Future Workforce: NSF's Advanced Technological Education Program Celebrates 20 Years of Connecting Students with STEM Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Madeline

2014-01-01

With the leadership of community college educators and their industry partners, the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has achieved an impressive record of incubating innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. ATE's mission to increase the quality of technicians working…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education: Strategic Planning Needed to Better Manage Overlapping Programs across Multiple Agencies. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-12-108

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, George A.

2012-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs help to enhance the nation's global competitiveness. Many federal agencies have been involved in administering these programs. Concerns have been raised about the overall effectiveness and efficiency of STEM education programs. GAO examined (1) the number of federal…

NSF Programs That Support Research in the Two-Year College Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, V.; Ryan, J. G.; Singer, J.

2011-12-01

The National Science Foundation recognizes the significant role provided by two-year institutions in providing high quality STEM courses to large numbers of students. For some students the STEM courses completed while attending a two-year institution represent the only STEM courses a student may take; for others the courses serve as the foundation to continue on into a STEM major at a four-year institution; and some students complete STEM courses that lead directly into the workforce. Several programs in the Division of Undergraduate Research, including the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP), and the Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES) program, support the inclusion of student research experiences at two-year institutions. Information about these programs and examples of successful funded projects will be provided. Resources for faculty considering applying for support will be shared with special attention to a faculty development program designed to help faculty learn about funding opportunities and prepare proposals for submission to the TUES and ATE programs.

Analysis of a STEM Education Professional Development Conference for Pre-Service Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardrict-Ewing, Gloria

2017-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are attracting increased attention in education. The iSTEM 2017 conference was a professional development program designed to acquaint pre-service teachers with interdisciplinary, research-based STEM instructional strategies that can transform traditional classroom instruction…

NASA GISS Climate Change Research Initiative: A Multidisciplinary Vertical Team Model for Improving STEM Education by Using NASA's Unique Capabilities.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearce, M. D.

2017-12-01

CCRI is a year-long STEM education program designed to bring together teams of NASA scientists, graduate, undergraduate and high school interns and high school STEM educators to become immersed in NASA research focused on atmospheric and climate changes in the 21st century. GISS climate research combines analysis of global datasets with global models of atmospheric, land surface, and oceanic processes to study climate change on Earth and other planetary atmospheres as a useful tool in assessing our general understanding of climate change. CCRI interns conduct research, gain knowledge in assigned research discipline, develop and present scientific presentations summarizing their research experience. Specifically, CCRI interns write a scientific research paper explaining basic ideas, research protocols, abstract, results, conclusion and experimental design. Prepare and present a professional presentation of their research project at NASA GISS, prepare and present a scientific poster of their research project at local and national research symposiums along with other federal agencies. CCRI Educators lead research teams under the direction of a NASA GISS scientist, conduct research, develop research based learning units and assist NASA scientists with the mentoring of interns. Educators create an Applied Research STEM Curriculum Unit Portfolio based on their research experience integrating NASA unique resources, tools and content into a teacher developed unit plan aligned with the State and NGSS standards. STEM Educators also Integrate and implement NASA unique units and content into their STEM courses during academic year, perform community education STEM engagement events, mentor interns in writing a research paper, oral research reporting, power point design and scientific poster design for presentation to local and national audiences. The CCRI program contributes to the Federal STEM Co-STEM initiatives by providing opportunities, NASA education resources and programing that improve STEM instruction, increase and sustain youth and public engagement in STEM, enhance STEM experience of undergraduate students, better serve groups under-represented groups in STEM fields and design graduate education for tomorrow's STEM workforce.

The Single Sex Debate for Girls in Science: a Comparison Between Two Informal Science Programs on Middle School Students' STEM Identity Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Roxanne M.; Nzekwe, Brandon; Molyneaux, Kristen J.

2013-10-01

Currently, there are policy debates regarding the efficacy and legality of single sex formal and informal education programs. This issue is particularly poignant in science education due to the historical marginalization of women in these fields. This marginalization has resulted in women being positioned as a stigmatized group within many science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields. Research points to adolescence as the age where this sense of marginalization begins to develop. As a result, policy responses have utilized various frameworks such as: increased access for women, changing pedagogy to address women's learning styles, changing the language and culture of science to prevent marginalization of stigmatized groups, and finally exploring the role that individual identity plays in the marginalization of women. This study adds to the policy debate as it applies to single sex education by comparing middle school participants' STEM identity formation during two informal science learning environments (an all girls' STEM camp and a co-educational STEM camp). Additionally, this study focuses on the influence of camp activities within two informal science education programs: particularly the provision of role models and authentic STEM research activities, as means to improve STEM identity and make these fields relevant to the lives of middle school students. The results indicate that both camps improved girls' STEM identities. These findings suggest that the single sex environment is not as important to STEM identity as the pedagogy used within the program.

"Educate to Innovate": How the Obama Plan for STEM Education Falls Short. Backgrounder. No. 2504

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lindsey M.; McNeill, Jena Baker

2011-01-01

President Obama's Educate to Innovate initiative has provided billions in additional federal funding for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs across the country. The Administration's recognition of the importance of STEM education-- for global competitiveness as well as for national security--is good and…

Effect of Out-of-School Time STEM Education Programs: Implications for Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talbot, Harry A.

Today's world requires greater STEM knowledge for employment and understanding of emerging issues. A predicted 3 million jobs will be created in STEM-related fields but the percentage of earned STEM-related degrees is diminishing. A lack of progress in STEM education for American students is most pronounced among females who make up 48% of the workforce and 24% of STEM employees. A lack of STEM interest among students is compounded by limited time in the school day for STEM topics, lack of teacher confidence in teaching STEM, and a lack of professional development. This study examines the impact of Out-of-School-Time (OST) programs on knowledge acquisition and attitudes toward STEM topics by gender. Program content was delivered by undergraduate pre-teacher candidates and undergraduate STEM majors, using a structured, hands-on engineering program developed for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Monthly professional development was provided to OST staff by NASA content specialists and instructors from Fresno State University. A repeated-measures design analyzed group differences across three points in time: prior to the start of instruction (pretest), immediately following the end of instruction (posttest), and 60 days following (post posttest). A within-group comparison measured posttest and post-post-test changes for each gender. Program students included in the study participated for at least 12 of the 24 program hours offered and completed all three assessments. The findings showed that STEM knowledge acquisition advanced at similar levels for both genders. These results were consistent with the existing research. Findings related to attitudes toward STEM topics showed that female students did not change over time but males students' interest lessened over time. These findings did not support the current research in this area. Recommendations for practice include developing programs that focus on gender differentiated learning styles, linking pre-service teachers with undergraduate STEM majors in the delivery of OST STEM content and skill development, and creating an environment that links the regular day school programs, OST programs, family, media,and cultural institutions to support STEM education. Universities should also play a leading role in the training of future teachers and STEM-field practitioners.

The Learning and Educational Capital of Male and Female Students in STEM Magnet Schools and in Extracurricular STEM Programs: A Study in High-Achiever-Track Secondary Schools in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoeger, Heidrun; Greindl, Teresa; Kuhlmann, Johanna; Balestrini, Daniel Patrick

2017-01-01

Magnet schools focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as well as extracurricular programs in STEM support talented students and help increase their participation rates in those domains. We examined whether and the extent to which the learning and educational capital of male and female students (N = 801) enrolled in…

Simple Activities for Powerful Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaConte, K.; Shupla, C. B.; Dusenbery, P.; Harold, J. B.; Holland, A.

2016-12-01

STEM education is having a transformational impact on libraries across the country. The STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) provides free Science-Technology Activities & Resources that are helping libraries to engage their communities in STEM learning experiences. Hear the results of a national 2015 survey of library and STEM professionals and learn what STEM programming is currently in place in public libraries and how libraries approach and implement STEM programs. Experience hands-on space science activities that are being used in library programs with multiple age groups. Through these hands-on activities, learners explore the nature of science and employ science and engineering practices, including developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, and engaging in argument from evidence (NGSS Lead States, 2013). Learn how STAR_Net can help you print (free!) mini-exhibits and educator guides. Join STAR_Net's online community and access STEM resources and webinars to work with libraries in your local community.

Investigating the criteria and processes used in the selection, implementation, and evaluation of STEM within K-12 education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delp, Matthew J.

This study utilized survey research to investigate how school districts within K-12 education select, implement, and evaluate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. Thirty school districts within the Math and Science Collaborative located in Western Pennsylvania participated in this research. In addition to characterizing the STEM programs of the participating school districts, this study also analyzed the alignment of these programs to the components of comprehensive STEM programs and critical approaches to substantiate STEM program implementation as stated in the literature (Augustine, 2005; Bybee, 2010a, 2010b; Carnevale et al., 2011; DeJarnette, 2010; Epstein & Miller, 2011b; Gardner et al., 1983; Hossain & Robinson, 2011, 2012; Kuenzi, 2008). Findings suggest that the primary goal for school districts, as it relates to STEM program implementation, is to influence students' interest and pursuit of STEM-related careers and degrees. In order to achieve this goal, results of this study indicate the focus of STEM program implementation occurs with the greatest frequency at the middle school (grades seven and eight) level, are developed as an adaptation to the curriculum, and are very diverse from one school district to the next. In addition, findings suggest that although school districts maintain they aim to promote careers and degrees in STEM, districts rely on traditional methods of evaluating STEM program implementation (i.e. standardized test scores) and do not track the longitudinal impact their STEM programs as they related to degrees and careers in STEM. Furthermore, results indicate district STEM programs are not aligned to the characteristics of comprehensive STEM programs as defined by the literature. In order to address the misalignment of school district goals and evaluation processes involved in STEM program implementation and the absence of the characteristics commensurate with comprehensive STEM programs, this study has created a framework to guide school districts in STEM program selection, implementation, and evaluation.

STEM Professional Volunteers in K-12 Competition Programs: Educator Practices and Impact on Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zintgraff, Alfred Clifton

2016-01-01

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist…

The Education and Public Outreach Plan for UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glesener, G. B.; Jewitt, D. C.; Curren, I. S.

2012-12-01

Increasing the number and diversity of students pursuing and completing STEM education is a crucial part of UCLA's Institute for Planets and Exoplanets (iPLEX)'s goal of promoting research on planetary systems around the sun and other stars. Cultivating students' interest and success in STEM subject areas from K-12 to the bachelor's degree is an important factor in student retention. As they pursue a bachelor's degree in a STEM major, many become discouraged and decide not to finish with this type of degree; women, underrepresented minorities (URM), and students of low socioeconomic status (SES) have the highest attrition rates (Bayer 2010). Focusing primarily on students at the high school and community college levels, our education and public outreach plan utilizes the multidisciplinary science of astrobiology as a resource for building stronger learning environments in STEM education. By implementing formal education programs that encourage and foster student learning in STEM fields, we intend to (1) increase the efficiency with which students move from high school into STEM-related undergraduate programs, (2) improve the corresponding transfer rate from community colleges to advanced degree programs in STEM at the 4-year university level, and (3) create more opportunities for students to become involved in meaningful research as they progress in their studies. To ensure the success of these programs, we will partner with teachers from local high schools and community colleges, and UCLA's Center X. By being geographically located in Los Angeles County, having one of the highest URM populations in the United States (US Census Bureau, 2007), and partnering with Hampton University (HU) in Virginia, whose student body is 91% African American, we are in a position to make a large impact on diversity. To further ensure the success of our EPO, an independent evaluator will measure and track the following program objectives: increase (1) post-secondary STEM enrollment; (2) community college student transfer rates into four-year universities as STEM majors; (3) science knowledge and effective pedagogical practices for high school and community college teachers; and (4) collaboration between UCLA astrobiology scientists, high school teachers, and community college instructors. Building stronger learning environments for STEM students should result in higher retention rates through the various academic transitions toward the bachelor's, increasing the probability of graduation. Educating the community informally is also important for cultivating students' interest and success in STEM education. In the informal education part of our EPO plan, we will partner with Astronomy Without Borders (AWB) to disseminate planetary and astronomical results to the public, contribute to a series of public astrobiology talks at The Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, and participate in the Exploring Your Universe / UCLA Science Day event held every year to bring science to the community. Helping young learners achieve success in STEM education through EPO programs that afford meaningful STEM experiences is the ultimate goal of UCLA's iPLEX EPO plan. We hope to make a significant impact on our community and build upon the efforts of our colleagues in STEM education to increase the retention of students pursuing degrees in STEM fields.

Where Is the "E" in STEM for Young Children? Engineering Design Education in an Elementary Teacher Preparation Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiFrancesca, Daniell; Lee, Carrie; McIntyre, Ellen

2014-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives in the United States have surged as the demand for high-quality STEM education has escalated (Nadelson, Callahan, Pyke, Hay, & Schrader, 2009; Parry, 2011). The goal of this article is to present a description of how one STEM-focused elementary teacher preparation…

Utilization-focused evaluation of a STEM enrichment program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Sally

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact and utilization of a STEM enrichment program (hereafter referred to as The Program). The Program consisted of two parts. First an educator resource center provided free educational materials throughout The Program’s home state. The second part of The Program was a network of education specialists who provided professional development for teachers, modeled lessons with students, and provided presentations for the general public. The problem addressed by this study was a lack of knowledge regarding the impact of The Program. The Program’s director requested a utilization-focused program evaluation to answer thirteen questions. Questions covered Program impact for five areas: overall impact on teachers, overall impact on students, overall impact of materials, overall impact of Program personnel, and overall impact on STEM education. A mixed-methods case study was designed to gather data. Quantitative data included Program archival data regarding the number of contacts and a survey distributed to teachers who had used The Program’s services on at least one occasion. Qualitative data included written comments gathered from the teacher surveys, seven teacher focus groups, and four Program personnel interviews. Data found an overall positive Program impact in all five areas. Both quantitative and qualitative data showed favorable perceptions by teachers and Program personnel. It is not known if data from this case study can be generalized to other STEM enrichment programs. Future research might include a study to determine if The Program’s model could be used to generate new STEM enrichment programs.

Tested Tools and Techniques for Promoting STEM Programming in Libraries: Fifteen Years of the Lunar and Planetary Institute's Explore Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaConte, K.; Shipp, S.; Shupla, C.; Shaner, A.; Buxner, S.; Canipe, M.; Jaksha, A.

2015-11-01

Libraries are evolving to serve the changing needs of their communities—and many now encompass science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming. For 15 years, the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) has partnered with library staff to create over 100 hands-on Earth and space science and engineering activities. In-person and online librarian training has prepared a vibrant network of over 1000 informal educators. Program evaluation has shown that Explore! training increases participants' knowledge, and that participants actively use Explore! materials and feel more prepared to offer science and engineering experiences and more comfortable using related resources. Through training, participants become more committed to providing and advocating for science and engineering programming. Explore! serves as a model for effective product development and training practices for serving library staff, increasingly our partners in the advancement of STEM education. Specific approaches and tools that contributed to the success of Explore! are outlined here for adoption by community STEM experts—including professionals and hobbyists in STEM fields and STEM educators who are seeking to share their passion and experience with others through partnerships with libraries.

STEM Education in the United States: Selected Web Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Eileen G.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this webliography is to provide an overview of STEM education in the U.S. It provides easy access to research and best practices in the field, as well as specific programs, activities, and lesson plans that formal and informal educators can implement. The webliography also includes links to advocacy programs and resources for…

An Informal Science Education Program's Impact on STEM Major and STEM Career Outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habig, Bobby; Gupta, Preeti; Levine, Brian; Adams, Jennifer

2018-04-01

While there is extensive evidence that STEM careers can be important pathways for augmenting social mobility and for increasing individual prestige, many youth perceive a STEM trajectory as an unattractive option. In the USA, women and members of historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups continue to be underrepresented across STEM disciplines. One vehicle for generating and sustaining interest in STEM is providing youth long-term access to informal science education (ISE) institutions. Here, we incorporate triangulation methods, collecting and synthesizing both qualitative and quantitative data, to examine how participation in a longitudinal ISE out-of-school time (OST) program facilitated by the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) impacted the STEM trajectories of 66 alumni. Findings revealed that 83.2% of alumni engaged in a STEM major, and 63.1% in a STEM career, the majority whom were females and/or members of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Based on interviews with a purposeful sample of 21 AMNH alumni, we identified four program design principles that contributed to persistence in STEM: (1) affording multiple opportunities to become practitioners of science; (2) providing exposure to and repeated experiences with STEM professionals such as scientists, educators, and graduate students to build social networks; (3) furnishing opportunities for participants to develop shared science identities with like-minded individuals; and (4) offering exposure to and preparation for a variety of STEM majors and STEM careers so that youth can engage in discovering possible selves. These findings support our central thesis that long-term engagement in ISE OST programs fosters persistence in STEM.

Preparing Women for Leadership Roles in STEM: The HERS Institutes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straub, K. H.

2016-12-01

While women's representation in higher education has increased at the undergraduate and graduate levels, female voices remain in the minority in upper administrative positions, particularly in STEM fields. The HERS Institutes prepare women faculty and administrators for leadership roles through either residential (2 week, summer) or mixed on-site and online (academic year) programs. Topics addressed through the HERS curriculum include managing and leading change, the financial environment of higher education, diversity and inclusion, career mapping, fundraising, the legal landscape, institutional budgeting, negotiation, search essentials, conflict management, and much more. Female experts in each field lead interactive sessions and discussions, and are available for one-on-one conversations during breaks and meals. Through a grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, HERS has created opportunities for women in STEM fields to receive scholarships to the Institutes through the Claire Booth Luce (CBL) Program. In addition, the Institutes now support a larger cohort of STEM participants through targeted programming and networking events. Of the 64 participants in the 2016 Bryn Mawr Institute, 21 women were from STEM fields. These women participated in additional programs and expert-led discussions including "The Future of Research in Higher Education," "Supporting Careers of Women in STEM," and "Inclusive Excellence in STEM." An additional component of the CBL Program is the creation of a HERS STEM Community to enhance networking, mentoring, information sharing, and opportunities for gathering at professional conferences among HERS alumnae.

STEM Education: Attracting and Retaining Female Students in Secondary STEM programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruff, Zachary A.

