My Quest To Teach

May 22, 2019May 21, 2019

The New Summer Camps Must Have STEAM and STEM Components

The New Summer Camps Must Have STEAM and STEM Components
William Jackson, M.Ed. #MyQuestToTeach

New initiatives in education and the increase of hands-on instruction
accompanying a STEM or STEAM model are being used in summer
camps.
Engaged and interactive learning is becoming the norm for summer
programs. Youth, teens and young adults attention spans are short
and the window to lay the foundation for learning and comprehension
is sometimes short. There is competition with gaming, social
engagements with Social Media platforms and other digital
entertainment.

The push for gender equality in education still remains out of reach
because mentalities are slow to change concerning the abilities of girls
and women. The affects of socio-economic factors and gender-based
bias are preventing equal opportunities in learning.

A concern that should be addressed is the low female participation in
Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics (STEAM) that leads
to be a progression into careers. Worrisome is the lack of girls and
women of color and culture in STEAM majors that lead to high paying
careers and thought leadership.

STEAM prevails many aspects in the catalytic for the achievement
of girls and women in preparation for careers. Education is key,
but the right education is paramount the directs girls and women
in the right direction that is best their-selves. It is crucial for
women and girls to have equal opportunities to contribute
and benefit from STEAM opportunities.

Girls and women participation, achievement and continuation in
STEAM studies is important in classrooms and even more important
during months when summer camps offer hands-on individual
and group instruction. The exposure to new ideas for careers, using
differential instruction, integration of diverse technologies, mentoring
and participating in Professional Learning Networks and communities
adds to the value of Learning Agility.

In Jacksonville alone the growth of STEM, STEAM, STREAM, Coding
and Web Development workshops and programs can be seen from
the Jacksonville Public Library system, the National Council of Negro
Women in partnership with My Quest To Teach
(William Jackson, M.Ed.).
The Arts with Aida Correa of (LoveBuilt Life, LLC), Jacksonville 100
Black Men, the JAX PAL Summer STEAM Program and others.

Monica Timmons of National Council of Negro Women has an
extensive background in web development, coding and digital
technologies, she has a passion for helping youth, teens and
young adults to learn skills they will need for 21st
and 22nd century employment.

The past EYH – Expanding Your Horizon provided STEAM
workshops to girls from 5th grade to 8th grade at University
of North Florida. Women in the diverse fields of science, technology,
engineering, math, business, nano-technology, DNA Mapping,
education and even those of military service, guided girls in
hands-on learning. The girls put on lab coats, googles and gloves
to simulate working in labs to provide a realistic feel to
their learning.

Girls and women have a right to equal opportunities that boys
have and equitable rights to have resources both hands-on
and digital that allow for maximum engagement. Summer
break should be open opportunities of engagement,
empowerment, collaboration and integration of new
learning adventures.

Summer camps expand the learning opportunities and
should apply what is taught in the classrooms and
enhance it even further.
The need especially in communities where youth, teens
and young adults need exposure, mentorship, modeling,
guidance and digital access. Representation does matter
because youth, teens and young adults of color
need to see professionals of color as thought leaders,
digital innovators, content creators and diverse users
of technologies that are cutting edge. One of them is the
saving of Twitter posts and the potential to use this
information against people. Weaponizing information
is the next threat people need to be aware of and
guard against.
Library of Congress Has Now Archived 170 Billion Tweets
https://mashable.com/2013/01/05/library-of-congress-twitter/

STEM and STEAM are only as good as what the participants
put in and get out of it. The level of engagement and relevancy
is vital because the participants need to understand how to
apply their learning and what they will get out of it. Youth,
teens and young adults should not see learning as boring,
dull or difficult, this is a time to experience new things,
new challenges and apply what they already learned in
schools. To be able to take that school knowledge to
another level.

Summer time is a perfect time to learn new ways that
tech can be influential and fun. It has to be relevant,
real and easy to apply.

