literacy, it’s becoming even more imperative to close the drastic gender gap that exists within STEM fields. A recent study by Microsoft found that girls and young women tend to lose interest in STEM fields as they age. By the time they finish high school, their interest drops significantly. Microsoft's study reinforces what we’ve known at EiE for many years: We have to start early. As our founder Christine Cunningham articulated last fall during an AtlanticLive event, “We have to [reach students] before they’ve been socialized [to believe] that they can’t do it.” We need to empower all learners and help them see the value of science, technology, engineering and math. These strategies can empower young girls to discover their inner engineer.