Making the Future
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In a speech to the National Academy of Sciences, President Obama put out a call to “think about new and creative ways to engage young people in science and engineering, like science festivals, robotics competitions, and fairs that encourage young people to create, build, and invent – to be makers of things, not just consumers of things.” Cognizant’s Making the Future education initiative seeks to do just that – to inspire young learners to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines by creating fun, hands-on learning opportunities. Just as Cognizant works with its customers to ignite the greater company within, Making the Future's mission is to spark creativity and unleash the passion of young people in the STEM disciplines. Cognizant believes that fostering interest in STEM literacy along with developing 21st century skills like creativity, innovation, and collaboration will create a brighter future for our children, while preparing them to be tomorrow’s leaders in our global economy. Making the Future was created in response to three troubling trends in the U.S.: (1) a decline in measured math and science proficiency; (2) a decline in the number of young people entering certain STEM fields; and (3) perhaps most alarm- ing, a decline in measured creativity in U.S. children. These factors create serious concerns among parents, educators, business leaders, and policy makers and pose three significant challenges for our future: • The emerging and long-term shortages of a creative and STEM-proficient workforce. • The competitive and innovative capacity of the U.S. economy. • The prosperity and quality of life for future generations. Cognizant’s Making the Future program responds to these challenges in four major ways: 1. Advocacy for changes in the way we deliver STEM education, working with groups like the Business Roundtable and Change the Equation, a CEO-led initiative (including Cognizant CEO Francisco D’Souza) to cultivate widespread STEM literacy. 2. Financial, in-kind and volunteer support for nonprofit organizations that inspire children through hands-on learning opportunities, such as the New York Hall of Science, Citizen Schools, and the Engineering is Elementary program. 3. College scholarships for students interested in pursuing STEM degrees. 4.Our flagship program, the Making the Future After-School and Summer Program. Making the Future is based on the foundational idea that hands-on, project- and design-based learning approaches are the most powerful way to inspire young learners. These approaches: • Are consistent with the cognitive processes and learning styles we attribute to the millennial generation and younger children. making the future | august 2011 Making the Future Inspiring children with the joy of learning. Making the Future • STEM Initiative
Transcript of Making the Future
In a speech to the National Academy of Sciences,President Obama put out a call to “think aboutnew and creative ways to engage young people inscience and engineering, like science festivals,robotics competitions, and fairs that encourageyoung people to create, build, and invent – to bemakers of things, not just consumers of things.”
Cognizant’s Making the Future education initiativeseeks to do just that – to inspire young learners topursue science, technology, engineering andmath (STEM) disciplines by creating fun, hands-onlearning opportunities. Just as Cognizant workswith its customers to ignite the greater companywithin, Making the Future's mission is to sparkcreativity and unleash the passion of young peoplein the STEM disciplines. Cognizant believes thatfostering interest in STEM literacy along withdeveloping 21st century skills like creativity,innovation, and collaboration will create abrighter future for our children, while preparingthem to be tomorrow’s leaders in our globaleconomy.
Making the Future was created in response tothree troubling trends in the U.S.: (1) a decline inmeasured math and science proficiency; (2) adecline in the number of young people enteringcertain STEM fields; and (3) perhaps most alarm-ing, a decline in measured creativity in U.S.children. These factors create serious concernsamong parents, educators, business leaders, andpolicy makers and pose three significantchallenges for our future:
• The emerging and long-term shortages of acreative and STEM-proficient workforce.
• The competitive and innovative capacity of theU.S. economy.
• The prosperity and quality of life for futuregenerations.
Cognizant’s Making the Future program respondsto these challenges in four major ways:
1. Advocacy for changes in the way we deliverSTEM education, working with groups like theBusiness Roundtable and Change theEquation, a CEO-led initiative (includingCognizant CEO Francisco D’Souza) to cultivatewidespread STEM literacy.
2. Financial, in-kind and volunteer support fornonprofit organizations that inspire childrenthrough hands-on learning opportunities, suchas the New York Hall of Science, CitizenSchools, and the Engineering is Elementaryprogram.
3. College scholarships for students interested inpursuing STEM degrees.
4.Our flagship program, the Making the FutureAfter-School and Summer Program.
Making the Future is based on the foundationalidea that hands-on, project- and design-basedlearning approaches are the most powerful wayto inspire young learners. These approaches:
• Are consistent with the cognitive processesand learning styles we attribute to themillennial generation and younger children.
making the future | august 2011
Making the Future
• STEM Initiative
Inspiring children with the joy of learning.
In a speech to the National Academy of Sciences,President Obama put out a call to “think aboutnew and creative ways to engage young people inscience and engineering, like science festivals,robotics competitions, and fairs that encourageyoung people to create, build, and invent – to bemakers of things, not just consumers of things.”