Summer Resource:
Jacksonville Public Library – Highlands Library
https://www.jaxpubliclibrary.org/locations/highlands-regional

My Quest To Teach
https://myquesttoteach.com/

National Council of Negro Women and My Quest To Teach
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-kids-can-code-tech-series-tickets-61105350749

JAX PAL
https://jaxpal.com/

Jacksonville 100 Black Men
https://100blackmenjax.org/

LoveBuilt Life, LLC
http://lovebuiltlife.com/

If you have not already done so, please register your kids for an
amazing STEAM event in collaboration with Jacksonville
Public Library – Highlands branch, William Jackson of
My Quest to Teach, Aida Correa of LoveBuilt Life, LLC,
and Monica Timmons of Jacksonville section of NCNW, Inc.
STEAM committee.
*Discuss STEAM opportunities
*Senior Technology Staff provide knowledge transfer
*CODE through PLAY
*SOCIAL media overview
*Door Prize Give-aways
Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-kids-can-code-tech-series-tickets-61105350749

WordCamp Jacksonville 2019

May 3, 2019May 3, 2019

HBCU Students Manage Your Digital Content

HBCU Students Manage Your Digital Content
by William Jackson, M.Ed.
Twitter: @wmjackson

As WordCamp conferences are being held each month of 2019,
as a graduate of South Carolina State University I advocate
for my HBCU peers and family to attend, sponsor, speak,
volunteer and to be engaged in these wonderfully enriching
and rewarding conferences.

Even if HBCU students, faculty, staff and administrators
allow their children to attend the KidsCamp there is
growth potential in to digital business opportunities.
Your content creates a unique voice and digital footprint,
your voice can potentially be heard globally. Blogs can
build a following that may lead to diverse collaborations
on multiple fronts not just in education, but can transfer
to business and commerce.
Content can unite and connect people, creating community
activist and inspiring community activism in real time and on
digital platforms. Digital content can change the narrative
that the media because of its lack of connectedness will
miss understand and cannot relate to cultural conditions.

A growing area seen online is in the music industry where
young men and women that have an aptitude for music can
express themselves digitally. MySpace started years ago on the
premise that the shared passion for music of all genres can
be expressed in one central location. MySpace, the explosion
of using this as a communication tool allowed for the expansion
beyond the foundation of just a media platform.

Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Periscope, Vimeo and the list of
interactive platforms to post audio and video is climbing.
HBCU students must be cautious that the very content they post
seeking to increase their notoriety does not take away from
future opportunities of employment, professional advancement
and economic progress.

HBCU students must remember that success in content creation is
intangible, don’t look for numbers of views or hits look for
being influential; driving discussions, creating
opportunities to share ideas and concepts.

Competition should not be a priority to make money, collaboration
can bring sustained change. Who you can connect to in opening
doors to collaborate for projects that can potentially reach
hundreds or thousands and potentially millions.

There is no secrete to making your content go viral, much depends
on posting the right content at the right time that hits people
at that moment where they feel compelled to share and repost.
HBCU students must be passionate and committed. They cannot afford
to be lazy and complacent if they really want to be engaged and active.
They must spread their innovative and creative wings to achieve their
goals because standing still means standing still.

Tupac stated, “nothing comes to dreamers except dreams.”
HBCU students must work hard and never give up on their dreams,
even if family and friends doubt the abilities, intellect, will and
even finances to achieve those dreams. Dreaming of being a content
creator does nothing if there is not content being created.

The ability to transfer thoughts from firing synapses in the brain
to paper or keyboard is a wondrous thing. The mind creating thoughts
from electrical impulses that are based on an infrastructure
of flesh, fluid and functionality.

HBCU students must take opportunity to learn how to direct their
thinking to building and continue to rise as creators and innovators.
Graduations are just weeks away, what content has been created to
promote your ability to be an influencer, to be seen as a innovator
or thought, function and creativity.

Resources:
History of HBCU
The history and importance of the HBCU experience
Elwood Robinson | TEDxAugusta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJwlBVA7GU4

William Jackson is a past Professor at Edward Waters College
from 2004 to 2017 where he designed a curriculum that embraced
Educational Technology, Social Media and STEAM.

