San Mateo COE and Making

SMCOE's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Center provides teachers and administrators research-based professional development in STEAM content and pedagogy to engage, educate, and inspire our 21st-century learners. It collaboratively designs and facilitates learner-centered experiences that nurture innate human curiosity through:

• Catalyzing innovative, research-validated educational strategies to support student success

• Building educator capacity through a range of professional learning opportunities

• Connecting schools, networks, communities, industries, and government to create synergy and support innovation

In June 2016, the San Mateo County Office of Education STEM Center broadcast our commitment to Making by holding our first Make/Learn Celebration! 

As the Maker Movement has highlighted, the act of Making sparks students’ imaginations and ignites their innate creativity. At the SMCOE STEM Center, we believe in the great potential for Making as a tool for relevant, active learning. 

Educators, parents and children signed up and came to play, create, and learn—all for free!—through making activities including 3D design and printing, LED Throwie art, paper circuitry, robotics, and more!

Our hope was our Make/Learn Celebration would provide not only chances to tinker, explore and make, but also opportunities to reflect and discuss Making’s power and potential, and to consider how we all can promote Making and the development of the “Maker Mindset” for our youth at home and in our schools and communities."

Stay tuned! Our Make/Learn Celebration event is just the first of many Making-related educational initiatives coming from the SMCOE STEM Center. Sign up for our STEMCentric Newsletter to learn all about our ongoing Maker programs and opportunities.

Happy Making!

The SMCOE STEM Center Staff