2018 Halloween

Wishing Everyone a Fun and Safe Halloween!!!

Need a STEAM idea to celebrate?
Look no further than Jack-o-Lanterns.

The science behind Jack-o-Lanterns requires knowledge of lighting, luminosity, brightness, and transparency & opaque properties.

Technology has made Jack-o-Lanterns safer through the development of light sources operated by batteries and LED lights rather than candles and open flames.

Engineering and Art design are a must if you want to achieve the best lighting effects for the design of your Jack-o-Lantern.

Through the use of precise mathematical calculations, a Jack-o-Lantern can be replicated and improved upon.



Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2018.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

How to Integrate Elements of HAST in Education

The principles of HAST (Humanities, Arts, Science, Technology) can be integrated into education through the development of the following key elements: Argumentative Introduction, Presentation of Evidence, Critique & Counterargument, Defense of Argument.

When students learn and develop these key elements of HAST, their educational growth and success should increase.  Students can then apply each of these elements to other areas of study, and in turn, encourage them to pursue further learning through higher education.

ARGUMENTATIVE INTRODUCTION
Introduce your argument with confidence, strength, and clarity.  Whether it is a scientific research paper, a classroom debate or discussion, or an expression of artistic freedom, without an argumentative introduction the chance to succeed will be reduced significantly if not eliminated.  Just as it is important for the track and field sprinter to get off the blocks cleanly and begin the race with a good first step, so should it be to the student who is presenting a theory, hypothesis, or statement.

PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE
Your argument should be based on solid evidence from reliable sources.  As you introduce your argument, be prepared to present the evidence you have in support of it.  The best way to build your argument is through evidence, the best way to build evidence is through research.  Observe, inquire, and read, find out what is known, what studies are out there, and who has presented prior evidence that will be of help to you.

CRITIQUE & COUNTERARGUMENT
Having introduced your argument and presented evidence to support it, it is time to share it with the audience and embrace critique and counterarguments that could be made. Personal or professional disagreement, lack of confidence, strength, or clarity, questioning of the evidence presented, these and other reasoning can lead the audience to critique your argument and present their own counterargument when presented with your argument.  This is an important part of the process as it allows for adjustments to be made and new reasoning to be taken into consideration.

DEFENSE OF ARGUMENT
Your argument is your creation, defend it.  Find more evidence, collect more data, review the critique and counterarguments for validity and determine if they are to be regarded or discarded.  Try alternative approaches to introduce the argument or present the evidence.  Make adjustments to your argument by formatting or changing the approach.  Research that which can be used as critique and counterargument, and prepare your defense of argument.




Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2016.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education

HAST Education
(Humanities, Arts, Science, Technology)

It is within our nature to make observations and take annotations in addition to recognizing patterns and identifying problems that may occur.

We also have a tendency, through ingenuity, to come with reasonable solutions that benefit us all as a whole.

HAST Education brings this together.  HAST greatly benefits the student's learning process through the integration of the core subject areas of humanities, arts, science, and technology.

With a HAST approach to education, students become better prepared to identify issues, solve problems, recognize patterns, take notes, and observe their environment.

A student's educational performance should flourish and be deeply rooted in a diverse academic field of knowledge.



Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

How to Bridge Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology

This question has been put forth in previous posts: How can humanities and science be bridged?  These two areas of knowledge, of academic wisdom, of human endeavor, have been at odds since the beginning of time.

Humanity has benefited greatly from scientific achievements that have allowed for the development of modern technologies and art forms.

Yet there have been many instances in which these same scientific achievements, modern technologies, and art forms, have caused some of the darkest chapters in human history.

HAST education, the integration of Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology, is founded on the four cornerstones which these four areas provide.

HAST education helps bridge the vast expanses that can form within these four core areas.  It keeps as a primary focus the effects that education and its applications have for the people, our communities, and society; while taking into account the benefits to humanity of our scientific achievements, newly developed technologies, and the art forms that are created from them. HAST education also brings to the forefront the dangers that can happen to us if we do not take these thoughts into consideration by bringing light to some of the most tragic events in humanity.


Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

How Art and Technology Bridge Humanities and Science

It seems that science and humanities have been at odds since the beginning of time.  Science being deeply rooted in facts, formulas, and processes; while humanities being deeply rooted in the human spirit, life, and all their qualities.  Humanities has been described as everything that is not science, and science as everything that is not humanities.  Yet both have managed to coexist, throughout time, in many cultures and various places.

One way in which these two areas of knowledge can be bridged is through the arts and technology. At various periods of time the emergence of new technology and art have had an effect on the relation between humanities and science.  From telegraph, to television, to Twitter, each new technology expanded the art of communication in human society through scientific inventions.  Knowledge no longer staying localized, but rather began reaching a far greater audience, having a greater impact in opinions, reasoning, and thought.  Creating the need to begin a dialog about how each innovation can do both bridge and isolate.

The close relation between Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology (HAST) can serve as a foundation upon which a framework for the education process can be built.  HAST Education benefits those who participate in it by addressing how the human pursuit for knowledge has an effect on humanity.


Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator/Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

February 2015

As the second month of 2015 gets underway so does MRCR Education's continued commitment to STEAM Education.  For the third year in a row MRCR Education had the pleasure to participate in the SF Bay Area STEAM Education Colloquium.  This year marked the colloquium's fifth event, and it was a great success.  It has become quite clear that STEAM education in the Bay Area has, not only taken root throughout the education community, but it has also sprouted the interest of local businesses, community leaders, and elected officials.

STEAM Education is now more than an academic program, it is the cornerstone for a future economic development in which public-private partnerships will play a crucial role.  STEAM has also emerged as the bridge between the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as it can provide a wide range of possibilities for schools and their districts in the implementation of an interconnected multiple subject approach to curriculum development, lesson plans, and learning needs.

MRCR Education encourages you to learn and research more about STEAM education and how it can be implemented it into your classroom, school, and district.  Throughout the month of February, as we have done in past years, MRCR Education will share thoughts and ideas on STEAM education and the benefits it can bring to learners, students, teachers, and all stakeholders in the education of future generations.


Written by Manuel R. CortezRodas - Chief Educator & Founder

Copyright 2015.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education Lessons

How can we develop a HAST Education lesson?  What are some of the steps that educators can take to develop a lesson that is engaging for students, yet relevant to what they are learning, and can be applicable to the current problems which they are facing?  In this post we share some of the steps which we have found are helpful to develop a HAST Education Lesson.

• Develop the lesson around a central theme.  Choose a theme for your lesson, then incorporate the different strands of HAST education into it.

• Research the theme of the lesson.  Find what sources are available and can be accessed by students.  Make sure that they are up to date, and their information is relevant.

• Create variations of the lesson.  Do not limit yourself to the "one master lesson plan".  Adjust your lesson so it best fits the needs of your students.

• Use a diversified approach to present the lesson.  Present the lesson through various points of view.  Doing this can help engage students who may not be reached with the one lesson approach.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson.  Set the goals you want your students to achieve and compare them to those achieved by them.

We hope that you find these steps to be helpful as you plan your student lessons and incorporate that many aspects of HAST Education into the classroom.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education Curriculum

HAST Education Curriculum should be created to best serve the students to acquire, demonstrate, and apply the skills and knowledge which HAST education has to offer.  Classrooms, schools, and districts who would like to implement a HAST education curriculum as part of their instructional process, should begin by establishing a team who will be assigned the tasks to research, design, and evaluate the implementation process.

In creating a HAST Education curriculum all resources available should be taken into consideration.  This includes, but is not limited to, facilities, faculty, funding, supplies, students, and parents.  The team should determine how to manage all these resources and put them to use.  A roadmap will also help to set goals and hold the team accountable for making progress toward implementation, while a framework will help to envision the finalized process.

