Educator Workshop: How People Learn: Understanding the Brain and STEM Learning

Julia Skolnik, MSEd is a Manager & Curriculum Specialist at The Franklin Institute. She currently manages large museum-library partnership programs with partners across the United States, designed to engage children and families in science and literacy learning. Julia has developed a wide range of STEM curriculum resources and professional development for librarians, afterschool educators, teachers (preK – 12), and museum educators. She is currently developing a neuroscience curricula for high school students, as well as professional development for teachers on understanding the brain to improve their teaching practices.

Kristen Gagnier, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center at Temple University where her research focuses on how children and adults learn to “think spatially”, and how research on spatial thinking can be used to improve STEM K-16 education. She holds a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Delaware and a BS in Psychology and Biology from the University of Arizona.

The Franklin Institute

In 1824, The Franklin Institute was founded to honor Benjamin Franklin and to advance the usefulness of his inventions. Today, The Franklin Institute is a vibrant organization that continues to offer new and exciting science learning experiences for the citizens of Philadelphia. The Institute has grown to become an integral part of the city by providing a hands-on approach to science and technology through community outreach initiatives and innovative partnerships in public education. It has become a dynamic agent of change through its rich array of exhibitions, programs, lectures, and discussions designed to illuminate issues in contemporary science. The Franklin Institute continues to reflect Benjamin Franklin’s spirit of inquiry and discovery as it strives to inspire an understanding of and passion for science and technology learning.