Need an After-School Enrichment Activity? Try an Online STEM Class.
Prior to the pandemic, most STEM programs were held in-person, but once we went into quarantine, program providers quickly pivoted and adapted their in-person curriculum to virtual programs. Now, almost a year later, STEM online classes have become the “new normal” and organizations have figured out how to keep kids engaged and learning online while having fun!
If you’re looking for an after-school STEM enrichment program for your child this winter, consider an online STEM class. There are some benefits to virtual programs, even in non-pandemic times. They provide students access to programs that might not be available in their communities, offer a greater range of high-quality programs to choose from, and give busy families a break from driving to a physical location each week.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
Online STEM classes are the opposite of passive entertainment. It’s all about the action verbs: kids learn to code, design video games, build with LEGO pieces, explore digital animation, perform science experiments, and more, all from their own homes. These programs tend to be highly structured— scheduled online sessions are led by an instructor in real time, sometimes in small groups of students from around the country, sometimes with a small group of kids in their own home, or one-on-one.
At the beginning of the pandemic, I heard from many families who were skeptical or concerned about the quality and likelihood of success of online enrichment classes. I’ve been heartened to see the open-minded, motivated, and creative response from educators, students, and parents alike. And as the year has progressed, I’ve heard positive feedback from both families and the organizations themselves. The virtual class format has gotten good reviews from parents, many of whom now want online classes to continue. I expect that providers will continue to offer online classes well after kids go back to school and the pandemic is deemed over.
HOW TO CHOOSE A CLASS FOR YOUR CHILD
Before you search for specific online classes for your child, take time to consider some key factors, which will help you to find a good match that will give your child an engaging experience and work for you and your family.
1. What gap will an online class fill for your child? In these stressful times, your child may need the social aspect of an after-school activity as much as the content. Or they may feel frustrated that their progress in developing a particular skill has been interrupted. Or they may need more stimulation. Consider which of these aspects of a class would be most important and use your answer to guide your assessment of particular classes and teaching formats.
2. With so much school-related screen time, can your child tolerate the addition of one more screen-intensive class? If one more instance of remote learning will lead to online burnout, maybe an outdoor activity or unstructured playtime will be better for your child.
3. How does your child learn best? Look for a course that matches your child’s preferences and style so it’s an enjoyable, relaxing format for him or her.
4. When assessing a class, review the content offering, curriculum, instructional approach, and the instructor’s teaching experience. Some classes build time into the schedule for the students to interact. Others expect students to work on a project outside of “class.” Others have small groups work on a team-based project between classes. If you can’t get a full understanding of this from the program description, contact the program provider directly with your questions.
5. Will the class offer your child hands-on, participatory, active learning? With online learning, keeping students actively engaged is essential. A maker-style class or a class where the students are writing code interactively or collaborating on projects may be the perfect complement to the more abstract in-school learning your child experiences during the school day.
6. Involve your child in the choice of class. Share a list of class options with your child and talk with them about their interests. They may surprise you (and even themselves)! Discuss the time commitment and logistics, and how your child views success in the class.
FIND A WINTER CLASS
If this sounds like the right format for your child, peruse this collection of online STEM classes for kids and teens. They include subjects in coding, engineering, science, math, technology, and entrepreneurship and in after-school, evening, and weekend formats. These programs are offered live and are led by instructors for a fee.
