From art to aerospace, computer science plays a vital role in virtually every field and innovation. Yet few U.S. students pursue computer science or engineering degrees. The Computer Science Student Network (CS2N), a collaborative research project between Carnegie Mellon University and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), aims to change that with a site full of engaging activities, competitions, step-by-step programming lessons, animation software, and free courses for teachers.

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Tags: Carnegie Mellon University, Competitions for Students, computation, computer animation, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Computer Science Students Network, CS-STEM, CS2N, DARPA, Software

Twelve students have won the National STEM Video Game Challenge, according to Education Week. They include a team of students who developed a game called, “You Make Me Sick!” to teach about bacteria and viruses. Inspired by the Educate to Innovate Campaign, President Obama’s initiative to promote a renewed focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, the contest aims to motivate interest in STEM learning among America’s youth by tapping into students’ natural passions for playing and making video games.

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Tags: Competition, Competitions for Students, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Contest, Contests, Science Contest, Software, Videos

The Sustainability Workshop video series from Autodesk, an eGFI sponsor, uses animated drawings and real-world examples in short films that explain essential concepts for budding engineers. Some topics include engineering systems, green design, turning an idea into a finished product, and even why modern bicycles look so different from those built 200 years ago.

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Tags: Architectural, Corporations, Design, Engineering Design, Engineering Design Process, Environmental Engineering, Green, Green Technology, Software, Sustainability, Videos, Web Resources

This website on gas hydrates and crystallography from the University of California-Irvine provides resources, information, and class materials for teachers. It offers information, documents, presentations, photos, and data from past programs and projects, as well as lab activities, experiments, lesson plans, software, and an online tutorial.

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Tags: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, National Science Foundation, Physical Science, Software

The Naval Oceanography Portal website maintains an Astronomical Information Center that contains a variety of informative resources. The directory features a glossary of terms, important definitions, fun facts, in-depth articles, data sets, lists, mathematical equations, and links to outside resources. Some topics include phenomena of the sun and moon, time, calendars and events, computing astronomical data, celestial navigation, and more.

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Tags: Astronomy, Internet Resources, Publication, Software, U.S. Navy, Web Resources

Chuck Lostroscio, a NASA software engineer, has reconfigured the simulation software NASA used to train Space Shuttle astronauts and created a computer game-like tool to help students learn how they might one day apply their math, science and engineering lessons. It’s called the Kennedy Launch Academy Simulation System, or KLASS, and it requires students to play a mission control engineer for a simulated shuttle launch.

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Tags: Aerospace, NASA, Software, Web Resources

Based on the actual software currently used for training at its Launch Control Center, NASA’s downloadable Kennedy Launch Academy Simulation System Software (KLASS) enables a launch countdown simulation with a networked system of computers. The supporting KLASS Curriculum is a series of STEM lesson plans for students grades 6-10 with interactive resources that build to a simulated shuttle launch.

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Tags: Aerospace, Aerospace Engineering, Grades 6-10, NASA, Science Curriculum, Software

Give kids a laptop and a wireless broadband connection and just watch them search, chat, and network. But that’s not good enough, says the Computer Science Teachers Association, which wants more schools teaching students how computers actually work.

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Filed under: K-12 Education News | 1 Comment »

Tags: Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Curriculum, Software

Built for the West Point Bridge Design 2010 Contest, the West Point Bridge Designer 2010 software also can be used and distributed for educational uses. This software provides tools to model, test, and optimize a steel highway bridge, based on realistic specifications, constraints, and performance criteria. It introduces students to engineering through an authentic, hands-on design experience. This software provides tools to model, test, and optimize a steel highway bridge, based on realistic specifications, constraints, and performance criteria. It introduces students to engineering through an authentic, hands-on design experience.

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Tags: Bridge building, Bridge Design, Civil Engineering, Software, Web Resources