Get started with emerging tech! Help your students get familiar with the emerging technologies that are shaping the world around us.
Overview
Your high school students are going to enter a working world that is already being shaped by Artificial Intelligence and other technologies. Help them get familiar with the ABCs of tech (AI, Blockchain, Cloud, and more) with our “Explore Emerging Tech” learning plan.
This content was created with a high school audience in mind. It’s an introduction, so students won’t need any prior experience with computer science or other tech fields. You and your students can get up to speed on the emerging tech that is shaping the world around us, together, with SkillsBuild for Students and Educators. There’s also a teacher channel for each technology, created just for you.
Tags: beginner, getting started, emerging technologies
Language availability: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Korean, Traditional Chinese
Recommended student audience:
- K-12: 8th-10th grade
- STEM nonprofits or after school clubs
Connections to other SkillsBuild for Students and Educators learning: Once students finish this introductory experience, they can go on to earn badges in any of the technologies that interest them most
Quick links
*Note: For all of the content listed in this guide, you’ll need to log in to SkillsBuild for Students and Educators to access these materials.
Explore Emerging Tech Student Learning Plan
Note: Student learning plans contain all the necessary self-paced coursework a student will need to complete a given sequence of learning. Students can complete part of a learning plan,or complete the entire plan to earn the “Explore Emerging Tech” badge.
Teacher Resources – Explore Emerging Tech
Note: For every student learning plan or channel, educators can find specific teacher resources to use with students as they progress in their course content. Teacher resources are typically a mix of related lesson plans, project-based activities, or group project ideas.
Estimated time for students to complete the learning
~ 75 minutes per topic
~7-8 hours to complete the whole learning plan
Implementation ideas
Do it in a day: Make an all-day, virtual event out of it! Introduce the concept of emerging technologies to your students as a lesson and ask them to do the content of the learning channel in small teams. Have them come back at the end of the day to share what they learned (and maybe even reward the teams with the best take-aways).
Do it in a week: Host a “tech week” that introduces a new technology changing the world each day. This is a great way to spend the time after exams or over a break!
Do it over a unit/summer session: Build a summer boot camp or multi-week experience that is focused on introducing students to emerging technologies and explore possible related career fields.
Embed it in a class: Utilize this learning channel during units on career exploration, jobs of the future, or when you introduce each of these emerging technologies in a Computer Science class. Use our Intro to Tech Curriculum Map to lead your students in a comprehensive deep-dive of Intro to Tech.
What other educators have to say
I personally use the “getting started” topics as interest building activities. If I want the students to work on cybersecurity, I give them, ‘Here’s the starting point. Finish that activity and let’s talk again.’ So, they get an idea, then I have a good way to start the discussion and show them how they can learn more. -Dr. Mohammad Azhar, Borough of Manhattan Community College