STEM or STEAM? When we talk about science, technology, engineering, and math, are there truly four individual, separate subject areas or can there be overlap? Is it advantageous if these subjects are segregated or can education benefit when these four subjects are somehow linked? Now, today, many education experts want to throw an 'a' into the mix, combining arts education with...

Summer is here, and between vacations, the pool, and some much needed time off, you may at some point start looking for educational resources for the upcoming school year. The amount of educational content on the Internet is staggering. There is so much out there, that the problem isn't about finding resources, but rather, about saving the resources you do find. Printing everything off seems antiquated and isn’t that green. So rather than keeping a manila folder that you stash the things you want to save, why not use some online tools. Here are eight great ways to save resources today so that you can use them throughout the...

Schools have found an alternative way to equip children with flexible and adaptive skills by allowing them to learn through playing interactives and videogames. In the hands of a skilled teacher, interactives can engage students in ways that a textbook cannot. A great amount of research has gone into the effectiveness of using video games in the classroom. From giving students the ability to deeply analyze and interact with material to providing immediate feedback, video games create learning environments that define clear goals, encourage motivation, and scaffold learning to meet the individual needs of each student. The teacher then provides the interpretation and the ability to help the student plan and move forward in their...

How do you help your students develop stronger math and problem solving skills? How do you create a positive environment about math? And how can you make math fun?

Cyberchase can help. If you haven’t heard of or used Cyberchase before, it is a research-based adventure series and website that helps kids develop their problem solving skills around a huge variety of mathematical concepts. The series is designed for kids ages eight to twelve and delivers a positive message about math by teaching concepts in an engaging way that kids can...

How do you encourage girls to find a love of science and engineering? Women have made tremendous progress in education and the workplace during the past 50 years. While breaking down the gender barrier has seen some positive improvement, even in historically male fields such as business, law, and medicine, there is still an uneven gap between men and women in STEM careers. Even though women make up half the country's work force, they comprise less than 25 percent of STEM-related jobs and only 20 percent of bachelor degrees in STEM...

If you're a science teacher, the chances are that you know about NOVA. In fact, you may have used either a NOVA program or one of its online resources at some point in your career. NOVA is about curious people exploring interesting questions. The best part about the series, however, is that it can take what can be an often difficult-to-explain topic and produce a film that is as entertaining as it is informative, using the tools of good pacing, clear writing, and crisp editing. Just as...