Our Sites

Free videos let students use STEM skills on virtual Toyota assembly line

With the support of the Toyota USA Foundation, teachers nationwide now have new resources to help students see real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills in advanced automotive manufacturing settings. Teachers are invited to use Toyota’s three new Spark 101 STEM skills videos to engage students in authentic problem solving required at one of the largest manufacturing facilities in North America.

In 2015 the foundation awarded a grant to 114th Partnership, a national nonprofit that helps students navigate education and career pathways, for its Spark 101 program to increase STEM engagement for 20,000 students through short, career-based case study videos that connect high school coursework to STEM careers, specifically those in advanced automotive manufacturing.

The nonprofit’s STEM skills videos, presented by employers like Toyota, use an online interactive video format to let students work on real challenges faced by professionals in business, government, nonprofit, and academic institutions. The 10-minute classroom videos, developed with input from educators and employers, engage students in authentic STEM problem solving, aligned to curriculum and educational standards for easy classroom integration.

In Toyota’s challenges, students are asked to apply their algebra and geometry skills to help Toyota engineers solve advanced manufacturing challenges such as:

  • Calculating accurate measurements to consistently produce identical vehicle parts at any Toyota manufacturing plant around the world.
  • Upgrading a communications system for a fast-paced assembly line without interrupting the production process.
  • Identifying and addressing delayed performance times of a robotic machine press that stamps sheet metal into car parts.

Secondary teachers can access more than 50 free STEM skills videos and curriculum-aligned teaching materials at www.spark101.org.