One factor to also keep in mind is that of time. While the education process that students must undergo is to last throughout their lifetime, as educators we are limited by how much time we can be instructing them.  A well designed curriculum will take into account that there are time limitations to achieve mastery of HAST skills and knowledge, and that it must be held accountable through established measuring guidelines.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education Benefits

What are the Benefits of HAST Education?

The benefits of HAST Education are many. It would be challenging to attempt and list them all, and if we were to assume that we had listed all of them, upon sharing them with others, we would soon realize that there were other benefits that we were unable to see for ourselves.  HAST Education can provide many benefits on a variety of levels: The student as an individual, the classroom as a whole, and the school as part of the community, just to illustrate three of the many levels which could benefit from a HAST Education.

Of the many benefits which HAST Education has to offer, an understanding of human interaction, an appreciation of the beauty in art, the application of scientific knowledge, the development of modern technology, and a cross reference multiple subject knowledge, are some which we might want to take into consideration. By working with students to develop the five benefits mentioned above, we would also be working with them in developing the skills needed to have a better chance of success academically, professionally, and socially.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education Definition

Just as our DNA is composed of four building strands (A, C, G, T), so is HAST Education composed of four educational strands: Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology.

Humanities has its origin deeply rooted in humans and our ability of being human to our fellow mankind, people.  The humanities, then, can be studied through subject areas such as history and philosophy, where great intellect and feeling come together be learned. Humanities does draw an academic boundary around itself in order to distinguish itself from science.

The arts are about craft, creativity, and skill.  In the arts we are presented with the opportunity to apply what we have learned in order to express human emotions like happiness, sadness, beauty, pain, and share these emotions for others to experience as well.

Science is the search for knowledge.  Scientists study facts so they may develop principles, create systems, and establish methods. Science provides us the means, not only to search for such knowledge, but to also collect, organize, and present such knowledge with the scientific community and the public.  It is through science that we can ask and answer the following: Why?, I want to know why, Do you know why?, Let's find out why.

The art of applying science to the industrial and the practical is what gives us technology.  Technology is a tool that will forever continue to improve its usefulness, or risk stagnation and possible elimination.  It is through technology that we have expanded our communication with the development of the internet, television, radio, telephone, telegraph, and all the way back to the most ancient manuscripts preserved in papyrus, wood and rock carvings, as well as cave paintings where we have recorded the earliest of human knowledge.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

HAST Education Introduction

It is within our nature to be curious and tinker, to try and make sense of that which is around us, and that which originates from within.  We sense by sight and sound, smell and taest, in addition to touch, so that we may feel.  Then we take what we feel and think about whether it is good or bad, right or wrong, new or old, logic or not.  It is through these various processes, multiplied over time and divided among individuals, communities, society, and cultures, that we have created the humanities, the arts, the sciences, and technology.  These are the cornerstones which make the foundation of HAST Education.

To introduce HAST Education we should begin by looking at each component individually and how they can become interconnected.  At first glance, we may wonder how can humanities and science be bridged? How do the arts and technology relate to their counterparts? HAST Education gives us the opportunity to bridge both the humanities and the sciences through the arts, while technology provides the tools with which to build and maintain such bridge.

It is through these relationships that the four cornerstones of: Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology can be established as a foundation upon which HAST Education can be built.  HAST Education can be integrated in our schools through the development of skills and the application of the skills we develop, to further our education, to expand our knowledge, and to help build a better future.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved

HAST Education

Since ancient times, we have excelled in four educational areas: Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology.  Excelling in these four areas has allowed us to develop the great civilizations of the world and create cultural enrichment.  In recent years, there has been a focus on incorporating these core areas in education.  This has been the case in higher education, but it should also be so throughout all levels of education, including early learning.

HAST Education provides an opportunity to implement these areas into different aspects of the education process. Through the use of HAST Education we can establish a foundation, create a roadmap, and design a framework that allows students to have the opportunity to excel in all areas of HAST.  MRCR Education is dedicating this month to address different aspects needed to succeed in implementing HAST Education.  We hope that you find the information we share as valuable, and welcome your thoughts and feedback.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014. MRCR Educational Consulting Firm. All Rights Reserved.

