Educating Innovators of the Future
Educating Innovators of the Future
What Do We Do?
We Deliver Education to the Innovators and Entrepreneurs of the Future
Getting ahead with STEAM skills
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics)STEM vs. STEAM
"The STEM to STEAM movement has been taking root over the past several years and is surging forward as a positive mode of action to truly meet the needs of a 21st century economy. STEM alone misses several key components that many employers, educators, and parents have voiced as critical for our children to thrive in the present and rapidly approaching future.
"STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking."
- The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM
Since the beginning of education, part of our focus as teachers has been preparing students to enter the workforce. But that’s a challenge for 21st century teachers because the jobs our students will enter haven’t been invented yet. That’s why exploring STEAM careers is worth the time. Not just because these careers are quickly emerging, but because the STEAM process itself allows students to explore through curiosity, play and hands-on learning.
HOW HAS THE SIZE OF THE GRADUATE LABOUR FORCE CHANGED IN RECENT YEARS?
"The STEM field with the largest proportional growth in population size was Other Natural and Physical Sciences, which had a 37% increase in the number of graduates. Earth Sciences had the smallest proportional growth, at 5%. By qualification level, the population with masters degrees had the highest percentage increase for total STEM (45%), total non-STEM
(50%), and all STEM fields except Environmental Studies. Although there was a large numerical
increase in the number of people holding STEM bachelor degrees (93 795 more graduates than in 2011), the percentage increase of this cohort was relatively small at 22%—almost the same as STEM doctorates at 21%." (See bar graph)Source: Australian Office of Chief Scientist, “Australia’s STEM Workforce”
Remember: The Arts (part of STEAM) has an equal weight to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). There are many technical people who are terrible at their job because they don't understand the ART of STEM. Remember Steve Jobs was not an engineer - he was more of an artist.
“STEAM is The Future.” - Gizmo Cats offer Physical Computing with Gizmos like a Raspberry Pi and Codey Rocky Robot
STEAM education is vital to our children's future work skills.
We provide kids with a fun, hands-on Physical Computing experience that enhances their critical thinking and collaborative skills that will be highly sought after in the future world of work.
What is "Physical Computing"?
Put simply, physical computing is building interactive physical systems through the use of software and hardware that can sense and respond to the real world. It is the way we creatively connect the digital world to the human world.
Why learn Physical Computing?
Computing is everywhere - it's in our homes, cars, payment and ticketing systems, it's in our workplaces, mobile phones, laptops and tablets and it shapes our everyday experiences. Physical computing allows devices to connect and exchange data over the internet. In the near future, even more everyday objects will be embedded with electronic sensors. Imagine an elderly person's clothing is fitted with a sensor that could detect when they fall down or begin to experience a heart attack. This is known as the "Internet of Things" (IoT).
It is not enough to be able to swipe and tap on tablets, computers and iPhones, your child will succeed in the future world of work if they understand more about the science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics behind the devices we use everyday.
Our classes in physical computing teach the use of 21st Century tools and stimulate creativity, problem solving, innovation and inventing - highly sought after skills of the future.
See our current STEAM activities or drop us a line to stay in touch.Professional Development for Teachers, Parents, Adults
Don't know where to start to learn about computing and electronics? Contact Us
It's not just for kids!
STEAM Learning for interested adults, clubs, and educators. Many teachers need professional development to be able to motivate and guide students for STEM success - use physical computing with gizmo's like a Raspberry Pi.Do you need project ideas, activities, and curriculum for your classes?
See our current STEAM activities or drop us a line to stay in touch.About Gizmo Cats
"I believe that successful learning through fun hands-on physical computing activities increases curiosity, inspires innovation, and ultimately improves quality of a person's lifetime education." - Oscar, Gizmo Cats founder
After speaking with other parents of children who went to school with his son, Oscar discovered that he was not alone in noticing that kids play games with computers but do not understand or appreciate what makes them work. Rather than kids just playing games, why not teach them to change the game's virtual world with programming and control devices. As a result Oscar created a STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematics) learning program, originally "STEM-Learn", that teaches "Physical Computing". Physical computing means building interactive systems by the use of software and hardware that can sense and respond to the real world.
(For example, using Codey Rocky robotics or Raspberry Pi single-board computers with electronic I/O circuits).
Oscar is currently based in Western Australia, Perth metro area, but does travel between Australia and the US.
In the 21st century, a project-based STEAM education teaches the basic skills. Yet, the current education system model we follow was designed in the 19th century. STEAM learning is now as the basic as the 3 R's - reading, writing, arithmetic - of the past centuries.
PAST (the 19th & 20th centuries): “Why learn to write when all we need to know is how to plant crops or apply a trade?” Really, how many of us have grown up making a career as a writer? So why become fluent in reading and writing? Obviously, we all know you must learn to read and write because it is a basic skill that opens up opportunities even though we may never make a career as a professional writer.
PRESENT (the 21st century): Even if you never become a technical professional or even have a technically related career, the process of learning STEAM is now a basic skill that opens up new opportunities. Project-based STEAM learning using gizmos and gadgets helps you learn of the 4 C's (Creativity, Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration or Community), failing and trying again (i.e. program debugging), logical process thinking, and project planning by breaking down ideas into smaller processes. The 3 R's of previous centuries are now just the required basics.
These basic skills are transferable to the fast, ever-changing job market, including non-technical careers as more and more careers are being automated. It is a requirement for all creative innovators, lean businesses and entrepreneurs of today.
Oscar started his career in the Silicon Valley in California USA working in digital electronics, EDA (Electronic Design Automation), and programmable logic devices (specifically, FPGA's or Field Programmable Gate Arrays). In Australia he worked as a Science Interpreter at the Fremantle World of Energy in Western Australia, working with school groups facilitating science, energy conversion, alternative energy, sustainable energy generation, and Climate, Greenhouse effect & global warming classes. His other roles have included Quality, Health & Safety, and Environmental advisement, Operations Management for an electronics firm, TAFE WA lecturing in IT, and as a Training Coordinator and Business Analyst for WestOne Services for the Department of Training & Workforce Development (formerly known as the Department of Education & Training).USA Department of Justice , Live Scan fingerprints on file with the FBI, ATI Numbers: G288NA0547 , G288NA05478
Australian Working with Children (WWC) #2785436 - National Police Certificate AFP Reference: 3152931PC
ABN 27 788 609 256
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