Preparing students for future careers as thought leaders, problems
solvers, critical thinkers, innovators and content developers.
William blogs about his life experiences as he travels speaking to
youth, teens and young adults addressing issues related to
Social Media, STEAM and WordCamp conferences.

William has 31 years as a public school educator and blogger,
micro-blogger and content developer. He is the Digital Media
Innovator of his Brand – My Quest To Teach

*** The blog can be read by Alexa and Google
To access with Alexa
“Alexa Begin My Quest To Teach” or
“Alexa Launch My Quest to Teach”
To access with Google
“Hey Google, Talk to My Quest To Teach”
or
“Hey Google, ask My Quest To Teach to
play latest blog post”

May 1, 2019April 30, 2019

Driving Your Kids to STEAM, WordCamp and EYH

Driving Your Kids to STEAM, WordCamp and EYH
by William Jackson

Expanding Your Horizons – STEM Workshop for
elementary and middle school girls to begin the
vision for future careers. Girls are beginning to
see themselves as leaders and access to careers
they thought only available to men.
WordCamp conferences have a similar influence
are creating a foundation for learning and engagement.
The growing opportunities to build skill-sets in youth,
teens and young adults especially girls to build a
foundation for their futures.
Using STEAM as a foundation for learning and expanding
the learning to Web Development. Teachers like William
Jackson and Aida Correa are showing a new way to
branch-out in discovery, creativity and innovation
with hands-on learning.
Providing events that girls are celebrated, elevated
and cultivated as the leaders their communities need
to show the value of learning and applying that knowledge
to their lives.

Jacksonville is not a growing hub of technology and
innovation it IS a dynamic community for innovative and
transformative changes in STEAM, STEM and STREAM.
Schools are focusing on new ways to teach students that
have no fear of technology and making decisions about
where their learning takes them.
The push is on to integrate hands-on learning that
focuses on learning that is relevant and of real world
importance so youth, teens and young adults especially
of color see the value of learning in these areas. .
To teach youth, teens and young adults the necessary
skills to be employable, retainable and promotable to
leadership positions because representation does matter.
Children of color need to see professionals of color in
leadership careers not just sports or entertainment.
They will see professionals at the EYH conference to
be held at the University of North Florida

Today youth should be actively engaged and motivated
to learn as much as they can and apply that knowledge
to be influencers. This change can happen when the
traditional instructional models change from educators
being lectures to adapting their instruction to be enablers,
influencers and inspires to facilitate learning as the
students are tasked with solving challenges that require
higher order and critical thinking.

The influences of STEAM can be seen in television
programs that cater to children, youth and kids. From
Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and other programs
that are based on the foundations of skills, to the
involvement in games like HALO, Fortnight and Minecraft.

Science Technology Engineering Arts Math / Music /
Mechanics are providing new learning adventures for
children of color and culture that are behind in engagement
to their white counterparts that are involved and excelling
participating in activities in school and with clubs.

Events like WordCamp Jacksonville, Expanding Your Horizons
STEM Workshop held at University of North Florida and even
with Edward Waters College and the Black Male Explorers
Program headed by the new Director, Victor Christin, Jr..

There are opportunities growing for youth, teens and young
adults to be engaged: The National Council of Negro Women
and their coming programs with Coding lead by Monica Timmons
and the 100 Black Men of Jacksonville with dynamic programs
as well across Jacksonville to promote coding, robotics and tech.

Parents “drive your kids to STEAM” is not just a moment, nor
is it a movement, but a reality to prepare youth, teens and
young adults for careers not even created yet. Parents must
prepare their children now to be educated, employable,
sustainable and scalable to flow with the changing directions
happening with technology, creativity, innovation and web
development.

Parents get your children involved early so they can develop
excitement to learn and be life-long learners. Expose them to
networking skills and business skills so they can grow into
entrepreneurs and be able to talk the talk of business and walk
the walk of business owners.

The future is here with technology, it is not in the future,
but present. Prepare children to employable, scalable leaders
and influencers from attending conferences, workshops and
seminars.

