GE Hosts #6SecondScience Fair on Social Media 8/8-8/15/13

GE is hosting a social media science fair from 8-15 August 2013 using the Vine app for six-second videos to be posted using the hashtag #6secondsciencefair on Twitter.  GE will both create (including celebrity videos) and curate user-created videos showing their science projects.  One of the popular offerings to date shows what happens when you combine milk, food coloring, and dish soap.  Go to http://www.gereports.com/6secondscience/ for more details and to see some of the videos.
 

HP Catalyst Academy to Offer Free Summer Professional Development Sessions on STEMx Topics

Leila Meyer of THE Journal reports that ISTE, New Media Consortium, and HP are partnering to offer 15 free summer on-line professional development modules on STEMx (x=other subjects such as computer science, nanotechnology, biotech, etc., incorporating 21st century skills) beginning in June 2013.

"The first 15 online mini-courses available through HP Catalyst Academy include:

• Building a Framework for Digital Fabrication;
• ClassroomSalon.org: Social Textbooks;
• Computational Thinking in Secondary Schools;
• Connecting Students to their World;
• Game Design for Learning;
• Geospatial Tech for STEMx Learning;
• Helping Students Change their World through App Design;
• InkSurvey: Graphical Response Tool for Real-Time Formative Assessment;
• Multi/Interdisciplinary STEMx Teaching;
• Planning Enriching ICT-Mediated STEMx Experiences;
• Polar Bears in a Changing Climate;
• Project-Based Learning with Real-World Problems;
• Remote Labs;
• Weaving Social Media into STEM Teaching; and
• Strategies for Formative Assessment through e-Portfolios.

"Further information about HP Catalyst Academy can be found at catalyst-academy.org."

Read more at http://thejournal.com/articles/2013/04/18/hp-catalyst-initiative-offers-free-online-professional-development-courses-for-stemx-educators.aspx#f9OuYGWi1PEUmcBU.99

Social Media in STEM Education

There is a growing use of social media throughout STEM education.  In a recent "SmartBlog on Education" posting, two resources "Beyond Facebook" and Twitter were explored:  TERC and IGERT.  TERC is primarily for K-12 audiences, and includes links to resources and conferences, while IGERT is geared for post-secondary and graduate level audiences.  http://smartblogs.com/education/2013/02/18/beyond-facebook-leveraging-social-networks-in-stem-education-and-research/  Both resources are now listed in the "Helpful Links" section of this blog.