HBCU’s and the Diversification for STEAM

[williamjackson]

HBCU's and the Diversification for STEAM

HBCU's have always been involved in STEM and STEAM, the
paradigm of change is from the 19th century to 21st century
integration and application." William Jackson
Adjunct Instructor Edward Waters College

HBCU's like Edward Waters College are empowering their students
with new concentrations in educational disciplines that have
traditionally been taught from a past grown from centuries of slavery,
the focus is to apply these areas to 21st century applications in the
context of STEAM / STEM / STREAM and CSTEAM.

HBCU's have served to educate and empower thousands of free
slaves so that they have the skills to function and excel in
professions that capitalize in areas that slaves were already
skilled in. Fields like agriculture, horticulture, animal care and others
were physically demanding, but the cognitive applications were
just as important.



The statement that education is the best economic development
tool rings true from slavery even to today's 21st century era of
technology innovation and integration. HBCU's primary responsibility
was to educate freed slaves to read and write. The skills they had
learned during slavery did not require a formal education so slaves
had to learn and understand when and where to plant and harvest
crops, slaves had to learn how to manage livestock either for
application in working or for food. Slaves had to understand the
patterns of weather in order to plant, manage and harvest
at peak times to maximum time to make sure the harvest could
make the most money for the plantation owner.

Taken from the web site: About Slavery – Ending Slavery natural
and raw materials where planted and harvested by slaves; cotton,
sugar, coffee, timber, and fish to name a few items. These
commodities served to make southern and northern slave owners
wealthy and active in global product chains. Just as today there
was a global market for products, in the 21st century with
technology other areas are more lucrative and profitable.

The brutality of slavery cannot be denied, but through this
time Blacks learned skills that empowered them with knowledge
to teach new generations. This empowerment of educational
knowledge and skill helped in the application of learning which is
still being applied by HBCU's that were established by many
Black and Quaker churches;
understood that with the stopping of slavery, free slaves and
their families needed to learn and apply skills to feed their families
and compete for jobs with whites and other nationalities that
were making the United States of America their home..



HBCU's were created with a purpose, that purpose started in 1837,
26 years before the end of slavery. Quaker philanthropist;
Richard Humphreys, founded the Institute for Colored Youth with
the goal to train free blacks to become teachers. The value of an
educated person was even seen in the 1800s.
Because many white institutions did not admit Blacks, HBCUs were
the option for Blacks interested in attending college and earning a
certificate or license of education. During the early years of their
development the early Black colleges were a source of respect
and pride (https://hbcuconnect.com/history.shtml).

So important were HBCU's that the low levels of reading had to
be addressed first. Public education for Blacks was not available
in the South, these institutions had to provide preparatory courses
at the elementary and high school levels for their students, this
practice is still being used today in the 21st century, showing
the importance of early education in PreK and that Black parents
need to be involved and active in their children's learning starting
at birth.
Blacks and even poor whites learned the basics of reading, writings
and arithmetic first. They had to use these opportunities
because during slavery if Blacks were caught learning how to read
they were beaten and even killed.


HBCU's were training students for literacy, but also for teaching
and the professions that require these skills. The changes in
technology at the times required early HBCU's to adapt their
teaching, noted educators like Booker T. Washington of the
Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University) moved to where
Blacks focused on the practical skills of manual labor to better
suit them for the work that was available. Working with their
hands, but applying skills learned from slavery was the most
practical way to apply skills Blacks had become experts in.



There were over 100 HBCU's across the country and they still
provide a unique educational experience for not just Blacks,
but other cultures. HBCUs are focused by the need for the
unique educational environments that only an HBCU can provide.
Just because Black students and students of color can attend
traditional white institutions does not mean they should, not
because of perceived levels of educational value, there is still the
need for cultural connection in the educational systems in
higher education across America.

I'm a product of South Carolina State University and the value of
my educational experience has prepared me for the changes in
technology and in the field of education as it applies culturally.

Appling STEAM and STEM in world markets has made higher
education and technical education a necessary. Even President
Obama understood the importance of HBCU's with the HBCU
initiative he signed. $103 million for STEM programs at
the National Science Foundation are available. HBCU's must
have qualified and experienced educators in these areas teaching
students. The focus also must be diversify in its student body
because global competition has increased and the available dollars
in research and development programs that help fund many
higher education institutions is diminishing or unreachable for
HBCU's that traditionally do not conduct research on levels of
other institutions.

If HBCU's are to survive this must change soon. HBCU's need
increased commitment to conducting high-quality research on
matters that have negative impacts on African Americans and
on other people of color in Africa and throughout the African
Diaspora and even in Asia. The academic gaps between Black
students and white, Asian American and even continental African
peers must change for Blacks students in the United States to be
prepared academically and able
to compete for careers not just jobs.



Black students must be encouraged to learn how to conduct
research, apply the scientific and engineering practices that should
be introduced in elementary, middle and high schools. As a
STEAM – Engineering and Technology teacher a priority for
inner city, at risk and challenged schools is to "show" these youth
that they do have options for careers, they do have opportunities
to be engaged in Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics.
These areas are not hard, but require a new way of thinking. There
needs to be student enthusiasm in the laboratory environments of
high schools and higher education because much of
innovative laboratory work is student driven.

HBCU students in STEAM and STEM emulate research scientists
during their years of learning, this is where dreams are developed
and goals set for future careers.



Conclusion:
Teaching Engineering this summer of 2014 with the
Black Male Explorers Program at Edward Waters College and
teaching Social Media/Technology with Mayor Alvin Browns
Learn2Earn College Experience in Jacksonville, Florida, I'm still
experiencing too many Black students and students of color and
their parents must dream of achieving beyond the stereotypes of typical
careers of service, entertainment and sports.

Taken from HBCUs to BCUs, August 3, 2010, Roy L. Beasley.
"Black students (and members of other groups afflicted by
prejudice) underperform whenever they perceive (rightly or wrongly)
that other people expect them to do poorly just because they
are black." Black students must see themselves being successful in
STEAM and STEM careers not threatened by them.

The stereotype threat is strong in STEM and STEAM careers. Black
students are too quick to deny these areas as "too hard,"
"too nerdy," and even "too white."

"Parents need to expose their children to the libraries, museums,
learning centers and cultural centers of their communities to show
their children that Blacks have been and are important in innovative areas of
STEAM / STEM / CSTREAM / STREAM." William Jackson



Teaching Educational Technology at
Edward Waters College Jacksonville, Florida

William Jackson, M.Ed.
South Carolina State University '85
STEAM Educator
Adjunct Teacher – Teacher Education
Edward Waters College

Social Media Speaker and Presenter with
*Mayor Alvin Brown - Learn2Earn Experience
*Preventing Crime In The Black Community
Florida State Attorney's Office
*Florida Blogging and Technology Conference
for Educators
*ASALAH Convention - James Weldon Johnson Celebration
*Boys and Girls Club Keystone Leadership Conference Speaker

STEAM / STEM / STREAM / CSTEAM Educator
at Andrew Robinson Elementary School in Duval County Public Schools

Twitter Role:
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