TSIN team of Joshua Sneideman, Dane Boyington, and Sheila Boyington of Learning Blade, Aimee Kennedy of Battelle Education, and Wes Hall of TSIN at the launch of the STEM curriculum project.. Image by TSIN.

KNOXVILLE -- Thanks to legislative support, the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is leading the country in making a supplemental STEM career awareness curriculum available at no cost to all middle schools in the state. STEM opportunities are introduced online through Learning Blade® in a unique format that demonstrates the benefits of STEM careers for society. Learning Blade® was created by Chattanooga-based Thinking Media

STEM careers in Tennessee are expected to grow 16% with over 25,000 new jobs by 2024 and nationally STEM jobs are growing at almost twice the rate as non-STEM careers. “Given our state’s strong efforts to lead the nation in workforce and education, supporting the STEM Network and making STEM resources available to ALL in our state makes good sense,” said Senator Bo Watson, one of the key sponsors of the legislation.

The Learning Blade system is organized into “Missions” that focus on societal issues, enabling students to participate in engaging lessons such as building an environmentally-sound orphanage after a major earthquake or solving energy and transportation needs in a city. Learning Blade also provides teachers with valuable feedback on student skills, demonstrating the relevance of academics in real life.

Learning Blade has been validated as a supplemental tool for increasing STEM career awareness and interest by Battelle Education and recommended by a panel of educational experts in the ACT “2014/2015 Condition of STEM report”. "At Battelle, we believe any tool headed into classrooms needs to meet a very high bar. Through its focus on real-world application and accessibility to students, especially those in rural areas, Learning Blade meets that bar,” said Aimee Kennedy, President of Battelle Education and Vice President at Battelle.

“As a state, STEM education's greatest potential will only be met if every Tennessee student can access quality learning tools – regardless of location. That's why the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is excited to partner with Learning Blade on this important work," said Wes Hall, Director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network.

Schools nationwide have successfully used this system across 22 states since it launched two years ago. “Using technology to deliver real-world experiences is the future of teaching,” said Sheila Boyington, President, Thinking Media. “Our digital platform brings STEM career awareness to students and provides them with an opportunity to get on track for high demand careers.”’

Additional partners in this project include STEMconnector®, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tennessee Association of Manufacturers, Hope Street Group and Lightweight Innovation for Tomorrow (LIFT).

For more information on TSIN and Learning Blade STEM education initiatives, visit www.tsin.org/learningblade.

Published October 7, 2015