DisruptED supports STEM education

If you’re interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in education – there was something at the DisruptED conference for you. Organizers called DisruptED, “a mashing together of technology and education that shed new light on a vibrant, exciting emerging industry.”

Here’s the full program of speakers, and you can download all the images from DisruptED.

DisruptED used graphic recording to showcase new STEM ideas. And here’s my “aha” moment: I heard how STEM is becoming STEAM – where the “A” means Art. Why connect STEM to art? Because it’s a fun way to explain technology and science. Art could mean building a videogame to learn coding, or building models to learn engineering, or writing music based on math equations. I encourage students of all ages to use drawing skills to help them think through STEM problems. Drawing sketchnotes to study, making or reviewing graphic recordings is a perfect way to explain STEM and make it STEAM.

Here’s a sample of the keynotes:

My personal highlights included Sidneyeve Matrix (Queen’s School of Business Exec Ed Program) talking about trends in post secondary, and panelists sharing tools for Indigenous digital empowerment (including UMan’s famous ENGAP program).

Host and “tech evangelist” Marc Saltzman (it took me a moment to recognize his voice from Cineplex!) did a great job, and the UnConference helped all participants have the conversations they were dying to have. An UnConference uses “Open Space Technology” – a very simple way of organizing large numbers of people to have conversations that matter. 

A other few best practices stood out – an all-female panel and young people were on stage to share their perspectives as students, too.

Speaking of young people’s voices – check out this keynote by 13-year old coding genius Tanman Bakshi.

Thanks DisruptED for a fantastic event, and advancing STEM in Manitoba.