What Makes a Great Makerspace?

As schools across the country are demonstrating, makerspaces aren't just about technology. They're about giving outlet to students' creativity. Spaces can be as elaborate as sophisticated machine shops or as simple as libraries converted to support hands-on learning.

Making Tech Her Story: Increasing Girls' Interest in IT

CompTIA Director of Corporate Communications Steve Ostrowski talks about a new study that looks at why girls lose interest in tech careers beginning in high school, and offers advice for what educators can do to boost girls' interest in STEM.

Race, Gender Gaps Persist in Computer Science Education

Google for Education and Gallup, a research and consulting company, have published new reports on the status of computer science education in the United States.

3D Printer Shipments to Double in 2016

Global sales of 3D printers will more than double from last year to 2016, growing 108 percent from 219,168 shipments to 455,772, according to a new report from Gartner.

President Obama Pushes Innovation 'Frontiers' in STEM

The White House Frontiers Conference brings some of world's top leaders to Pennsylvania to discuss how science and technology frontiers will help improve lives and keep Americans on the cutting edge of innovation. More than $300M in new STEM initiatives were announced at the event.

NSF Funds Research to Evaluate Effectiveness of K-12 Computer Skills Initiatives

Researchers at the Rochester Institute of Technology and Bradley University have received a $1.19 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study the effectiveness of K-12 efforts to encourage computing skills.

Online Platform Offers Interactive STEM 'Experiences'

The National Science and Technology Medals Foundation launched an online platform offering three engaging "experiences," or activities, that highlight the work of American scientists and technologists.

Dash, Dot Robots Add Apple Coding Language

Apple has teamed up with Wonder Workshop to teach students Swift, Apple's easy-to-use programming language.

5 Oklahoma Schools Districts Receive $1.2 Million for STEM

Commission Releases Policymaker's STEM Playbook

A new report from the Education Commission of the States examines the Utah STEM Action Center's success in researching and implementing STEM policy and offers key practices for other policymakers.

Code.org Selects Partner to Train Montana Teachers in CS Education

In an effort to increase the technology talent pipeline in Montana, Big Sky Code Academy will expand professional development opportunities to educators through local district partnerships with Code.org.

Delaware Pledges to Sign Up 2,000 STEM Mentors

Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services formed a team for Million Women Mentors and set a goal of 2,000 STEM mentors pledged by 2019.

Knox Middle School Receives $5,000 Robotics Grant

Knox Middle School of San Diego Unified School District has received a $5,000 Barona Education Grant to develop an "innovative robotics program."

Girls Who Code Debuts App

Girls Who Code has launched its Girls Who Code Loop app, available on iOS and Android for free. The platform serves as a community forum for questions and announcements on coding, college, jobs and internships.

MakerBot Launches New 3D Printing Products

MakerBot has introduced a number of new 3D printer products it says will better serve the needs of educators.

New STEM Solutions Offer VR Experiences

Pitsco Education and zSpace have teamed up to introduce STEM Expeditions, a VR software and curricula that teach STEM topics to students in grades 7–9.

Ohio 13-Year-Old Wins $25K in 2016 Young Scientist Challenge

A 13-year-old ninth grader from Mason, OH has won the 2016 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge in St. Paul, MN. Maanasa Mendu won $25,000 and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist" immediately following a live competition Tuesday at the 3M Innovation Center.

Learning.com Launches National Coding Competition

To support the national Computer Science for All intiative, Learning.com has launched the first annual Code-a-Thon, a nationwide coding competition for elementary and middle school students.

Partnership Continues to Support Girls in Computer Science

Dell has donated $40,000 and additional support to Girls Who Code, in an effort to improve and expand school programs that teach computer science to girls.

Siemens Expands STEM Middle-Skill Initiative

The Siemens Foundation has added two new partners to its STEM Middle-Skill Initiative, which aims to support the development of middle school students' skills in science, technology, engineering and math.

100 NYC Title I Schools to Adopt Coding Curriculum

At the Computer Science for All summit, the White House announced that Codesters would bring computer science curriculum to more than 5,000 students enrolled at 100 Title I schools in New York City.

Stanford VR Project Shows Students Oceans of the Future

A new, free virtual reality program allows users to explore just what happens as climate change kills off coral reefs.

University-Corporate Partnership Aims to Woo K-12 Students into Advanced Manufacturing

An Indiana university that hosts a Toyota manufacturing education program expects to see a boost in admissions with a new marketing partnership the auto company has formed with an online STEM hub.

Vernier/NSTA Technology Awards Now Accepting Entries

Vernier and the National Science Teachers Association have opened applications for their annual technology awards.

Afinia debuts Project-Based 3D Printing Kits for STEM Ed

Afinia 3D now has a line of 10 3D printing kits designed to enhance science, technology, engineering and math in K-12 learning.

XYZprinting Releases Da Vinci miniMaker

This week, Southern California-based XYZprinting is shipping its first education-focused 3D printer, the da Vinci miniMaker. The child and beginner-friendly 3D printer is designed for STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) projects.

Boeing Giving $6 Million in Grants for STEM

Aerospace giant Boeing is awarding $6 million in grants to more than 50 nonprofit organizations and educational institutions across Washington state to help train the next generation of aerospace, science and technology workers, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

ExoTrex Aims to Promote STEM Equity via Gaming

Dig-It! Games has launched episode one of its new game ExoTrex, the first in a planned series of three episodes that aim to educate and motivate students through scientific space adventures.

NSTA, Northrop Grumman Open Applications for Teachers Academy

The Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy is now accepting applications to its second annual professional development program for middle school science, engineering and technology teachers.

Oakland USD Opens New STEM Academy

Oakland Unified School District in California plans to open its new Computer Science and Technology Academy at Skyline High School.

Silicon Valley High School Introduces STEM Lab, Program

Contributions from the 49ers Foundation, Chevron and Silicon Valley Education Foundation have been used to building a high-tech STEM lab and program at Santa Clara High School.

Competency-Based Professional Learning Gets Test Drive

Two years after Teaching Matters shifted its focus to competency-based professional learning, this non-profit that works on initiatives to increase teacher effectiveness, especially in urban public schools, has issued a 17-page report that profiles use cases from its work in three teacher leadership training programs and four lessons it has learned from those experiences.