What is technology? Anyone living in the first world in the twenty first century can give you examples of technology; however, defining the essential properties of technology is more elusive; one must be able to identify this essence in order to distinguish examples of technology from examples of nontechnology.  In response, the Virginia Children’s Engineering Council (VCEC) website lists four definitions, each of which suggests that a fundamental characteristic of technology

Science to Improve Language. One innovative California school district is tackling the problem of language acquisition in their elementary schools and doing so by using science! Talk about hitting two birds with one stone; this under represented population is receiving special attention and encouragement in both English and STEM. The Sonoma Valley school district, with the aid of the Vadasz Family Foundation, the Sonoma Education Family Foundation, and the Exploratorium has c

by Victoria Zelvin. Already in schools, teachers and educators are using video games to help foster learning in the classroom. Much of this is done by taking platforms or games that students are already familiar with and integrating them into a learning environment. Teachers are already utilizing one specific, great resource new to them: Minecraft, which is available on many different platforms varying from the Xbox to the PC to handheld devices. Students have fun and learn t

On September 24, 1957, President Dwight David Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army to Little Rock, Arkansas to prevent angry white mobs from attacking nine black teenagers who had enrolled to attend a segregated high school. By deploying the army, Eisenhower enforced the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education that outlawed segregated schools. One of those black students, Terrence Roberts, talked about Eisenhower’s decision during

We believe that you will add more joy and love to your life, to your class, and to your school if you, your teachers, and students consciously incorporate CEI’s 5 Cs into your day. We recommend that you plan for, talk about, and demonstrate more: Consciousness– or understanding of self and others.  To be considerate, you must first be aware. Compassion and more empathy — saying and doing things that demonstrate your understanding of how someone might be feeling, acknowledging

Nurturing Interest. As an educator, particularly for grades k-12, your STEMful influence on girls is crucial for nurturing a new generation of women in STEM careers.  Did you know that women make up an incredibly small percentage of engineers?  In each of the fields of civil, electrical/electronic, industrial and mechanical women make up less than 20 percent of the workforce.  In electrical and mechanical it is less than 10 percent! Gender Disparity. Further statistics from t

Mantua Elementary is a preK-6 school in a well established neighborhood, serving a diverse population. Mantua provides ESOL and special education services, operates an Italian Immersion program, includes a Total Communication Program for students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, has an Advanced Academic Program for students in 3rd-6th grades, and incorporates brain-based programs (including Dr. Bruce Wexler’s Activate program) into instruction. On a routine basis, most of the

By Christine Mason.  CEI conducted an online survey in December 2013-January 2014. We will be using the results to help guide our activities in 2014. Congratulations to our Winners. Thanks to all of you who responded to our recent Research Interests Survey. Respondents had the option of registering for a drawing for prizes. CEI is pleased to announce three winners: Julie Martin-Beaulieu, Principal of Keeney Street School, in Manchester, CT, is the grand prize winner and will

Webinar Description. The NAESP Rigor seminar was developed with an eye toward providing information about rigor in the classroom, especially in light of the Common Core. We’ll discuss four aspects of rigor: 1) metacognition; 2) higher level thinking; 3) deep understanding; 4) solving problems then address specific teacher behaviors and student responses in order to help principals and teachers engage in discussions about integrating greater rigor into instruction. Academic ri

Open-ended questions. For STEM to result in the freedom necessary for students to be involved as young scientists, students will need freedom to address “open-ended questions.”   These types of questions are quite different than the more standard, closed-ended questions that have been part of the traditional curricula. The more standard approach might ask: How one factor influences another. For example, what is the impact of weight on velocity? What is the result of combining