In my monthly, five-minute STEM Skill Step Up Letter, I give hints like the following on improving critical cognitive and technical skills for young adults. I will also respond to questions that you submit. To do so, subscribe to the newsletter by emailing me. I will respond to questions on the Play-Ed Corporation Facebook page when appropriate.
STEM-Ready Your Children for 21st Century Careers
As a
corporate manager in Japan, I use science, technology, engineering, and math,
known as STEM, every day. STEM skills are increasing in importance at an
exponential rate. Understanding the three major STEM trends transforming
industry can help parents prepare their children for future careers in STEM
professions.
Trend One
Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math are all vital, but technology and math are
crucial. Now that digital data is effortlessly collected on small devices for
everything from your breathing rate to the temperature in your home, companies
are awash in data. The demand for college graduates with coding skills to
format the data and mathematical and statistical skills to analyze it already
exceeds the supply. During the next 10 years, this trend will intensify.
Furthermore, even employees who are not hired as specialists in data science
will be expected to be proficient in MS Word applications, facile with internet
tools, and capable of coding.
How to Develop these Skills
Elementary
- Teach children Microsoft
Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Have them do Google searches
on topics of interest.
- Use math lessons to expand
their skills.
Middle
School
- Try online programs that teach
coding.
- Teach students enough HTML to
create a simple web page.
Senior
High School
- Learn to type without looking
at the keys (called touch typing).
- Learn the basics of Python or
Java Script.
- Learn statistics.
Trend Two
Some
educators prefer the acronym STEAM to STEM adding arts to the mix. Pictures and
diagrams are often used in STEM techniques like design thinking. Language arts
are used to explain ideas. Students should receive ample expository writing and
presentation practice. These communication skills are essential in sharing
ideas with colleagues and explaining projects to customers. I often receive
requests not only to deliver presentations, but also to train others to do so.
How to Develop these Skills
Elementary
- Have students “show and tell”
explanations of their favorite game or toy works.
- Teach children to write
expository paragraphs (LearnAmericanEnglishOnline.com).
Middle
School
- Have students explain an
article on science or technology.
- Have students write an
expository essay on a science topic.
Senior
High School
- Have children deliver a
PowerPoint presentation or Prezi presentation on a research project or a
career of interest.
- Ask your child to explain a
recent TED talk they have watched. Ask them questions about it.
Trend Three
Because
English is the current lingua franca of business and technology we Americans
are in the enviable position of not having to learn a foreign language.
Although many STEM professionals worldwide speak English, effective
communication includes a critical cultural component. Given that many STEM
projects cross borders, learning intercultural communication skills is excellent
preparation for a STEM career.
How to Develop these Skills
Elementary
- Encourage your children to
develop an international pen-pal via email.
Middle
and High School
- Encourage children to use
Skype or Google Hangouts to exchange ideas with students in other
countries or collaborate on a project with them.
Parental
monitoring of these correspondences is recommended.
If your
students show an interest or proclivity to STEM, I encourage you to review your
instruction in light of these trends in STEM professions or discuss with your
children’s teachers.
Joseph Gabriella, Ph.D., MBA
Play-Ed Consulting
Author Profile
Dr. Gabriella is an accomplished scholar and businessman. Ivy-league educated, he has served as a lecturer or professor at universities in the U.S., Japan, and China. Currently, he resides in Japan, where he is a senior manager and active consultant. A former high-school math teacher, Joseph is passionate about teaching critical STEM skills to future generations through Play-Ed Consulting.
Dr. Gabriella is an accomplished scholar and businessman. Ivy-league educated, he has served as a lecturer or professor at universities in the U.S., Japan, and China. Currently, he resides in Japan, where he is a senior manager and active consultant. A former high-school math teacher, Joseph is passionate about teaching critical STEM skills to future generations through Play-Ed Consulting.
STEM Lessons
Each week, I will provide one STEM challenge problem for students to solve. Then, through a virtual lesson, I will review key concepts from the problem, respond to questions, and teach students various learning strategies, problem-solving methods, and types of thinking. I will also furnish opportunities for participants to learn from one another. Finally, I will collect feedback from students for use in improving the lessons, making them more fun and didactic.The purpose of this extra-curricular training is to guide students in the application of STEM subjects to real-world problem, thereby preparing them for future careers.
Uncle Joe's Tutoring
For a nominal fee, I will set up four, 30-minute online sessions with students to tutor middle-school and high-school math, science and English each month. Students will participate in sessions with up to four others depending on scheduling. While I plan to tutor as frequently as possible, I also use tutors I have trained, usually career teachers or university instructors. Students will have access to discussion forums where they can pose questions to other students and to me. To maximize learning, I strongly encourage students in the same class to register together.Contact Dr. Joseph Gabriella at jgabriella.played@gmail.com to register.
© 2017 Joseph Gabriella, Ph.D., MBA. All rights reserved.
