STEM-based Education Teaches Children more than Science and Mathematics Concepts

Laura Avendano, Director of STEM Education & Teacher Development at California State University-Dominguez Hills

Laura Avendano is the Director of STEM Education and Teacher Development with the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE) at California State University Dominguez Hills. She is committed to providing educators and students with experiential learning opportunities aimed at transforming STEM Education and increasing student access to STEM fields. Laura Avendano is the Director of STEM Education and Teacher Development with the Center for Innovation in STEM Education (CISE) at California State University Dominguez Hills. She is committed to providing educators and students with experiential learning opportunities aimed at transforming STEM Education and increasing student access to STEM fields.

Ms. Avendano has remained dedicated to serving students by staffing high-need local schools with highly qualified teachers. Her current role allows her to oversee the different instructional departments within CISE. It is with the utmost dedication that Ms. Avendano leads innovative practices that are transforming STEM Education by enhancing teachers' clinical experiences, overseeing professional development for new and experienced teachers, teaching Teacher Education courses, and supervising multiple instructional programs at partnering schools, such as the STEM Lab Schools, STEAM Experiences, and STEAM Days. Her responsibilities also include the ongoing development and improvement of the Teacher Support Institute and Mobile Fab Lab Project. She is currently overseeing grants funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, Apple’s Education Initiative, Toyota USA, and other private companies.

As the Director of STEM Education & Teacher Development, what are some of your key roles and responsibilities that you have on a daily basis at California State University-Dominguez Hills?

As the Director of K-12 STEM Education and Teacher Professional Development for the Center for Innovation in STEM Education at Cal State Dominguez Hills, I have the privilege of developing new teachers committed to changing the way that Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are taught. Currently, these subjects are taught in isolation from one another. We develop teachers who are certified in Fabrication Technology and Challenge Based Learning before they start their first year of teaching. When students have access to highly qualified STEM teachers, students learn how these fields complement each other and are exposed to the careers of the future. STEM-based education teaches children more than science and mathematics concepts; with a focus on hands-on learning intertwined with real-world applications, students develop a variety of skill sets, including creativity and 21st-century skills.

As the STEM Director, I work closely with a fantastic group of teachers and the CSUDH Fabrication Lab to design experiences for students attending local schools. The goal is to introduce students to STEAM fields through the use of Coding, 3D printers, Laser Cutters, CNC machines, and other technology so that they can envision themselves pursuing a degree in the sciences, engineering, etc. The lack of minorities in STEAM fields is due to the lack of exposure and experience that kids have in these fields; our institute is committed to changing that.

“As the STEM Director, I work closely with a fantastic group of teachers and the CSUDH Fabrication Lab to design meaningful STEAM experiences for students attending local schools.”

STEM education has always been vital, but perhaps now is the time when it’s more important than ever. Society is advancing toward the age of robotics, artificial intelligence and interconnected machines making daily life easier. Your views on this?

STEM education is more important than ever. We need to focus here at home, here in our communities, and here in our country. We need to give these students a chance at securing top-paying jobs within the STEM Field. This is also an issue of national security; we need to be able to sustain the dependency that we have on technology by bolstering the pool of professionals that are available to support our private and public sectors, our military capabilities, and our ability to defend ourselves from hackers and other predatory elements in cyberspace, and our ability to continue to make advancement in new fields.

Learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics is essential for today’s students. If the world hopes to keep its forward progress, will it need more scientific minds to develop and build its robots, devices and machine-learning programmes? Please elaborate.

STEM-based education does not teach students conceptual knowledge independently; they acquire a variety of skill sets, including problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and 21st-century skills. These skills are what will enable us, as a country, and as a human race, to propel forward and build on the past. I often hear adults refer to their childhood years as “better” or “the good old days”. I couldn’t disagree more - these are exciting times! We have made so much progress since the 1990s, and we may have unintended consequences, but I believe that we will rise to the occasion. Teachers, unlike any other profession in the world, shape ALL of our professionals. I believe that being a teacher is a calling and I have faith that teachers will continue to instill skills, values, and a love for learning into their students. We, as parents, community partners, and STEM professionals, just need to find ways to support the teachers. We can do this by making ourselves available, securing grants, creating partnerships, and hopefully, showing them respect. We can advocate and support them in acquiring livable wages. This way, they can focus on doing what is right for their students. After all, if we are going to reach students, we need to go through the teachers.

What would be your piece of advice for your fellow peers and leaders?

Surround yourself with “like-minded” people who are not scared of working hard and are passionate about leaving the next generation with a better future. Lead by example and value the opinions of others.

Artificial Intelligence

Robotics