STEM course had the opportunity to attend EdCamps, WordCamps, and internationally recognized conferences.
The ability to blog, post intellectual content, speak and present professional PowerPoint are skills that build a student’s skill sets that can influence business, commerce, finance and educational pursuits.
Careers require skills of writing, speaking and creating content to share ideas, interests, and data.
Students applied what was taught by Prof. William Jackson, a Teacher of the Year at his public elementary STEM school, national and international blogger, speaker and community activist and the research and library skills taught by Emma Kent in the Library Services Department and her vast knowledge of research database and Social Media platforms.
Prof. Jackson not just teaches students basic foundation skills in the department of Education and Urban Studies, but mentoring them outside of the classroom.
Helping students to network with industry leaders, programmers, developers, coders and business leaders in technology and education.
These engagements build an important network and allow for collaboration outside the classroom making a global presence for the students and the college. National and global recognition can lead to careers not thought of and invite leadership roles that were once thought unimaginable for HBCU students.
Historically black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, are realizing that learning continues outside the classroom, not just in the confines of concrete walls.
Students must be allowed to interact with those in positions of influence if they are to be the future smart creatives, technical innovators, leaders and developers that people of color and culture need to see to inspire children, youth, teens and young adults of color to be excited about participating in STEM, STEAM, Blogging, Content Development, Business and Commerce.
This semester EWC students have participated in national and international conferences like WordCamp USA in Philadelphia where Jon Gregory and Joshua Rodriguez attended, learning how to be proficient bloggers and content developers.
They had the chance to speak to international bloggers from China, India, and Australia. Jon Gregory was the first EWC student to attend and speak at EdCamp NABSE (National Alliance of Black School Educators) and had the honor to speak at TEDxFSCJ Salon, a TEDx event at Florida State College in Jacksonville, Florida.
Even students that are mentored by Prof. Jackson had the privilege to speak at TEDxFSCJ Salon, Elisha Taylor an 8th-grade student attending Kirby Smith Middle School actively involved in robotics, STEM, mathematics, and engineering.
Mr. Taylor was requested to speak at TEDxFSCJ Salon the first DCPS student and he attended the internationally recognized Florida Blogging and Technology Conference in Orlando with Jon Gregory, Rameriez Poole.
Attending WordPress 2016 in Orlando was Joshua Rodriguez of proud Puerto Rican heritage who shares that Latinos need to grow their presence as content developers and innovators in technology. Mr. Rodriguez blog can be found here.
The ability to speak intellectually, passionately and professionally is a skill that many businesses state that college grads are missing and in dire need of.
Students attending Edward Waters College are gaining valuable skills that will allow them to compete nationally and globally not just as educators but in diverse areas of business, commerce, and other areas that require speaking, content development and writing.
To help encourage speaking, articulation and research in areas of growth, students participated in the first “Tiger Talks Experience.”
The motto: “Every Tiger has a story that needs to be told,” was developed by Emma Kent of Library Services and Prof. William Jackson.
This new initiative provides a platform for EWC students to speak about their passions, career goals, dreams for national or global change, and the list grows as participants grow.
“Tiger Talks Experience” is modeled after the TEDx and TEDTALKS that are global in the speaking of diverse topics of global concern.
The difference is that “TIGER TALKS EXPERIENCE,” is geared to HBCU students and their unique backgrounds and cultural diaspora.
“Who writes your life story?” shares the importance of HBCU students not to be discouraged because of what others say they cannot do, but to be empowered that they can accomplish anything the dream of being.
EWC students are preparing to compete on global platforms so must be provided platforms to show their knowledge, share abilities and access to tools to spread their passions and intellectual growth and influence.
Edward Waters College students are off to a great start learning in Educational Technology and applying Library Studies tools of research and application of research skills to invest in continued educational growth.
Resources:
EdCamps: http://www.edcamp.org/
TEDx:http://www.tedxfscj.com/
WordCamp: http://central.wordcamp.org/
