S11 E28 Jodi Asbell Clarke

Tim Villegas1h 6min

Tim Villegas

00:01

This is thinking cluesive I'm Tim Vegas. Are you a gamer? I did not think I was a gamer. Until one day when a Lyft driver and I were having a conversation on the way home from the airport. And we started talking about all the games I played with my family board games, card games, games on our phone, including my slight fortnight obsession that my son got me into. And we were sitting in traffic, and he just looked back me and said, Dude, you're a gamer. I think gamers ultimately like to solve problems. And our guest today is laser focused on the link between gains to stem and how it can help schools embrace neurodiversity. We'll be right back after a short break.

Tim Villegas

01:18

Welcome back to Think inclusive, our podcast that brings you conversations about inclusive education and what inclusion looks like in the real world. And a very special welcome to everyone watching on YouTube for season 11. We are producing a few video episodes as we get close to the end of the season. And our plan is to have full video versions of each episode for season 12. And that's going to start in September 2020. For Dr. Jody as well. Clark is an educational researcher with a master's in math, a Masters of Science and astrophysics, and a PhD in curriculum teaching and learning. She co founded Educational Gaming environments group or edge at Turk in 2009, focusing on game based learning, computational thinking and neuro diversity in K 12. She has led national and international STEM education projects, including curriculum development, teacher professional development and educational research. Jody is a co founder of nd in STEM at Turk to foster inclusive STEM education, and author of the upcoming book, reaching and teaching neurodivergent learners in STEM. Prior to her career in education, Jody worked as an onboard software verification analyst for IBM during the first 25 missions of the space shuttle, and later taught physics and astrophysics at the University of Illinois. In this episode, Jodie discusses the importance of inclusive education in STEM. She shares her journey in STEM, and how a teacher's support and encouragement shaped her career. Jody explains the link between neurodiversity and stem problem solving, highlighting the unique talents that neurodivergent learners bring to the field. She also discusses her research on computational thinking, and executive function, as well as the impact of game based learning in neuro divergent learners. Jodi's book, reaching and teaching neuro divergent learners in STEM provides strategies for embracing and supporting these and uniquely talented problem solvers. Before we get into today's conversation, I want to tell you about this week's sponsor, the Autism Society, with one in 36 children diagnosed with autism. The Autism Society of America is dedicated to creating connections empowering everyone in the autism community, with the resources needed to live fully as the nation's oldest leading grassroots autism organization, the Autism Society and its approximately 70 affiliates serve over half a million people each year by championing initiatives that advance equitable opportunities and health care education, employment, safety and public policy. The organization executes a national reach with meaningful local impact through education, advocacy, support and community programming. The Autism Society works toward a world in which everyone is connected to the support they need when they need it. For more information, go to autism society.org. The connection is you and now my conversation with Dr. Jody as Belle Clark

Unknown Speaker

05:00

I'm

Tim Villegas

05:16

Jody asbel Clark, welcome to the thinking clue podcast.

Jodi Asbell-Clarke

05:19

Thank you. Great to be here.

Tim Villegas

05:24

We don't think we've ever had anyone on that specifically had any sort of STEM background. So this is Oh, this is this is great. I'm so excited to have you on. Because this is a huge part of our educational, you know, community is the stem Steam community. And I think, you know, educators are in schools right now. And, you know, maybe they there's a STEM classroom, a STEM program. I mean, my daughter is a senior in high school, and she is in the STEM Academy. So it's like the stem has ever it's great, you know, right. So to get us started, Jody, what specifically got you into STEM or STEM related activities?

Processing audio...