STEM, STEAM and The Metaverse for Duval School Students
William Jackson, M.Ed.
STEAM Educator Duval County Public Schools
Clubhouse and Twitter Contributor @myquesttoteach
The influence in the changes of technology are impacting
learning that can be seen in the explosion of discussions
and teaching of how Science Technology Engineering
Math, Science Technology Engineering Arts Math have
changed the dynamics of project based and hands on
learning in the classrooms across Jacksonville as seen in
the STEAM Lab of teachers like William Jackson at Twin
Lakes Academy Middle School.
Preparing middle school students not just for high school, but
for future careers that will require multiple levels of technological
skills, abilities, talents, creativity and digital innovation. Games
like Minecraft, Second Life, Fortnite Creative and others are
allowing students to enter “Social and Investment Opportunities’
in virtual worlds that incorporate Blockchain technology, Metaverse
influences and financials in cryptocurrency and NFT.
The digital currency to make NFT purchases of land, products,
services have created a demand for access to Web 3.0 services.
The importance of having a sustainable Arts program in Middle and
High schools are key in this growing digital information and
revolution for students.
Middle schools and high schools can no longer afford not to have
sustained and funded traditional and digital arts programs that
prepare them for Web 3.0 environments.
If students are not empowered and inspired to build their Artistic
abilities, they will be left out of the growing careers that allow them
to be expressive, innovative, creative entrepreneurs and business
owners.
There are many Black and Brown boys and girls that are Artistic
not Autistic and because school rely on funding of their ESE
programs it would seem that districts would rather get money for
their ESE than spend money for their Artistic students.
Metaverse games allow interaction, interoperating with one another
that will drive the growing blockchain gaming ecosystem into a digital
influencer of the future global economy. STEAM Educators are already
making a difference in the preparation of students by having students
combine engineering design, computer-based applications like
Word, Paint 3D, Windows Video Editor and using resources on the
internet. These elements are applied to inspire creativity, digital
innovation and technologies that businesses are demanding now.
The Metaverse is a growing digital field of artistic design, digital
innovation, creating virtual worlds, applying the imagination to
authentic lands where people can be who and what they want to
be and go where they want to go in the metaverse (beyond the
universe), students can create multiverses that are viewed with
head mounted devices known as Oculus and touch hand
controllers to be engaged in the digital worlds.
Schools need to refocus their curriculums to include these
technologies because they are pre-career opportunities.
To help students learn what is the metaverse and how to
apply their learning to it, Mr. Jackson, STEAM Educator
shares with the students, the metaverse is the future of the
internet and internet-based learning of the future. It is not
just a video game environment, although gaming is a part
of it, it is also where digital lands can be created, built, and
sold using a digital monetary exchange.
The metaverse cannot be separated from the internet
because the metaverse is still part of the internet only a
revolutionary and adapted version. A version 3.0 with
opportunities for students to be creators and producers not
just consumers.
Students are being taught in STEM and STEAM classes that
they are going to be using multiple types of technologies and
their successes will be based not just on their classroom
knowledge, but their abilities to be creative, innovative, and
broadening their imaginations.
As a 33 year educator and my wife will be helping students to
understand their place in the metaverse because businesses
and industries globally will be moving in those directions at the
speed of thought.
There is a digital ecosystem that has global influences in career
options, monetary influences and investments. Preparing Duval
County School students to leap into the future now and become
leaders in the coming metaverse of the Web 3.0.
Mr. Jackson a 33-year educator also teaches with Florida State
College of Jacksonville teaching Digital Media and Web 2.0,
his wife Aida Correa-Jackson (Afro-Latina) a respected florist,
artist, and university professor with Lenoir Rhyne University.
They travel speaking and teaching at WordCamp technology
conferences nationally and globally. Sharing how STEAM can
be used in content creation for web development and podcasting.
Now STEAM is preparing students for the Metaverse of Web 3.0.
We are the XSTREAM TEAM offering in-person and virtual
workshops. Get us involved in your youth, teens and young
adult programs for Cyber Safety, Content Creation, Branding and
Marketing. https://williamdjackson.edublogs.org/