This post has asked us to discuss a new strategy that we have started using in the classroom, and the impact it is having with our students. I have chosen to talk about one of the simplest and easiest resources that has honestly amazed me at allowing my students to collaborate and share information. If you aren’t using Padlet in your classroom – You Should Be!!

Padlet is a resource that simply stated, allows students to post material to a digital bulletin board. I had used these application in the class for things such as warm ups and exit tickets – but this year I have taken it to a whole new level and it has been a beautiful thing to watch. Now don’t get me wrong – we had a few glitches along the way. Our students switched from laptops to iPads this year, and I didn’t foresee all of the tiny differences that would cause my students and I to have to regroup on how we used ‘old’ applications. After doing a few basic tasks with Padlet in class, and learning how our iPads posted (and sometimes erased) our material – we were off to bigger and better things. Students love to share and look at other students work. We are naturally somewhat nosey as humans, so we like to take a look around when our peers are sharing what they are working on. I saw this as an opportunity for students to “SHARE” with a purpose. I no longer solely use Padlet as a type of formative assessment, but I use it as a way for my students to share information for research.

We have two main purposes for research in my particular class. We research for studies on careers and colleges, and we research for our design challenges. Students are now finding those resources, citing where they are finding their quality information, weeding out sources that don’t seem creditable, and working with each other in the class to complete tasks and find solutions. These are all things that I have had students struggle with in the past – but by working these mundane tasks into a simple and easy to use application that is digital – they all of a sudden are willing to work at it. Students are now willing to look for multiple sources so that they can have multiple posts on their Padlet wall. I think they are excited to be able to contribute and are learning the value of ‘doing your part’. I never expected to use Padlet for research and collaboration between students, it was never really shown to me as a tool for that task. However, after using it for Kenan Fellows PD and seeing some of the presenters organize material and resources using the tool, it has completely changed how I can use it in my classroom – and the change has been great! Students are now using Padlets that are set up for their classes, and making their own to share information within groups. They are finding sources, information, and images and citing them with ease. They are finding ideas, sharing them, and brainstorming on what they like or ideas to improve what they have found. It has truly been a great way to get them started on projects, doing some research, and collaborating with each other without having to be huddle around a single table in the classroom.

How do I envision my Kenan Fellowship experience impacting my students?

There are so many ways that my summer experience has broadened my ideas on how to develop my new STEM curriculum. One of the main components that I see myself branching into more, are stronger math connections. Many of my mentors that I have worked with have spoken about how students are lacking some basic math skills that impede their learning process at the college level. Skills such as using tools for measurement in the correct manner, being able to work with fractions and converting them into decimals, and even basic concepts such as using a formula and plugging in the correct information. I know students are being taught this information in schools – so what is it that is causing them to not retain it? How can I help students to not only learn the concepts, but remember them and keep it stored for easy access later in life?

One way I will attempt to address this issue is by developing more real world application in my curriculum. I want my students to not only be able to work problems on paper and find solutions – but use those skills as adults would use them later in life and out in the field with a career. My goal now is to take a look at the curriculum I’m being asked to work with, and develop units that can allow students to get ‘down and dirty’ with these math concepts. Have students learn these math processes not by me simply showing them the process and having them follow along, but exposing them to the real world problems that require these skills to find a solution. I need to develop instances for my students that  allow them to struggle with the content and skill sets, not only to try them – but to try and fail, and then re-try again. I need them to learn what doesn’t work and how using a skill incorrectly alters their results and end products. I hope that by designing material that shows them the need for the correct use of the skills, they will retain the information at a higher rate allowing them to use it later in life when it is necessary. Working with LCC has truly shown me that real world application is the way to go when teaching true STEM in my classroom.

