NRC Issues Report on Effective K-12 STEM Education

The congressionally-chartered National Research Council has issued a report calling for more testing of science learning and calling upon policymakers to devise more assessments for deeper understanding in all STEM disciplines.  The group will also release a new framework for 21st Century science education later this summer.  http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/06/23/36nrc.h30.html?tkn=LSMFFSNEnn4u9dcUx74ZZoblFeRWsGQLg4sS&cmp=clp-edweek

Update 7/25/11:  The framework can now be found at:  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165 .  The next step will be for Achieve, Inc. to create standards around the framework.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/20/science/20curriculum.html?_r=1

To view the report, visit http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13158

In a related matter, the STEM Education Coalition, comprised of over 100 member organizations, has called upon Congress to make science achievement of equal standing with math and English as part of the re-authorization of "No Child Left Behind" (the Elementary and Secondary Education Act).  Several recommendations included more STEM teacher preparation and professional development, state-developed STEM action plans, and diversity initiatives, among others.  http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2011/06/stem_ed_advocates_outline_idea.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

Menifee, CA School Receives Grant to Initiate STEM Class

A team of five teachers at a Menifee, CA school received a $30,000 two-year grant from UC Riverside Extension, Cal State University San Bernardino, and Coachella Valley Unified School District to design and implement a STEM elective class for seventh and eighth graders.  The students will be using hands-on, project-based learning, including designing a running trail, in curriculum designed by the teachers to expose the students to STEM concepts and careers.  http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_sscience07.3b3163c.html

"Engaging Students in ME: Using Everyday Engineering Examples in the Classroom" Webinar Scheduled for 4/20/11

ENGAGE and ASME are co-sponsoring a webinar on 20 April 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to noon PDT entitled "Engaging Students in ME: Using Everyday Engineering Examples in the Classroom."  Panelists include Eann Patterson, Ph. D. at Michigan State, Susan Metz from ENGAGE, Thomas Perry, P.E. Director of Education and Professional Advancement for ASME, and Patricia Campbell, Ph. D. from ENGAGE and Campbell-Kibler Associates.  Participants will receive a free copy of "Real Life Examples" by Dr. Patterson for providing registration information.  To register, visit https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/155413368

"The New Cool"

Inc. magazine reporter Lauren Cannon posts an interview with Neal Bascomb regarding his new book, The New Cool,  on the FIRST Robotics competition and his work with D'Penguineers team out of Goleta, CA.  Mr. Bascomb points out that students participating in project-based learning endeavours such as FIRST are taking charge of their own learning, and understanding that robotics and STEM are "not only hard work, but cool."  http://www.inc.com/articles/201103/math-and-science-the-new-cool-subjects.html

New Study Posits that Female Instructors May Help Keep Females in STEM Fields

A new study released by UMass Amherst discussed in Inside Higher Ed provides evidence that females (and to a lesser degree, males) in STEM courses such as introductory calculus respond better to female than male instructors.  Female students tended to answer notably more general questions in class and to stay after class to ask questions of female instructors than they did with male instructors.  Nilanjana Dasgupta, associate professor of psychology at UMass, lead author of the study, opines that "women who are exposed to women doing math and science successfully end up with "stereotype inoculation" in which they gain confidence."  Therefore, having enough female instructors in the mix would be an important factor in increasing student success.  http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/03/03/study_suggests_role_of_role_models_in_encouraging_female_undergraduates_in_math_and_science

The "Maker Movement" Working with STEM Education

In a February commentary in Education Week, "Encouraging the Hand-Mind Connection in the Classroom," Margaret Honey and Eric Siegel discuss how the "Maker Movement" can provide relevance to STEM education by deeply engaging students in content while cementing 21st Century learning skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative interactions, in students.  "Makers share in the common delight of tinkering, hacking, creating, and reusing materials and technology. They organize themselves into thriving communities to create objects that they are passionate about and to engage others."  http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/02/02/19honey.h30.html?tkn=LVOFGJPU+LZWDcGKabdPkKcovfQOCPNviRf9&cmp=clp-edweek

The commentary also references a September 2010 Report to the President entitled "Prepare and Inspire:  K-12 Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) for America's Future."  (see Helpful STEM Links in this blog) 

After-School Programs Boost Girls' Interest in STEM

From the ACTE Daily Briefing on 3/1/11:  "Education Daily (2/28, Brown) reports, "Out-of-school time programs that focus on getting girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math may play an important role in bolstering the number of women in traditionally male-dominated fields, according to a recent report from the Harvard Family Research Project at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education." However, the study points to a lack of research into best practices and specific outcomes. However, "the findings in this report and others may help support policy and program development to boost STEM achievement among underrepresented groups, specifically girls."

