ITEST Resources

Intro – Mobile App Ideation WHY APPS? Well, to start with, they’re everywhere. According to the Pew Research Center, 78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of those own smartphones. And, perhaps more importantly, apps are also really cool! No matter what you’re interested in, there can (and probably is) an app for that. But teens don’t have to be limited to the role of consumer in today’s digital marketplace. All you need is a little know-how and an idea — which is the focus of today’s DIY curriculum. But coming up with an idea can be harder than it sounds. With all the

MAINTAINING PRIVACY, MARKETING YOURSELF, MAKING SOCIAL CHANGE. Love it or loathe it, social media is a powerful force in today’s constantly-documented world. Thanks to the proliferation of smart phones, high-speed internet and social networking sites, teens today have unprecedented access to their peers — and sometimes unknowingly also allow others access to their information. In short, when social media is put to good use, it is one of the most influential tools teens can use for civic engagement and social change, not to mention self marketing (just ask former YouTube star Justin Bieber!)

As journalists — even ones just starting out — we face a lot of pressure to publish quickly, meeting our own deadlines and beating other outlets to the story. But the glory of getting the scoop doesn’t mean anything if the information you publish isn’t accurate. Corrections (or heaven forbid, retractions) do happen, sometimes to veteran journalists and well-known media outlets. But as someone just starting out, you can’t afford for your editors or readers to label you as a reporting noob who can’t be trusted with a big story. So how do journalists keep themselves and their work honest? Enter

Attention all STEM teachers — are you looking for ways to incorporate music and sound into your classroom? Check out these hands-on DIY ideas from Youth Radio’s Brains and Beakers science speaker series. Explore creative ways to experience sound — from digital visualization to science rap battles to creating your own instruments out of scrap parts.

SHOW, DON’T TELL . That’s the general idea of infographics, which use visuals to make numbers/stats/processes easier to understand. While it’s easy to enjoy a well crafted infographic, creating one can be challenging. What type of visual fits your data? How should you style your graphic? What tools can you use to create infographics without starting from scratch? Making an infographic is a multistep process, so we’ll break this tutorial into two parts. In this lesson, we’ll walk you through the basics of making your own infographic, depending on the data at hand. - See more at: https:/

The d.loft STEM curriculum units provide an integrated approach to building STEM knowledge and skills while engaging students in both identifying and solving real-world problems using a design thinking approach.