Cognizant’s Making the Future education initiativeseeks to do just that – to inspire young learners topursue science, technology, engineering andmath (STEM) disciplines by creating fun, hands-onlearning opportunities. Just as Cognizant workswith its customers to ignite the greater companywithin, Making the Future's mission is to sparkcreativity and unleash the passion of young peoplein the STEM disciplines. Cognizant believes thatfostering interest in STEM literacy along withdeveloping 21st century skills like creativity,innovation, and collaboration will create abrighter future for our children, while preparingthem to be tomorrow’s leaders in our globaleconomy.
Making the Future was created in response tothree troubling trends in the U.S.: (1) a decline inmeasured math and science proficiency; (2) adecline in the number of young people enteringcertain STEM fields; and (3) perhaps most alarm-ing, a decline in measured creativity in U.S.children. These factors create serious concernsamong parents, educators, business leaders, andpolicy makers and pose three significantchallenges for our future:
• The emerging and long-term shortages of acreative and STEM-proficient workforce.
• The competitive and innovative capacity of theU.S. economy.
• The prosperity and quality of life for futuregenerations.
Cognizant’s Making the Future program respondsto these challenges in four major ways:
1. Advocacy for changes in the way we deliverSTEM education, working with groups like theBusiness Roundtable and Change theEquation, a CEO-led initiative (includingCognizant CEO Francisco D’Souza) to cultivatewidespread STEM literacy.
2. Financial, in-kind and volunteer support fornonprofit organizations that inspire childrenthrough hands-on learning opportunities, suchas the New York Hall of Science, CitizenSchools, and the Engineering is Elementaryprogram.
3. College scholarships for students interested inpursuing STEM degrees.
4.Our flagship program, the Making the FutureAfter-School and Summer Program.
Making the Future is based on the foundationalidea that hands-on, project- and design-basedlearning approaches are the most powerful wayto inspire young learners. These approaches:
• Are consistent with the cognitive processesand learning styles we attribute to themillennial generation and younger children.
making the future | august 2011
Making the Future
• STEM Initiative
Inspiring children with the joy of learning.
The Maker Movement
Making the Future is inspired by the growing Maker Movement, a culturethat celebrates the art of designing and building really cool things, eitherdoing it yourself (DIY) or with others (DIWO). This broad-based communityencompasses scientists, engineers, students, welders, software developers,circuit benders, musicians and crafters of all stripes – individuals andcommunities drawn together by a common delight in the magic of tinkering,creating and reusing materials and technology.
This movement is inspiring children and adults to tackle hands-on projectsto solve everyday real-world problems, using readily available “off the shelf”materials and components. Makers are driven by the challenge and fun ofthe projects they tackle, while also engaging in design- and project-based learning that can nurturecreativity and innovation and develop interest and proficiency in the STEM disciplines.
• “Pull” kids into STEM disciplines by generatinginterest and confidence, rather than “push”them to “do better in math and science.”
• Spark creativity, critical thinking, collaboration,and other 21st century learning skills.
• Draw support and inspiration from thegrowing Maker Movement, which, with itsemphasis on hands-on, do-it-yourself projects,provides a strong community and supportingphilosophy that inspires creative learningand can appeal to both girls and boys acrossa broad range of socio-economic back-grounds. (See sidebar.)
Making the Future After-School and Summer Program
The flagship Making the Future After-School andSummer Program is being designed in conjunctionwith the New York Hall of Science, Maker Faireand Make Magazine. Community-based organiza-tions, such as science and children’s museums,will run the programs nationwide. Childrenparticipating in the programs will make a project
of their choosing, ranging from electronic gadgets,robots, and software programs to crafts, music,or technology-enhanced clothing. Facilitators andmentors will support them through this experienceover the 20- to 40-hour program duration.
Cognizant plans to launch the program at 10 to20 locations around the U.S. in the summer of2012, and grow the program nationwide over thenext five years. Cognizant is interested inidentifying community organizations, educators,and Makers who might wish to apply for a grantto run a Making the Future program in theircommunities.
For more information on Cognizant’s Making theFuture program, please contact Mark Greenlaw,Vice President of Sustainability and EducationalAffairs, Cognizant, [email protected],or email us at [email protected].
The future is bright.
Today’s inspiration is tomorrow’s innovation.
Let’s make the future.
About Cognizant
Cognizant (NASDAQ: CTSH) is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and businessprocess outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world’s leading companies build strongerbusinesses. Headquartered in Teaneck, New Jersey (U.S.), Cognizant combines a passion for clientsatisfaction, technology innovation, deep industry and business process expertise, and a global,collaborative workforce that embodies the future of work.
Visit us online at www.cognizant.com for more information.
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