This narrative case study examines a high achieving STEM based high school and its ability to attract, retains, and engage female students. Given the recent importance placed on STEM graduates and STEM careers it is important for schools to understand how they can engage traditionally underserved minorities in STEM fields. The research used a series of semi-structured interviews in an attempt to understand the point of view of the female student participants to try to comprehend the factors that allowed one school to not only attract female students to its program, but also to retain them and keep them engaged throughout their education.

STEM Learning in Afterschool: An Analysis of Impact and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2011

2011-01-01

This document summarizes evaluation reports from afterschool science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs across the United States and identifies common trends and strengths that afterschool learning brings to STEM education. Like many programs nationwide, several of the programs highlighted in this paper were designed specifically to…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Directors' Experiences with CTE's Contributions to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nkhata, Bentry

2013-01-01

In spite of the large overlap in the goals of CTE and STEM education, there is little evidence of the role(s) CTE delivery systems, programs, curricula, or pedagogical strategies can play in advancing STEM education. Because of their responsibilities, especially for organizational and instructional leadership, school district CTE directors could…

Educational Robots in Primary School Teachers' and Students' Opinion about STEM Education for Young Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyrnova-Trybulska, Eugenia; Morze, Nataliia; Kommers, Piet; Zuziak, Wojciech; Gladun, Mariia

2016-01-01

The article discusses issues related to STEM education; it is emphasized that the need to prepare students with twenty-first-century skills through STEM-related teaching is strong, especially at the elementary level. The authors stress that workshops, using kits to build and program robots, are a modern form of interdisciplinary education of…

Facilitating Classroom Innovation in the Geosciences Through the NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (TUES) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, J.; Ryan, J. G.

2012-12-01

The Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (TUES) program seeks to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all undergraduate students. Activities supported by the TUES program include the creation, adaptation, and dissemination of learning materials and teaching strategies, development of faculty expertise, implementation of educational innovations, and research on STEM teaching and learning. The TUES program especially encourages projects that have the potential to transform undergraduate STEM education and active dissemination and building a community of users are critical components of TUES projects. To raise awareness about the TUES program and increase both the quality and quantity of proposals submitted by geoscientists to the program, information sessions and proposal writing retreats are being conducted. Digital resources developed especially for the geosciences community are available at www.buffalostate.edu/RTUGeoEd to share information about the TUES program and the many ways this NSF program supports innovation in geoscience education. This presentation also addresses identified impediments to submitting a TUES proposal and strategies for overcoming reasons discouraging geoscientists from preparing a proposal and/or resubmitting a declined proposal.

Exploring Student Engagement in STEM Education: An Examination of STEM Schools, STEM Programs, and Traditional Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franco, M. Suzanne; Patel, Nimisha H.

2017-01-01

High school students' perceptions and experiences regarding student engagement were investigated using 32 focus group sessions across 4 different types of STEM education settings in 2 metropolitan areas in the Midwest. Students' understandings and experiences related to student engagement were reflected via 5 categories: students' thinking of…

An Assessment of Educational Benefits from the OpenOrbiter Space Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straub, Jeremy; Whalen, David

2013-01-01

This paper analyzes the educational impact of the OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative, a CubeSat development program underway at the University of North Dakota. OpenOrbiter includes traditional STEM activities (e.g., spacecraft engineering, software development); it also incorporates students from non-STEM disciplines not generally…

Industry and Extension Partnership to Enhance STEM and Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Brian T.; Wilkinson, Carol A.; Shepherd, Pamela J.; Gray, Paula

2015-01-01

STEM education has become essential in the United States, and agriculture allows for a great opportunity to teach STEM education in a fun, hands-on manner. The Virginia Southern Piedmont Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SPAREC), in partnership with King Arthur Flour, has created a program that reinforces what is taught in the classroom…

Developing STEM Leaders Through Space Science Education and Public Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs, M. G.; Veenstra, D.

2012-08-01

Capitol College, located in Laurel, Maryland, established the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach with the mission to assist in educating future leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This presentation shares emerging best practices through innovative methods to create awareness regarding STEM outreach programs and activities related workforce development and career pathways.

African-American Female Students and STEM: Principals' Leadership Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampson, Kristin Morgan

As the U.S. becomes more diverse, school leaders, major corporations, and areas of national defense continue to investigate science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education issues. African-American female students have historically been underrepresented in STEM fields, yet educational leadership research, examining this population is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how principals support African-American female students in schools with a STEM program. The Critical Race Theory (CRT)was used as a theoretical framework to highlight the inadequacies to support educational inequalities. The application of the CRT in this study is due to the embedded inequality practices within the educational system, that have resulted in the underrepresentation of African-American female students in STEM. To complement CRT, the transformative leadership model was also utilized to examine the emancipatory leadership practices principals utilized. These theories framed the context of this study by recognizing the need to address how support is actualized to African-American female students in STEM by their principals. A case study approach was an appropriate method to answer the two research questions, 1) How do principals feel they support African-American female students in their STEM programs? and 2) What practices do principals engage in that support underrepresented students in STEM? This approach intended to uncover how a principal leads a multifaceted population of underrepresented students in STEM programs. Two principals of STEM schools, where more than 50% of the population were African-American, were interviewed and observed completing daily operations at community-wide events. The STEM Coordinators and a teacher were also interviewed, and test scores were examined to provide further information about the STEM program, and public records were obtained to analyze the principals' means of communication. I found that principals supported African-American female students by engaging the community, and exhibiting leadership practices that align with the school culture. The results of this research bring voice to principals who lead schools with thriving STEM programs with majority African American female students. Leaders that exhibit transformative leadership practices by acknowledging race, and recognizing obstacles students of color face, support negating color-blinding ideologies that could impede the progress of all students.

Pre-Engineering Program: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-29

educators in the Urbana-Champaign area. 15. SUBJECT TERMS STEM: science, technology , engineering, mathematics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 19a. NAME...9132T-13-1-0002 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Pre-Engineering Program: Science, Technology , Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER N...project was focused on underserved children in grades 1-6 who need, but have limited access to, out-of-school time STEM (science, technology

Adapting a robotics program to enhance participation and interest in STEM among children with disabilities: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lindsay, Sally; Hounsell, Kara Grace

2017-10-01

Youth with disabilities are under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in school and in the workforce. One encouraging approach to engage youth's interest in STEM is through robotics; however, such programs are mostly for typically developing youth. The purpose of this study was to understand the development and implementation of an adapted robotics program for children and youth with disabilities and their experiences within it. Our mixed methods pilot study (pre- and post-workshop surveys, observations, and interviews) involved 41 participants including: 18 youth (aged 6-13), 12 parents and 11 key informants. The robotics program involved 6, two-hour workshops held at a paediatric hospital. Our findings showed that several adaptations made to the robotics program helped to enhance the participation of children with disabilities. Adaptations addressed the educational/curriculum, cognitive and learning, physical and social needs of the children. In regards to experiences within the adapted hospital program, our findings highlight that children enjoyed the program and learned about computer programming and building robots. Clinicians and educators should consider engaging youth with disabilities in robotics to enhance learning and interest in STEM. Implications for Rehabilitation Clinicians and educators should consider adapting curriculum content and mode of delivery of LEGO ® robotics programs to include youth with disabilities. Appropriate staffing including clinicians and educators who are knowledgeable about youth with disabilities and LEGO ® robotics are needed. Clinicians should consider engaging youth with disabilities in LEGO ® to enhance learning and interest in STEM.

75 FR 20007 - Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

... Foundation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and human resources... Broadening Participation--Undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM). III. Discussion of Graduate Education/Career Development Programs. IV. Collaborations with the Department of...

Community College Pathways to the STEM Workforce: What Are They, Who Follows Them, and How?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Noy, Michelle; Zeidenberg, Matthew

2017-01-01

This chapter describes community college STEM programs, including transfer-oriented science and engineering (S&E) programs and workforce-oriented technician programs, and the characteristics and educational pathways of the students who enroll in these programs.

"They Sit Selfishly." Beginning STEM Educators' Expectations of Young Adolescent Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Robert; DiCicco, Mike; Sabella, Laura

2017-01-01

To meet the demand for certified math and science teachers, alternative certification programs attempt to provide fast-track training and licensure of STEM-area educators (Goldhaber, Kreig, Theobald, & Brown, 2014). Teachers prepared in programs with a middle level specialization have been shown to participate in effective practices such as…

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics pre-college outreach program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bering, E. A.; Bacon, L.; Copper, K. K.; Hansen, L. J.; Sanchez, M. J.

2008-12-01

Many United States, school children perceive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as difficult, boring and often irrelevant subjects. The possible reasons for this problem are endlessly debated. However, the economic, social, and overall national importance of producing graduates who are technically literate and enthusiastic in their support of a rational scientific world is essential to our nation. This apparent STEM crisis should motivate the many scientific and engineering societies to develop STEM outreach programs aimed at students, parents, teachers and schools (grades K-12). The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is among those organizations that have identified the need to educate students and teachers about STEM current events and their direct effects on the United States population in a way that motivates both. The AIAA has established a pre-college outreach program that has several major elements that will be described in this paper. Elements focused on the teachers include a pre-college Educator Associate Membership program, classroom grants to support hands-on learning activities, Educator of the Year awards and recognition program and two national workshop events. The first workshop event, Passport to the Future, is held annually in conjunction with the Joint Propulsion Conference. It is intended to provide summertime training in Aerospace science education to classroom teachers, in conjunction with a national professional conference. The second workshop, Education Alley, is held in the fall in conjunction with the “Space” series of conferences. This program is aimed at direct outreach to local students in the conference host city, providing fun, interesting, and educational events that promote STEM. The AIAA also encourages and supports pre-college outreach activities sponsored by the local AIAA sections through leadership training, activity and material support.

STEM professional volunteers in K-12 competition programs: Educator practices and impact on pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zintgraff, Alfred Clifton

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist approach sought new knowledge without pursuing generalized results. Review of the literature uncovered extensive anecdotal information about current practices, and suggested that large investments are made in engaging volunteers. One National Science Foundation-sponsored study was identified, and its recommendations for a sustained research agenda were advanced. Three study phases were performed, one to explore practices and operationalize definitions, a second to rate practice's importance and their relation to pedagogy, and a third to seek explanations. Educators preferred recruiting local, meaning recruiting parents and former students, versus from industry or other employers. Most educators preferred volunteers with mentoring skills, and placing them in direct contact with students, versus deploying volunteers to help with behind-the-scenes tasks supporting the educator. Relationships were identified between the highest-rated practices and constructivism in programs. In STEM professional volunteers, educators see affordances, in the same way a classroom tool opens affordances. A model is proposed which shows educators considering practicality, pedagogy, knowledge and skills, and rapport when accessing the affordances opened by STEM professional volunteers. Benefits are maximized when programs align with strong industry clusters in the community.

Pursuit of stem enrollment in high school and higher education for Latino and Caucasian students with disabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Laurel Ann

This study examined course enrollments for female and male Latino and Caucasian students with disabilities (SWD) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to establish baseline data in one region of the state of Washington. The study analyzed five academic years of STEM course enrollment in one high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) program and one comprehensive community college. The study uncovered the following findings: (a) Latino and Caucasian SWD STEM enrollment percentages were not significantly different in the high school CTE program, but were significantly different in the STEM program in the comprehensive community college; (b) more females enrolled in Science and males in Engineering than anticipated, (c) Mathematics had the smallest enrollment pattern by ethnicity and gender in both settings, and (d) more males than females enrolled in Technology courses in the comprehensive community college. This research suggests the use of universal design of learning, theory of mind, and the ecological learning theory to encourage STEM enrollment for students with disabilities. Keywords: Career and Technical Education (CTE), Caucasian, comprehensive community college, disability, enrollment, female, high school, Latino, male, STEM, student enrollment, and students with disabilities.

Innovations and Challenges in Project-Based STEM Education: Lessons from ITEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connors-Kellgren, Alice; Parker, Caroline E.; Blustein, David L.; Barnett, Mike

2016-12-01

For over a decade, the National Science Foundation's Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program has funded researchers and educators to build an understanding of best practices, contexts, and processes contributing to K-12 students' motivation and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities that lead to STEM career pathways. The outcomes from these projects have contributed significantly to the national body of knowledge about strategies, successes, models, and interventions that support and encourage youth to pursue STEM careers. While the individual projects discussed in this special issue vary by geographic location, institution, populations served, primary focus, and topic, they are unified by ITEST's programmatic intent and goals. This issue offers research-based insights into the knowledge generated by a decade of ITEST-funded work in STEM career development. The articles describe a multitude of approaches to project design, evaluation, and empirical research. Collectively, they contribute to the development of frameworks for STEM education and workforce development that are increasingly relevant for educators, project designers, researchers, and policy makers. The ITEST program has enabled creativity, experimentation, and cultural responsiveness in STEM education and workforce development and broadened participation in STEM initiatives to Native American communities, underresourced urban communities, girls, and populations underrepresented in STEM fields. By approaching research and evaluation with flexibility and resourcefulness, the authors provide empirical evidence for the value of innovative approaches to STEM education that promote STEM interest and career-related outcomes and that build the foundational skills of the scientific and engineering workforce of the future.

A New Era of Science Education: Science Teachers' Perceptions and Classroom Practices of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hui-Hui

Quality STEM education is the key in helping the United States maintain its lead in global competitiveness and in preparing for new economic and security challenges in the future. Policymakers and professional societies emphasize STEM education by legislating the addition of engineering standards to the existing science standards. On the other hand, the nature of the work of most STEM professionals requires people to actively apply STEM knowledge to make critical decisions. Therefore, using an integrated approach to teaching STEM in K-12 is expected. However, science teachers encounter numerous difficulties in adapting the new STEM integration reforms into their classrooms because of a lack of knowledge and experience. Therefore, high quality STEM integration professional development programs are an urgent necessity. In order to provide these high quality programs, it is important to understand teachers' perceptions and classroom practices regarding STEM integration. A multiple-case study was conducted with five secondary school science teachers in order to gain a better understanding of teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in using STEM integration. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) What are secondary school science teachers' practices of STEM integration? 2) What are secondary science teachers' overall perceptions of STEM integration? and 3) What is the connection between secondary science teachers' perceptions and understanding of STEM integration with their classroom practices? This research aims to explore teachers' perceptions and classroom practices in order to set up the baseline for STEM integration and also to determine STEM integration professional development best practices in science education. Findings from the study provide critical data for making informed decision about the direction for STEM integration in science education in K-12.

Shifting Expectations: Bringing STEM to Scale through Expanded Learning Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donner, Jessica; Wang, Yvonne

2013-01-01

Expanded learning opportunities, such as afterschool and summer programs, are particularly well positioned to help address science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education crisis. A large percentage of youth participating in afterschool programs are members of groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. Additionally,…

Diversifying the STEM Pipeline: The Model Replication Institutions Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullinane, Jenna

2009-01-01

In 2006, the National Science Foundation (NSF) began funding the Model Replication Institutions (MRI) program, which sought to improve the quality, availability, and diversity of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Faced with pressing national priorities in the STEM fields and chronic gaps in postsecondary…

Lessons Learned from Creation of an Exemplary STEM Unit for Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Matthew; Fulton, Lori

2017-01-01

Preparing students with 21st Century Skills through STEM related teaching is needed, especially at the elementary level. However, most teacher education preparation programs do not focus on STEM education. To provide an exemplary STEM unit, we transformed an inquiry-based unit on moon phases from a traditional science activity into a…

Recruitment of Early STEM Majors into Possible Secondary Science Teaching Careers: The Role of Science Education Summer Internships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgerding, Lisa A.

2015-01-01

A shortage of highly qualified math and science teachers pervades the U.S. public school system. Clearly, recruitment of talented STEM educators is critical. Previous literature offers many suggestions for how STEM teacher recruitment programs and participant selection should occur. This study investigates how early STEM majors who are not already…

An Educative, Values-Engaged Approach to Evaluating STEM Educational Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Jennifer C.; DeStefano, Lizanne; Burgon, Holli; Hall, Jori

2006-01-01

There is concern that the nation's schools are not preparing students to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. At both precollege and postsecondary levels, much effort is needed to create and implement powerful STEM curricula, prepare and support highly qualified teachers, deliver effective instruction, and give…

STEM Excellence and Leadership Program: Increasing the Level of STEM Challenge and Engagement for High-Achieving Students in Economically Disadvantaged Rural Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ihrig, Lori M.; Lane, Erin; Mahatmya, Duhita; Assouline, Susan G.

2018-01-01

High-achieving students in economically disadvantaged, rural schools lack access to advanced coursework necessary to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational and employment goals at the highest levels, contributing to the excellence gap. Out-of-school STEM programming offers one pathway to students' talent…

Diversifying the STEM Pipeline: Recommendations from the Model Replication Institutions Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Institute for Higher Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

Launched in 2006 to address issues of national competitiveness and equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, the National Science Foundation-funded Model Replication Institutions (MRI) program sought to improve the quality, availability, and diversity of STEM education. The project offered technical assistance to…

An Innovative Postsecondary Education Program for Students with Disabilities in STEM (Practice Brief)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Caroline; Shannon, David; McCullough, Brittany; Jenda, Overtoun; Qazi, Mohammed

2018-01-01

Careers in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields have many benefits, including decent salaries, a strong employment outlook, and high job satisfaction. Unfortunately, workers with disabilities are underrepresented in the STEM fields. This practice brief describes a program designed to support college students with…

InsightSTEM Campus Ambassadors: A Global Student Network to Promote Exploration in STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel-Storr, Jacob; InsightSTEM Campus Ambassadors

2016-06-01

InsightSTEM has the mission to democratize STEM knowledge worldwide. Here, we present our InsightSTEM Campus Ambassadors program, and our growing global network of students worldwide. Our Campus Ambassadors are committed to advancing their careers in STEM fields, and in promoting exploration in STEM education -- while developing education and outreach skills that they can use during their student years, and moving forwards in their careers. We discuss the challenges of operating a remote student network worldwide, including addressing the needs of students in many different settings, on every continent. We illustrate how we can capture the passions of STEM students in allowing others to explore STEM knowledge. We explain how we deliver "profession development" for our cadre students, and leave them with education and outreach skills that move beyond "showing up and giving a PowerPoint presentation" to developing strategies to really engage multiple audiences in the exploration of STEM knowledge.

