Page 127 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Professional Perspective

Melodie Yashar

There’s still a perceptual divide between technical knowledge or “know-how”
and skill sets that are traditionally known as “creative” ones. I encounter
that even now in the work that I do within NASA Ames Human-Computer
Interaction and in academia too. It’s challenging because you almost have
to be a little bit of both in order to foster the conversations and do the inter-
disciplinary work that’s actually meaningful and transgressive and that gets
the attention of subject matter experts in each discipline.

Virtual and Real-World Field Trips

Field trips to see how STEAM works in the real world can be amazing
learning experiences for everyone involved. The trips, which can be done
in person or virtually, can inspire project ideas, give educators and learners
ideas about areas to explore, and introduce emerging technologies that
might be interesting to use in class.

In-person field trips generally make a bigger impact and can develop from
the kinds of connections we discussed in the previous section. If it’s too
difficult or costly to take students on a field trip, a great alternative is to
bring local STEAM professionals into class. This kind of interaction can
take a bit of organization, so it often makes sense to widen the scope. You
can invite a few STEAM professionals to talk in a larger discussion to make
the experience more of an event.

If in-person visits aren’t possible, video conferencing technology allows for
interaction to happen virtually, regardless of the classroom’s location in the
world. The technology is free and accessible as well as adaptable to nearly
any circumstance. Remember, nothing brings home the point more than
seeing some amazing STEAM work happening in action.

Chapter 12: Connections 97

STEAM Power: Infusing Art Into Your STEM Curriculum 127