Students Pose Suggestions for Better STEM Education

"Mashable" reports [ Mashable: 5 Suggestions for Better STEM Education ] that, during a Twitter chat at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in DC, youth advisors made several suggestions about how to improve STEM education and keep students more interested:

1. Allow students to solve real-world problems rather than perform rote memorization tasks in the classroom;
2. Provide students with the opportunity to do science research early and often;
3. Encourage peer-to-peer education and collaboration during STEM projects to "satisfy human curiosity;"
4. Fear "not trying" rather than failure, as valuable lessons are often learned from the latter;
5. Engage adult mentors to work with students on STEM projects.

Women Role Models in STEM Hangout 5/7/14

Million Women Mentors will be holding a Town Hall in Google Hangout on the subject of pledging to mentor young women in STEM on 7 May 2014 from 11:00am-12:30pm PDT.  For more information, go to Million Women Mentors Google Hangout .


#WeTheGeeks held a Google Hangout session on Women Role Models in STEM in March; it is now available for viewing on YouTube at Women Role Models in STEM Hangout . 

#include Fellowships for Coding Begun by She++ at Stanford - Register by 12/11/13

She++, a coding outreach by Stanford University students, has expanded its #include fellowships for high school females outside of Palo Alto.  Students who register by no later than 11 December 2013 can be paired with a college advisor, and then will be expected to lead technology change in their neighborhoods through a Launch Kit.  They will also gain the opportunity to attend the #include Summit at Stanford 3-5 April 2014.  For more information, visit She++ Inspiring Women to Empower Computer Science .

"Air Force Collaboratory" Project Designed to Draw Students to STEM Subjects

A new US Air Force recruitment/training initiative known as the "Air Force Collaboratory" was announced in the New York Times this week (Air Force Asks Students to Solve Real-World Problems ).  The program tasks students aged 16-24 to participate in an on-line platform where they will work with Air Force personnel on projects such as using rapid prototyping (3d printers) to develop search and rescue apparatus to locate missing persons, build quadrotors which operate with minimal human interaction, and targeting GPS coordinates for new satellites, with a view to attracting more qualified young people to STEM careers in the military.  To see the Collaboratory and to register to participate, go to https://collaboratory.airforce.com/. 

US Senate STEM Caucus Features Industry Input on Pipeline and Program Consolidation

The US Senate held a STEM Caucus meeting on 20 May, where numerous industry stakeholders, such as Susan Lavrakas, Director of Workforce for the Aerospace Industries Association, and Ed Swallow, VP from Northrop Grumman, testified on both the student pipeline into STEM careers, and  the proposed consolidation of STEM outreach programs under the FY2014 federal budget. 

Swallow noted that Northrop's research has determined that the 5th grade is a crucial turning point in aiming students toward STEM careers, in that decisions related to middle school math are often made - for better or worse - at that time, thus affecting the students' future interest and preparation; he stated that only 21% of 8th graders take algebra, which is necessary for them to complete a STEM degree program within four years after high school.  Lavrakas addressed more socio-economic factors, such as making parents aware of the importance of preparing students for STEM subjects and careers, toward providing mentors for the students, and informing teachers of the existence and importance of many STEM career options and preparation requirements.  She also opined that a variety of programs reach different students in different ways and times, therefore the elimination or consolidation of programs should be approached with great care.

The proposal has been made to have three main agencies lead the consolidated STEM outreach efforts:  the Department of Education for grades K-12; the National Science Foundation for undergraduate efforts; and the Smithsonian Institution for informal education.  James Brown, Director of the STEM Education Coalition, highlighted the need for flexibility of implementation in STEM education programs.  http://www.washingtonexec.com/2013/05/us-senate-holds-stem-caucus-on-fy14-budget-and-the-education-pipeline/

 

Digital STEM Mentorship Program for Girls - Applications Due by 1/31/13

The Huffington Post is sponsoring a new digital STEM mentorship program for young women aged 14-21 years old.  Through an application process, girls will be matched with female engineers, scientists, or science writers as mentors, with opportunities to connect digitally.  Both participants are then encouraged to blog about their experiences for the HuffPost.  Applications for the program are due by 31 January 2013 - the program officially runs through April 2013, but continuing contact is at the discretion of the participants.  To apply, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-searles/stem-mentorship-program_b_2288918.html and follow the "apply here" link.

