What is a STEM skills builder?
A STEM skills builder is an online program offered to Global Tropics Future Young Scholars which focusses on a specific learning approach or skill which is core to navigating and exploring the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The key outcome of a skills builder program is to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving strategies for students. A skills builder aims to enhance a student's capability in their studies at school and in their real world exploration.
A skills builder provides opportunities for students to develop a range of thinking strategies to enable them to approach challenges and problems from different perspectives.
Students can use these skills to enhance their Global Tropics Future Grand Challenge learning experiences.
A skills builder has the following key components:
Direct and virtual accessibility
Critical thinking
Problem solving
New ways of thinking
Reflection and evaluation
Some examples of the STEM skills include:
scientific methodology
design thinking
ethical decision making
computational thinking.
The learning of these skills will occur in a context which is real world so that a young scholar can develop an awareness and appreciation for the importance of these capabilities in a STEM world.
At the completion of a skills builder course a student will receive a licence acknowledging their new capabilities.
iSee Licence and Scientific Inquiry Skill Builder
Students build their ability and fluency in using the iSee virtual platform. They will collaboratively access and gain experience in using a number of other software platforms. (Tinkercad, Class Notebook and Padlet).
Student solve open-ended scientific inquiry problems. They develop a range of thinking strategies (critical thinking, problem solving, curiosity, creativity, collaboration and communication) that enable them to approach challenges and problems from different perspectives.
Arduino Microcontroller Skill Builder.GIF)
Electronic devices have become a necessity of living in the 21st century and they are always evolving to suit our busy lifestyles with increasing demands on technology. In this course, students learn about the purpose of microcontrollers and how electronic circuits can be created in order to interact with users and the environment. They program an Arduino microcontroller and build and create electronic circuits.
Creative Intelligence Skill Builder
This skill builder enables students to use the process of free innovation to devlop a life hack for a simple problem. The guiding framework will be the 5E instructional model and incorporate thinking strategies such as critical thinking, problem solving, curiosity, creativity, collaboration and communication.