STEAM | it's about learning

“Do not think for one minute that because you are who you are, you cannot be who you imagine yourself to be,” she says. “Hold fast to those dreams and let them carry you into a world you can’t even imagine.”

Jedidah Isler delivers a powerful talk in “The untapped genius that could change science for the better.” Her story pushes well past the subject of science and should inspire us all even more to be forwarder of others’ dreams…and to work thoughtfully and deliberately in the liminal spaces – those spaces of intersection.

Especially for those in education who are striving to advance what many call “21st C learning” and the STEM/STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics / + Arts) field, Isler’s talk is a must watch.

The best passionate pursuits of learning always seem to begin with exploring, observing, questioning, and being curious. This is why we started #fsbl – “father-son-based learning” – in my family.

As I listened to “Bran Ferren: To create for the ages, let’s combine art and engineering,” I smiled almost continuously throughout the talk because I pictured Ferren on an #fsbl adventure that started with raids of electronics piles, trips to science museums, and a mesmerizing visit to the Pantheon. And his adventure is still going.

Ferren’s curiosity was allowed to flourish as he was granted a high degree of control over his explorations and observations. And from such foundations of his surrounding adults’ pedagogies (and parenting), he developed deep caring for what he was discovering and learning. From these depths of curiosity, control, and caring, Ferren maintained the persistence and intrinsic motivation that nurtures his continuous inquiry, innovation, and impact.

If there is a “formula” for passionate pursuit of learning and difference making in this world, then I believe this is darn close to it!