This week was spent working off the main campus, and over in Kinston’s Global Transpark. I was fortunate enough to work with Mike Wilkins in the composites department, which is nestled in the Spirit Aerosystems Training Facility. I had visited this facility before but never realized there was a training platform found in the back of the building. (Keep in mind this is not the actual plant for Spirit, but a small training facility located in close proximity.) I spoke to the trainers and professors about job opportunities for their students, and common difficulties that students had in mastering the skills present in the course. To my surprise – the job market for these students is exceptionally bright, and the pay scale is impressive as well. There is no advanced degree required, and as they put it, “students need a high school diploma and to be able to follow detailed instructions.”  Students and individuals training in the assembly and fabrication portions again need to be quite comfortable with basic math. Tons of real world application here for fractions, measurements, percents, and conversions. Individuals could also benefit from knowing the basics on proper safety requirements in a lab or work space, and from being familiar with names and use of common tools and measuring devices.

This department is packed with tons of machinery and some pretty impressive tools and hardware. I saw my first autoclave and received a mini-tutorial on how repairs can potentially be made to planes using composite materials. There were tons of STEM applications in this department – from the composites themselves, the many applications of composites, the science behind their application, and more. I found the ‘more’ part quickly when we moved on to blueprinting, CAD software and 3-D printing. Mike and I did some digging and began compiling a collection of possible blueprint designs that I could use in the classroom. We also started playing around with some CAD software, and I quickly discovered I need a LOT of practice to begin feeling familiar with this before using it with the students. I found SketchUp to be fairly user friendly, and AutoCAD has some pieces I hope to use as well. Both, however, will require some getting used to. We decided that possibly having students look at blueprints, practice reading them, and then have them create some templates of common objects presented to them in class. We looked at the options of having them design parts or objects, and then enter them into the CAD program to be printed either at our school (assuming we get the 3-D printer) or by our high school students who are more familiar with 3-D printing already. Either way – blueprint design/reading, use of CAD software, and 3-D printing will definitely be on my list of things to implement into my STEM courses.

A very productive week for me – with LOTS of new things to work on and practice before implementing them into my course design! We were hoping to get to tour the actual Spirit plant, but unfortunately couldn’t make it happen this week. Maybe we can squeak it in at a later date before my internship is done. 😉

I have spent several days in the past two weeks working with Mr. David Jones in the Computing Technologies department at LCC. During this time I was able to sit in a few lectures with some of his current students, and work with them in the lab putting our new knowledge to the test. I had two main focuses for my lab work during our time together – 1. Understanding and programing the BoeBot, and 2. Basics of Soldering.

The BoeBot and I became fast friends, and I discovered that although programming was new to me, it wasn’t impossible. The instructions were easy to follow, the steps were laid out in simple and concise terminology, and the satisfaction when “Bo” followed through with my commands was amazing! You would have thought I had just won a gold medal for synchronizing his flashing lights and have him run through an obstacle course. Needless to say – I am hoping to have the opportunity to bring in some robotics and programming into our new STEM program at Greene County Middle School.

The second task was to become proficient at some basic tasks in soldering. A little background on my skill level with a soldering iron and other tools…..I am at square one! I do have a tool box at home, but it is only brought out for simple tasks such as tightening a screw or measuring odds and ends around the house. I am sad to admit that I still call my dad for most of my household issues when things fall apart and need to be repaired or fixed. When my father learned that I would be attempting this at LCC….his suggestion was to pre-purchase some band-aids and burn creme. With that being said – I had a blast with this! I began with a sample activity of soldering two twisted wires together. My beginning technique was sloppy, and my mentors terms were “you don’t want your wires to look pregnant”.  For those first few attempts – it didn’t matter to me. I was so proud that I could solder two wires together I didn’t care if they were pregnant with triplets as long as they were covered in solder! My technique did improve, and my wires began to slim down, no longer needing their maternity wear. After SEVERAL practices at this stage, I moved on to soldering LED’s and resistors into an electrical board, and then removing them by un-soldering in a new process. Long story short – I loved this as well. Mr. Jones is attempting to get soldering irons for my class and we have already picked out beginner soldering kits for my students to start practicing their new trade.

Photos to come soon – I’m loving my Kenan Fellows experience!