Women in Technology Sharing On-Line Offers Undergrad Mentoring

Women in Technology Sharing On-Line, sponsored by Harvey Mudd College and Piazza, and the brain-child of Maria Klawe, Harvey Mudd president and Microsoft board member, is open for six weeks beginning 1 October 2012 to provide mentoring to undergraduate women (men are also welcome) in STEM fields.  “I think of this as a MOOC — a massive open online course — and a big mentor-fest,” said Maria Klawe, the president of Harvey Mudd College and a sponsor of the project. “Getting more women into STEM is my passion in life, and every institution that’s set up mentorship programs for young women has been successful at increasing their numbers, so I think this can make a real difference."  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/education/online-mentoring-program-to-encourage-women-in-sciences.html?_r=1  Of the 300 mentors available, included are such notables as astronaut Mae Jemison, Jacqueline Barton from Cal Tech, and Padmasree Warrior, Cisco's CTO.

Participating colleges from which the students can enroll include Cal Tech, UC schools, Claremont colleges, Loyola Marymount, Stanford, USC and many others - additional schools may be added to the list and students nominated by professors to participate.  For more information on the program, visit https://piazza.com/witson

Engagement and Mentoring Keys to Successful STEM Education

Dr. Stephen Coan, President and CEO of Sea Research Foundation, in a recently-delivered speech at Fairfield's Sacred Heart University, advocated for "champion[ing] an interactive, real-world, mentor-based approach -- beginning in elementary school -- that models 21st century critical and creative thinking skills, energizes appreciation for STEM, and enriches students' knowledge about STEM careers" as part of education reform, as well as eliminating the "chutes and ladders approach" to placing students in math and science classes.  Dr. Coan pointed to innovative programs such as the JASON Project , which offers curricular resources, and the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School as models.  By inspiring "STEM passion and achievement," the STEM workforce skills gap can be closed, according to Dr. Coan.  http://www.ctpost.com/opinion/article/STEM-mastery-The-ticket-to-reviving-education-3965060.php

In a related item, see Education Week's feature with guest blogger Dr. Linda Shore from the Exploratorium Teacher Institute at http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2012/09/response_teaching_science_by_thinking_big_and_being_audacious.html

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring Conferred

Nine individuals and eight organizations received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring on 12 December 2011.  Among those receiving the award were two California programs:  The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program, Stanford University, Calif., represented by Marilyn Winkleby; and University of California San Francisco Science & Health Education Partnership High School Intern Program, Calif., represented by Rebecca Smith.  Nominated by students, colleagues, or administrators, the award recipients are honored at the White House and receive a  $25,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to further their efforts.  http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/50066/

Webinar on Mentoring Millennial Women Engineers to Success 10/25/11

Dr. David Porush of MentorNet will be presenting in a free webinar on 25 October 2011 at 10:00am PDT regarding how to mentor millennial students, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, to success in the engineering fields.  The webinar will be moderated by Diane Matt, Executive Director of WEPAN.  To register, visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/265774969 .

E-Mentoring Program for Diversity in Engineering and Science

MentorNet is an on-line mentoring program for diversity in engineering and science.  Organized in 1997 by Dr. Carol Muller to help women engineers, the award-winning, non-profit initiative matches students with mentors in its "mission to diversify the global talent workforce [which] has expanded to more than 70 science, engineering and technical fields and to serve all eligible students, with a focus on those who are underrepresented in their chosen fields."  To learn more, visit   http://mentornet.net/about_us.aspx