Integrating STEM Place-Based, Culturally Responsive and Citizen Science Learning in Exploring the Impacts and Feedbacks of a Changing Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, E. B.; Spellman, K. V.; Fabbri, C.; Comiso, J. C.; Chase, M.; Fochesatto, G. J.; Butcher, C. E.; Jones, D.; Bacsujlaky, M.; Yoshikawa, K.; Gho, C. L.; Wegner, K.

2016-12-01

To build capacity in navigating challenges associated with a changing climate, learning in Arctic communities must not only increase STEM and climate change literacy, but also generate new knowledge as the rapid changes occur. Among the new NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education projects, Arctic and Earth SIGNs (STEM Integrating GLOBE and NASA assets) is providing opportunities for K-12 pre-service and in-service teachers, their students, and lifelong learners to engage in citizen science using the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) methods and culturally responsive learning to help address climate change challenges within their unique community, and contribute to hypothesis driven research. This project will weave traditional knowledge and western science, and use ground observations and satellite data and best teaching practices in STEM learning, supported through a NASA cooperative agreement and collaborative partnerships. Implementation will begin in rural Alaska and grow within Alaska and throughout the United States to reach underserved and STEM underrepresented populations, through face-to-face and on-line teaching and learning as well as building partnerships among educators, scientists, local and indigenous experts, institutions, agencies, and learning communities. Partners include research and teaching institutions at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Association of Interior Native Educators, the North Slope Borough School District and other school districts, the Kenaitze Tribe Environmental Education program, NASA science education and research programs as well as those of NOAA and NSF, the GLOBE Implementation Office, the 4-H program and others. The program resources and model will be shared and disseminated within the United States and globally through partners for local, national and worldwide use in STEM climate change education and citizen empowerment.

78 FR 37590 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

...: Program Evaluation of the Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM... Mathematics (S-STEM) Program, which operates within NSF's Division of Undergraduate Education. The evaluation...

Transforming a Traditional Inquiry-Based Science Unit into a STEM Unit for Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: A View from the Trenches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Matthew; Fulton, Lori

2016-01-01

The need to prepare students with twenty-first-century skills through STEM-related teaching is strong, especially at the elementary level. However, most teacher education preparation programs do not focus on STEM education. In an attempt to provide an exemplary model of a STEM unit, we used a rapid prototyping approach to transform an…

Promoting STEM Education through Mobile Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krishnamurthi, Murali; Richter, Stephanie

2013-01-01

The recruitment and retention of more students, especially women and minority students, into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs is a critical need in technologically advanced countries like the U.S. as there is expected to be shortage of qualified STEM graduates in the future. Educators have to find new ways to…

Connecting Urban Students with Engineering Design: Community-Focused, Student-Driven Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Carolyn; Kruchten, Catherine; Moshfeghian, Audrey

2017-01-01

The STEM Achievement in Baltimore Elementary Schools (SABES) program is a community partnership initiative that includes both in-school and afterschool STEM education for grades 3-5. It was designed to broaden participation and achievement in STEM education by bringing science and engineering to the lives of low-income urban elementary school…

Astronomy education awards in the IUSE:EHR portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kevin M.

2017-01-01

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) program that addresses immediate challenges and opportunities facing undergraduate STEM education. IUSE endeavors to support faculty as they incorporate educational research results into the classroom and advance our understanding of effective teaching and learning. Note that IUSE is an NSF-wide framework. This paper will focus upon IUSE:EHR - the IUSE program administered from NSF's Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) through the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE). Other branches of IUSE operating within this framework include IUSE:RED in the Engineering Directorate and IUSE:GEOPATHS in the Geosciences Directorate.

Assessing the Impact of a Multi-Disciplinary Peer-Led-Team Learning Program on Undergraduate STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Kerri; Celotta, Dayius Turvold; Curran, Erin; Marcus, Mithra; Loe, Melissa

2016-01-01

There has been a national call to transition away from the traditional, passive, lecture-based model of STEM education towards one that facilitates learning through active engagement and problem solving. This mixed-methods research study examines the impact of a supplemental Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) program on knowledge and skill acquisition…

Examining Fidelity of Program Implementation in a STEM-Oriented Out-of-School Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Bradley S.; Nugent, Gwen; Grandgenett, Neal F.

2014-01-01

In the United States and many other countries there is a growing emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education that is expanding the number of both in-school and out-of-school instructional programs targeting important STEM outcomes. As instructional leaders increasingly train teachers and facilitators to undertake…

Identifying 21st Century STEM Competencies Using Workplace Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyewon

2016-04-01

Gaps between science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and required workplace skills have been identified in industry, academia, and government. Educators acknowledge the need to reform STEM education to better prepare students for their future careers. We pursue this growing interest in the skills needed for STEM disciplines and ask whether frameworks for 21st century skills and engineering education cover all of important STEM competencies. In this study, we identify important STEM competencies and evaluate the relevance of current frameworks applied in education using the standardized job-specific database operated and maintained by the US Department of Labor. Our analysis of the importance of 109 skills, types of knowledge and work activities, revealed 18 skills, seven categories of knowledge, and 27 work activities important for STEM workers. We investigate the perspectives of STEM and non-STEM job incumbents, comparing the importance of each skill, knowledge, and work activity for the two groups. We aimed to condense dimensions of the 52 key areas by categorizing them according to the Katz and Kahn (1978) framework and testing for inter-rater reliability. Our findings show frameworks for 21st century skills and engineering education do not encompass all important STEM competencies. Implications for STEM education programs are discussed, including how they can bridge gaps between education and important workplace competencies.

Regaining America's leading global position in the innovation of science and technology: Increasing engineering program enrollment in higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burklo, Daniel A.

While the United States has always been a global leader in the innovation of science and technology, this leading global position is in jeopardy. As other developing countries produce intellectual capital in the form of engineers at increasing rates, the country will continue to lose ground. Today the need for the country to produce engineers is greater than ever before. Recognizing this need, attempts have been made to increase entrance into engineering fields in higher education by providing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities during K-12 education. While STEM initiatives create awareness and interest, this study investigates what actually motivates individuals to choose engineering programs in higher education. A quantitative study utilizing survey results from 202 first year engineering students in the state of Ohio illustrates what has motivated them to choose engineering as a major. The study examines who, when, and what motivated the students to choose engineering by examining the relationship of influential people and STEM initiatives participated in during their K-12 education to enrollment in engineering programs at colleges and universities in the state of Ohio. The study proved the general hypothesis that there are influential people in an individual's college choice, such as the parent, and there are time periods during K-12 education when individuals are more motivated, such as the high school years. The study also showed a positive correlation between the motivation toward engineering programs and the number of STEM opportunities in which individuals participated yet there was little difference when comparing the different types of STEM initiatives.

Cool Astronomy: Education and Public Outreach for the WISE mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendez, Bryan J.

2011-01-01

The Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) aims to educate and engage students, teachers, and the general public in the endeavor of science. We bring a collection of accomplished professionals in formal and informal astronomy education from around the nation to create learning materials and experiences that appeal to broad audiences. Our E/PO program trains teachers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) topics related to WISE; creates standards-based classroom resources and lessons using WISE data and WISE-related STEM topics; develops interactive programming for museums and science centers; and inspires the public with WISE science and images.

Exploration of the lived experiences of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics minority students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snead-McDaniel, Kimberly

An expanding ethnicity gap exists in the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers in the United States. The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering revealed that the number of minorities pursuing STEM degrees and careers has declined over the past few years. The specific origins of this trend are not quite evident; one variable to consider is that undergraduate minority students are failing in STEM disciplines at various levels of education from elementary to postsecondary. The failure of female and minority students to enter STEM disciplines in higher education have led various initiatives to establish programs to promote STEM disciplines among these groups. Additional funding for minority STEM programs have led to a increase in undergraduate minority students entering STEM disciplines, but the minority students' graduation rate in STEM disciplines is approximately 7% lower than the graduation of nonminority students in STEM disciplines. This phenomenological qualitative research study explores the lived experiences of underrepresented minority undergraduate college students participating in an undergraduate minority-mentoring program. The following nine themes emerged from the study: (a) competitiveness, (b) public perception, (c) dedication, (d) self-perception, (e) program activities, (f) time management, (g) exposure to career and graduate opportunities, (h) rigor in the curriculum, and (i) peer mentoring. The themes provided answers and outcomes to better support a stronger minority representation in STEM disciplines.

Making a Difference in Science Education: The Impact of Undergraduate Research Programs

PubMed Central

Eagan, M. Kevin; Hurtado, Sylvia; Chang, Mitchell J.; Garcia, Gina A.; Herrera, Felisha A.; Garibay, Juan C.

2014-01-01

To increase the numbers of underrepresented racial minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), federal and private agencies have allocated significant funding to undergraduate research programs, which have been shown to students’ intentions of enrolling in graduate or professional school. Analyzing a longitudinal sample of 4,152 aspiring STEM majors who completed the 2004 Freshman Survey and 2008 College Senior Survey, this study utilizes multinomial hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) and propensity score matching techniques to examine how participation in undergraduate research affects STEM students’ intentions to enroll in STEM and non-STEM graduate and professional programs. Findings indicate that participation in an undergraduate research program significantly improved students’ probability of indicating plans to enroll in a STEM graduate program. PMID:25190821

Attitudes towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseng, Kuo-Hung; Chang, Chi-Cheng; Lou, Shi-Jer; Chen, Wen-Ping

2013-01-01

Many scholars claimed the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is beneficial to the national economy and teachers and institutes have been working to develop integrated education programs. This study examined a project-based learning (PjBL) activity that integrated STEM using survey and interview…

The NSF IUSE-EHR Program: What's New (and Old) About It, and Resources for Geoscience Proposers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, J.; Ryan, J. G.

2015-12-01

The NSF Division of Undergraduate Education recently released a new solicitation for the IUSE program -- the latest iteration in a succession of funding programs dating back over 30 years (including the Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program (ILI), the Course and Curriculum Development Program (CCD), the Course Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement Program (CCLI), and the Transforming Undergraduate STEM Education Program (TUES). All of these programs sought/seek to support high quality STEM education for majors and non-majors in lower- and upper-division undergraduate courses. The current IUSE-EHR program is described in a 2-year solicitation that includes two tracks: Engaged Student Learning, and Institutional & Community Transformation. Each track has several options for funding level and project duration. A wide range of activities can be proposed for funding, and the program recognizes the varying needs across STEM disciplines. Geoscientists and other potential IUSE proposers are strongly encouraged to form collaborations with colleagues that conduct educational research and to propose projects that build upon the educational knowledge base in the discipline as well as contribute to it. Achieving this may not be immediately obvious to many geoscientists who have interests in improving student learning in their courses, but are not fluent in the scholarship of education in their field. To lower the barriers that have historically prevented larger numbers of geoscientists from developing their ideas into competitive education-related proposals, we have explored strategies for building and leveraging partnerships, sought to identify available resources for proposers, and explored a range of strategies for engaging and supporting larger numbers of potential geoscience proposers.

What Do Informal Educators Need To Be Successful In Teaching Planetary Science And Engineering?: Results From The PLANETS Out-Of-School Time Educator Needs Assessment (NASA NNX16AC53A)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, J.; Bloom, N.

2016-12-01

Planetary Learning that Advances the Nexus of Engineering, Technology, and Science (PLANETS) is five-year interdisciplinary and cross-institutional partnership to develop and disseminate out-of-school time curricular and professional development modules that integrate planetary science, technology, and engineering. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) at Northern Arizona University (NAU), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Science Center (Astrogeology), and the Museum of Science (MOS) Boston are partners in developing, piloting, and researching the impact of three out of school time planetary science and engineering curriculum and related professional development units over the life of the project. Critical to the success of out-of-school time curriculum implementation is to consider the needs of the informal education leaders. The CSTL at NAU is conducting a needs-assessment of OST educators nationwide to identify the gaps between current knowledge and abilities of OST educators and the knowledge and abilities necessary in order to facilitate effective STEM educational experiences for youth. The research questions are: a. What are current conditions of OST programs and professional development for OST educators? b. What do OST educators and program coordinators already know and think about facilitating meaningful and high quality STEM instruction? c. What are perceived needs of OST educators and program coordinators in order to implement meaningful and high quality STEM instruction? d. What design decisions will make professional development experiences more accessible, acceptable and useful to OST educators and program coordinators? In this presentation we will share the preliminary results of the national survey. The information about the needs of informal STEM educators can inform other NASA Science Mission Directorate educational partners in their program development in addition to AGU members designing informal education outreach.

Making STEM Accessible and Effective through NASA Robotics Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Jonathan; Vadiee, Nader; Sutherland, Emery; Kaye, Bradley; Baker, Kyle

2018-01-01

There is no question that Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology (STEM) education is critical to the future of our students and workforce. As technology advances, computer programming skills are becoming a necessity in almost all fields. However, teaching programming and other advanced technologies is very difficult, especially in…

STEM Education is Missing This.......

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Laura; Johnson, Milton; Miller, Alexandra; Rebull, Luisa M.

2017-01-01

STEM education gets a lot of attention in schools, media, politics, and funding. But while the acronym grows from STEM to STEAM to STREAM, we still see a lack of student participation in real science, using big data and building partnerships with professionals in the field, and real student growth in science achievement. After the NITARP experience, we believe that NITARP is a rich, demanding, and authentic experience for dedicated teachers and students that provides a caliber of learning that is hard, if not impossible, to achieve in the traditional classroom. This poster looks at what STEM still needs to be and become for it to be the driving force behind greater student involvement, interest, and increased academic performance in the sciences. We focus on our own experiences and that of our students; our different teaching backgrounds and school environments; and the effects we see on our students using traditional and new STEM education and participation in the NITARP program. We come from backgrounds and situations that range from urban to rural, middle to high school, wide socioeconomic variety, gender differences, as well as different exposures to STEM opportunities. We propose that traditional and current standards for STEM education are falling short of what is needed for students to truly experience, understand, and gain the skills to accurately apply and advance in science. Incoming and current science teachers at all levels are not provided with quality, realistic, or applicable preparation. NITARP is truly a STEM experience because it actually integrates the 4 fields and provides opportunities for students to experience the overlap of the 4 fields in an authentic way. The deep, long term exposure to authentic research and technology as well as opportunity to talk with working scientists in a variety of fields have a huge impact on the students and teachers alike. Exposure to programs and experiences like NITARP are needed to help drive and support STEM education to meet its goals and intentions. Support provided for this work by the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP), which receives funding from the NASA ADP program.

Cognitive and Motivational Factors that Inspire Hispanic Female Students to Pursue STEM-Related Academic Programs that Lead to Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morel-Baker, Sonaliz

Hispanics, and women in particular, continue to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this study was to analyze cognitive and motivational factors that inspired Hispanic female college students to major in STEM programs and aspire to academic success. This mixed methods study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques in a sequential phase. Quantitative data were collected through the use of the 80-item Honey and Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire, which was focused on the students' learning styles and how they impact Hispanic female students upon engaging in a STEM-related curriculum. Qualitative data were collected during interviews focusing on factors that led students to select, participate in, and make a commitment to some aspect of a STEM-related program. The questions that were asked during the interviews were intended to examine whether the existence of role models and STEM initiatives motivate Hispanic female students to major in STEM-related academic programs and aspire to academic success. The participants in this study were undergraduate Hispanic female students majoring in STEM-related academic programs and at a four-year university. The results indicate that the majority of the participants (88%) identified as reflectors, 4% as activists, 4% as theorists, and 4% as pragmatists. The results from the interviews suggested that the existence of role models (family members, educators, or STEM professionals) was a factor that motivated Hispanic females to major in STEM-related subjects and that exposure to STEM initiatives during K-12 education motivated Hispanic females to pursue a career in STEM.

American Indian and Indigenous Geoscience Program: Ensuring the Evolution of Diverse STEM Scientists and Researchers in the 21st Century and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolman, J. R.

2013-05-01

Have you ever been lost? Knowing where you want to go yet unsure how to get there? In today's contemporary society you deploy the use of a navigator or navigation system. This is also one component of a cultural geoscience program in ensuring diverse students complete with excellence and success their route to research and education. The critical components of a cultural geoscience program and the role of cultural mentors are broad and the opportunity to expand one's own personal and professional success in science and society is immense. There remains a critical need and challenge to increase the representation of underrepresented people in the sciences. To address this challenge a navigational geoscience program approach was developed centered on the incorporation of traditional knowledge into modern research and education. The approach incorporates defining cultural/personal choices for a STEM vocation, developing science research with a "purpose", and refining leadership. The program model incorporates a mentor's personal oral histories and experiences in education, research and life. The goal is to ensure the next generation of scientists and researchers are more diverse, highly educated, experienced and leadership orientated by the time they complete STEM programs - then by the time they are our age, have our level of education and experience.

STEM Enrichment Programs and Graduate School Matriculation: The Role of Science Identity Salience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merolla, David M.; Serpe, Richard T.

2013-01-01

Improving the state of science education in the United States has become a national priority. One response to this problem has been the implementation of STEM enrichment programs designed to increase the number of students that enter graduate programs in science. Current research indicates enrichment programs have positive effects for student…

Learning across Disciplines: A Collective Case Study of Two University Programs That Integrate the Arts with STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghanbari, Sheena

2015-01-01

There has been some debate and research that suggests the arts are well-suited to be combined with science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines making the STEM acronym STEAM. STEM education is an educational and political priority in the United States and is valued as a means of strengthening national security and ensuring global…

Students Who Study Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Postsecondary Education. Stats in Brief. NCES 2009-161

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Xianglei

2009-01-01

Rising concern about America's ability to maintain its competitive position in the global economy has renewed interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. To understand who enters into and completes undergraduate programs in STEM fields, this report examined data from three major national studies: the 1995-96…

To Educate Engineers or to Engineer Educators?: Exploring Access to Engineering Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastman, Michael G.; Christman, Jeanne; Zion, George H.; Yerrick, Randy

2017-01-01

Although studies claim increases in underrepresented populations choosing STEM majors, barriers to retention, and higher education degree completion in STEM still exist. This study examined efforts of a prominent technical university to attract and retain urban high school graduates through a tuition scholarship program. We sought to determine the…

Gender Equity Issues in CTE and STEM Education: Economic and Social Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toglia, Thomas V.

