Using  Technology  as  an  Environmental  Educa6on  Tool  

By:  Kelsey  Wydendorf  

What Is STEM Education?

� Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

� Creates project based, hands on learning

� Emphasizes real world application and critical thinking skills

Why is STEM Education Important?

�  Current lack of proficiency in STEM subjects �  29% of K-12 teachers report teaching science 2 or fewer

days per week. �  Only 29% of tested high school graduates were labeled as

college ready in science subjects

�  Need to inspire students’ interest in STEM �  Of all 9th graders in 2001, only about 4% are expected to

earn college degrees in STEM fields in 2011

“Technology truly transfixes the students’ focus. They

are 100% engaged. They are so engaged, they don’t even

realize how much of the curriculum is tied in.”

-Veteran teacher at Scales

STEM  in  the  Workforce  

STEM in the Workforce

�  Projections for 2014 show that 15/20 of the fastest growing jobs are in STEM related fields

�  The STEM workforce contains about 21.4 million people, which is about 15% of the employed population

�  Employment in STEM fields is increasing faster than non-STEM related occupations.

“We are now at an inflection point for a much bolder transformation of education powered by

technology”

-National Education Technology Plan 2010, Department of Education

Greening Technology

�  Technology can help appeal to a variety of learning styles.

�  Technology is a way to engage and inspire children

�  “Technology is an amplifier…it helps us extend our senses. We interact with the environment through our senses, so technology as an amplifier seems a logical element.”

Programs with iPads

�  Used to target programs with lower enrollment

�  Ways to engage youth and inspire them to learn about the environment

�  Ability to connect different generations on the island and inspire the youth to continue our mission of conservation, education and preservation

How to Use Apps in Programs Birds Eye- $19.99

�  Uses GPS coordinates to locate recent bird spottings near your location

�  Provides additional information about your own bird sightings- including photographs and bird calls!

�  Citizen science aspect- can log and photograph your own bird sightings to application data

How to Use Apps in Programs

Leaf Snap- Free!

�  Acts as an electronic field guide for plants

�  Useful for Conservation Corps camp programs

�  Helps identify species of trees or plants based off of pictures using visual recognition software

How to Use Apps in Programs

Star Map- $5.00

�  May be used to enhance Bald Head After Dark and Turtle Walk

�  Uses compass to locate and identify stars at your location- even as you move it across the sky!

�  Acts as an interactive planetarium

�  Provides additional information about objects in the sky

How to Use Apps in Programs

Project Noah- Free!

�  Citizen Science app that could be used with any program

�  Allows citizens to record wildlife observations- including GPS coordinates, photographs, and additional notes

�  Scientists compile data from citizen scientists

�  Allows people to identify any unknown wildlife observations

How to Use Apps in Programs

The Wild Lab Bird and Marine- Free!

�  Citizen science application to help scientists gather data

�  Upload nature encounters related to birds and various marine invertebrates

�  May be used with birding programs, camps, and beachcombing programs

�  Uses GPS and camera to upload valuable information about wildlife found

Grants as Funding

�  Grants are awards of financial assistance from an agency to carry out a public purpose of support

�  Steps to Writing a Grant: �  Identify goals �  Address mission and objectives within the

community �  Create action plan for implementation �  Create plan for evaluation progress

STEM Education Grants

�  American Honda Foundation �  Mission: “To help meet the needs of American society in

the areas of youth and scientific education by awarding grants to nonprofits…”

�  Funding priority: “Youth education, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math, the environment, job training and literacy”

STEM Education Grants

� Melinda Gray Ardia Environment Foundation

�  Mission- “To support educators in developing

environmental curricula that integrate field activities and classroom teaching.

�  Emphasizes importance of hands on ecology and experiential learning

STEM Education Grants

� Additional Grant Opportunities: �  Verizon Foundation- focus on STEM education for

K-12 youth

�  Dominion Foundation- focus on STEM education

“The more clearly we focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction”

-Rachel Carson