April 2014

This month of April is dedicated to HAST Education.  HAST Education combines the areas of Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology.  Through the implementation of HAST Education, educators can create lesson plans and create a curriculum.  HAST Education can become part of the educational process of learners, and they will benefit from the core areas that are the primary focus of HAST.

MRCR Education is going to discuss and introduce HAST Education and in addition cover topics like: Defining HAST Education, Benefits of HAST Education, Developing a HAST Education Curriculum, and Creating HAST Education Lessons.  We hope that you find this month's theme of HAST Education to be of interest to you, and that you find our posts to be informative and educational in value.

The core areas that are the foundation for HAST Education provide great value to students, teachers, parents, administrators, and can have a great benefit toward the development of our communities.  HAST Education is a great source for educational development which we ought to invest and fund as part of our schooling.

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2014. MRCR Educational Consulting Firm. All Rights Reserved.

STEAM Education Curriculum

STEAM Curriculum

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

A good curriculum must maintain balance throughout all of the parts that it is composed of.  A good curriculum has a defined beginning and end, and it allows for others to be able to join in throughout the different stages that take place between the beginning and the end.  The STEAM Education Curriculum is a good and useful tool which we can design for students to take on their journey from childhood to educated person.

Definition

The STEAM Education Curriculum is a pathway for students to take so they may become STEAM educated.  It has a beginning, an end, and when it is completed, it should start all over again.  The STEAM Education Curriculum should be like a cycle which flows constantly and efficiently for it to last and succeed.

The Five Strands

The STEAM Curriculum is founded on the five strands which are: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.  These five strands are the foundation of the STEAM curriculum.  By ensuring that the five strands are interconnected, balanced, and secured, we create a solid foundation upon which we can create a lasting STEAM curriculum.

Requirements

The STEAM Education Curriculum must require that the students: demonstrate their knowledge of the five strands, demonstrate how they can apply their knowledge to solve challenges, and demonstrate that they can argument their knowledge at a global level.  By demonstrating these three requirements the student earns the right to be certified as having been educated in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.

Educators are entrusted to educate students, as they journey from childhood, and into our schools, where they become educated people.  Students who become educated in STEAM and have access to a pathway that is based on a good STEAM Education Curriculum, will be able to develop the required skills that we will need to face the many challenges which the future may hold for us as a people.

Copyright 2013.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Benefits of STEAM Education

What Students Develop from STEAM Education

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

The benefits of a STEAM education are reflected on the development of the students as they acquire, apply, and demonstrate the following skills:

• They find solutions to problems, rather than problem solving.
• They are artful in their communication, rather than express STEM-babble.
• They understand that information is pursued, rather than being a fact seeker.
• They become life-long learners, rather than stage students.
• They are neo-knowledgeable, rather than pseudo-fictional.

These are the skills that students who have been instructed in a STEAM education should be able to carry for their life.  They should demonstrate these skills, as they are acquired, by applying them to all problems that they may face in academics and daily life.

 With a solid foundation in a clearly defined STEAM education curriculum, we as educators can plant a seed of learning in each of our students.  This seed will then begin to branch out and grow in each student as they progress through their education.  With a constant evaluation of their learning we can ensure that as students grow they develop a healthy education, and it will allow for corrective actions to be implemented if needed.  The fruits of these students will be good and in time they will create an educational ecosystem that cycles around learning.

Copyright 2012.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

STEAM Education Curriculum

Developing a STEAM Education Curriculum

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

Foundation for a STEAM Education Curriculum

The foundation for a STEAM education curriculum begins with a team of people who believe that educating students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics is important for the preparation and development of future learners.

Definition of STEAM Education Curriculum

To begin the development of STEAM education curriculum, we must define what we understand to be STEAM education curriculum.  STEAM could be the foundation upon which we build education.  We could also use education as the foundation for STEAM education.  STEAM curriculum should be built on or around a defined foundation.

