How to teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is a hot topic that draws diverse opinions from a variety of stakeholders — everyone from parents and teachers to politicians.
Despite the varying views on how STEM education can be improved, there’s been a groundswell of support for promoting competency and enthusiasm for STEM subjects.
It’s central mission of the Broadcom Foundation to put STEM learning at the forefront.
The big question becomes developing scalable tools for helping students stay engaged in those topics throughout their high school careers and into their professional ones.
In that toolkit is project-based learning, which aims to develop those “21st Century skills (the 5Cs ) needed to prepare students for the modern workforce,” according to Broadcom Foundation Executive Director Paula Golden.
In a recent TEDx talk, Golden dives deeper into how project-based learning can supersede the centuries-old model based on the “Three Rs” and help students develop skills that engender success in a global economy. Golden’s keynote, held late last year in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., explores the theme “Never Stop Questioning.”
She identifies some of the benefits of project-based learning in embedding the “5 Cs” — critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and confidence — qualities that educators strive to nurture. She also explains at the hallmarks of project-based learning and how they diverge from the old teacher/student models. Finally, Golden examines the wider impact of this model and how it can affect change for educators and employers who need a workforce “battle tested” for a 21st Century work environment.
Watch Paula Golden at TedxSanJuanCapistrano: