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As we approach the new school year, many of you may be looking to revamp your STEM, engineering or technical programs.
This might include a complete program overhaul, restructuring a key portion of your program, or making a few simple changes to spice things up.
No matter what you’re planning, there are several key considerations that will ensure the best rate of success for your program.
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For a Complete Overhaul…
Plan your program. When you’re starting from scratch, you often have the most room for flexibility but also the largest undertaking. Allotting an appropriate amount of time for upfront planning is key. When rebuilding your program, will you focus on engineering? STEM? Etc. Once you’ve narrowed this focus, ask yourself: What does STEM mean to me? What are the desired outcomes for my program?
Spec out the space and equipment requirements for your lab. Look at the space you have and draft an initial layout based on what you think you will want to include in your new lab. This should be based on how many students you’ll have as well as the type of equipment you’ll need to teach the principles and concepts you plan to cover.
Develop a plan for execution. Once you’ve outlined a detailed concept of your program, its objectives and the equipment required to meet these objectives, it is now time to outline a timeline and execution strategy based on your budget. Do you need to scale your program back or revise your equipment list? Should you implement this new lab in phases to accommodate budgets? (This is actually more common than you might think!)
When Enhancing an Existing Program…
Define how you will expand your program. The changes you make to your program should augment what you are already doing so it’s important to ask yourself how exactly your new investment will impact your existing program. How will the new technology or equipment be incorporated so that students can take advantage? Will it be available to all students or a smaller group of students? Does this ultimately add value to your program?
Know what you can afford. As with any technology, you’ve got the Cadillac versus the Volkswagen version (say, a professional grade Stratasys 3D printer versus a Makerbot hobbyist level 3D printer). Not only should you know what you can afford, but also have a clear understanding of the difference in performance between the options you’re choosing between.
Develop a plan for use. The last thing you want is to have a new piece of equipment arrive at your classroom or lab and then it go unused by students. By clearly establishing how the equipment will be used so that students can achieve their learning objectives, you ensure that you will fully collect on your investment.
When Updating Program Content with Limited Resources…
Take advantage of free content. When resources are limited, you have to use what is available to you. For example, if you teach a high school engineering program, you can pull modular lesson plans from Stratasys free 3D printing curriculum or project ideas from Makerbot’s sample curriculum to supplement your lessons. NASA for Educators is another great resource that has lesson plans, teacher guides, classroom activities, video clips, games, posters, and more for teachers and students in grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12, and higher education.
Incorporate student competitions into lesson plans. You don’t need to be on the scale of FIRST Robotics to encourage student participation in competitions. Many local universities and companies host smaller competitions as part of their STEM outreach programs. For example, Stratasys will yet again host the Extreme Redesign Challenge later this year. Oftentimes prizes from these types of competitions come back to students in the form of scholarships – or even prizes that can be reinvested back into the classroom.
Get Creative! Make interesting changes to your program that pack a punch without overspending. This could be switching up your curriculum to include new fun projects or classroom activities. Where can you can some ideas and inspiration? The STEM/STEAM Lessons, Activities and Ideas Pinterest board from WeAreTeachers is a good place to start.
