STEM Archives - Trending in Education

Playing with Robots and Developing Problem-Solving Skills with Michelle Acaley

Mike Palmer and Robin Naughton explore coding and robotics for kids with Michelle Acaley, Senior Director of Product at Sphero. They discuss how Sphero’s coding toys teach critical thinking, collaboration, and grit through play. Michelle shares how products like Sphero’s Indi allow kids 4-8 years old to learn coding concepts by directing a robot car activated by colored tiles. She explains how Sphero’s modular robotics kit for high schoolers aims to make engineering feel approachable and easy to use.

Learning and Education

STEM, STEAM, and Bringing Joy Back to Learning

Dr. Jenny Nash is the Head of Education Impact US at LEGO Education. She joins Mike Palmer to discuss LEGO Education’s upcoming panel at SXSW EDU 2022 focused on how educators can bring joy back to learning. Along with details related to their upcoming panel, we discuss how STEAM programs are helping students explore future career possibilities, including details related to LEGO Education’s “Build to Launch” program with NASA, and how incorporating hands-on learning into curriculums can help students build confidence and 21st-century skills.

Learning Science

A Look at the Future of Learning Tools with Kumar Garg

Kumar Garg is the Managing Director of Schmidt Futures, a venture facility for public benefit that recently cosponsored the Futures Forum on Learning Tools Competition with Citadel. Kumar joins our host, Mike Palmer, to talk about the winners of the tools competition that were recently announced and to provide his insights and perspectives on learning engineering as well as trends in educational technology and computational thinking.