The opportunities are there, parents need to make the choices
to sacrifice the time and the energy.
WordCamp Jacksonville 2019 – https://2019.jacksonville.wordcamp.org/
EYH – Empowering Your Horizons 2019 – https://www.eyhn.org/
National Council of Negro Women 2019 – https://jaxncnw.wordpress.com/

100 Black Men of Jacksonville 2019 – https://100blackmenjax.org/
Black Male Explorers 2019 – https://www.ewc.edu/black-male-explorers/

April 24, 2019April 23, 2019

Jacksonville Book Festival and Authors Round Table

Jacksonville Book Festival and Authors Round Table
William Jackson, M.Ed.
Volunteers with Authors Round Table
Building Authors and Integrating Tech
A paradigm of digital innovation and literary craftsmanship is
happening on the Northwest quadrant of Jacksonville. Empowering
authors with the knowledge to adapt diverse technologies to the
writing process.
It is not enough to just write and publish a book, authors must manage
their Brand, find their Niche and manage their content on Social
Media platforms using tools and Apps to bring awareness to
their works.
Integration of Social Media platforms, tools, and resources to build
Brands and create Niches is a tool set many authors are learning and
integrating. It is not enough to just write a book, authors need to
market their Brand.
Since its inception Authors Round Table has been providing guest
speakers the opportunity to share their knowledge, tips, tricks and
innovative literary creativity to empower and motivate others.
The growing fellowship of men and women, boys and girls of
diverse cultural backgrounds share in a brother and sisterhood of
literary accomplishment.
The goal of writing a book or books that expresses their passions,
interests, desires and excitement for reading.
Held at the Jacksonville Public Library Highlands Branch on the
third Tuesday of each month. The gatherings are informative,
energetic, inspiring, friendly and fun.
The building of personal and professional self-esteem and providing
help in writing, publishing, graphic design, promotion, e-books,
technology and other areas that make the writing and publishing
process daunting.
Every author is unique, the common thread of being a published
author is shared as a common goal. Events like the Jax Book Fest
show the fun and engagement of writing and the community it has
built in Jacksonville.
Blogging as well has been accepted and welcomed into the publishing
arena because many people do not have the time to sit down with
a book, but will read blogs, e-books and listen online from the free
resources that the library has to offer with interactive literature.
The Jacksonville Public Library has 21 library locations across the
city, this shows the respect for literature and understanding for a
growing community that sees education as the means for
improvement and economic elevation and stability.
Students in the schools have access to state of the art resources to
help them graduate and obtain higher educational degrees with
learning outside of the classroom to supplement classroom instruction.
Jacksonville Public Library is one of the largest library systems
nationally and each branch caters to youth, teens and young adults.
Resources like the Authors Round Table is just one of many resources
that encourage writers to express their talents on diverse platforms
and come out to learn from each other.
The bonding and fellowship gained continues to help the goal of
writers to accomplish the goal of being published and embracing the
chore of promoting themselves, building their Brands and
creating a Niche.

All are invited that have a dream and a goal of being published
and need help with tech. Social Media assistance provide by:
Aida Correa, Love Built Life LLC, Twitter @lovebuiltlife,
AC Vasquez, Indie Author Instagram: @author_acvazquez
William Jackson, My Quest to Teach, Twitter @wmjackson

For more information to attend:
Authors Round Table authorsroundtable@gmail.com
Jacksonville Public Library – Highlands Public Library
http://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ – (904) 630-BOOK

April 17, 2019April 17, 2019

The African Silver Surfer Over 50 Bloggers

The blog can be read by Alexa and Google
To access with Alexa
“Alexa Begin My Quest To Teach” or “Alexa Launch My Quest to Teach”
by Google
“Hey Google, Talk to My Quest To Teach” or
“Hey Google, ask My Quest To Teach to play latest blog post”

The African Silver Surfer Over 50 Bloggers
William Jackson, M.Ed.
Sponsor of WordCamp Entebbe, Uganda,
WordCamp Lagos, Nigeria
WordCamp PortHarcourt

The Silver Surfers of the digital age are growing at a tremendous rate
in Africa. Africans over 50 years of age are creating Facebook profiles,
they are Micro-blogging on Twitter, Instagramming their photos, creating
YouTube channels and just a little bit of SnapChat.
Silver Surfers are online actively engaged across the blogosphere sharing their experiences, knowledge, stories, wisdom and even humor.

