As the technology sector continues to expand, the need for skilled developers also grows. There is a shortage of knowledgeable programmers, and schools system are struggling to provide students with proper guidance to enter this field. In his 2016 article in Ed Tech Magazine, Computer Science (Not just coding) needs a bigger role in STEM Education, president, and CEO of Project Lead the Way and the author of One Nation Under Taught: Solving America’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Crisis, Vince Bertram gave a strong argument to why schools need to introduce technology classes for computer science earlier than college.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated in 2022 there will be more than 1.3 million jobs available in STEM – an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – related fields.
In his article, Bertram says, “Computer science, they say, is still secondary to what they call the “biology, chemistry, physics framework” that has been central to high school science education since the late 19th century. Therein lies the problem.”
With technology nearly omnipresent in today’s society, few schools have not changed their curriculum to match modern day. The second issue schools have is providing knowledgeable educators to train the next generation or have issues with procuring funding to provide classes.
Bertram also states, “There are some reforms that can be made at relatively little (or no) cost that would make a big difference.”
Here is where RoboKind’s new education platform can make a difference for school systems that lack or struggle to find knowledgeable teachers. Robots4STEM comes with pre-made lesson that does not require a teacher to have prior computer science skills. The platform provides students with easy to understand instructions, and a simple user interface with a virtual environment that can run on any device that has an internet connection.
“We have to inspire students at an earlier age, demystify subjects like computer science and help them understand how math and science are tools to solve problems rather than equations to solve for a test,” Bertram told Ed Tech.
The success for teaching computer science hinges on engaging a student in active learning, making kids active participants in school by giving them a sense of ownership over their learning. With Robots4STEM, students can see their work come to life through Jett, a programmable avatar and robot. JettLingo is a visual drag-and-drop coding language that teaches students, not just the basics of logic and coding, but helps them improve their critical thinking skills and creativity.
Schools and parents want to help their students have fulfilling and fruitful careers. With STEM jobs on the rise, Robots4STEM helps students gain the knowledge they need to become skilled workers and pursue their passions in STEM relative fields.
