a brief manifesto on education and the future of our technologically-reliant society

“It must be a strange world not being a scientist—going through life not knowing—or maybe not caring about where the air came from, where the stars at night came from or how far they are from us. I want to know.” 

-Michio Kaku 

When I was 10 years old, I began to see the world of electronics unfold around me. Gradually, many of my friends were excited at the process of obtaining their own cell phones; I remember the Motorola Razor was in style when I was in middle school. Today, I look around and see 10 year-olds using smartphones to check Facebook and play games. As computers, cell phones, tablets, and other electronic devices continue to play an increasingly eminent role in the development of modern society, it is important that young students gain a better understanding of how these devices work as to understand the power of their roles in our everyday lives.

My parents gave me my first cell phone when I was in 6^th grade. It’s the type of phone that has become termed the “dinosaur”: a three and a half inch phone with a square screen measured about half an inch on each side with large pad-dialing and no cover. I had been excited to finally have ownership of this thing I learned to call a cellular phone. In late elementary school, I was exposed to the world of computers, having typed my first assignment all by myself. I was fascinated by the huge monitor, the wireless mouse, and the CPU. As a kid, I had no idea how these devices worked, but I knew one thing for sure: they offered me an awful lot of convenience in life. Instead of walking in to an office near my bus stop to call my mom and tell her I was there, I could call her directly from my cell phone. Rather than trying so hard to write in a straight line as neatly as I could for my science poster, I could type on Microsoft Word, and even make my words fancy with WordArt.

For the past 18 years of my life, I have taken these electronic devices for granted. I use them daily for my social life, school, work, and other resources. During my pre-collegiate life, I was too familiar with the stereotype given to students who were interested in the details of electronics. They were termed geeks and nerds, and commonly labeled to have “no life.” The internet portrayed them constantly sitting in front of a computer with no rays of sunshine seeping through their windows. This falsified image is what initially drove me away from computing, and I even neglected my computer science classes upon entering college. However, after a year of meeting so many diverse individuals and finally taking my first computer language class (read my initial reaction to C++ here), I have grown to have tremendous respect for those who excel at computer science – the individuals who have allowed society to now rely on dependable devices.

As stated in this NY Times article which was published a few years ago, I believe that there are two major changes needed for the education of younger generations: the public perception of computer scientists which is ingrained in young students’ minds, and the need to implement computer science in their education so students can better understand the power it plays in their everyday lives. The UCLA Computer Science Project has had great progress and success in exposing high school students to the realm of computer science. The curricula emphasizes problem-solving through brainstorming and interpreting algorithms while incorporating social analysis concepts for students to better understand what computer science algorithms are realistic for today’s society.

I believe that the work of the UCLA Computer Science Project and other similar projects can be extended to younger students in elementary and middle school. At that point in their lives, kids are most curious about their surroundings and how things work. By learning algorithms at a young age, students develop logic and critical thinking skills, ultimately improving their skills in other subjects such as mathematics and even language arts. They could outgrow the idea of a geeky computer scientist frantically coding and gain more respect for individuals who ensure the development of safe technology for the general population and maybe, one day, become the person to form the next groundbreaking device for future generations. Perhaps these kids will develop a liking for making games or designing animations. One unknown success of the computer science world is the progress made in the Wireless Health Industry. The well-being of humanity is becoming even more dependent on the research in computer science areas. Athletes rely on wireless devices to improve their stamina and performances, and individuals are able to measure their heart rate and temperatures on-the-go without the need for overwhelmingly expensive equipment.

Students who are educated and inspired by computer science will ultimately gain skills and ideas that are worthwhile for a lifetime. The goal is not to be converting every child into a future computer scientist, but to have them understand basics in the world of electronics which is gradually becoming a core part of society. As more affordable and convenient devices are being developed and, most importantly, understood by the general public, computer science developments can not only changing the lives of those in Los Angeles and the United States, but the lives of people all over the world. 