2013-01-01

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 has significant implications for gender equity in career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs--and the relatively low number of women and girls pursuing nontraditional careers has significant economic and social implications. From an…

STEM Education: Attracting and Retaining Female Students in Secondary STEM Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruff, Zachary A.

2017-01-01

This narrative case study examines a high achieving STEM based high school and its ability to attract, retains, and engage female students. Given the recent importance placed on STEM graduates and STEM careers it is important for schools to understand how they can engage traditionally underserved minorities in STEM fields. The research used a…

Collaboratory=Collaborate+Laboratory: The Mid-Columbia STEM Education Collaboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Willcuts, Meredith H.; Kennedy, Cathleen A.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory created a network focused on collaboration in STEM education to design and deliver projects, resources, and professional learning opportunities in a testbed environment. How do you uncover and fill gaps in equitable access to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education offerings in your local region? Where might you deploy strategies to improve STEM workforce preparation and increase public understanding of STEM-oriented issues? And how can you help to ensure that students, educators, parents, and the community are aware of these programs and know how to access them in schools, colleges, and community venues? Ifmore » you are the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), you take on the huge goal of designing and implementing an innovative STEM education collaboration project that impacts all levels of local education, both inside and outside of school settings. PNNL is one of the 17 national laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Operated by Battelle, PNNL has a vested interest in preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers for their future careers, thus building a STEM-capable workforce and creating a STEM-literate community. One of Battelle’s core principles is a commitment to STEM education and its role in business competitiveness and quality of life. PNNL has been active in STEM education for decades, providing internships for future scientists, giving educators in-house lab experiences, and engaging its researchers in STEM outreach activities in classrooms and the community. The Collaboratory is a relatively recent outcome of Battelle’s longstanding efforts in STEM education. The original Collaboratory planning documents, developed by PNNL’s Office of STEM Education (OSE), state the objective to “design, implement, and mature a local STEM education collaboration zone that highlights the power of PNNL and Battelle to impact the educational ecosystem and serve as a model for amplifying and accelerating progress in addressing our STEM education and workforce challenges” (PNNL 2013). In other words, we (the OSE) sought to create a zone of collaboration in which members co-design and deliver STEM education programs, share findings and lessons learned from their experiences, and co-manage and sustain the organization. We started by identifying possible collaborators located nearby in the largely rural southeast corner of Washington State. Recognizing that our potential collaborators had differing norms, values, and relationships within the community, as well as their own areas of expertise and purpose, we convened representatives from K–12 public and private schools, higher education, community-based learning providers, and local business and industry to brainstorm a unified vision to resolve gaps in local STEM education needs. Through discussions with these collaborators, we started hunting for gaps where STEM efforts were lacking but a desire to improve existed. We gave ourselves permission to try things out and built a testbed space where we could experiment with new ideas, gather evidence of feasibility, and treat failures as constructive learning opportunities. Through this generative process and with seed funding from Battelle, inter-organizational teams now work together, both virtually and in real time, to develop, test, and deploy resources to support student success, educators’ effectiveness, and community engagement in STEM. Thus, the Mid-Columbia STEM Education Collaboratory (Collaboratory) was born. This is the story of our beginnings: our challenges, our lessons learned, and emerging indicators of success. For those interested in launching an education–business–community STEM learning ecosystem, we share our story.« less

STEM after school programming: The effect on student achievement and attitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashford, Vanessa Dale

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum has become a major component in to 21st century teaching and learning. STEM skills and STEM careers are in demand globally. Disadvantaged and minority students continue to have an achievement gap in STEM classes. They do not perform well in elementary and middle school and frequently do not pursue STEM-based studies in high school or careers in the field. One innovation in STEM education is after-school programming to increase student interest, attitudes, and achievement. This mixed-methods study examines the Discovery Place After-School STEM Program to compare the achievement levels of participants to non-participants in the program and provides recommendations for STEM after-school programming across the district. As part of the study, teachers were interviewed to examine attitudes and perceptions about the program. This study was conducted at an elementary school in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States which has a unique STEM-based after-school program. Student performance data indicated a significant difference in achievement between participants and non-participants in the program as measured by fifth grade science End-of-Grade test. Data from the seven units of study in the program showed significant achievement for three of the seven units.

Project Kaleidoscope: Advancing What Works in Undergraduate STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elrod, S.

2011-12-01

In 1989, Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) published its first report, What Works: Building Natural Science Communities, on reforming undergraduate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. Since then, PKAL has grown into a national organization comprised of a diverse group of over 6500 STEM educators who are committed to advancing "what works." The PKAL mission is to be a national leader in catalyzing the efforts of people, institutions, organizations and networks to move from analysis to action in significantly improving undergraduate student learning and achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Specifically, PKAL's strategic goals are to: 1) Promote the development and wider use of evidence-based teaching, learning and assessment approaches, 2) Build individual and organizational capacity to lead change in STEM education, and 3) Engage the broader community of external stakeholders - professional and disciplinary societies, business and industry groups, accreditation organizations, educational associations, governmental agencies, philanthropic organizations - in achieving our mission. PKAL achieves these goals by serving as the nexus of an interconnected and multidisciplinary web of people, ideas, strategies, evidence and resources focused on systemic change in undergraduate STEM education. PKAL also provides resources on critical issues, such as teaching using pedagogies of engagement, and engages interested faculty, campuses and professional societies in national projects and programs focused on cutting edge issues in STEM education. One of these projects - Mobilizing Disciplinary Societies for a Sustainable Future - is engaging eleven disciplinary societies, including the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, in defining specific resources, faculty development programs and goals focused on promoting undergraduate STEM courses that: 1) provide more knowledge about real-world issues; 2) connect these real-world issues to the concepts of sustainability; 3) offer students opportunities to analyze and implement choices that can help solve societal problems so they are better able to act on their choices both immediately and as future citizens and professionals. PKAL has also been offering leadership institutes for STEM faculty members to develop their knowledge and skills as change agents who have the capacity to lead educational reform at their institutions. Since 1996, over 200 faculty members from across the STEM disciplines have attended the institutes. An analysis of leadership alumni indicates that nearly 40% have moved on to administrative leadership positions. Alumni of these institutes are now leading regional STEM reform networks in five locations around the U.S. Since 2007, PKAL networks have engaged nearly 650 STEM faculty and campus leaders from over 100 diverse institutions in professional development workshops focused on STEM reform teaching and learning to effect a wider reach of STEM education transformation on campuses where it matters most. Network expertise and resources are disseminated on PKAL's website and national meetings. These programs illustrate PKAL's efforts to build community and disseminate resources that have a national impact on advancing undergraduate STEM teaching, learning and success for all students.

Impact Results From the Astronomers Without Borders Building on the Eclipse Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartolone, L. M.; Simmons, M.; Nelson, A.; Kruse, B.

2017-12-01

Astronomers Without Borders "Building on the Eclipse Education Program" was its first to move beyond outreach, exploring how to impact science identity, attitudes towards STEM and inspire audiences to explore careers in STEM. Inspired by the eclipse, educators and scientists were brought together in an online community to support one another in learning about the Sun and light after audiences were inspired by the Total Solar Eclipse. The program also collected and analyzed data on participating groups in an attempt to have more information about audiences for the next total solar eclipse to cross the United States in 2024. Although we anticipate the program will be ongoing, preliminary results will be presented.

How Mockups, a Key Engineering Tool, Help to Promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDonald, Harry E.

2010-01-01

The United States ranking among the world in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is decreasing. To counteract this problem NASA has made it part of its mission to promote STEM education among the nation s youth. Mockups can serve as a great tool when promoting STEM education in America. The Orion Cockpit Working Group has created a new program called Students Shaping America s Next Space Craft (SSANS) to outfit the Medium Fidelity Orion Mockup. SSANS will challenge the students to come up with unique designs to represent the flight design hardware. There are two main types of project packages created by SSANS, those for high school students and those for university students. The high school projects will challenge wood shop, metal shop and pre-engineering classes. The university projects are created mainly for senior design projects and will require the students to perform finite element analysis. These projects will also challenge the undergraduate students in material selection and safety requirements. The SSANS program will help NASA in its mission to promote STEM education, and will help to shape our nations youth into the next generation of STEM leaders.

An Exploratory Study of a Robotics Educational Platform on STEM Career Interests in Middle School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinton, Tracy Barger

With the large expected growth in STEM-related careers in American industries, there are not enough graduates to fill these positions (United States Department of Labor, 2015). Increased efforts are being made to reform STEM education from early childhood to college level studies, mainly through increased efforts to incorporate new technologies and project-based learning activities (Hegedorn & Purnamasari, 2012). At the middle school level, a robotics educational platform can be a worthwhile activity that provides hands-on learning as students learn basic programming and engineering skills (Grubbs, 2013). Based on the popularity of LEGO toys, LEGO Education developed an engaging and effective way to learn about computer programming and basic engineering concepts (Welch & Huffman, 2011). LEGO MINDSTORMS offers a project-based learning environment that engages students in real-life, problem-solving challenges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the instructional use of a robotics educational curriculum on middle school students' attitudes toward and interests in STEM and their experiences with LEGO Robotics activities. Participants included 23 seventh grade students who were enrolled in a Career Cluster Technologies I class in a suburban middle school. Data for the study were collected from three focus group interviews, open-ended surveys, classroom observations, and the Career Cruising program. Findings revealed that the robotics activities led to an increased interest and higher self-efficacy in STEM tasks. If students continue to nurture and develop their STEM interests, it is possible that many of them may develop higher confidence and eventually set personal goals related to STEM classes and careers. While other studies have been conducted on similar topics, this qualitative research is unique because it contributed to the gap in research that investigates the impact of an in-class robotics curriculum on middle school students' attitudes and interests in STEM. Throughout the robotics unit, students exhibited positive reactions, including much excitement and enjoyment as they solved the robotics challenges. In addition, students demonstrated a greater interest in STEM courses and careers as a result of this hands-on activity. Middle school teachers should incorporate STEM-based activities such as robotics to help students gain hands-on STEM skills.

Federal STEM Policy and Politics and Their Impact on Astronomy EPO: Reflections and Provocations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, G.; Storksdieck, M.; Canright, S.

2015-11-01

The federal government invests more than $3 billion each year across its various units in supporting STEM education and outreach. Efforts in recent years to understand and better coordinate these investments have resulted in considerable pushback, particularly those efforts that aimed at consolidation and elimination of programs deemed ineffective or duplicative. While initial plans to streamline federal STEM education were defeated, many agencies nonetheless saw cuts and elimination, and a high-level effort to coordinate STEM education at the cross-agency level is now gaining steam (CoSTEM: Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education). What do all of these developments mean for education and public outreach in astronomy and related fields? How should this community operate within the opportunities and threats that CoSTEM might pose? Former director of the National Academy of Science's Board on Science Education, and now director of the Center for Research on Lifelong STEM Learning, Martin Storksdieck, reflected on past and recent developments from the perspective of a close observer, and from the perspective of someone who has been involved in astronomy education research and evaluation for nearly 20 years. Shelley Canright, Senior Advisor for Education Integration at the NASA Office of Education, shared her insights and perspectives with respect to CoSTEM and EPO, in particular from co-chairing the Federal Coordination in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (FC-STEM) group.

Innovations in science education: infusing social emotional principles into early STEM learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Pamela W.; Gabitova, Nuria; Gupta, Anuradha; Wood, Thomas

2017-10-01

We report on the development of an after-school and summer-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum infused with the arts and social emotional learning content (STEAM SEL). Its design was motivated by theory and research that suggest that STEM education is well-suited for teaching empathy and other emotion-related skills. In this paper, we describe the activities associated with the development and design of the program and the curriculum. We provide expert-ratings of the STEAM and social emotional elements of the program and present instructor and participant feedback about the program's content and its delivery. Our results revealed that infusing the arts and social emotional learning content into science education created a holistic STEM-related curriculum that holds potential for enhancing young children's interest in and appreciation for science and its applications. The data also suggested that the program was well-developed and, generally well-executed. However, experts rated the STEAM elements of the program more positively than the SEL elements, especially with regard to sequencing of lessons and integration among the lessons and hands-on activities, indicating that program revisions are warranted.

Closing the Gaps and Filling the STEM Pipeline: A Multidisciplinary Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doerschuk, Peggy; Bahrim, Cristian; Daniel, Jennifer; Kruger, Joseph; Mann, Judith; Martin, Cristopher

2016-08-01

There is a growing demand for degreed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professionals, but the production of degreed STEM students is not keeping pace. Problems exist at every juncture along the pipeline. Too few students choose to major in STEM disciplines. Many of those who do major in STEM drop out or change majors. Females and minorities remain underrepresented in STEM. The success rate of college students who are from low-income background or first-generation students is much lower than that of students who do not face such challenges. Some of those who successfully complete their degree need help in making the transition to the workforce after graduation. A program at Lamar University takes a multidisciplinary approach to addressing these problems. It is designed to recruit, retain and transition undergraduates to careers in STEM, focusing its efforts on five science disciplines and on these "at-risk" students. The program was supported by a 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation and is supported through August 31, 2016 by Lamar University and a grant from ExxonMobil. A formal assessment plan documents the program's success. The program received an award from the Texas Higher Education Board for its contributions towards Closing the Gaps in Higher Education in Texas. This paper describes the program's theoretical framework, research questions, methods, evaluation plan, and instruments. It presents an analysis of the results achieved using these methods and implications for improvements to the program resulting from lessons learned.

Coming out in STEM: Factors affecting retention of sexual minority STEM students

PubMed Central

Hughes, Bryce E.

2018-01-01

Using a national longitudinal survey data set from the Higher Education Research Institute, this study tested whether students who identified as a sexual minority (for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer) were more or less likely to persist after 4 years in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, as opposed to switching to a non-STEM program, compared to their heterosexual peers. A multilevel regression model controlling for various experiences and characteristics previously determined to predict retention in STEM demonstrated that, net of these variables, sexual minority students were 8% less likely to be retained in STEM compared to switching into a non-STEM program. Despite this finding, sexual minority STEM students were more likely to report participating in undergraduate research programs, and the gender disparity in STEM retention appears to be reversed for sexual minority STEM students. PMID:29546240

Effects of Educational Support Services on Female Community College Students' Academic Success in STEM, STEM-Related, and Non-STEM Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billings, Jenny Elizabeth

2017-01-01

According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW) (n.d.), approximately 4 million women, more than ever before, rely on community colleges to prepare them for higher education and the workforce. These community college female students "represent all ages, races, and ethnicities, [and] include more than a million mothers".…

Evaluation of a High-Engagement Teaching Program for STEM Graduate Students: Outcomes of the Future Academic Scholars in Teaching (FAST) Fellowship Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prevost, Luanna B.; Vergara, Claudia E.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Campa, Henry, III.

2018-01-01

Higher education institutions prepare future faculty members for multiple roles, including teaching. However, teaching professional development programs for graduate students vary widely. We present evaluation data from a high engagement program for STEM doctoral students. We analyzed the impact on three cohorts of participants over three academic…

Standards for Technological Literacy and STEM Education Delivery through Career and Technical Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asunda, Paul A.

2012-01-01

At a minimum, employers rely on career and technical education (CTE) and workforce training systems to supply workers able to perform in their jobs. In CTE classes that seek to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts, it falls to the instructors to design and sequence the learning experiences that will promote…

The National Space Science and Technology Center's Education and Public Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cox, G. N.; Denson, R. L.

2004-12-01

The objective of the National Space Science and Technology Center's (NSSTC) Education and Public Outreach program (EPO) is to support K-20 education by coalescing academic, government, and business constituents awareness, implementing best business/education practices, and providing stewardship over funds and programs that promote a symbiotic relationship among these entities, specifically in the area of K-20 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. NSSTC EPO Program's long-term objective is to showcase its effective community-based integrated stakeholder model in support of STEM education and to expand its influence across the Southeast region for scaling ultimately across the United States. The Education and Public Outreach program (EPO) is coordinated by a supporting arm of the NSSTC Administrative Council called the EPO Council (EPOC). The EPOC is funded through federal, state, and private grants, donations, and in-kind contributions. It is comprised of representatives of NSSTC Research Centers, both educators and scientists from the Alabama Space Science and Technology Alliance (SSTA) member institutions, the Alabama Space Grant Consortium and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC) Education Office. Through its affiliation with MSFC and the SSTA - a consortium of Alabama's research universities that comprise the NSSTC, EPO fosters the education and development of the next generation of Alabama scientists and engineers by coordinating activities at the K-20 level in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Education, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, and Alabama's businesses and industries. The EPO program's primary objective is to be Alabama's premiere organization in uniting academia, government, and private industry by way of providing its support to the State and Federal Departments of Education involved in systemic STEM education reform, workforce development, and innovative uses of technology. The NSSTC EPO is poised to be a leader in this field because of its direct support to agency's accountable for America's educational systems, and for its synergistic relationships across the integrated stakeholder community. This includes Alabama's NASA facility, USRA, the SSTA's seven research universities, businesses and industries, and the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Education Coalition. In addition to traditional outreach methodologies, the EPO uses the unique resources of the NSSTC to assist in dissolving the boundaries in education among academia, government, and industry and to foster a more collaborative environment in support of STEM education reform.

Science and Science Education Go Hand-in-Hand: The Impact of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, D. A.; Peticolas, L.; Schwerin, T.; Shipp, S.; Manning, J. G.

2014-07-01

For nearly two decades, NASA has embedded education and public outreach (EPO) in its Earth and space science missions and research programs on the principle that science education is most effective when educators and scientists work hand-in-hand. Four Science EPO Forums organize the respective NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science EPO programs into a coordinated, efficient, and effective nationwide effort. The NASA SMD EPO program evaluates EPO impacts that support NASA's policy of providing a direct return-on-investment for the American public, advances STEM education and literacy, and enables students and educators to participate in the practice of science as embodied in the 2013 Next Generation Science Standards. Leads of the four NASA SMD Science EPO Forums provided big-picture perspectives on NASA's effort to incorporate authentic science into the nation's STEM education and scientific literacy, highlighting examples of program effectiveness and impact. Attendees gained an increased awareness of the depth and breadth of NASA SMD's EPO programs and achievements, the magnitude of its impacts through representative examples, and the ways current and future EPO programs can build upon the work being done.

