Transcript Political Advocacy Workshop

Science Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics Education
Needs, Initiatives and Concerns
Francis Eberle
National Science Teachers Association
Robotic Caucus Briefing
Sept 22, 2011
S&E Job Market: Job Growth 1950-2007
by occupation (in millions)
(STEM Education Data and Trends, National Science Board)
Earnings in S&T and Related Occupations
2007
(STEM Education Data and Trends, National Science Board)
Third International Mathematics and
Science Study
TIMSS scores show
American students
compared to their
peers in countries
worldwide in math
and science
achievement
Expanding Underrepresented Minority
Participation: America’s Science and Technology
Talent at the Crossroads
Underrepresented minority groups comprised 28.5
percent of our national population in 2006, yet just 9.1
percent of college-educated Americans in science
and engineering occupations
(academic and nonacademic).
NRC, 2011
This suggests the proportion of
underrepresented minorities in S&E
would need to triple to match
their share of the overall U.S.
population
NAEP Science at Grades 4, 8, and 12
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Grade4
White
Hispanic
American Indian/Native Alaska
Average scores in NAEP 2009
Grade 8
Black
Asian/Pacific Islander
Grade 12
Elementary Teacher Preparation and
Confidence
K-5 Multi-Subject Teachers Perception of Content Preparedness
Not adequately prepared --> Only somewhat prepared Prepared --> Very well prepared
120%
Percentage
100%
80%
58%
60%
80%
97%
97%
40%
42%
20%
0%
20%
3%
3%
Math (n=605)
Language Arts
(n=606)
Social Studies
(n=605)
Subject Area
Bay Area Consortium for Improving Science Education
Science (n=606)
42% of
teachers do
not feel
prepared to
teach
science
STEM Perceptions: Student & Parent Study
STEM College Students: How Well Did Your K–12
Education Prepare You for College?
What did your school do to
help prepare you?
“AP courses were offered at my high
school so I was able to gain a good
foundation in Calculus and Physics.”
“My schools prepared me for college
workloads by sometimes giving college
entry level work. Also quite often we
would be given opportunities to take a
college course or something of that sort.”
Females in
STEM are more
likely than males
to say they were
extremely/wellprepared
(64% vs. 49%)
What could your school have
done to better prepare you?
Parent Rating of K–12 STEM Prep
Grade
Total Parents
A
28%
B
41%
C
22%
D
7%
F
3%
“More in-depth curriculum.”
“Offer more AP courses and also more
opportunities for hands-on experience and
programs with each field.”
Average Grade: B
“More application, less theory.”
Harris Poll/Microsoft : College Students: n=500, Parents of Child in Grades K–12: n=854
STEM Perceptions: Student & Parent Study
Parents: What Is Your Child’s Favorite
Subject in School?
Average Age
INTEREST Began
8.2
STEM Students: When Did You
DECIDE You Wanted to Study STEM?
7.2
7.5
*
*
*
*
*
6.3
4.9
5.5
9.4
5.2
N/A
Harris Poll/Microsoft: College Students: n=500, Parents of Child in Grades K–12: n=854
“All of you understand it will take far more than the work of
government. It will take all of us. It will take all of you. And
so today I want to challenge you to use your love and
knowledge of science to spark the same sense of wonder
and excitement in a new generation.”
--President Obama, speaking to the National Academy of Science, April 27th, 2009
Educate to Innovate
 Public/private partnerships w/ both $ and in kind
contributions ($700m)
 Reach 10M students with hands-on learning
 Emphasis on STEM programs
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Time Warner Cable’s “Connect a Million Minds” Campaign
Discovery Communications’ “Be the Future” Campaign
Sesame Street’s Early STEM Literacy Initiative
National STEM Game Design Competitions
National Lab Day
Intel’s Science and Math Teachers Initiative
Expansion of the National Math and Science Initiative’s UTeach Program
Public University Presidents Commit to Train 10,000 Math and Science Teachers Annually by 2015
The PBS Innovative Educators Challenge
Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships in Math and Science
NASA’s “Summer of Innovation” Enrichment Program
Department of Education’s Teacher Initiatives
Youth Inspired Challenge with 350 science centers and science museums
Transforming Libraries and Museums into 21st Century Learning Labs
National STEM Video Game Challenge
Raytheon’s New STEM Tool for State Policymakers.
National Math Science Initiative’s (NMSI) To Assist Military Families
Nature Publishing’s “Bridge to Science” Program for Parents and Scientists
HP Efforts to Bring Passions of Scientists and Engineers into Classrooms
Change the Equation: CEO of Major Companies
White House STEM Events
Presidents Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology
 Recruit and train 100,000 great STEM teachers over