Webinar on Cognitive Beliefs and Cultural Variables in STEM Career Development on 3/22/11

The STEM Equity Pipeline is offering a free webinar entitled "Cognitive Beliefs and Cultural Variables Matter in STEM Career Development" on 22 March 2011 at 9:00 a.m. PST.  Dr. Angela Byars-Winston from University of Wisconsin Madison will review data on under-represented STEM populations at the undergraduate level, as well as discuss social cognitive theory and examples of strategies to increase minority STEM interest.  For more information and to register for the webinar, visit https://www106.livemeeting.com/lrs/8001043798/Registration.aspx?pageName=548sl3k8d45t8bfr .

Lancaster School District STEM Academies Parent Information Meeting 3/16/11

Lancaster School District will be hosting a parent information meeting regarding their two new STEM Academies planned for Endeavour and Discovery Middle Schools.  It is anticipated that the Academies will feature Project Lead the Way's Gateway to Technology curriculum beginning in fall of 2011.  The information night will occur on Wednesday, 16 March 2011, at 5:30 p.m., at Endeavour Middle School, 43755 45th St. West, Lancaster, CA 93536.  For more information, send an e-mail inquiry to stemacademy@lancsd.org or look for upcoming links at the district website at http://www.lancaster.k12.ca.us/ .

ITEST Grant Letter of Intent Due by 3/11/11

The Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) grant application through the National Science Foundation has been released.  Letters of intent to apply are due by 11 March 2011 and full proposals by 13 May 2011.  Approximately twenty awards, ranging from $300,000 to $2.1 million, may be given to qualifying proposals. 

"The ITEST program is interested in addressing such questions as:  What does it take to effectively interest and prepare students to participate in the STEM workforce of the future?  How do students acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need in order to participate productively in the changing STEM workforce?  How can we assess and predict students' inclination to participate in the STEM fields, and how can we measure the impact of various models that encourage that participation?"  For full details regarding the grant, visit http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11525/nsf11525.htm

Engineering Academy at Oakland Technical High School Boasts Closing Gender Gap

A story by Laura Flynn of KALW-FM shows how one Bay Area school has been successful in increasing the number of young women completing STEM-related courses in its Engineering Academy.  Focusing on spatial reasoning skills and aligning physics assignments to local college requirements has assisted students to become more proficient.  Noting that the number of women engineering undergraduates at MIT has increased to 35%, the school has added seven of its students to that number in recent years, attributing it to innovative educational techniques used.  http://kalwnews.org/audio/2011/02/09/closing-engineering-gender-gap-oakland-tech_834543.html

Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited (NAP)

The National Academies Press released a publication in September 2010 entitled "Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited:  Rapidly Approaching Category 5."  This report, a follow-up to its 2005 call to action and recommendations to strengthen STEM competitiveness in the United States, finds that the outlook since the initial publication has worsened, despite some positive actions, including the initial authorization of the America COMPETES Act (currently up for re-authorization).  For a look at the full report, visit the National Academies Press website at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12999

Webinar Series on Research-Based Strategies to Retain Undergrad Engineering Students 11/18/2010

There will be a series of webinars beginning on Thursday, 18 Nov. 2010, from noon to 1:00pm PST, on Research-Based Strategies to Retain Undergraduate Engineering Students, hosted by WEPAN (Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network) - http://www.napequity.org/e107_images/custom/Special%203-Part%20ENGAGE%20Webinars!.htm

12/2 Webinar:  Using Everyday Engineering Examples in the Classroom

1/27/11 Webinar:  Improving Spatial Visualization Skills