PLTW recently took the global stage at SXSW EDU Conference & Festival, which fosters innovation in learning by hosting a community of optimistic, forward-thinking, purpose-driven stakeholders with a shared goal of impacting the future of teaching and learning.
More than 15,000 guests attended and had the opportunity to participate in PLTW’s hands-on activity in the Playground, a discovery-based space designed for attendees to explore and interact with activities, technologies, and best practices for their classroom or learning space.
Guests also had the opportunity to engage in a conversation around closing diversity gaps through career learning. The panel discussion, featuring PLTW President and CEO Vince Bertram, Director of Verizon Social and Corporate Responsibility Justina Nixon-Saintil, PLTW Master Teacher Suzanne Martin, and PLTW alumna Ruby Rios, highlighted best practices for schools and businesses to address diversity gaps.
“I think we’re missing a tremendous opportunity if we look at diversity as a set of statistics instead of a culture,” Bertram said during the panel. “When I hear people say some students can’t do this, that is an adult problem, not a student problem. This is not for some students, it is for all students.”
Here are some highlights from the event:
What a duo! @nessyhill and @PLTWorg show participants the importance of critical thinking & problem solving through ✋s-on learning @SXSWEDU. pic.twitter.com/QkDNTlq4At
— Chevron STEM Zone (@ChevronSTEMZone) March 4, 2019
Coding with our partner, Project Lead the Way, to explore and make connections between programming and the physical world @ChevronCR @PLTWorg @janetauer #PartnersInSTEM pic.twitter.com/hMChYXyUJe
— Anita Miller (@AnitaMiller_) March 4, 2019
Pop Quiz: Put Your STEM-Workforce Skills to the Test with @PLTWorg at #SXSWEDU. Chevron is proud to partner with Project Lead The Way! pic.twitter.com/604hxieC5u
— Chevron CR (@ChevronCR) March 5, 2019
Excited to be on the panel, "Closing Diversity Gaps through Career Learning" later today at #SXSWEDU. I'll share how Verizon Innovative Learning is preparing students for future careers.
— Justina NixonSaintil (@JustinaNixon) March 6, 2019
It’s a great day to be in Austin for #sxswedu Join me for a panel discussion on “Closing Diversity Gaps Through Career Learning” I will be sharing a teacher’s perspective on why this is so important for our kids! @PLTWorg #CareerLearning4All https://t.co/AnZnogbZNj via @sxswedu
— Suzanne Martin (@snmartin05) March 6, 2019
“I think we’re missing a tremendous opportunity if we look at diversity as a set of statistics instead of as a culture.” - @vincebertram @SXSWEDU pic.twitter.com/CO9uVFjxOc
— Lauren Curtis (@LJaneCurtis) March 6, 2019
Well said @vincebertram, "We can't teach math to prepare students for a test on Friday...if we can't answer the question 'How will this be relevant in my life, we have a problem." #@SXSWEdu #STEMchat #TransformativeLearning
— Keeanna Warren (@KeeannaWarren) March 6, 2019
#PLTW master teacher & educator extraordinaire @snmartin05 talks about @UnionSchools commitment to #STEMforall with other panelists @ruby_rios_ @vincebertram @JustinaNixon at #SXSWEDU pic.twitter.com/wme2pAdC2I
— David Dimmett (@DavidDimmett) March 6, 2019
It’s always a highlight meeting with local @PLTWorg students! Thanks for stopping by! #PLTW #SXSWEDU pic.twitter.com/qoRCMquY0e
— Andrea Holzwarth (@andreaholzwarth) March 6, 2019
WOW today was incredible! I had so much fun moderating a panel on closing diversity gaps through career learning at @SXSWEDU. Thank you to @PLTWorg for making this possible, and to the incredible panelists who made my job easy! #SXSWEDU #STEMforAll ❤️ pic.twitter.com/OOAjAfyeEF
— Ruby Rios (@ruby_rios_) March 7, 2019
Thank you to everyone who joined us at this year’s #SXSWEDU! A special shoutout to our partners @nessyhill, @BakerRipley, @FabFndn, & @PLTWorg for their work to advance #STEM education👏 pic.twitter.com/Hg4kiVJXeS
— Chevron CR (@ChevronCR) March 8, 2019