Development of a Distance Education Program by a Land-Grant University Augments the 2-Year to 4-Year STEM Pipeline and Increases Diversity in STEM

PubMed Central

Drew, Jennifer C.; Oli, Monika W.; Rice, Kelly C.; Ardissone, Alexandria N.; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Sacasa, Pablo R.; Belmont, Heather J.; Wysocki, Allen F.; Rieger, Mark; Triplett, Eric W.

2015-01-01

Although initial interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is high, recruitment and retention remains a challenge, and some populations are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM fields. To address these challenges, the Microbiology and Cell Science Department in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida has developed an innovative 2+2 degree program. Typical 2+2 programs begin with a student earning an associate’s degree at a local community college and then transferring to a 4-year institution to complete a bachelor’s degree. However, many universities in the United States, particularly land-grant universities, are located in rural regions that are distantly located from their respective states’ highly populated urban centers. This geographical and cultural distance could be an impediment to recruiting otherwise highly qualified and diverse students. Here, a new model of a 2+2 program is described that uses distance education as the vehicle to bring a research-intensive university’s life sciences curriculum to students rather than the oft-tried model of a university attempting to recruit underrepresented minority students to its location. In this paradigm, community college graduates transfer into the Microbiology and Cell Science program as distance education students to complete their Bachelor of Science degree. The distance education students’ experiences are similar to the on-campus students’ experiences in that both groups of students take the same department courses taught by the same instructors, take required laboratory courses in a face-to-face format, take only proctored exams, and have the same availability to instructors. Data suggests that a hybrid online transfer program may be a viable approach to increasing STEM participation (as defined by enrollment) and diversity. This approach is particularly compelling as the distance education cohort has comparable grade point averages and retention rates compared to the corresponding on-campus transfer cohort. PMID:25875606

Development of a distance education program by a Land-Grant University augments the 2-year to 4-year STEM pipeline and increases diversity in STEM.

PubMed

Drew, Jennifer C; Oli, Monika W; Rice, Kelly C; Ardissone, Alexandria N; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Sacasa, Pablo R; Belmont, Heather J; Wysocki, Allen F; Rieger, Mark; Triplett, Eric W

2015-01-01

Although initial interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is high, recruitment and retention remains a challenge, and some populations are disproportionately underrepresented in STEM fields. To address these challenges, the Microbiology and Cell Science Department in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida has developed an innovative 2+2 degree program. Typical 2+2 programs begin with a student earning an associate's degree at a local community college and then transferring to a 4-year institution to complete a bachelor's degree. However, many universities in the United States, particularly land-grant universities, are located in rural regions that are distantly located from their respective states' highly populated urban centers. This geographical and cultural distance could be an impediment to recruiting otherwise highly qualified and diverse students. Here, a new model of a 2+2 program is described that uses distance education as the vehicle to bring a research-intensive university's life sciences curriculum to students rather than the oft-tried model of a university attempting to recruit underrepresented minority students to its location. In this paradigm, community college graduates transfer into the Microbiology and Cell Science program as distance education students to complete their Bachelor of Science degree. The distance education students' experiences are similar to the on-campus students' experiences in that both groups of students take the same department courses taught by the same instructors, take required laboratory courses in a face-to-face format, take only proctored exams, and have the same availability to instructors. Data suggests that a hybrid online transfer program may be a viable approach to increasing STEM participation (as defined by enrollment) and diversity. This approach is particularly compelling as the distance education cohort has comparable grade point averages and retention rates compared to the corresponding on-campus transfer cohort.

Narrowing the Retention Gap of High School Females in an Integrated STEM Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seigworth, Clifton F.

This study examined the differences in the overall sense of belonging of female high school students in an integrated STEM program in comparison to gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. The researcher surveyed female and male students in grades 8 through 12 to determine if there were differences in attitudes toward STEM. Additionally, the researcher assessed the STEM teachers to determine if a relationship existed between the teachers' years of experience and level of education to their self-efficacy and attitudes pertaining to STEM. Lastly, the administrators and counselors of both the middle and high schools were surveyed using a written evaluation to understand and gain their perspective of an integrated STEM program with regard to increasing female participation in STEM-related courses.

STEM Out-of-School Time Programs for Girls. Highlights from the Out-of-School Time Database. Research Update, No. 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chun, Katie; Harris, Erin

2011-01-01

Increasing interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become part of education reform efforts in recent years in order to prepare students for the challenges of the twenty-first century global economy. Out-of-school time (OST) programs that focus on girls' involvement in STEM can play an essential role in improving…

Volunteer Educators' Influence on Youth Participation and Learning in 4-H STEM Learning by Design Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worker, Steven Michael

The purpose of this study was to describe the co-construction of three 4-H STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning by design programs by volunteer educators and youth participants in the 4-H Youth Development Program. The programs advanced STEM learning through design, a pedagogical approach to support youth in planning, designing, and making shareable artifacts. This pedagogical approach is a special case of project-based learning, related to the practices found in the science learning through design literature as well as the making and tinkering movements. Specifically, I explored adult volunteer educators' roles and pedagogical strategies implementing the 4-H Junk Drawer Robotics curriculum (Mahacek, Worker, and Mahacek, 2011) and how that, in turn, afforded and constrained opportunities for youth to display or report engagement in design practices; learning of STEM content; strengthening tool competencies; dispositions of resilience, reciprocity, and playfulness; and psychological ownership. The curriculum targeted middle school youth with a sequence of science inquiry activities and engineering design challenges. This study employed naturalist and multiple-case study methodology relying on participant observations and video, interviews with educators, and focus groups with youth within three 4-H educational robotics programs organized by adult 4-H volunteer educators. Data collection took place in 2014 and 2015 at Santa Clara with an educator and seven youth; Solano with three educators and eight youth; and Alameda with an educator and seven youth. Data analysis revealed six discrete categories of pedagogy and interactions that I labeled as participation structures that included lecture, demonstration, learning activity, group sharing, scripted build, and design & build. These participation structures were related to the observed pedagogical practices employed by the educators. There was evidence of youth engagement in design practices, STEM content learning, strengthening of tool competencies, learning dispositions, and psychological ownership - however, their expression, manifestation, and opportunities were afforded and/or constrained by the various participation structures. Furthermore, conflicts were evidenced in the use of participation structures; emphasis of educators on formal reasoning and planning versus youth preference for hands-on tinkering; and tensions amongst youth peers while engaging in design teams. Two themes emerged regarding the educators' pedagogy: adaptations in response to structural and curricular constraints and pedagogical approach influenced by self-identification with a professional field of engineering. This study contributes to our understanding of STEM learning through design in out-of-school time. This research helps clarify the tensions among major co-actors, youth, educator, and curriculum, as the learning environment was co-constructed and how that, in turn, afforded opportunities for youth to learn and develop. This study illuminated the complex negotiations between these co-actors and explored questions about who can and does decide the nature of the activity structures. These co-actors were not without conflict, thus suggesting that these spaces and pedagogies do not exemplify STEM teaching on their own, but neither do they preclude practices that deepen young people's interest and motivation for STEM learning.

Engaging Historically Black Colleges and Universities through Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education and Community Engagement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA’s STEM Outreach Program in RTP began in 2004, with the aim of supporting EPA’s mission of protecting human health and the environment by increasing awareness, providing education, and inspiring the public, especially K-12 students.

Cross-Cultural and Global Interdependency Development in STEM Undergraduate Students: Results from Singapore Study Abroad Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexis, Frank; Casco, M.; Martin, J.; Zhang, G.

2017-01-01

The goal of study abroad programs is to educate and train future global leaders. This article examines the effectiveness of Clemson University's Singapore Study Abroad program in meeting this goal by exposing students to global perspectives of science technology, engineering and math (STEM) research and learning through an international summer…

STEM enrichment programs and graduate school matriculation: the role of science identity salience

PubMed Central

Serpe, Richard T.

2013-01-01

Improving the state of science education in the United States has become a national priority. One response to this problem has been the implementation of STEM enrichment programs designed to increase the number of students that enter graduate programs in science. Current research indicates enrichment programs have positive effects for student performance, degree completion, interest in science and graduate enrollment. Moreover, research suggests that beyond improving performance in STEM, and providing access to research experience and faculty mentoring, enrichment programs may also increase the degree to which students identify as scientists. However, researchers investigating the role of science identity on student outcomes have focused primarily on subjective outcomes, leaving a critical question of whether science identity also influences objective outcomes such as whether students attend graduate school. Using identity theory, this study addresses this issue by investigating science identity as a mechanism linking enrichment program participation to matriculation into graduate science programs. Quantitative results from a panel study of 694 students indicate that science identity salience, along with research experience and college GPA, mediate the effect of enrichment program participation on graduate school matriculation. Further, results indicate that although the social psychological process by which science identity salience develops operates independently from student GPA, science identity amplifies the effect of achievement on graduate school matriculation. These results indicate that policies seeking to increase the efficacy of enrichment programs and increase representation in STEM graduate programs should be sensitive to the social and academic aspects of STEM education. PMID:24578606

STEM enrichment programs and graduate school matriculation: the role of science identity salience.

PubMed

Merolla, David M; Serpe, Richard T

2013-12-01

Improving the state of science education in the United States has become a national priority. One response to this problem has been the implementation of STEM enrichment programs designed to increase the number of students that enter graduate programs in science. Current research indicates enrichment programs have positive effects for student performance, degree completion, interest in science and graduate enrollment. Moreover, research suggests that beyond improving performance in STEM, and providing access to research experience and faculty mentoring, enrichment programs may also increase the degree to which students identify as scientists. However, researchers investigating the role of science identity on student outcomes have focused primarily on subjective outcomes, leaving a critical question of whether science identity also influences objective outcomes such as whether students attend graduate school. Using identity theory, this study addresses this issue by investigating science identity as a mechanism linking enrichment program participation to matriculation into graduate science programs. Quantitative results from a panel study of 694 students indicate that science identity salience, along with research experience and college GPA, mediate the effect of enrichment program participation on graduate school matriculation. Further, results indicate that although the social psychological process by which science identity salience develops operates independently from student GPA, science identity amplifies the effect of achievement on graduate school matriculation. These results indicate that policies seeking to increase the efficacy of enrichment programs and increase representation in STEM graduate programs should be sensitive to the social and academic aspects of STEM education.

Bridging Formal and Informal Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Bradley S.; Larson, Kim; Krehbiel, Michelle

2014-01-01

Out-of-school time programs that provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational content are promising approaches to develop skills and abilities in students. These programs may potentially inspire students with engaging hands-on, minds-on activities that encourages their natural curiosity around STEM content areas.…

Engaging Faculty for Innovative STEM Bridge Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldfien, Andrea C.; Badway, Norena Norton

2014-01-01

Bridge programs, in which underprepared students gain the academic and technical skills necessary for college level courses and entry-level employment, are a promising initiative for expanding access to, and success in, community college education. For career pathways related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM), bridge…

Institutionalization and Sustainability of the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Thomas R.; Matsuzuka, Yukari; Jacobs, James; Morest, Vanessa Smith; Hughes, Katherine L.

This document reports on a study conducted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that examines the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. ATE aims to promote systemic reform of the nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The study analyzed the influence of the ATE program on the nature of STEM…

NASA Education Recommendation Report - Education Design Team 2011

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pengra, Trish; Stofan, James

2011-01-01

NASA people are passionate about their work. NASA's missions are exciting to learners of all ages. And since its creation in 1958, NASA's people have been passionate about sharing their inspiring discoveries, research and exploration with students and educators. In May 2010, NASA administration chartered an Education Design Team composed of 12 members chosen from the Office of Education, NASA's Mission Directorates and Centers for their depth of knowledge and education expertise, and directed them to evaluate the Agency's program in the context of current trends in education. By improving NASA's educational offerings, he was confident that the Agency can play a leading role in inspiring student interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as few other organizations can. Through its unique workforce, facilities, research and innovations, NASA can expand its efforts to engage underserved and underrepresented communities in science and mathematics. Through the Agency's STEM education efforts and science and exploration missions, NASA can help the United States successfully compete, prosper and be secure in the 21st century global community. After several months of intense effort, including meeting with education experts; reviewing Administration policies, congressional direction and education research; and seeking input from those passionate about education at NASA, the Education Design Team made six recommendations to improve the impact of NASA's Education Program: (1) Focus the NASA Education Program to improve its impact on areas of greatest national need (2) Identify and strategically manage NASA Education partnerships (3) Participate in National and State STEM Education policy discussions (4) Establish a structure to allow the Office of Education, Centers and Mission Directorates to implement a strategically integrated portfolio (5) Expand the charter of the Education Coordinating Committee to enable deliberate Education Program design (6) Improve communication to inspire learners

Strategies for Broadening Participation in Advanced Technological Education Programs: Practice and Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Corey; Wingate, Lori

2016-01-01

Expanding and diversifying the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workforce is a national priority. The National Science Foundation is investing efforts at post secondary education institutions to engage individuals who have been historically underrepresented in STEM. This paper investigated the use of strategies to broaden…

Preparation of Underrepresented Males for Scientific Careers: A Study of the Dr. John H. Hopps Jr. Defense Research Scholars Program at Morehouse College.

PubMed

Thompson, Rahmelle C; Monroe-White, Thema; Xavier, Jeffrey; Howell, Courtney; Moore, Myisha Roberson; Haynes, J K

Equal representation within higher education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and the STEM workforce in the United States across demographically diverse populations is a long-standing challenge. This study uses two-to-one nearest-neighbor matched-comparison group design to examine academic achievement, pursuit of graduate science degree, and classification of graduate institution attended by students participating in the Hopps Scholars Program (Hopps) at Morehouse College. Hopps is a highly structured enrichment program aimed at increasing participation of black males in STEM fields. Morehouse institutional records, Hopps Program records, and National Student Clearinghouse data were used to examine differences between Hopps and non-Hopps STEM graduates of Morehouse. Two-way sample t tests and chi-square tests revealed significant differences in academic achievement, likelihood of STEM degree pursuit, and the classification of graduate institutions attended by Hopps versus non-Hopps students. Hopps Scholars were significantly more likely than non-Hopps STEM graduates both to pursue STEM doctoral degrees and to attend doctoral-granting institutions with higher research activity. The Hopps Program's approach to training black male students for scientific careers is a model of success for other programs committed to increasing the number of black males pursuing advanced degrees in STEM. © 2016 R. C. Thompson et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Technology, Theory, and Practice in Interdisciplinary STEM Programs: Connecting STEM and Non­-STEM Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lansiquot, Reneta D., Ed.

2016-01-01

This book highlights models for promoting interdisciplinary thinking and an appreciation for interdisciplinary understanding among students in STEM-related fields. Students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics often perceive that courses in their major are not related to the general education liberal arts courses required…

Developing Effective STEM Professional Development Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, Zanj K.; Reeve, Edward M.

2013-01-01

To help the United States stay globally competitive in terms of innovation and invention, the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has become a priority in P-12 education today. As the need for students to become stronger in STEM grows, so does the need for well-qualified STEM teachers who understand what is needed…

75 FR 49484 - Office of Postsecondary Education; Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-13

...), Hispanic Serving Institutions-STEM and Articulation (HSI-STEM), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI... application for eligibility for AANAPISI, NASNTI, HSI-STEM, and PBI fiscal year (FY) 2010 competitions... competitions to be announced this fall under the AANAPISI, NASNTI, HSI- STEM, and PBI programs. This limited...

Department of Everything: Department of Defense Spending That Has Little to Do With National Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

and Mathematics (STEM) programs that duplicate the work of the Department of Education and local school districts ($10.7 billion). The Department of...of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).16 The Pentagon recently joined the cooking show craze by partnering with the...of DOD Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Programs,” 2010. 17 The Pentagon Channel, “The Grill Sergeants,” http

Community Observatories: Fostering Ideas that STEM From Ocean Sense: Local Observations. Global Connections.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelz, M. S.; Ewing, N.; Hoeberechts, M.; Riddell, D. J.; McLean, M. A.; Brown, J. C. K.

2015-12-01

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) uses education and communication to inspire, engage and educate via innovative "meet them where they are, and take them where they need to go" programs. ONC data are accessible via the internet allowing for the promotion of programs wherever the learners are located. We use technologies such as web portals, mobile apps and citizen science to share ocean science data with many different audiences. Here we focus specifically on one of ONC's most innovative programs: community observatories and the accompanying Ocean Sense program. The approach is based on equipping communities with the same technology enabled on ONC's large cabled observatories. ONC operates the world-leading NEPTUNE and VENUS cabled ocean observatories and they collect data on physical, chemical, biological, and geological aspects of the ocean over long time periods, supporting research on complex Earth processes in ways not previously possible. Community observatories allow for similar monitoring on a smaller scale, and support STEM efforts via a teacher-led program: Ocean Sense. This program, based on local observations and global connections improves data-rich teaching and learning via visualization tools, interactive plotting interfaces and lesson plans for teachers that focus on student inquiry and exploration. For example, students use all aspects of STEM by accessing, selecting, and interpreting data in multiple dimensions, from their local community observatories to the larger VENUS and NEPTUNE networks. The students make local observations and global connections in all STEM areas. The first year of the program with teachers and students who use this innovative technology is described. Future community observatories and their technological applications in education, communication and STEM efforts are also described.

Creating Next Generation Teacher Preparation Programs to Support Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core State Standards in K-12 Schools: An Opportunity for the Earth and Space Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geary, E. E.; Egger, A. E.; Julin, S.; Ronca, R.; Vokos, S.; Ebert, E.; Clark-Blickenstaff, J.; Nollmeyer, G.

