There are positive benefits that interactive, hands-on education has on learning such as providing students with multiple opportunities to see the world beyond the classroom walls via real-world connections. STEM education has influenced how teachers guide their students to identify real-world problems, research and design practical solutions, and collaborate and communicate their ideas with others. A STEM tool that has become a familiar fixture in many classrooms and school makerspaces is the 3D printer.  

Creating a makerspace in a school or classroom has several benefits including but not limited to high student engagement, critical thinking skills are nurtured, and collaboration and communication is common. In a well-run makerspace, teachers and students are designing, testing, refining, and building materials that answer real-life needs. 

The influence of STEM education on the maker movement is undeniable. The availability of constructive technology like 3D printers, robotics, new programming languages, and so on has made the implementation of maker education possible for more schools and districts. Why is the maker education movement on the rise?  

Meredith Williams, an 8th grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School (Orlando, FL), incorporates a variety of 3D-printed manipulatives so her students have something hands-on to observe, analyze, and form ideas around. She regularly implements and provides feedback on MyStemKits lessons and activities, which she uses in conjunction with her 3D printer. As a MimioSTEM Master, she has been sharing her and her students’ experiences using the MyStemKits curriculum. In this lesson, she is helping her students compare planets. 

Meredith Williams, an 8th grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School (Orlando, FL), specializes in integrating MimioSTEM solutions in her science instruction. To encourage her students to think critically and creatively about problems through science exploration, Williams incorporates a variety of 3D-printed manipulatives, so her students have something hands-on to observe, analyze, and form ideas around. Williams also regularly implements and provides feedback on MyStemKits lessons and activities, which she uses in conjunction with her 3D printer. This year, she’ll share her and her students’ experiences using the standards drivenMyStemKits curriculum. This lesson will focus on waves. 

J.K. Hileman Elementary School in Queen City, TX recently purchased Robo E3 3D printers and MyStemKits standards-driven STEM curriculum. After a half-day training in October, one teacher quickly jumped in to use this award-winning STEM solution. Let us introduce you to Haley Williams. 

Mars exploration made strong advances in 2021. There were exciting missions to explore the Red Planet by several countries, such as China, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. The exploratory missions include analyzing the atmosphere, mapping out the planet’s magnetic field, searching for water and ice, and scouting the land and rock formations. NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) provides insight into their Mars missions, allowing space exploration enthusiasts to share in the exhilaration of new discoveries. Teachers can help spark interest in space exploration for their students by incorporating robotics in their curriculum. While the overall focus is on Mars, skills such as coding and programming are also taught – skills that are in demand for jobs in the STEM fields. 

Meredith Williams, an 8th grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School (Orlando, FL), specializes in integrating MimioSTEM solutions in her science instruction. To encourage her students to think critically and creatively about problems through science exploration, Williams incorporates a variety of 3D-printed manipulatives so her students have something hands-on to observe, analyze, and form ideas around. Williams also regularly implements and provides feedback on MyStemKits lessons and activities, which she uses in conjunction with her 3D printer. In the coming months, she’ll share her and her students’ experiences using the MyStemKits STEM solution. First up, a lesson on differentiating between Earth’s rotation and its revolution. 

A general belief is that incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning is crucial to help spark students’ interest in STEM-related careers where the demand is steadily increasing. STEM learning boosts vital skills such as critical thinking, perseverance, creativity, and problem solving, skills that are important for navigating life and its challenges.  

A computer systems analyst combines both their knowledge of information technology and business to improve computer systems and processes for their clients. Although they have many responsibilities, the first task of a computer systems analyst is to understand their client’s business. Computer system analysts, also called system architects, design computer systems which are optimized for their client’s specific industry and needs. A key part of this is preparing analyses on the costs and benefits of different systems and system upgrades so management can make informed decisions about the technical direction of their organization.