Earlier this summer, Information Communications Technology (ICT) Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) students from Heart Lake Secondary School attended a Robotics and Controls Hardware Interfacing Course at Studica Limited in Mississauga, Ontario. Studica Limited provided the students with fishertechnik, National Instruments myDAQ and mySTEM hardware products. The students were then asked to program and control a system of components and drive motors that they built and designed themselves.

Evolving STEM Education

Heart Lake Secondary School is part of the Peel school district, serving the municipality of Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga, Ontario. It is one of many schools that participate in Ontario’s education initiative, Specialist High Skills Major. This program allows students to focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests, while also meeting the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. SHSM is available to students in 11th and 12th grade and is intended to help them gain relevant career skills and qualifications. The Information Communications Technology major is not unlike Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) programs found in high schools throughout the United States. Both stress the value in trade skills and technology development.

Terry Wadowski, an educator at Heart Lake Secondary School, attended the course hosted by Studica Limited and stated, “Students thoroughly enjoyed the interactive hands-on training session and found it very relevant to their SHSM program. Studica Limited was very helpful in providing ideas for creative ways to deliver Technological Studies curriculum.”

The Importance of STEM Education

STEM Education is an important topic worldwide. In terms of education, these programs often address the issues students face when entering the workforce. No matter what industry they choose to pursue, technological advancement has drastically changed workflow. STEM also addresses the concern that these subjects are taught separate, instead of as an integrated curriculum. Studica has dedicated itself to providing relevant education solutions. Whether it is from one of our educational consultants or our onDemand STEM Education Resources, we seek to expand education outside the classroom and support engaging students in gaining the skills required for a successful future. The Robotics and Controls Hardware Interfacing Course was a lot of fun for our representatives and for the students that participated. Studica Limited was very happy to host the SHSM students from Heart Lake Secondary, and we encourage fellow educators to reach out to STEM experts and create an interactive curriculum for their students.