Engineering: Where Are Girls and Why Aren’t They Here?

BREAKING NEWS: July 3, 2014. Education Week reports that from sexual harassment to the glass ceiling, the challenges women face in the workplace are suddenly front and center. This was demonstrated at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2014 conference held in June that featured the launch of a new network of female ed-tech leaders who aim to promote career-advancement opportunities and improved experiences for women working in technology jobs for school districts and companies.

ISTE challenges you to close your eyes and picture an engineer. You probably weren't envisioning Debbie Sterling. Ms. Sterling is an engineer and founder of GoldieBlox, a toy company out to inspire the next generation of female engineers. Have your teenage girls watch what she has to say about girls and engineering.

Also, watch DCMP’s Career Options For Women: Engineering which introduces three more female engineers: 1) Elizabeth Nethery, a product support engineer who tests and customizes prosthetics; 2) Elisabeth Paul, a computer software engineer in the aerospace industry; and 3) Daisy Lung, an environmental engineer who conducts site assessments for real estate clients. Commentary from coworkers and supervisors rounds out the description of each job.

DCMP’s entire career options for women series introduces successful women in the fields of telecommunications, biotechnology, and other fields. Where are the girls? Help raise the glass ceiling, so the answer to that question truly can be: “Anywhere their talents and interest lead them!”

Businesses Actually Welcoming People Who Are Deaf?

BREAKING NEWS: July 12, 2014. USA Today reports that when Steve Walker was a student at Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.) in the 1980s, the school for the deaf and hard of hearing was a very different place than it is today. Students then were advised not to venture outside the campus, because most people in the surrounding neighborhood didn't speak sign language. Students didn't feel welcome in the outside community, and struggled to communicate in restaurants where they couldn't understand the servers. As the school celebrates its 150th anniversary, Walker says that has changed.

These days, the northeast Washington neighborhood around the school, including the upscale Union Market food hall next to the campus and those same restaurants of nearby H Street, accommodates the deaf community. Walker says what is happening in the area around Gallaudet is a serious change in cultural sensitivity. "Wow, there is a big shift in what I've seen," Walker says, raising his eyebrows as he signs. "Back in the '80s, when I was here, students basically did not feel welcome on H Street. But now, I see a lot of students, faculty, and alumni going anywhere they want to go. And especially, it's nice to see people on H Street using American Sign Language to be able to communicate with us, because that makes us feel even more welcome."

Have your student(s) watch this short sign language exercise that teaches some of the signs used in a restaurant and other dining situations. Signs in the video include “restaurant,” “waiter/waitress,” “order,” “food,” “table,” “drink,” and more. Or, watch this short skit by deaf teenagers which offers practical tips for communication with non-signing deaf persons such as: the importance of visual cues (pointing to items on a menu), the need to look at any person who is deaf when you are communicating with them, and more.

For further study, browse our catalog and be introduced to over 200 titles in the Sign Language section of the DCMP media library. Or, if your students like the skit by teens listed above, introduce them to other titles in the series by teens that present challenges and solutions to different real-life situations.

How Do You Replace Traditional Lectures With Video Tutorials?

BREAKING NEWS: July 2, 2014. Psychologists at the University of Colorado report that kids who spent more time in less-structured activities had more highly-developed self-directed executive function. These children are better at setting their own goals, taking actions to meet these goals, making decisions, and regulating their behavior.

A growing number of educators have worked to turn learning on its head by replacing traditional classroom lectures with video tutorials, an approach popularly called the "flipped classroom." Katie Gimbar is one such teacher, after having found that 90% of her class time had been dedicated to delivery of content, leaving only 10% for application of content. She has since flipped the delivery/application ratio using asynchronous on-line tools for delivery, freeing time in the face-to-face classroom for active guided team-based application activities. Watch her in this DCMP video explain how she feels her model allows the engagement of all her learners.

However, as most educators who have begun to use the technique are quick to say, there are a multitude of ways to "flip" a classroom. Some teachers assign a video for homework, while others allow students to watch those videos in class. Still others make videos for the lesson, but do not require students to watch them, giving students a variety of resources and allowing them to choose what they utilize in order to learn the required information.

One suggestion is that teachers do not get hung up on creating their own videos, but harness the educational content that is already available. The DCMP is such a resource to teachers who have students who are deaf, blind, or deaf-blind. And our media is accessible—both described and captioned! You will flip as you see the links to the 244 recently added DCMP accessible videos in English and 71 titles in Spanish.

To support teachers and parents as they guide and mentor students in the learning process, the DCMP can now create subaccounts for use directly by students. Students have their own DCMP username and password, and can log in and view DCMP content on their smart phone, tablet, or computer. When setting up subaccounts, please keep in mind that the teacher/parent managing the subaccount must set which titles may be viewed by the student. Watch this short DCMP-produced video which will demonstrate this feature, and give it a try today!