Early Learning and Stem: Opportunities Ahead

This session is all about the "what " and "how" of early learning and STEM.
IMLS presenters Reagan Moore and Paula Gangopadhyay were up first and addressed the question of-  Why STEM in early childhood?

The short answer, we want to focus on STEM while a child's interests are still being formed, and this begins in early childhood. Early Learning and the STEM track used to be seperate, but it is important to take what is referred to as a pipeline approach to this education.

We want to break the gender and age biases and have every child at every age level develop their understanding, and potentially an interest, in science, technology, engineering and math.

IMLS in the special interest section of funding opportunities has made a specific address to STEM: Past investments (2011-2016), partnerships and resources.

-STEM has become a fast growing interest that we do not foresee slowing down!
-Important to emphasize family engagement in STEM
- Growing Young Minds Report and BUILD IMLS Toolkit are great book resources to find what STEM concepts are growing. The toolkit contains resources about the funding opportunites avaiable through IMLS as well.

innovation.ed.org contains Tip sheets for parents and other great resources as well. Check it out!

The concept of "Educating the educators"
This includes providing parents, teachers, staff, and after-school care providers opportunities and resources to engage in STEM programs.

GOALS and the CATEGORIES OF LEARNING:
Key findings from the Young Makers Initiative/ Childrens should experience these 4 categories of learning.

1. I'm engaged
2. I take initiative
3. I request help and ideas from others, I offer ideas and tools to others
4. I have an "A-HA" moment

Dene Mosier from Kansas Childrens Discovery Center Provided fun and engaging Engineering Programming ideas geared towards children ages 3-8.
Push pull launch station: Interactive for young learners.

REMEMBER It's all about language too. Use scientific and authentic terminology!

Build Roll Engineer Activity: Encourage parents to help, but not to give children answers or do it for them. Children are VERY CAPABLE.
*Design a roller coaster, create loops, turns and round abouts. Explore concepts in physics.

Museums, and libraries, create life-long learners, and we play a significant role in early learning for all children. We are connectors that bridge the generations and bring their children, parents, and their families. As we gear more and more towards these concepts in STEM, it is essential that we ensure that children and families can tap into our early learning resources, digital hubs, and create environments that invite hands on learning experiences.

-Christina Olmeda ACM  5/4/2017