STEMi, U.S. Consulate Train STEM Teachers

With technology now crucial to education and nation building, the STEM Integration and Development Training for Educators was launched by the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation Makers of Africa (STEMi Makers Africa) in partnership with the United States of America Consulate General,to train and empower educators in becoming innovators, and technology- proficient problem solvers.

The programme which was held at the IBM Innovation Centre, Churchgate  Towers,  Lagos,  last month trained 100 educators in Lagos State with modern STEM Integrated tools and Bringing Innovation to Classrooms.

The educators  who were selected from 32 Pre-tertiary schools in Ojo,Amuwo-Odofin and Ifelodun Ajeromi Local Council Development Areas in Lagos had rigorous, diverse, hands-on workshop training by STEMi partners and were engaged in Design thinking projects, hardware prototyping, data analytics, artificial intelligence, Engineering Process, digital skills, space science applications, capacity building, applied pedagogies in practical teaching, stimulating critical thinking, emotional intelligence and innovation: Bringing ideas to life.

One of the objectives of this project is to “Train-the-Trainer” and build Educators with exemplary practices who will serve as STEM Ambassadors for promoting STEM Education in their respective schools by training their fellow colleagues and expanding the learning Community for effective sharing and knowledge transfer of practical Education.

The Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate General; Lagos, Russell Brooks spoke to educators about the importance of STEM Education. He cited examples of emerging technologies and how they are shaping today’s world.

“The world is moving at a very fast pace and may not wait for Nigeria to catch up with it,”he said.

He further encouraged them to embrace applied Innovation in teaching to stimulate better learning in their Students.

Amanda Obidike, the Strategy Lead for STEMi Makers Africa emphasised that STEM Integration and Development Training for Educators is to enable educators to be problem solvers and critical thinkers who are able to analyse information to know what skills they need and when.

She said: “We are betting that by allowing scholars/educators to be risk-takers, to redefine failure, to collaborate, and deeply think will actually better prepare them for assessments than traditional models of learning.”

January 03, 2020