Transcript It`s A Girl Thing - Clemson University

Anderson School District Five
Project Lead The Way
Academy of Engineering
Wanda T. Staggers,
Dean of Manufacturing &
Engineering
Anderson School District Five Schools
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Spring 2000
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Fall 2002
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Southwood Middle School
Fall 2007
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Hanna-Westside
Extension Campus
Fall 2006
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T. L. Hanna High School
Westside High School
McCants Middle School
Fall 2008
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Lakeside Middle School
Gateway to Technology
Middle School Program
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Design and Modeling
 The Magic of
Electrons
 The Science of
Technology
 Automation and
Robotics
 Flight and Space
High School
Pathway To Engineering
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Foundation Courses:
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Specialization Courses:
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Introduction to Engineering Design
Principles of Engineering
Digital Electronics
Aerospace Engineering
Biotechnical Engineering
Civil Engineering and Architecture
Computer Integrated Manufacturing
Capstone Course:
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Engineering Design and Development
High School
Biomedical Sciences Program
 Principles
of Biomedical Sciences™
 Human Body Systems™
 Medical Intervention™
 Science Research™
High School Certification
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All high schools must be certified by the second year in the
program and re-certified every five years
The certification process requires schools to demonstrate
 they meet PLTW’s quality standards in professional
development of teachers and counselors;
 the implementation of curriculum using required equipment
and software;
 the formation of a Partnership Team
Honors and College Credit
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Anderson County School District Five offers an
honors level and college prep level of each high
school PLTW course.
Numerous colleges and universities across the nation
offer college credit for successful completion of high
school PLTW courses. The credit agreement varies
among the institutions.
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University of South Carolina transfer agreement:
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USC requires the 1100 SAT or 3.0 to qualify for admission for
USC credit
PLTW requires 85% for course and 70% on qualifying exam
Clemson University transfer agreement:
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At least a course grade of “B” and at least a college exam
grade of “70” in PLTW Principles of Engineering and any other
PLTW course.
PLTW Instructor Training
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University of South Carolina Summer
Training Institute
 Local ongoing training
 PLTW Online Virtual Academy
 PLTW ListServ
Women in Science and
Engineering (WISE)
Clemson University
Serita Acker,
Program Director
College of
Engineering & Science
Grants more than
2/3 of the
engineering degrees
in South Carolina
 Clemson has 9
undergraduate
engineering majors
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Our educational mission is to prepare engineering &
science graduates to succeed in careers and continue lifelong learning
PEER/WISE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
COES Commitment to
Diversity
 Women
In Science & Engineering (WISE)
established in 1995 to increase female
retention in the College outgrowth of the
PEER program.
PEER/WISE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
How are Clemson women
doing? Look at the GPA’s
3.50
3.00
2.50
2.00
Male
GPA
Female
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.00
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PEER/WISE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Facts on Women in Science and
Engineering
 Statistics
show that women are 46
percent of the U.S. workforce
 They are 48.6 percent of the total
college-degreed workforce.
 Only, 24.7 percent of the Science and
Engineering workforce.
PEER/WISE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Clemson University
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Recruitment
Between 18 -20% of the females at COES
670 Females undergrad
Grad 256 Females
Total COES population 3580
Retention 6 year retention 44.8%
4 year retention 45.8 %
PEER/WISE
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
It’s A Girl Thing®
IGT is unique in that it is a year long program
established within the school system and is part
of the girls’ normal school day. The meetings
provide a secure learning environment designed
for girls only.
Funded by the
American Association of University Women Educational Foundation
Purpose
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Target middle school girls to introduce the
fields of science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology (STEM) in a safe and
encouraging learning environment
 Expose girls to nontraditional educational and
professional career fields while also
increasing self-confidence
 Provide training in career supporting skills
such as team-work, oral presentation, social
skills, and an exposure to cultural and current
events
 There will be no cost to the participants
Research
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Women are less likely to complete their science and
engineering degree programs than men. Women
constitute 52 percent of all people leaving a science or
engineering discipline at an undergraduate level
(Seymour, 1997, p. 399).
