Page 126 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Social media is constantly in flux, but that offers an opportunity for educa-
tors and learners because it is still very accessible. From an educator’s
point of view, this technology requires some planning because you need
to consider your learners’ responsibility level as you choose the way they’ll
communicate. And whether you have a class account, a teacher account,
or your students are interacting on social media by themselves, review the
media literacy guidelines before you get started.

STEAM Career Exploration

An expanding variety of careers involve STEAM. Exploring trends in how
the STEAM job market is evolving and diversifying can give both educators
and learners a better idea of what to expect in the future.

Some occupations have obvious connections to STEAM, such as physi-
cists, video game designers, and roboticists. The role of STEAM may be
less obvious in others, such as fashion designers, ultrasound technicians,
automotive engineers, or dietitians. For example, it might be clear how a
dietitian would use math and science, but less obvious how they would
interact with engineering, art, or technology. However, anyone who’s been
on a diet knows creativity is a major component of designing recipes and
preparing food. This is an art form that continues to expand into the STEAM
landscape with new trends such as molecular gastronomy, health apps, and
assistive technology, and more accurate, multifaceted scales which make
technology and engineering part of the new norm in the world of diets.

It’s always a great project to research the ever-changing job market and the
STEAM education requirements of different careers. Parents and colleagues
who have or had jobs in the STEAM fields can be great resources. I’ve asked
students to research careers and then team up to find local professionals
in those careers, and it’s led to some lasting connections. Students can
share what they learn about STEAM careers with the school, organization,
administration, and community to educate them and also to advocate for
STEAM education.

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