They are talking about their lives in the present and the past, they are
talking about sex, relationships, gout, childcare as grandparents and
even taking care of their adult children as these children deal with
unemployment and social challenges that have economic challenges
and the political situations in their nations.

Technology is providing a new ability and platform to voice their
ideas, opinions and they are growing in influence.

African Bloggers over 50 are talking about politics, economics and
starting businesses. They are into cell phone usage that is transforming
the face of Social Media on the continent of Africa.

Digital communication is the way they stay connected to the world
and with family and friends. The Internet contains continuous developing
platforms for those 50 years and older to digitally travel locally,
nationally and internationally.

The challenges of obtaining a Passport can be overcome by hopping
on the Internet to visit local, national and international sites. Travel
is free, in the comfort of a residence and portable when done on
cell phones and tablets.

Silvers in Africa are learning that in order to stay connected to their
grandchildren they need to learn now to connect with them to see
what their children’s children are up to online. Using Apps are the
tools of choice to interact and be engaging.

Celebrating cultural events, special occasions, community events
and even attending political rallies can be done online and the ability
to contribute to the discussions to share ideas and opinions to a large
mass of people.

Chinua Achebe once said about writing, my weapon for change is
literature. Africans have a weapon that is magnified by the reach
Social Media has and Technology provides.
Using applications that allow Face to Face communication, video
recording, and audio Chat helps in keeping connected and aware
as each generation gets older and older. Age does not stop discovery,
creativity, exploration and being curious. Age embraces the quest
of more knowledge and this keeps the brain youthful, creative and
innovative.

When cars are connected with Wifi, restaurants have free access and
even connectivity is available in bathrooms being connected is not a
challenge. Silver Surfers in Africa are asking several questions when
they go traveling; Where are the restrooms and what is the Wifi code?

Silver Surfers are building their own networks that create growing
communities and societies that are digital. Learning the acronyms
of PLC Professional Learning Communities and building PLN
Professional Learning Networks. African over 50 are becoming
activists in their nations, sharing their opinions passions and
encouraging change. I think knowing one’s history leads one to
act in a more enlightened fashion. I cannot imagine how knowing
one’s history would not urge one to be an activist.
John Hope Franklin has stated.

Activism begins with a passion for change, seeing a wrong that
needs to be corrected and inspiring people.

William Jackson 57 and Aida Correa 51 speak at conferences at
WordCamp internationally in Central America and Canada. Being
past the half century mark is not a deterrent to learning and growth.
Sharing content, wisdom and experiences to younger
generations

The increased presence of Silver Surfers that are Bloggers,
PodCasters, Instagrammers, VBloggers, MicroBloggers and the
diversity of content creators is represented by those that are
50 years and over seen at WordCamp and other technology
conferences

The dictionary defines Silver Surfers as a noun, an elderly person
who is a regular or enthusiastic Internet user. The word elderly
will be argued because those Silvers are determined in their quest
to show seniors are growing influencers. William and Aida are
Bloggers and Content Creators, showing that their knowledge
does make a difference in their communities.

The dynamics are changing with dictionaries defining the Silver
Surfers influence in an age of digital transformation and growth.
As seniors enter into the Silver years of their lives they are a
wealth of knowledge, wisdom and resources that are untapped
for younger generations.

The Internet and associated tools helps to connect families with
Silver parents, grandparents and other family members. Keeping
hearts and minds active, engaged and youthful. When the mind is
youthful the spirit and body follow, even if joints are touched
with arthritis.

The integration of smart, intelligent, intuitive, comprehensive and
AI elements benefits Silvers using technology.
Youth, teens, young adults and Silver Surfers are starting a new
era in collaboration and connections with tech as the bridge
between generations and diversity is crossed.

Age was respected among his people, but achievement was
revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could
eat with kings as stated by Chinua Achebe in his book Things Fall Apart.