 This gap, though significant, is not the primary
determining factor in the lack of women represented in
science and engineering. The largest drop in women’s
participation in science and engineering comes during the
transition between high school and college. It is at this
time that women decide not to pursue science and
engineering academically. In order to get a clear
understanding of why there are so few women in science
and engineering fields, it is necessary to look at what
many people see as the most important stage in the
academic ‘pipeline’, women’s middle school and high
school experiences (Notices, 1991, pp. 721).
Objectives
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Girls involved in the IGT program will:
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Have an increased academic self-confidence
Have a desire for exploration in the fields of STEM.
gain a better understanding of how advancements in the STEM
fields directly affect females.
be more likely to enroll in nontraditional courses at the high school
be more likely to become involved in other STEM related activities
outside of school
be more likely to enroll in nontraditional programs at the two- and
four-year college levels
be more likely to seek employment in nontraditional career fields
be more likely to serve as leaders for younger girls that will follow
Need for It’s A Girl Thing®
Taken from The 2006 State of
South Carolina Annual School
Report Cards
Females Below Basic
in PACT Mathematics
Females Below Basic
in PACT Science
Southwood Middle
21.1%
42.2%
Lakeside Middle
17.7%
28.0%
McCants Middle
16.8%
18.7%
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In the high school where the females continue their education, similar
percentages are reflected in HASP mathematics scores.
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No high school science data was available.
Need for It’s A Girl Thing®
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Maintaining female enrollment in the district Project
Lead the Way program has been a challenge since
its inception.
The Hanna-Westside Extension Campus (HWEC)
annually receives a performance report on the Carl
Perkins standards for career and technology
education. HWEC provides career and technology
education to T.L. Hanna and Westside high school
students.
The performance report addresses six standards, two
of which have been an ongoing challenge;
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Standard 5 Nontraditional Participation and
Standard 6 Nontraditional Retention.
Introduction to It’s A Girl Thing:
An overview of many of the careers fields available
Introduction to Civil Engineering
Design a structure to hold the weight of a textbook
Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Experiment to determine the rate at which a mint will dissolve in
gelatin to simulate medicine within the human body
Introduction to Civil Engineering
Design the tallest tower structure using toothpicks and mini
marshmallows
Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Chemical vs physical reactions: acids and bases
Vinegar and baking soda, glue, and borax
Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Chemical vs physical reactions: acids and bases
Mentos candy and bottled soda
Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Girls made their own chapstick
Introduction to Transportation Engineering
Design an efficient Puff Mobile for distance
Introduction to Industrial Engineering
Design an efficient team assembly process using Tinker® Toys
Introduction to Electrical Engineering
Design an electrical circuit using a four-lemon battery
SC DNA Learning Center
and Clemson University
Sullivan’s Metropolitan Grill and The Alvin Ailey
Dancers, Brooks Center at Clemson University
Publicity
McCants Middle School
Southwood Middle School
Lakeside Middle School
The hands on activities have boosted participating females’
interest/grades in science and math. The students are eager to
attend the class and have positive remarks about the meetings. One
student attended the summer program and was eager to participate
in the meetings this year.
Some of the females that attended the Science and Engineering
Expo at Clemson have changed career interest to science and
engineering.
Pat Wardlaw,
Eighth Grade Counselor
Lakeside Middle School
By having the different students come in and talk to the girls from the
different areas of engineering it gave them a lot of information on
what kinds of engineering was out there. They enjoyed doing the
different projects related to their field of engineering because it
allowed them to have a hands-on approach and the opportunity to
experience it on a smaller scale.
Serena Coughenour, Guidance
McCants Middle School
The It’s A Girl Thing participants at Lakeside Middle School have
benefited from being exposed to female role models who have
achieved in math and science. They have also connected math and
science to careers and fostered the belief that I am a girl and I can
do it!
Robin Cathey, GCDF
Guidance Counselor
Lakeside Middle School
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SUPPORT