TEACHING CREATIVE CRITICAL ACTION BEYOND ECONOMY INTO “the ART of TECHNO-ECOLOGY”: Approaches in integrating technology ethics with STEM Art education

Creative critical action with STEM-A (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through Art) is a philosophy, which integrates exploration of STEM subjects through project- based art inquiry. This approach to STEM education creates space for the instructor to include ethical, radical and inventive approaches to educating students. Innovation is the most prized human dexterity, and STEM education is a critical component of societies to produce innovative products. However as global economies emerge, and human impacted climate change becomes inevitable, it is critical that we radically change the face of our education system and eventually our economies, to include a broader scope of STEM innovation. Art and diversity need to be included in STEM education to foster a sustainable community of ethical technologists who create solutions for humans beyond industry. “However, STEM education without the arts simply encourages an education gap in the students’ ability to innovate, because they lack creative skills for innovation which are obtained with practice and inquiry through the arts process.” (Crayton, STEM art education movement: A creative approach to education in innovation for the 21st Century, 2011) Even more disturbing is their ability to navigate these new technologies discriminately. To be published in the Technology, Knowledge and Society journal. This paper was given at the Technology, Knowledge and Society conference at UCLA in 2012 Full paper here

STEM ART EDUCATION MOVEMENT: A creative approach to education in innovat

Abstract
The science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) movement has its roots back to Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the formation of NASA and NSF in 1958. The STEM Arts movement is a response, collage, and remix, of previous art education theories and STEM education concepts derived since that time. The STEM arts movement seeks to inspire youth with the multi-modal skills to inspire the next generation of innovators and global citizens. In this paper, I seek to draw a model of evolution in innovative education promoted by governments, corporations and ultimately American pride. However, several concerns still face the nation in the new era of Innovate + Educate, in the wake of the Bush era, “No child left behind” act. A new kind of social ethics confronts educators in the classroom as they teach STEM subjects to technically savvy students who are asked to use antiquated methods of technology, while students are asked to power off the most profound technological/information revolution in history. With increased population, saturation (technology/media) overload, climate change and globalization facing student populations, an approach to teaching innovation to youth in the 21st Century needs to be done with an expanded approach to STEM education, including multi-cultural, civic building practices in cyber, electronic, digital and mobile arts. Read entire paper here.

Techno-optimism does not breed an Ecological Paradigm

Although attitudes may be shifting toward an ecological paradigm according to Dunlap, we are still loosing species and habitat, possibly facing global degradation because the techno-optimist tend to believe that technology will save the human race.

Since Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, the US economy has grown quite significantly stimulating our national wealth and stability. Our drive for innovation has catalyzed the technological revolution, providing a higher standard of living, allowing the ‘American Dream’ to be realized.

"Investing in the right scientists and the right technologies can improve the human condition quite dramatically." According to Bill Gates as he speaks to motivate the Indonesian people during a Presidential Inauguration speech in 2008. However we need to question his motivations, because they clearly could be financially driven, as his company Microsoft stands to earn billions of dollars during a technological revolution of a 3rd world country as it morphs into a technocratic society.

Find entire essay here:
http://janedapain.net/files/techno-optimism.pdf

El Niño Drives California Almond and Honey Production Nuts

A. Mellifera and A. Cerana, also known as the honeybee, is considered to be responsible for 1/3 of our total agricultural food pollination and production. However these crops are increasingly subjected to extreme weather events including extreme temperature and precipitation levels from El Niño and possibly climate change. With recent concern over honeybee colony health, it is increasingly important to consider examining the effects of extreme weather events on honeybee ecology.

Honeybees are responsible for pollinating 100% of all almond crops globally. Honeybees are transported thousands of miles to aide in the pollination of large crops like, oranges, apples, alfalfa and almonds. Each blossom has to be visited by a honeybee several times in order to get fertilized by the pollen exchange, and develop seeds in the ovary of the plant. The average blossom needs to be visited at least seven times in order for fertilization to be completed through pollination.

Read entire essay here:
El Niño Drives California Almond and Honey Production Nuts

The Lost STEM: Decline of Techno-innovation

There is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education gap in public schools developing, likely a response to, ‘saturation overload’ in media and technology, and a lack of diversity in STEM outreach. Students in American schools are slipping behind in STEM education, leaving our brightest minds unchallenged, or even worse, uninspired to create, develop or invent our nations next source of income, or better yet, our national pride.

We live in a time where technology is everywhere, and our economic wealth today, is partly because of our success at being an innovation-nation in technology and systems development. Since President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958 we have seen a great rise in access to education especially in STEM subjects for all United States Citizens. However, in the last two decades, there has been a downward trend in the number of students graduating with STEM degrees, as well as proficiency in STEM subjects for students in public schools. Similar to the drake equation which evaluates the possibilities of life in the universe; the reasons why STEM is loosing ground is the United States is an equally complex equation.

Read the original essay here:
The Lost STEM: Decline in Techno-innovation

MISSING STEM: Fabrics of Social Determinism dominate STEM education from kindergarten through tenure and beyond to NASA

From the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education gender gap, to saturation overload in media and technology, students in American schools are slipping behind in STEM education. Our brightest minds may not be challenged, even worse, they may never go inspired to create, develop or invent our nations next source of income, or better yet, our national pride.

We live in a time where technology is everywhere, and our economic wealth today, is partly because of our success at being an innovation-nation in technology and systems development. Since President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act in 1958 we have seen a great rise in access to education especially in STEM subjects for all United States Citizens. However, in the last two decades, there has been a downward trend in the number of students graduating with STEM degrees, as well as proficiency in STEM subjects for students in public school. Similar to the drake equation which evaluates the possibilities of life in the universe; the reasons why STEM is loosing ground is the United States has a multitude of possibilities. We will examine several key factors in why the social fabrics of ‘determinism’ (The philosophical docterine that every event, act, and decision is the inevitable consequence of anteccedents that are independent of the human will.) still dominate STEM education from Kindergarden through tenure and beyond to NASA.

Read entire essay here:
Missing STEM: Fabrics of Social Determinism dominate STEM education
from kindergarten through tenure and beyond to NASA

Saturation Overload, the Ethical Dilemma of the Technological Revolution

Synopsis: Impacts of technologies and digital innovation are now starting to be seen for the first time in the post-techno world. Social, cultural and environmental hazards are guiding our technological revolution toward, corporate and product control, network collapse and a technology gap. Media and digital technologies lack ethics today, and thus saturation overload has taken hold of our daily lives, now it threatens our society with a learning deficit in technology. However, the solution presents its self in art education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), allowing students to create deeper understanding of ethics and inventive behavior.

Read the essay here:
Saturation Overload: The Ethical Dilemma of the Technological Revolution