2015-12-01

A consortium of two and four year Washington State Colleges and Universities in partnership with Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the Teachers of Teachers of Science, and Teachers of Teachers of Mathematics, and other key stakeholders, is currently working to improve science and mathematics learning for all Washington State students by creating a new vision for STEM teacher preparation in Washington State aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics and Language Arts. Specific objectives include: (1) strengthening elementary and secondary STEM Teacher Preparation courses and curricula, (2) alignment of STEM teacher preparation programs across Washington State with the NGSS and CCSS, (3) development of action plans to support implementation of STEM Teacher Preparation program improvement at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the state, (4) stronger collaborations between HEIs, K-12 schools, government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and STEM businesses, involved in the preparation of preservice STEM teachers, (5) new teacher endorsements in Computer Science and Engineering, and (6) development of a proto-type model for rapid, adaptable, and continuous improvement of STEM teacher preparation programs. A 2015 NGSS gap analysis of teacher preparation programs across Washington State indicates relatively good alignment of courses and curricula with NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas and Scientific practices, but minimal alignment with NGSS Engineering practices and Cross Cutting Concepts. Likewise, Computer Science and Sustainability ideas and practices are not well represented in current courses and curricula. During the coming year teams of STEM faculty, education faculty and administrators will work collaboratively to develop unique action plans for aligning and improving STEM teacher preparation courses and curricula at their institutions.

Robots as Language Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collado, Ericka

2017-01-01

Robots are machines that resemble different forms, usually those of humans or animals, that can perform preprogrammed or autonomous tasks (Robot, n.d.). With the emergence of STEM programs, there has been a rise in the use of robots in educational settings. STEM programs are those where students study science, technology, engineering and…

A Problem Based Learning Project Analyzing Rubrics Used to Evaluate Elementary STEM Immersion Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Roxanne N.

In 2010, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology recommended that eight hundred new STEM focused elementary and middle schools be established. Unfortunately, districts may be slow to implement STEM at the elementary level because they do not understand how to do so effectively (Zimny, 2017). School administrators need a framework for decision-making and supervisory feedback related to the process of managing these programs (Zimny, 2017). To support administrators in implementing elementary STEM immersion programs, this project explored three questions: What criteria are common among existing STEM immersion program rubrics? What criteria should be included in a comprehensive rubric for managing elementary STEM immersion programs at the district level? What do district documents show about how elementary STEM immersion programs develop, implement, and evaluate those programs? The team developed a comprehensive STEM program review instrument including criteria for effective elementary STEM curriculum and the professional development and administrative support necessary to implement such curriculum. These criteria were organized into three stages, including the planning and development of elementary STEM immersion programs, the implementation of these programs, and the evaluation of these programs after they had been implemented for a significant period of time. The team synthesized best practice indicators relevant to elementary STEM programs from existing K-12 guides, then validated those indicators against current best practice research and feedback from STEM education experts. District documents from seven elementary STEM immersion programs in Missouri and Colorado were examined using the team's rubric. Scores were higher in the areas of program planning, content alignment, and ongoing refinement of curriculum, and lower in the areas of professional development for professional skills and STEM-specific pedagogy, two-way communication with stakeholders, and data collection for program refinement. Scores were lowest for those schools with inadequate documentation of their program management processes. The team recommended districts institute a more rigorous documentation process for managing innovative programs such as STEM immersion. Communication plans should include procedures for two-way communication with all stakeholders. Data collection and refinement efforts should increase, as should professional development opportunities related to professional skills and STEM-specific pedagogy; this should include administrators.

Self-definition of women experiencing a nontraditional graduate fellowship program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buck, Gayle A.; Leslie-Pelecky, Diandra L.; Lu, Yun; Plano Clark, Vicki L.; Creswell, John W.

2006-10-01

Women continue to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). One factor contributing to this underrepresentation is the graduate school experience. Graduate programs in STEM fields are constructed around assumptions that ignore the reality of women's lives; however, emerging opportunities may lead to experiences that are more compatible for women. One such opportunity is the Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program, which was introduced by the National Science Foundation in 1999. Although this nontraditional graduate program was not designed explicitly for women, it provided an unprecedented context in which to research how changing some of the basic assumptions upon which a graduate school operates may impact women in science. This exploratory case study examines the self-definition of 8 women graduate students who participated in a GK-12 program at a major research university. The findings from this case study contribute to higher education's understanding of the terrain women graduate students in the STEM areas must navigate as they participate in programs that are thought to be more conducive to their modes of self-definition while they continue to seek to be successful in the historically Eurocentric, masculine STEM fields.

How Cardiac Anesthesiology Can Help "STEM" the Tide of Under-representation of Minorities in Science and Medicine.

PubMed

Woodward, Elliott; Lai, Yvonne; Egun, Christyanna; Fitzsimons, Michael G

2018-04-01

The field of medicine is built upon science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), yet the United States is rapidly falling behind when it comes to educating the next generation in these disciplines, especially under-represented populations. The authors reflect on existing educational literature surrounding efforts to promote interest in STEM among students and under-represented populations. The authors advocate for greater efforts toward the development of youth programing. Cardiac anesthesia is uniquely positioned as a subspecialty to advance the goal of promoting interest in STEM in diverse groups of young students. The authors describe their development and implementation of a community outreach program to enhance interest in medicine through a cardiac dissection experience. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Offering a Geoscience Professional Development Program to Promote Science Education and Provide Hands-on Experiences for K-12 Science Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fakayode, Sayo O.; Pollard, David A.; Snipes, Vincent T.; Atkinson, Alvin

2014-01-01

Development of an effective strategy for promoting science education and professional development of K-12 science educators is a national priority to strengthen the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This article reports the outcomes of a Geoscience Professional Development Program (GPDP) workshop…

Critical Components of a Successful Undergraduate Research Experience in the Geosciences for Minority Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Chukuigwe, C.

2013-12-01

For the past five years, the New York City College of Technology has administered a successful National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The program provides rich, substantive, academic and life-transformative STEM educational experiences for students who would otherwise not pursue STEM education altogether or would not pursue STEM education through to the graduate school level. The REU Scholars are provided with an opportunity to conduct intensive satellite and ground-based remote sensing research at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Cooperative Remote Sensing Science and Technology Center (NOAA-CREST). Candidates for the program are recruited from the City University of New York's twenty-three separate campuses. These students engage in a research experience that spans the summer and the fall and spring semesters. Eighty-four percent (84%) of the program participants are underrepresented minorities in STEM, and they are involved in a plethora of undergraduate research best practice activities that include: training courses in MATLAB programming, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing; workshops in Research Ethics, Scientific Writing, and Oral and Poster Research Presentations; national, regional, and local conference presentations; graduate school support; and geoscience exposure events at national laboratories, agencies, and research facilities. To enhance their success in the program, the REU Scholars are also provided with a comprehensive series of safety nets that include a multi-tiered mentoring design specifically to address critical issues faced by this diverse population. Since the inception of the REU program in 2008, a total of 61 undergraduate students have finished or are continuing with their research or are pursuing their STEM endeavors. All the REU Scholars conducted individual satellite and ground-based remote sensing research projects that ranged from the study of hurricanes to atmospheric water vapor distribution to spectral analysis of soil moisture. Of the 61 REU Scholars, 18.0% (11) are in graduate school in the STEM disciplines, 16.5% (10) have graduated and are in the STEM workforce, and 65.5% (40) continue to pursue their STEM degrees. All of the REU Scholars have made oral and poster presentations at local, region, and/or national conferences. Five of them have won first place recognition for their research, and three students will be co-authors for three peer-reviewed publications and two book chapters. (This program is supported by NSF REU grant #1062934.)

STEM Pathways: Examining Persistence in Rigorous Math and Science Course Taking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashford, Shetay N.; Lanehart, Rheta E.; Kersaint, Gladis K.; Lee, Reginald S.; Kromrey, Jeffrey D.

2016-12-01

From 2006 to 2012, Florida Statute §1003.4156 required middle school students to complete electronic personal education planners (ePEPs) before promotion to ninth grade. The ePEP helped them identify programs of study and required high school coursework to accomplish their postsecondary education and career goals. During the same period Florida required completion of the ePEP, Florida's Career and Professional Education Act stimulated a rapid increase in the number of statewide high school career academies. Students with interests in STEM careers created STEM-focused ePEPs and may have enrolled in STEM career academies, which offered a unique opportunity to improve their preparedness for the STEM workforce through the integration of rigorous academic and career and technical education courses. This study examined persistence of STEM-interested (i.e., those with expressed interest in STEM careers) and STEM-capable (i.e., those who completed at least Algebra 1 in eighth grade) students ( n = 11,248), including those enrolled in STEM career academies, in rigorous mathematics and science course taking in Florida public high schools in comparison with the national cohort of STEM-interested students to measure the influence of K-12 STEM education efforts in Florida. With the exception of multi-race students, we found that Florida's STEM-capable students had lower persistence in rigorous mathematics and science course taking than students in the national cohort from ninth to eleventh grade. We also found that participation in STEM career academies did not support persistence in rigorous mathematics and science courses, a prerequisite for success in postsecondary STEM education and careers.

Increasing Access for Economically Disadvantaged Students: The NSF/CSEM & S-STEM Programs at Louisiana State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Zakiya S.; Iyengar, Sitharama S.; Pang, Su-Seng; Warner, Isiah M.; Luces, Candace A.

2012-10-01

Increasing college degree attainment for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is a prominent component of numerous state and federal legislation focused on higher education. In 1999, the National Science Foundation (NSF) instituted the "Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships" (CSEMS) program; this initiative was designed to provide greater access and support to academically talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Originally intended to provide financial support to lower income students, this NSF program also advocated that additional professional development and advising would be strategies to increase undergraduate persistence to graduation. This innovative program for economically disadvantaged students was extended in 2004 to include students from other disciplines including the physical and life sciences as well as the technology fields, and the new name of the program was Scholarships for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM). The implementation of these two programs in Louisiana State University (LSU) has shown significant and measurable success since 2000, making LSU a Model University in providing support to economically disadvantaged students within the STEM disciplines. The achievement of these programs is evidenced by the graduation rates of its participants. This report provides details on the educational model employed through the CSEMS/S-STEM projects at LSU and provides a path to success for increasing student retention rates in STEM disciplines. While the LSU's experience is presented as a case study, the potential relevance of this innovative mentoring program in conjunction with the financial support system is discussed in detail.

Engineering an Associate Degree-Level STEM Workforce Education Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwitz, Jason L.; Ahring, Birgitte; Garcia-Perez, Manuel; Morrison, Judith

2018-01-01

Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. A curriculum developed with the elements of a systems-based approach results in a program more relevant to the…

Educating Tomorrow's Science Teachers: STEM ACT Conference Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sternheim, Morton M.; Feldman, Allan; Berger, Joseph B.; Zhao, Yijie

2008-01-01

This document reports on the findings of an NSF-funded conference (STEM ACT) on the alternative certification of science teachers. The conference explored the issues that have arisen in science education as a result of the proliferation of alternative certification programs in the United States, and to identify the research that needs to be done…

A Study of Student Engagement in Project-Based Learning across Multiple Approaches to STEM Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alfred; Miro, Danielle

2016-01-01

Objective: In this study, we investigated the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) activities in four secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education settings to examine the impact of inquiry based instructional practices on student learning. Method: Direct classroom observations were conducted during the…

Cases on STEAM Education in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bazler, Judith, Ed.; Van Sickle, Meta, Ed.

2017-01-01

Curriculums for STEM education programs have been successfully implemented into numerous school systems for many years. Recently, the integration of arts education into such programs has proven to be significantly beneficial to students, resulting in a new method of teaching including science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.…

Where are the women? Campus climate and the degree aspirations of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Phyllis

Women remain underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) at all levels of higher education, which has become a concern in the competitive global marketplace. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, this dissertation sought to learn more about how the campus climate and self-concept influence the degree aspirations of female undergraduate students majoring in STEM programs. Using the Beginning Post-Secondary dataset, regression analyses showed that a student's initial degree aspirations, SAT scores, and interactions with faculty were all positively related to their degree aspirations three years later. Interviews with seven current STEM undergraduates confirmed the importance of interaction with faculty and suggested undergraduate research and classroom experiences also play a role in the degree aspirations of STEM students. Three of the seven students interviewed began their undergraduate educations as non-STEM majors, suggesting that the traditional STEM pipeline may no longer be the norm. These findings suggest that both future research and current practitioners should focus on undergraduate STEM classroom and research experiences. Additionally, the characteristics of students who switch into STEM majors should be explored so that we may continue to expand the number of students pursuing STEM degrees.

Advancing STEM Education: A 2020 Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bybee, Rodger W.

2010-01-01

STEM (an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics) had its origins in the 1990s at the National Science Foundation (NSF) and has been used as a generic label for any event, policy, program, or practice that involves one or several of the STEM disciplines. However, a recent survey on the "perception of STEM" found that most…

Marginalized Student Access to Technology Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurtcu, Wanda M.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how a teacher can disrupt an established curriculum that continues the cycle of inequity of access to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum by students in alternative education. For this paper, I will focus on the technology components of the STEM curriculum. Technology in the United States, if not the world economy, is developing at a rapid pace. Many areas of day to day living, from applying for a job to checking one's bank account online, involve a component of science and technology. The 'gap' in technology education is emphasized between the 'haves and have-nots', which is delineated along socio-economic lines. Marginalized students in alternative education programs use this equipment for little else than remedial programs and credit recovery. This level of inequity further widens in alternative education programs and affects the achievement of marginalized students in credit recovery or alternative education classes instead of participation technology classes. For the purposes of this paper I focus on how can I decrease the inequity of student access to 21st century technology education in an alternative education program by addressing the established curriculum of the program and modifying structural barriers of marginalized student access to a technology focused curriculum.

Successes of a new NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET): Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation (WE2NG) Empowers K-12 Educators to Train Our Future Scientists to Solve Critical STEM Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blaine, A. C.; Martin, A. C.; Hogue, T. S.

2016-12-01

Colorado School of Mines (CSM) recently kicked-off a three year K-12 teacher training program with an inaugural six-week summer Research Experience for Teachers (RET). The WE2NG, or Water-Energy Education for the Next Generation program, hosted nine Colorado public school teachers, giving them content and tools to enhance curricula and STEM topics in the classroom. WE2NG is an NSF (National Science Foundation) RET program that seeks to advance public knowledge and dialogue on the water-energy nexus through integration of teachers, and ultimately their students, by infusing standards-based, active-learning lessons with cutting-edge research in the water-energy nexus. The teachers' experience begins with a six week summer program at CSM that consists of different activities collectively integrated to give participants a holistic understanding of STEM research from inception to actualization. Three days a week, the participants focus on integration into a mentor faculty's research projects concerning water and/or energy. During the other two days, participants benefit from research presentations and lab tours from participating faculty, technical workshops on interdisciplinary topics, interaction with industry via field trips and speakers, and professional collaborative STEM curriculum development training. However, the teachers' experience does not end with the summer program; WE2NG also establishes long-term collaborative relationships with the summer participants by providing classroom support throughout the academic year. Graduate and undergraduate students from CSM Centers on campus are paired with the teachers to provide significant, sustained support and act as liaisons throughout the academic year. This presentation will highlight successes and lessons learned during the first year of the program, including a summary of how collaboration between K-12 teachers, Mines faculty and industry leaders can radically impact STEM education in Colorado.

In Pursuit of Sustainable STEM Certification Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuster, Dwight

2013-01-01

The belief that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education initiatives have the potential to stimulate both regional and national economies has prompted policy makers and funding agencies to revisit how STEM teachers are recruited, prepared, and retained. This article investigates the impact of a unique prescholarship…

Multiple Case Study of STEM in School-Based Agricultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stubbs, Eric A.; Myers, Brian E.

2015-01-01

This multiple case study investigated the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in three Florida high school agriculture programs. Observations, interviews, documents, and artifacts provided qualitative data that indicated the types of STEM knowledge taught. Variables of interest included student and teacher…

Lessons learned using a values-engaged approach to attend to culture, diversity, and equity in a STEM program evaluation.

PubMed

Boyce, Ayesha S

2017-10-01

Evaluation must attend meaningfully and respectfully to issues of culture, race, diversity, power, and equity. This attention is especially critical within the evaluation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educational programming, which has an explicit agenda of broadening participation. The purpose of this article is to report lessons learned from the implementation of a values-engaged, educative (Greene et al., 2006) evaluation within a multi-year STEM education program setting. This meta-evaluation employed a case study design using data from evaluator weekly systematic reflections, review of evaluation and program artifacts, stakeholder interviews, and peer review and assessment. The main findings from this study are (a) explicit attention to culture, diversity, and equity was initially challenged by organizational culture and under-developed evaluator-stakeholder professional relationship and (b) evidence of successful engagement of culture, diversity, and equity emerged in formal evaluation criteria and documents, and informal dialogue and discussion with stakeholders. The paper concludes with lessons learned and implications for practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Community Colleges Are Closing the Skills Gap through CTE and STEM Funding Innovations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowry, Kimberly; Thomas-Anderson, Tricia

2017-01-01

This chapter summarizes funding trends to support career and technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs at community colleges compared to funding for similar programs at 4-year colleges and universities. Examples of intramural and extramural funding strategies as well as lessons learned and…

Diversifying a Famous Science Community One Cohort at a Time: The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, O.; Jearld, A.

2012-12-01

In March 2009, the Woods Hole Diversity Initiative launched the Partnership Education Program (PEP), a multi-institutional effort to increase diversity in the student population (and ultimately the work force) in the Woods Hole science community. PEP, a summer research internship program, is open to students of all backgrounds but is designed especially to provide opportunities for individuals from populations under-represented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to come to Woods Hole to study or do research. To date, 60 students from 39 colleges and universities have participated and there is evidence that PEP students are being retained and continuing on the path towards completing STEM degrees and pursuing careers in marine and environmental science. PEP alumni are enrolled in graduate programs and employed in STEM-related jobs. They have availed themselves to other experiential learning and career development opportunities in the Woods Hole community and beyond. They have published papers with their PEP research mentors, and have won awards from presentations at professional conferences. During the PEP summer program, students gain a range of skills and knowledge as well as acquire the dispositions, attitudes and behaviors that are essential to their educational and career success. These run the gamut and include areas such as content and technical research knowledge related to the marine and environmental sciences, next step education and career transitions, and key competencies related to educational and career progression in STEM fields. As an evidence-based, promising practice for retaining students in STEM, the PEP model is emerging as an effective and sustainable approach. Beyond Woods Hole, PEP is gaining national recognition as information about PEP is disseminated via multiple channels, both electronic and non electronic. PEP's applicant pool has increased from 24 in Year 1 to 70 in Year 4. As a collaborative, partnership initiative, PEP has established a critical mass of underrepresented students participating in the Woods Hole scientific communities who, through their research, are contributing to advancing knowledge in the marine and environmental sciences. PEP's instrumental role in supporting students as they pursue STEM education and careers and helping them maintain a positive trajectory is invaluable as a sustainable approach that features institutions that pool resources to accomplish a common goal.

