Kim Sparkman, principal of the new school, exploring the intricacies of the human heart with zSpace, a technology that combines virtual and augmented reality.
Questar III and Hudson Valley Community College, in coordination with Capital Region BOCES, hosted a special makerspace event this Friday at the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAMS) on the HVCC campus in Troy. The event featured a full tradeshow by Teq, a leading supplier of educational technology and a partner in developing the space, which will become a focal point of the new STEM high school.
The event featured items that may eventually become part of the makerspace for the new high school, which will open this fall. “A big portion of the new STEM high school will be hands-on learning. To do that, we’re working to develop a makerspace for the new school. It will include some of the latest educational technology that aligns with the four pathways – computer information systems, engineering, environmental and health sciences,” noted Kim Sparkman, principal for the new school.
Sparkman said a 3-D printer is at the top of the list, “The nice thing about the 3D printer is that there’s curriculum, lessons and instruction that can be utilized across all subjects.” Other items of interest included Bloxels, an intuitive platform where students create 13-bit layouts, characters, and art for their very own interactive video game, and zSpace Learning Lab, which combines virtual and augmented reality to create an immersive learning experience. “It really brings the 3-D perspective to many different types of subjects – they have hundreds of lessons. For example, I was able to view and explore all the different parts of the human heart,” Sparkman said.
Among the groups attending the event were representatives from Tech Valley Center of Gravity in Troy (a vital partner in the new high school representing local industry), representatives from school districts, and department chairs from Hudson Valley Community College representing the four pathways that will be part of the school’s curriculum. Cheryl Kennedy, executive director of Tech Valley Center of Gravity, noted, “The opportunity for students to be exposed to and use advanced technology is so impactful. Their awareness that these technologies exist, and that they know how to use them, is going to be very important for the program. It creates a higher confidence level for the student and the potential future employer.”
To learn more about the new STEM high school on Hudson Valley Community College, visit www.questar.org/education/ptech-echs.
