This legislative session, TechAmerica and TechNet are teaming up to host a series of policy briefings on various tech issues expected to be prominent policy discussions of the 84th legislative session. Each briefing—held the first or second Tuesday of every month—provides space for lawmakers and staff to discuss in-depth policy matters directly with member company experts. Our first event was held February 10 and the topic was education.
Increased global competition has created a highly competitive demand for employees educated in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). If the U.S. wishes to remain competitive in the global economy, STEM education and investments in technology must be a priority. To help illustrate the key role technology can play in preparing students to reach their full potential; we brought in Mike Belcher from Hewlett-Packard (HP). Belcher is currently the Americas Education Strategist at HP and based in Houston, Texas. He began his career at HP in 2007 as the Education Solutions Manager for the Americas Region helping develop, build, and bring to market several solutions including education services, software, and partner-driven products around “Real Life” programs. Real Life solutions were designed to help schools use technology to prepare students for their future and help move from teacher-centric to student-centered learning.
Belcher, along with Ray Almgren from National Instruments (NI), also discussed the importance of delivering high-quality, technology-based education to help students achieve. Almgren championed NI’s mission to equip engineers and scientists with systems that accelerate productivity, innovation, and discovery. He leads the company’s evangelism efforts in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Almgren also discussed how economic development is directly tied to the quality of our workforce. Legislators heard first-hand that if the workforce is well-educated and proficient in STEM fields, we – as an economy – will be poised to prosper.
Technology can play a key role in preparing students to perform at their full potential. Digital textbooks and curriculum enhance teaching; computer-adaptive testing increases efficiency in measurement; online courses enable students to access the instruction they need at any time; and STEM classes help students better master their subjects so they are a step closer to rewarding careers in technology.
The next TechTuesday event will be held in March and the tentative topic is cybersecurity. For more information, contact Sarah Matz at sarah.matz@techamerica.org.