The Impact of an Authentic Science Experience on STEM Identity: A Preliminary Analysis of YouthAstroNet and MicroObservatory Telescope Network Participant Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dussault, Mary E.; Wright, Erika A.; Sadler, Philip; Sonnert, Gerhard; ITEAMS II Team

2018-01-01

Encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a high priority for national K-12 education improvement initiatives in the United States. Many educators have claimed that a promising strategy for nurturing early student interest in STEM is to engage them in authentic inquiry experiences. “Authentic” refers to investigations in which the questions are of genuine interest and importance to students, and the inquiry more closely resembles the way real science is done. Science education researchers and practitioners at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have put this theory into action with the development of YouthAstroNet, a nationwide online learning community of middle-school aged students, educators, and STEM professionals that features the MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network, professional image analysis software, and complementary curricula for use in a variety of learning settings. This preliminary study examines factors that influence YouthAstroNet participants' Science Affinity, STEM Identity, and STEM Career Interest, using the matched pre/post survey results of 261 participants as the data source. The pre/post surveys included some 40 items measuring affinity, identity, knowledge, and career interest. In addition, the post intervention instrument included a number of items in which students reported the instructional strategies they experienced as part of the program. A simple analysis of pre-post changes in affinity and interest revealed very little significant change, and for those items where a small pre-post effect was observed, the average change was most often negative. However, after accounting for students' different program treatment experiences and for their prior attitudes and interests, a predictor of significant student gains in Affinity, STEM Identity, Computer/Math Identity, and STEM Career Interest could be identified. This was the degree to which students reported using and experiencing the primary "authentic" learning activities of the YouthAstroNet program.

78 FR 13604 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Encouragement of Science, Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

..., either formal or informal, that encourage the pursuit of education and experience in the science..., programs or initiatives, either formal or informal, which encourage the pursuit of education and experience... Title I schools in order to enhance STEM education and programs; Making personnel available to advise...

Transforming attitudes and lives: Liberating African-American elementary and middle school students in out-of-school time STEM education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Charisse F.

Statistically, African-Americans, women, and the disabled are underrepresented in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Historically, these underrepresented students, are described as being unrecognized and underdeveloped in the American STEM circuit. Many experience deficient and inadequate educational resources, are not encouraged to pursue STEM education and careers, and are confronted with copious obstructions. In this quantitative study, the researcher collected pretest and posttest survey data from a group of 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade African-American students in Title I funded schools. The reseacher used quantitative analysis to determine any significant differences in the science related attitudes between and within groups who participated in Out of School-Time Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not. Results revealed no significant differences in the science related attitudes between the groups of the students who participated in the Out of School Time-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not. Results also revealed no significant differences in the science related attitudes within the groups of students who participated in the Out of School Time-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics programs and those who did not.

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum and course development and evaluation research. First, the context of, and impetus for, what was formerly called vocational education, now referred to as technical or workforce education, is provided. Second, the research that was undertaken to design and evaluate an associate degree-level STEM workforce education program is described. Third, the adaptation of a student self-assessment of learning gains instrument is reviewed, and an analysis of the resulting data using an adapted logic model is provided, to evaluate the extent to which instructional approaches, in two process control/improvement-focused courses, were effective in meeting course-level intended learning outcomes. Finally, eight integrative multiscale exercises were designed from two example process systems, wastewater treatment and fast pyrolysis. The integrative exercises are intended for use as tools to accelerate the formation of an operator-technician's multiscale vision of systems, unit operations, underlying processes, and fundamental reactions relevant to multiple industries. Community and technical colleges serve a vital function in STEM education by training workers for medium- and high-skilled technical careers and providing employers the labor necessary to operate and maintain thriving business ventures. Through development of the curricular, course, and assessment-related instruments and tools, this research helps ensure associate degree-level technical education programs can engage in a continual process of program evaluation and improvement.

A Longitudinal Study of the Effectiveness of a K-12 Engagement Program on Graduate Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weeks, Faith; Gong, Ruiyang; Harbor, Jon

2015-01-01

Programs that connect higher and K-12 education provide benefits to K-12 students, teachers, and higher education. The National Science Foundation (NSF) invested in programs connecting domestic STEM graduate students with K-12 education for over a decade (GK-12), intending that such engagement would help achieve graduate student learning outcomes…

A Comprehensive Approach to Fostering the Next Generation of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierking, Lynn D.

2010-01-01

This paper describes an innovative education program launched in 2004 by Oregon State University Science and Mathematics Education Department, with leadership from Oregon Sea Grant, and funding from NOAA. Program development is described as well as the impact of it on participants. The program represents one vision for how to transform research…

INCREASING ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHER-EDUCATION REPRESENTATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS FIELDS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT K-12 INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.

PubMed

Valla, Jeffrey M; Williams, Wendy M

2012-01-01

The under-representation of women and ethnic minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and professions has resulted in a loss of human capital for the US scientific workforce and spurred the development of myriad STEM educational intervention programs. Increased allocation of resources to such programs begs for a critical, prescriptive, evidence-based review that will enable researchers to develop optimal interventions and administrators to maximize investments. We begin by providing a theoretical backdrop for K-12 STEM programs by reviewing current data on under-representation and developmental research describing individual-level social factors undergirding these data. Next, we review prototypical designs of these programs, highlighting specific programs in the literature as examples of program structures and components currently in use. We then evaluate these interventions in terms of overall effectiveness, as a function of how well they address age-, ethnicity-, or gender-specific factors, suggesting improvements in program design based on these critiques. Finally, program evaluation methods are briefly reviewed and discussed in terms of how their empirical soundness can either enable or limit our ability to delineate effective program components. "Now more than ever, the nation's changing demographics demand that we include all of our citizens in science and engineering education and careers. For the U.S. to benefit from the diverse talents of all its citizens, we must grow the pipeline of qualified, underrepresented minority engineers and scientists to fill positions in industry and academia."-Irving P. McPhail..

INCREASING ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHER-EDUCATION REPRESENTATION OF UNDER-REPRESENTED GROUPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS FIELDS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT K-12 INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

PubMed Central

Valla, Jeffrey M.; Williams, Wendy M.

2012-01-01

The under-representation of women and ethnic minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and professions has resulted in a loss of human capital for the US scientific workforce and spurred the development of myriad STEM educational intervention programs. Increased allocation of resources to such programs begs for a critical, prescriptive, evidence-based review that will enable researchers to develop optimal interventions and administrators to maximize investments. We begin by providing a theoretical backdrop for K-12 STEM programs by reviewing current data on under-representation and developmental research describing individual-level social factors undergirding these data. Next, we review prototypical designs of these programs, highlighting specific programs in the literature as examples of program structures and components currently in use. We then evaluate these interventions in terms of overall effectiveness, as a function of how well they address age-, ethnicity-, or gender-specific factors, suggesting improvements in program design based on these critiques. Finally, program evaluation methods are briefly reviewed and discussed in terms of how their empirical soundness can either enable or limit our ability to delineate effective program components. “Now more than ever, the nation’s changing demographics demand that we include all of our citizens in science and engineering education and careers. For the U.S. to benefit from the diverse talents of all its citizens, we must grow the pipeline of qualified, underrepresented minority engineers and scientists to fill positions in industry and academia.”—Irving P. McPhail.. PMID:22942637

Borderless STEM education: A study of both American students and foreign students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komura, Kiriko

This study explores the current status of borderless education in STEM through surveys of two populations of STEM students: American students who studied abroad and foreign students who were studying in the U.S. It was undertaken in response to the U.S. government's desires to strengthen STEM education and to develop American students' global competencies. The purpose was to understand how international experiences can be enhanced in order to increase American STEM students' interest in study abroad programs and in earning advanced STEM degrees and to understand how to attract more foreign STEM students to study in the United States. Issues of particular focus were: the impacts of gender, race/ethnicity, and nationality on STEM students' motivation to participate in, and responses to study abroad programs, and the value of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in borderless STEM education. Several different forms of multivariate analyses were performed on data from surveys at seven public and private colleges and universities in the Southern California area. The results indicated that among American students, greater value was placed on social and cultural experiences gained through studying abroad. In contrast, among foreign students greater value was placed on enhancement of their academic and professional development opportunities. American students whose study abroad included research experiences had a greater interest in international research and teaching in the future. Foreign graduate students majoring in computer science, engineering and biology are the most likely to seek opportunities to study and work in the US. Finally, ICTs were valued by American students as platforms for social interactions and by foreign students for facilitating professional networks. The analyses lead to several recommendations, including: STEM faculty should be made aware of the critical importance of their advising and mentoring in motivating students to choose to study abroad and, minority students gain more confidence about working in STEM fields and seeking advanced STEM degrees as a result of studying abroad.

S.T.E.M. Initiatives. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, David

2010-01-01

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) initiatives represent an extensive and expanding movement across American education. Nationally, funding for K-12 STEM programs increased from $700 million to almost $1 billion from 2005 to 2007 alone (US DOE, Report of the Academic Competitiveness Council, 2007, p. 51). Although there is a…

Building Better Bridges into STEM: A Synthesis of 25 Years of Literature on STEM Summer Bridge Programs.

PubMed

Ashley, Michael; Cooper, Katelyn M; Cala, Jacqueline M; Brownell, Sara E

2017-01-01

Summer bridge programs are designed to help transition students into the college learning environment. Increasingly, bridge programs are being developed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines because of the rigorous content and lower student persistence in college STEM compared with other disciplines. However, to our knowledge, a comprehensive review of STEM summer bridge programs does not exist. To provide a resource for bridge program developers, we conducted a systematic review of the literature on STEM summer bridge programs. We identified 46 published reports on 30 unique STEM bridge programs that have been published over the past 25 years. In this review, we report the goals of each bridge program and whether the program was successful in meeting these goals. We identify 14 distinct bridge program goals that can be organized into three categories: academic success goals, psychosocial goals, and department-level goals. Building on the findings of published bridge reports, we present a set of recommendations for STEM bridge programs in hopes of developing better bridges into college. © 2017 M. Ashley, K. M. Cooper, et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

NASA's explorer school and spaceward bound programs: Insights into two education programs designed to heighten public support for space science initiatives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allner, Matthew; McKay, Christopher P; Coe, Liza; Rask, Jon; Paradise, Jim; Wynne, J. Judson

2010-01-01

IntroductionNASA has played an influential role in bringing the enthusiasm of space science to schools across the United States since the 1980s. The evolution of this public outreach has led to a variety of NASA funded education programs designed to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and geography (STEM-G) careers.PurposeThis paper investigates the educational outreach initiatives, structure, and impact of two of NASA's largest educational programs: the NASA Explorer School (NES) and NASA Spaceward Bound programs.ResultsSince its induction in 2003 the NES program has networked and provided resources to over 300 schools across the United States. Future directions include further development of mentor schools for each new NES school selected, while also developing a longitudinal student tracking system for NES students to monitor their future involvement in STEM-G careers. The Spaceward Bound program, now in its third year of teacher outreach, is looking to further expand its teacher network and scientific collaboration efforts, while building on its teacher mentorship framework.

A Bridge to the Stars: A Model High School-to-College Pipeline to Improve Diversity in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Daniel H.; Jennings, Derrick H.

2017-01-01

Increasing participation by historically underrepresented Americans in the STEM workforce remains a national priority. Existing strategies have failed to increase diversity especially in the physical sciences despite federal mandates. To meet this urgent challenge, it is imperative to immediately identify and support the expansion of effective high school-to-college STEM pipelines. A Bridge to the Stars (ABttS) is a creative and tested pipeline designed to steadily increase the numbers of disadvantaged 15-21 year-olds pursuing and completing 4-year STEM degrees. This unique program offers extended engagement in astronomy, arguably the most accessible window to science, through a 3-tier STEM immersion program of innovative learning (in a freshman science course), authentic research training (in a freshman science lab), and supportive near-peer mentoring at U.Missouri-Kansas City, an urban research university. Each tier of the ABttS pipeline by itself has the potential to broaden student aspirations for careers as technological innovators or STEM educators. Students who elect to transition through multiple tiers will substantially reinforce their successes with STEM activities, and significantly bolster their self-esteem necessary to personally manifest STEM aspirations. We will summarize the impact of this program after 5 years, and share our latest improvements. The long-term mission of ABttS is to see urban educational institutions across the U.S. adopt similar pipelines in all STEM disciplines built on the ABttS model.

Math Is All around Us: Exploring the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development of Three Urban Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosby, Missy; Horton, Akesha; Berzina-Pitcher, Inese

2017-01-01

The MSUrbanSTEM fellowship program aims to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educators teaching in an urban context. In this chapter, we used a multiple case studies methodology to examine the qualitatively different ways three urban mathematics educators implemented a yearlong project in their mathematics classrooms…

STEM Pilot Project Grant Program: Report to the Legislature, December 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noahr, Lorrell; Black, Scott; Rogers, Justin

2016-01-01

As our world becomes more and more steeped in technology, educating our students in that and related areas becomes crucial. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education focuses on helping students become the next generation of professionals who will create the new ideas, new products and new industries of the future. Teaching STEM…

Hierarchy of Study Designs for Evaluating the Effectiveness of a STEM Education Project or Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy, 2007

2007-01-01

This document contains a narrative overview of the hierarchy, followed by a one-page graphic summary. The purpose of the hierarchy is to help agency/program officials assess which study designs are capable of producing scientifically-valid evidence on the effectiveness of a STEM education project or practice ("intervention"). More specifically,…

Transforming College Practices and Student Experiences to Advance STEM Education. Scaling Change: National STEM Consortium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richie, D.

2016-01-01

Several federal grants prioritized the role of community colleges in education and training in recent years, and one of the most substantial investments was the Trade Adjustment Act Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) program of the United States Department of Labor (DOL). Beginning October 2011, these $2 billion capacity-building…

Impacts and Feedbacks in a Warming Arctic: Engaging Diverse Learners in Geoscience Education and Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, Elena; Spellman, Katie; Fabbri, Cindy; Verbyla, David; Yoshikawa, Kenji; Fochesatto, Gilberto; Comiso, Josefino; Chase, Malinda; Jones, Debra; Bacsujlaky, Mara

2016-04-01

A warming climate has changed the timing of the seasons in the Arctic and elsewhere. Our project will engage learners in the investigation of the shifting seasons' impacts on vegetation, soils, hydrology, infrastructure, livelihoods, and communities and the feedbacks between these factors. Primary and secondary students, pre- and in-service teachers and lifelong learners will use historical and current National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) data, NASA experts, and the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) methods to help uncover the surprises from and consequences of earlier springs, warmer and later falls, changing ice cover, later freeze-up and earlier break-up of rivers and lakes. Key objectives are to: 1) provide new opportunities to bring NASA assets to learners of all ages, 2) enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning and understanding of the Earth system, 3) improve STEM instruction, 4) enhance STEM experience of undergraduate students, and 5) increase participation of groups historically underrepresented in STEM such as Native Americans who are also more vulnerable to climate change impacts. Incorporating issues of local importance with national and global implications, into educational experiences will make learning relevant which may be helpful to communities in developing strategies for adaptation. We intend to use NASA assets (e.g. MODIS snow data, NDVI, Cloudsat, and SMAP data), GLOBE methodologies (classic and new ground observations and measurements) to develop and deliver curriculum materials including culturally responsive learning activities, course/modules, professional development workshops, and educational experiences using best practices in pedagogy such as constructivism, inquiry- and place- based, interdisciplinary and systems approach, and cutting-edge technology to reach a variety of target audiences, while improving STEM education. Audiences include K-12 teachers and their students, home-schooled students, pre-service teachers, undergraduate students, and community members as citizen scientists. Those served will include groups historically under-represented in STEM fields (e.g. Alaska Natives). Learners will be engaged using face-to-face, online, and mobile technologies. Formative and summative assessments as well as outcome-based metrics will be developed to evaluate the success of program efforts. To accomplish objectives and leverage efforts, this project brings together subject matter experts, educational professionals, and practitioners in a teaming arrangement as well as leveraged partnerships that include the GLOBE Program, NASA Langley Education Program, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, International Arctic Research Institute, School of Education, School of Natural Resources and Extension, Geophysical Institute, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Association of Interior Native Educators, Kenaitze Tribe Environmental Education Program, Urban and Rural School Districts, 4-H Program, Goldstream Group, Inc., National Science Foundation (NSF) Alaska Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, NSF Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research and the NSF Polar Learning and Responding Climate Change Education Partnership.

1.2 million kids and counting-Mobile science laboratories drive student interest in STEM.

PubMed

Jones, Amanda L; Stapleton, Mary K

2017-05-01

In today's increasingly technological society, a workforce proficient in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills is essential. Research has shown that active engagement by K-12 students in hands-on science activities that use authentic science tools promotes student learning and retention. Mobile laboratory programs provide this type of learning in schools and communities across the United States and internationally. Many programs are members of the Mobile Lab Coalition (MLC), a nonprofit organization of mobile and other laboratory-based education programs built on scientist and educator collaborations. A recent survey of the member programs revealed that they provide an impressive variety of programming and have collectively served over 1.2 million students across the US.

Undergraduate women in STEM: Does participation in STEM extracurricular programs enhance success among students?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, Kasey Marie

Women have been underrepresented in the STEM fields since the 1650's to today (Hunter, 2005). This study examined the extracurricular participation of undergraduate women, in Fall 2009, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, who were majoring in at least one (1) of the 49 STEM majors at Southeastern State University participated in STEM extracurricular programs and if any specific program contributed to success more than other programs. A second question was whether participation in an extracurricular program(s) influenced their success. Women who were older, had been enrolled more semesters, had more credit hours, and had families with higher incomes were more likely to be involved in STEM only or STEM and Non-STEM extracurricular activities. Additionally, students who completed a high level of high school math, had a higher high school GPA, had received a regular high school diploma, and who had mothers with a higher level of education were also more likely to be involved in STEM only or STEM and Non-STEM extracurricular activities. Students who had been enrolled in college seven (7) or more semesters, who had selected their current major within their first year of college, were more likely to be involved in STEM extracurricular activities. Students believe that their STEM extracurricular involvement helps them to be successful because it provided them with student relationships, opportunity for the future, advising relationships, mentorship, and exploration of the campus and larger community. This study may be useful for student affairs professionals and academics who take an active role in serving as advisors, mentors, and providers of STEM-related opportunities.

