steam-oregon.academy

This past Thursday, April 10th, we had a great reunion of like minded organizations and business. Organized by BestHQ the Business Expo West, hosted by PCC’s Willow Creek Opportunity Center, had a STEAM Pathways Summit. The idea behind the summit was to bring for-profit and nonprofit organizations promoting STEM+A (STEAM) to showcase their activities.

One main lesson that can deduced from this meeting is the abundance of ideas reflected on a variety of projects. Everybody is doing a great job addressing particular needs. Focusing on supporting young individuals to reach their highest potential. The wide geographical distribution of these activities and the diverse populations that are being served.

Also, there were companies and governments interested on workforce development. The need to have skilled personnel is great and we, all, need to get involved in this endeavor. Not only for the benefit of the individual business or corporation, or individual employee, or professional, but for the benefit of the whole society.

Of course there is much more that has to be done. One thing we need to support is peer learning, having kids working within learning teems. Enhancing their soft skills that will be important in their future role as leaders and stewards. Soft skills that indispensable in the creative process, like the ability to make mistakes and learn from them. The freedom to innovate and move forward solving problems and analyzing critically their own progress.

Finally, they need (we all need) to learn how to enjoy what they do, to have fun while learning because it has been shown that when students are not having fun they are not learning. As Mitchel Resnick has in his book “Lifelong Kindergarten” there are four Ps in the process; Project, Passion, Peers, and Play. Play brings the flexibility necessary for the student’s development.

What can you say about the need to bring more people to this effort?