Christine Tarver, a former 5th grade teacher in Florida, wanted her students to experience hands-on learning combined with emerging technologies, understanding that by doing so they were more likely to develop the critical skills necessary for the 21st century.
In her efforts to find education technology resources and tools for her students, Tarver discovered MyStemKits curriculum. MyStemKits — part of the Boxlight MimioSTEM solutions for education — is a collection of over 330 STEM lessons aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and National Common Core Standards. The lessons and Design Challenges work in tandem with a 3D printer to produce 3D-printed manipulatives that help students better understand the STEM concepts and skills being taught. Each MyStemKits lesson includes 3D printable files, a teacher guide, an extensive lesson plan, and student assessments, activities, and handouts.
After initial hesitation about her skills using this innovative technology in her classroom, she soon discovered that the simple set up and user-friendly features of MyStemKits soon dispelled her worries. Tarver states, “Having a 3D printer in my classroom was a little bit scary. But now that I have my own 3D printer in my classroom and printing 3D resources from MyStemKits.com, I’ve realized how easy it is and how accessible it is to bring this type of resource and technology into my classroom. It is something that excites my kids every day.”
After successfully facilitating a few of the geometry-based lessons, using 3D-printed manipulatives, her confidence level about using STEM technology increased and she was excited about using MyStemKits. In addition, her students’ positive reactions to the 3D-printed manipulatives reassured her that she made a great decision by choosing MyStemKits.
To hear from Ms. Tarver and her experience using MyStemKits, watch the video:
To read more on Ms. Tarver’s experience, read the full case study here.