"Engaging Young Minds"

Thursday, August 1, 2013 -

On behalf of BEAM with Perry, Liz, and Emily, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel, which was part of a 4-day teacher workshop, Engaging Young Minds. The audience of about 100+ mostly consisted of elementary school teachers. With the new state standards putting emphasis on the engineering design process and STEM in general, it is understandable that many educators feel anxious and slightly intimidated. I thought back to elementary school, when my teachers at each grade level were required to teach absolutely everything - Science, Math, English, History... even when they probably didn't specialize in that particular field! By introducing educators to BEAM and sharing our elementary school experiences with science, our goal was to show that science isn't such a terrifying subject. Science provides a plethora of opportunity to learn and enlivens curiosity within young children.

When we arrived at the venue, the first thing I noticed were the packages filled with indiscernible objects near front of the auditorium. I later learned that these materials were provided by Trash for Teaching. Educators were working on a hands-on project during the workshop with the materials. I loved the message conveyed: you can learn science with simple, everyday materials. There's no need to be spending big bills on fancy, enigmatic equipment.

The packages supplied by Trash for Teaching.

 The general outline of the panel:

1. Presentation time! We opened up the panel by introducing some of the departments within the School of Engineering, transitioning to a brief talk on the Blackawton Bees study (all done by kids ages 8-12), introducing BEAM, and then sharing our experiences with science when we were in elementary school. 
2. Demonstrations of some of BEAM's showcase lessons: stomp rockets, microscopes, zip-line balloon racers, rubber band cars, and lung models.
3. Concluded with a fabulous Q&A session.

During the presentation, I learned something about myself: I've gradually grown out of my anxiety for speaking in front of large audiences. In the past, I gave presentations with smaller audiences of no more than 40 people. Being able to participate in a panel to share my thoughts and stories about a matter I care deeply about brought out a rather talkative side of me. And, most importantly, I realized how important it is to educate others about STEM, and how sciences and arts are inherently connected. Small sidetrack: I was talking with Liz and she mentioned how there was talk about "S.T.E.M" being adapted to "S.T.E.A.M." - science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. I like that change - let's all start hash-tagging #STEAM in our twitter and facebook accounts.

Many of the teachers were intrigued and impressed by BEAM's student-designed lesson plans. Some spontaneously asked me for advice and feedback on their current lessons. How can I include hands-on experimentation with a topic like ecology? How should I have them better understand the concept of erosion? I then recognized my broad knowledge of science, creatively thinking of ways for elementary school teachers to incorporate the engineering design process in their curricula. It also delights me that teachers were interested in having passionate BEAM mentors visit their classrooms and work with their students.

After the panel, I reflected more about my education as a kid. In elementary school, I really did have great instructors who encouraged me to experiment with science and discover new things - we had science fair projects and Elmer's tri-fold posters to work with, hands-on activities with rocks and minerals, astrocamp... I definitely liked science when I was younger and realized how ubiquitous it is. The funny part: while this should have prompted me to pursue a degree in STEM fields, the fact that science is everywhere scared me. It felt like too much for me to handle at that time. Math and science were probably my weakest subjects when I was younger, and I didn't have the mindset to pursue those subjects then. I surprised myself when I selected Electrical Engineering as my major on all my college applications two years ago. So what happened in-between?

The major change took place in high school. Ironically, I was part of a humanities-based program in high school which put a lot of focus on writing. Every day, I was writing... writing about Nietzsche, Danto, existentialism, Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel, and the list goes on. All this extensive writing fostered my critical thinking skills and helped me become a better communicator, and I am beyond thankful to my high school education for providing me these skills. I was also very lucky to have some great math and science teachers in high school. Three years of math with Mr. Butler and one year of physics with Ms. Blumfield (but really two years, considering how much I visited her classroom in senior year) sealed the deal for me. Despite some ridiculous homework problems (would I really slide my book on an icy surface and then calculate the conservation of momentum?), great instruction from 10th to 12th grade made me love physics and math. I even surprised my self by opting to self-study for AP Physics C in senior year.

While the discussion on Thursday did claim that students tend to make a decision about whether or not they like science in 3rd-5th grade, I know that there people like myself who didn't decide to pursue a career in STEM until their late teens. I never quite realized how the people around me played such a critical role in inspiring me about STEM, leading me to choose the career path I am pursuing today.

The lovely view from the 3rd floor of Boetler Hall.

And here I am, learning a little more every day, hoping that in the near future, I can contribute something beneficial for many communities I belong to.