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University Students Become Superheroes To Teach STEM Education

Posted by Soulskill on from the able-to-explain-complex-theories-in-a-single-class dept.

New submitter sjdupont writes "A trio of University of South Florida (USF) engineering graduate students have decided to make a change in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in an unusual and exciting way: by creating their own superhero personas and dressing in costumes as members of the Scientific League of Superheroes. Focused on elementary education, they have created a unique education program called the Superhero Training Network, a curriculum-based video series designed for the classroom which focuses on teaching STEM topics while engaging students in a fun way. Fifth grade classrooms in Hillsborough County (Florida) pilot tested the series during the 2011-2012 school year and enjoyed visits from the scientific superheroes to experience scientific demonstrations and participate in hands-on activities."

10 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Ooh, you know what else they should do? by Seumas · · Score: 2

    They should do a series of rap songs, too. That rap is hip these days and the kids really like it. Nothing reaches young people like adults dressing up like characters and rapping! This won't turn young people off out of sheer repulsion at being patronized at all!

    1. Re:Ooh, you know what else they should do? by seepho · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't laugh. Rap convinced me to stop copying floppies.

  2. Which one will become.... by cayenne8 · · Score: 4, Funny
    ..."Never Gets Laid Man"....?

    j/k

    :)

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  3. Does anyone else automatically cringe by mdarksbane · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When they read "engaging students in a fun way."

    You don't need gimmicks, people! You need interesting experiments that kids can connect with.

    It's hands-on science experiments. Let the kids blow stuff up, get dirty, smash something, or shock each other and they'll be interested. The gimmicks don't matter.

    1. Re:Does anyone else automatically cringe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      No, you need actual job prospects for these STEM graduate students
      "What do the career prospects of a STEM Ph.D. look like? The typical career path is increasingly two post-docs following a Ph.D. before entering the labor market. That is, following a bachelor's degree and another four or five years of intensive study and low-wage labor in a professor's lab, the typical STEM Ph.D. can look forward to yet another six or eight years working at an average salary of $50,000 before they can compete for a regular job in a flooded labor market. For some, a deep and abiding love of science and engineering and willingness to play the job lottery keeps them in the game. For many others, these dim prospects push them to go elsewhere." US News & World report http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-foreign-stem-graduates-get-green-cards/no-shortage-of-qualified-american-stem-grads

  4. Wrong approach by dkleinsc · · Score: 2

    Basically, the way to get kids to remember stuff and want to learn stuff is to make it relevant to their real life. For example, to teach algebra, focus on personal finance, because most kids who are bored to death by "let's study exponential growth" are far more interested in "here's how to make more money". To teach physics or chemistry, a few controlled and safe explosions go a long way towards making kids interested.

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    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
  5. Back story flaw? by UninformedCoward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A lab accident that transformed them from normal scientists to super-powered members of The Scientific League of Superheroes.

    Super heroes: We're here to teach you about lab safety!
    Students: How did you become super heroes?!
    Super heroes: A lab accident...
    Students: ...

  6. I like their nemesis by SirGarlon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    They battle the evil Dr. Entropy...

    Smart money is on the evil Dr. Entropy. :-)

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    [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
  7. It's a bird! It's a plane! by paiute · · Score: 2

    No! It's Underemployed Man!

    "Would you like fries with that, citizen?"

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    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  8. i have a similar program by madsci1016 · · Score: 2

    I do the same kind of thing through my navy job... http://www.sciencebrothers.org/ Whacky Scientists though, not super heroes. I feel its kind of cheap to present STEM in a "fiction" way. Conflict of messages maybe?