Planting STEAM Education Curriculum

With the foundation and definition of STEAM Education Curriculum, the planting can take place.  A seed is planted on a defined foundation, and it can begin growing by branching out.  A STEAM education curriculum branches out as it grows after it is planted on a defined foundation.    

Branching STEAM Education Curriculum

STEAM Education should branch out in a single direction before growing.  The direction of growth can be defined by a multitude of factors such as available educational resources, student education level, community priority of education, and the effective implementation of education regulation prior to growth.

Growing STEAM Education Curriculum

STEAM Education should grow out in a multitude of directions that allow for new branching in different directions.  Whether STEAM is the foundation and education the growth, or education the foundation and STEAM the growth, the curriculum branches out and grows allowing for the development of students who are learned in the areas of STEAM education.  

Evaluating STEAM Education Curriculum

As the curriculum flows throughout the educational system, it should be evaluated constantly and at every stage.  Measurements allow us to evaluate any part of the curriculum, and we learn from these measurements how effective the curriculum is, if it needs to be made better, are the students at an equal level.

Copyright 2012. MRCR Edcuational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Understanding STEAM Education

A Vision of STEAM Education

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

We now present a view of STEAM Education as envisioned at MRCR Education.  First, we take a look at the STEAM Educational Cycle, then we demonstrate how to link the strands of STEAM in a lesson plan.

The STEAM Education Cycle

The STEAM education cycle begins when the student is introduced to the five strands of STEAM.  Students who are educated in STEAM can become STEAM learners.  This approach will challenge students to cross-reference what they are learning.  It should allow students to connect and apply knowledge across the five unique strands in a way that expands their level of thinking.  Understanding a scientific concept like the water cycle is not enough.  The student should be able to relate the water cycle to tools in technology we have engineered like thermometers, barometers, and hydrometers which allow us to collect numeric data using a mathematical approach. This in turn will help us to better understand a scientific idea, while at the same time being able to visualize this cycle in a multitude of terrains as it takes place throughout the world.

Linking STEAM in a Lesson

Let us take a look at how a theme can be used to develop a STEAM lesson that links all five strands.  In the sample lesson, we see that the theme that has been selected is "Hammers".  in the strand of science, the connection to the theme is what happens when hammers strike? The scientific concepts that are associated with hammers include force, pressure, sound, vibration, etc.  Under technology, the development of hammers through time is the connection, as we look at the needs for each era.  The use of hammers in engineering has us turn our attention to railroads, homes, and tents; while in the arts we can search and find paintings like "Thor's Battle with the Ettins", not to mention that hammers have also been used by sculptures to create statues.  The strand of mathematics provides for us a way to compare and evaluate how the material of the hammer, at different weights, produces different results, which in itself completes the circle by linking this to science.

This is but one view of how STEAM can be developed into a lesson for the student to expand one theme across five strands.  It can be done with a variety of themes, and students can be allowed to generate their own themes and lessons by following the sample plan that has been presented here.

Copyright 2012.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

STEAM Education

What is STEAM Education?

Author: Manuel R. CortezRodas

Introduction to STEAM Education

 STEAM education incorporates the following five strands: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics.  It is a collaborative effort, by all who are involved in education, to develop a curriculum that allows students to interconnect the elements of STEAM and apply them, not just to school and academics, but to their lives and future growth.

This week we are going to share with you our thoughts on STEAM education, and how it can be beneficial to students, teachers, and parents, as well as the benefits to schools, homes, and the community.  By connecting the strands of STEAM education, students can be given an opportunity to develop a strong foundation, that will provide them with a set of skills which should help them face the future challenges whether they be educational, employment, equality, or environmental.

We hope that you find this week's theme as an important piece for the future of education across our nation.  Join us as we demonstrate how to develop lessons that cover each of the strands in STEAM, and how these lessons can be initiated with a concept or idea that can then be shared with students as part of their current education.

Copyright 2012.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.