the next decade
 Recognize and reward the top 5 percent of the Nation’s STEM teachers,
by creating a STEM master teachers corps
 Create 1,000 new STEM-focused schools over the next decade
 Use technology to drive innovation, in part by creating an advanced
research projects agency—modeled on the famously innovative Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)—for education
 Create opportunities for inspiration through individual and group
experiences outside the classroom
• Support the current state-led movement for shared standards in math
and science
President Obama American Jobs Act


$25 billion investment in school infrastructure that
will modernize at least 35,000 public schools.
Funds could be used for a range of emergency repair
and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency
upgrades, asbestos abatement and removal, and
modernization efforts to build new science and computer
labs and to upgrade technology in schools (emphasis
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added).
$5 billion investment in modernizing community colleges.
$30 billion investment to prevent layoffs of up to
280,000 teachers nationwide.
Digital Promise Initiative
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A new national center founded to spur breakthrough
technologies that can help transform the way teachers
teach and students learn.
It will advance breakthrough technologies that can help
transform teaching and learning through research and
development with private-sector investment in learning
technology.
Next Generation of Science Standards
The Conceptual Framework Science Education
Implications:
 Integration of the 3 elements

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
Core Ideas
Cross Cutting Concepts
Scientific Practices
 Engineering Design
The Next Generation Science Standards
 Targeted for completion in Dec 2012
 20 State Partners
Next Generation Science and
Engineering Standards: Timeline
www.nextgenscience.org
Successful K-12 STEM Education: Identifying
Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics
Key recommendation: State, national, and local
policymakers should elevate science education in grades K-12
to the same level of importance as reading and mathematics
Key elements of high-quality STEM education:
 A coherent set of standards and curriculum.
 Teachers with high capacity to teach in their
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discipline.
A supportive system of assessment and
accountability.
Adequate instructional time for science.
Equal access to high-quality STEM learning opportunities.
School conditions and cultures that support learning.
STEM Learning in Afterschool: An
Analysis of Impact and Outcomes
 Afterschool programs improve access to the STEM fields
for a diverse group of learners.
 High-quality afterschool STEM programs are yielding
STEM-specific benefits in three broad categories:
 improved attitudes toward STEM fields and careers;
 increased STEM knowledge and skills;
 increased likelihood of graduation and pursuing a
STEM career.
Administration’s STEM Request for
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act Reauthorization
 The Administration proposes to eliminate the
current Math and Science Partnerships at ED, a
targeted program where every state gets
funding
 Create Effective Teaching and Learning: STEM
program, funded at $260m. These would
provide competitive grants to states for
STEM programs.
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act and STEM

Senators are introducing education bills and this
legislation could be amended as an ESEA base
bill.
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Franken: Master Teacher Corps
Begich: Effective STEM Teaching and Learning
Shaheen: Innovation Inspiration School Grants
Udall: STEM 2 bill
Gillibrand: Engineering Bill
In the House, no specific legislation deals with
STEM education
Thoughts for Policymakers’ Next Steps
 Include Science in the Accountability System
 Expand and Strengthen State Grants for STEM
Initiatives
 Create Effective Teachers by Dedicating Funding
for Teacher Professional Development
 Support the Implementation of Common Core
and the Next Generation Science Standards
 Highest possible funding for STEM Program