A Mixed Methods Study on Evaluations of Virginia's STEM-Focused Governor's Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stith, Krista M.

2017-01-01

Significant emphasis is currently placed on STEM education as a vehicle to encourage American youth to enter science, technology, engineering, and math-related professions. Gifted students are a natural resource of future innovators for these fields; however gifted programs are largely overlooked for program support. Since 1973, the Virginia…

Connecting the Dots for Youth Development in American Indian Communities: A Story of the Reach for the Sky Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Stephan; Hardman, Alisha M.; Marczak, Mary S.

2011-01-01

This second article in "JAIE'"s new "Reports from the Field" section1 explores a culturally based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program at a northern Minnesota Bureau of Indian Education high school. Engaging American Indian youth from disenfranchised communities in STEM programs has been challenging.…

Place Based STEM: Leveraging Local Resources to Engage K-12 Teachers in Teaching Integrated STEM and for Addressing the Local STEM Pipeline

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dr. Louis Nadelson; Anne Louise Seifert; Meagan McKinney

Business, industry, parks, nature settings, government infrastructure, and people, can be invaluable resources for connecting STEM curriculum within context which results in conditions ideal for promoting purposeful learning of authentic STEM content. Thus, community-based STEM resources offer ideal context for teaching STEM content. A benefit of focusing teacher attention on these contextual, content aligned resources is that they are in every community; making place-based STEM education a possibility, regardless of the location of STEM teaching and learning. Further, associating STEM teaching and learning with local resources addresses workforce development and the STEM pipeline by exposing students to STEM careers andmore » applications in their local communities. The desire to align STEM teaching and learning with local STEM related resources guided the design of our week-long integrated STEM K-12 teacher professional development (PD) program, i-STEM. We have completed four years of our i-STEM PD program and have made place-based STEM a major emphasis of our curriculum. This report focuses on the data collected in the fourth year of our program. Our week-long i-STEM PD served over 425 educators last summer (2013), providing them with in depth theme-based integrated STEM short courses which were limited to an average of 15 participants and whole group plenary sessions focused around placed based integrated STEM, inquiry, engineering design, standards and practices of Common Core and 21st Century skills. This state wide PD was distributed in five Idaho community colleges and took place over two weeks. The STEM short courses included topics on engineering for sustainability, using engineering to spark interest in STEM, municipal water systems, health, agriculture, food safety, mining, forestry, energy, and others. Integral to these short courses were field trips designed to connect the K-12 educators to the resources in their local communities that could be leveraged for teaching integrated STEM and provide a relevant context for teaching STEM content. Workplace presentations made by place-based STEM experts and provided teachers field trips to place-base STEM industries and business such as manufacturing plants, waste water treatment systems, mines, nature parks, food processing plants, research, hospitals, and laboratory facilities. We researched the 425 participants’ conceptions of place-based STEM prior to and after their taking part in the summer institutes, which included fieldtrips. Our findings revealed substantial increase in our participants’ knowledge, interest, and plans to use place-based resources for teaching integrated STEM. We detail the data analysis and provide a theoretical foundation and justification for the importance of place-based STEM to address the STEM pipeline for the future workforce.« less

NASA Education: Yesterday's Dream...Today's Vision...Tomorrow's Hope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winterton, Joyce L.

2010-01-01

For 50 years, NASA's journeys into air and space have developed humankind's understanding of the universe, advanced technology breakthroughs, enhanced air travel safety and security, and expanded the frontiers of scientific research. These accomplishments share a common genesis: education. Education is a fundamental element of NASA's activities, reflecting a balanced and diverse portfolio of: Elementary and Secondary Education, Higher Education, e-Education, Informal Education, and Minority University Research and Education Programs (MUREP). Previous experience has shown that implementing exciting and compelling NASA missions are critical to inspiring the next generation of explorers, innovators, and leaders. Through partnerships with the Agency's Mission Directorates, other federal agencies, private industries, scientific research, and education/academic organizations, NASA's unique mission and education initiatives (content, people, and facilities) are helping to spark student interest and to guide them toward careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NASA continues to inspire the next generation of explorers, innovators, and future leaders through its educational investments, which are designed to: (1) Strengthen NASA and the Nation's future workforce -- NASA will identify and develop the critical skills and capabilities needed to ensure achievement of exploration, science, and aeronautics. (2) Attract and retain students in STEM disciplines through a progression of educational opportunities for students, teachers, and faculty -- To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations, and career ambitions of America's young people, NASA will focus on engaging and retaining students in STEM education programs to encourage their pursuit of educational disciplines critical to NASA's future engineering, scientific, and technical missions. 3. Engage Americans in NASA's mission -- NASA will build strategic partnerships and links between formal and informal STEM education providers. Through hands-on, interactive, educational activities, NASA will engage students, educators, families, the general public, and all agency stakeholders in increasing America's science and technology literacy. NASA Education uses multiple methods to assess and evaluate the success of its programs and projects. Methods include strategic planning, management and control, expert evaluations and assessments, competitive acquisition, and analysis of performance measurement data and metrics. Additional control measures are in development. These measures will further improve data collection, assist in assessing return on investments, and provide information for accountability in project and program management. In 2009, NASA directly reached over one million students and over 115,000 educators.

Space Weather Outreach: Connection to STEM Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dusenbery, P. B.

2008-12-01

Many scientists are studying the Sun-Earth system and attempting to provide timely, accurate, and reliable space environment observations and forecasts. Research programs and missions serve as an ideal focal point for creating educational content, making this an ideal time to inform the public about the importance and value of space weather research. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the Space Science Institute (SSI) is developing a comprehensive Space Weather Outreach program to reach students, educators, and other members of the public, and share with them the exciting discoveries from this important scientific discipline. The Space Weather Outreach program has the following five components: (1) the Space Weather Center Website that includes online educational games; (2) Small Exhibits for Libraries, Shopping Malls, and Science Centers; (3) After-School Programs; (4) Professional Development Workshops for Educators, and (5) an innovative Evaluation and Education Research project. Its overarching goal is to inspire, engage, and educate a broad spectrum of the public and make strategic and innovative connections between informal and K-12 education communities. An important factor in the success of this program will be its alignment with STEM standards especially those related to science and mathematics. This presentation will describe the Space Weather Outreach program and how standards are being used in the development of each of its components.

Planning Consumer Education Programs for Residents of Prisons and Pre-Release Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale. Dept. of Family Economics and Management.

The pamphlet describes the development of a consumer education program for prison inmates, and presents 12 curriculum guides on consumer topics relevant to prisoners. Because prison inmates spend time removed from the changing economic marketplace, and because many crimes stem from financial and economic problems, it is important to educate and…

The Dollars and Cents of Investing Early: Cost-Benefit Analysis in Early Care and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, James; Grunewald, Rob; Reynolds, Arthur

2006-01-01

Heckman et al. discuss how cost-benefit analysis of prekindergarten education programs demonstrates that the highest per child benefits stem from programs that focus on economically disadvantaged children. Indeed, studies have shown that these children make significant gains in cognition, social-emotional development, and educational performance…

NASA's explorer school and spaceward bound programs: Insights into two education programs designed to heighten public support for space science initiatives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allner, Matthew; McKay, C.; Coe, L.; Rask, Jon; Paradise, Jim; Wynne, J.J.

2008-01-01

Introduction: NASA has played an influential role in bringing the enthusiasm of space science to schools across the United States since the 1980s. The evolution of this public outreach has led to a variety of NASA funded education programs designed to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and geography (STEM-G) careers. Purpose: This paper investigates the educational outreach initiatives, structure, and impact of two of NASA's largest educational programs: the NASA Explorer School (NES) and NASA Spaceward Bound programs. Methods: The investigation further provides a detailed overview of the structure of these two NASA education outreach programs, while providing information regarding selection criteria and program developments over time. Results: Since its induction in 2003 the NES program has networked and provided resources to over 300 schools across the United States. Future directions include further development of mentor schools for each new NES school selected, while also developing a longitudinal student tracking system for NES students to monitor their future involvement in STEM-G careers. The Spaceward Bound program, now in its third year of teacher outreach, is looking to further expand its teacher network and scientific collaboration efforts, while building on its teacher mentorship framework.

A National Partnership-Based Summer Learning Initiative to Engage Underrepresented Students with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melvin, Leland

2010-01-01

In response to the White House Educate to Innovate campaign, NASA developed a new science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program for non-traditional audiences that also focused on public-private partnerships and nationwide participation. NASA recognized that summer break is an often overlooked but opportune time to engage youth in STEM experiences, and elevated its ongoing commitment to the cultivation of diversity. The Summer of Innovation (SoI) is the resulting initiative that uses NASA's unique missions and resources to boost summer learning, particularly for students who are underrepresented, underserved and underperforming in STEM. The SoI pilot, launched in June 2010, is a multi-faceted effort designed to improve STEM teaching and learning through partnership, multi-week summer learning programs, special events, a national concluding event, and teacher development. The SoI pilot features strategic infusion of NASA content and educational resource materials, sustainability through STEM Learning Communities, and assessments of effectiveness of SoI interventions with other pilot efforts. This paper examines the inception and development of the Summer of Innovation pilot project, including achievements and effectiveness, as well as lessons learned for future efforts.

NASA Astrophysics EPO Community: Serving Groups Historically Underrepresented in STEM Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinke, B. K.; Smith, D. A.; Lawton, B.; Bartolone, L.; Schultz, G.; Manning, J.; NASA Astrophysics EPO Community

2015-11-01

Four Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support and coordinate the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education and public outreach (EPO) community. The mission- and grant-based EPO programs of this EPO community are uniquely poised to foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. The Forums engage underserved audiences through coordinated efforts such as NASAScience4Girls and Their Families, which partners NASA science education programs with public libraries to provide NASA-themed, hands-on education activities for girls and their families, along with training for librarians. We present examples of how the NASA EPO community and Forums serve groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields via the NASAScience4Girls and Their Families initiative, including associated metrics and evaluation findings.

Report on STEM Graduation and Enrollment Trends. April 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Rick; Butler, Sharon; Mitchell, Suzanne

2013-01-01

The purpose of this report on Arkansas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program activity is to inform education and policy makers about the need to prepare and graduate more students with degrees in STEM-related fields as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arkansas is witnessing a significant…

Report on STEM Graduation and Enrollment Trends. February 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Rick; Butler, Sharon; Mitchell, Suzanne

2014-01-01

The purpose of this report on Arkansas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program activity is to inform education and policy makers about the need to prepare and graduate more students with degrees in STEM related fields as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arkansas is witnessing a significant…

Report on STEM Graduation and Enrollment Trends. June 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Rick; Mitchell, Suzanne

2012-01-01

The purpose of this report on Arkansas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program activity is to inform education and policy makers about the need to prepare and graduate more students with degrees in STEM related fields as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arkansas is witnessing a significant…

Report on STEM Graduation and Enrollment Trends. January 2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Rick; Butler, Sharon; Mitchell, Suzanne

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report on Arkansas STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program activity is to inform education and policy makers about the need to prepare and graduate more students with degrees in STEM related fields as defined by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arkansas is witnessing a significant…

Influences on Visual Spatial Rotation: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Experiences, Age, and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Paula Christine

2013-01-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education curriculum is designed to strengthen students' science and math achievement through project based learning activities. As part of a STEM initiative, SeaPerch was developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that instructs…

Early Undergraduate Research Experiences Lead to Similar Learning Gains for STEM and Non-STEM Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford, Jennifer S.; Rocheleau, Suzanne E.; Smith, Kevin P. W.; Mohan, Jaya

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research is touted as a high-impact educational practice yielding important benefits such as increased retention and notable learning gains. Large-scale studies describing benefits of mentored research programs have focused primarily on outcomes for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates. The Students…

Parental Perceptions of STEM Enrichment for Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tay, Juliana; Salazar, Alissa; Lee, Hyeseong

2018-01-01

Most pre-kindergarten (pre-K) and kindergarten curricula are challenging and engaging, but few are strongly grounded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. In this study, the authors examined parental perception (N = 55) of the influences of a Saturday STEM enrichment program in one university center on pre-K and…

Teaching STEM after School: Correlates of Instructional Comfort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Benjamin

2018-01-01

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education is a critical component of federal policymakers' agendas. Out-of-school time (OST) programs are designated as an important venue to teach STEM to K-12 students. Using a sample of OST direct staff in Pennsylvania (n = 133), the present analysis examines instructional methods used for…

"Finding the Joy in the Unknown": Implementation of STEAM Teaching Practices in Middle School Science and Math Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quigley, Cassie F.; Herro, Dani

2016-01-01

In response to a desire to strengthen the economy, educational settings are emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum and programs. Yet, because of the narrow approach to STEM, educational leaders continue to call for a more balanced approach to teaching and learning, which includes the arts, design, and…

Idaho Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Overview

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

Idaho National Laboratory has been instrumental in establishing the Idaho Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics initiative -- i-STEM, which brings together industry, educators, government and other partners to provide K-12 teachers with support, materials and opportunities to improve STEM instruction and increase student interest in technical careers. You can learn more about INL's education programs at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

Idaho Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hampton, Brandon; Shoushtarian, Joannah; Ledoux, P

2011-02-11

Idaho National Laboratory has been instrumental in establishing the Idaho Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics initiative -- i-STEM, which brings together industry, educators, government and other partners to provide K-12 teachers with support, materials and opportunities to improve STEM instruction and increase student interest in technical careers. You can learn more about INL's education programs at http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

Cheyney University Curriculum and Infrastructure Enhamcement in STEM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eva, Sakkar Ara

Cheyney University is the oldest historically Black educational institution in America. Initially established as a “normal” school emphasizing the matriculation of educators, Cheyney has become a comprehensive university, one of 14 state universities comprising the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Cheyney University graduates still become teachers, but they also enter such fields as journalism, medicine, science, mathematics, law, communication and government. Cheyney University is a small state owned HBCU with very limited resource. At present the university has about a thousand students with 15% in STEM. The CUCIES II grant made significant contribution in saving the computer sciencemore » program from being a discontinued program in the university. The grant enabled the university to hire a temporary faculty to teach in and update the computer science program. The program is enhanced with three tracks; cyber security, human computer interaction and general. The updated and enhanced computer science program will prepare professionals in the area of computer science with the knowledge, skills, and professional ethic needed for the current market. The new curriculum was developed for a professional profile that would focus on the technologies and techniques currently used in the industry. With faculty on board, the university worked with the department to bring back the computer science program from moratorium. Once in the path of being discontinued and loosing students, the program is now growing. Currently the student number has increased from 12 to 30. University is currently in the process of hiring a tenure track faculty in the computer science program. Another product of the grant is the proposal for introductory course in nanotechnology. The course is intended to generate interest in the nanotechnology field. The Natural and Applied Science department that houses all of the STEM programs in Cheyney University, is currently working to bring back environmental science program from moratorium. The university has been working to improve minority participation in STEM and made significant stride in terms of progressing students toward graduate programs and into professoriate track. This success is due to faculty mentors who work closely with students to guiding them through the application processes for research internship and graduate programs; it is also due to the university forming collaborative agreements with research intensive institutions, federal and state agencies and industry. The grant assisted in recruiting and retaining students in STEM by offering tuition scholarship, research scholarship and travel awards. Faculty professional development was supported by the grant by funding travel to conferences, meetings and webinar. As many HBCU Cheyney University is also trying to do more with less. As the STEM programs are inherently expensive, these are the ones that suffer more when resources are scarce. One of the goals of Cheyney University strategic plan is to strengthen STEM programs that is coherent with the critical skill need of Department of Energy. All of the Cheyney University STEM programs are now located in the new science building funded by Pennsylvania state.« less

Development of Integrative STEM Curriculum: A Multiple Case Study of Multi-Disciplinary Teams in Two Pennsylvania High Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rider-Bertrand, Joey H.

At the start of the 21st century, STEM education was a new priority in many schools as the focus shifted from separate disciplines to integrative STEM education. Unfortunately, there was limited research to offer guidance to practitioners (Brown, 2012; Honey, Pearson & Schweingruber, 2014). This qualitative, multiple case study explored the experiences of two multi-disciplinary teams of secondary teachers from Pennsylvania who developed and implemented integrative STEM curriculum. Four teachers from a rural high school and four teachers from a suburban high school participated in the study. A document review of integrative STEM curriculum and semi-structured interviews were conducted to learn about the curriculum development process and teachers' perceptions regarding conditions that support or hinder success. Individual and cross-case analyses were performed to establish findings and themes. Although the individual case themes varied slightly, the cross-case themes and assertions that emerged provided highly sought after guidance to practitioners and added to the limited body of research on integrative STEM education. This study found that current curriculum models do not fit integrative STEM curriculum, the development process is fluid, and substantial administrative support and resources are necessary to develop, implement, and sustain integrative STEM education programs. The results offered implications for all educators, as well as two examples of how teachers navigated the terrain of integrative STEM curriculum.

Governor's Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) Program: Year One Evaluation Report. Policy Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G.; Podgursky, Michael J.; Lewis, Jessica L.; Ehlert, Mark W.; Gardner, Catherine G.; Ghoshdastidar, Bonnie; Lopez, Omar S.; Patterson, Christine H.; Taylor, Lori L.

2007-01-01

This report presents findings stemming from the first-year evaluation of the Governor's Educator Excellence Grant (GEEG) program, one of several statewide performance incentive programs in Texas. In the fall of 2006, the GEEG program made available non-competitive, three-year grants to 99 schools ranging from $60,000 to $220,000 per year. Grants…

Mentoring Women in STEM: A Collegiate Investigation of Mentors and Proteges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leavey, Nicole

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States lags behind that of other industrialized nations. Despite national efforts to enhance the quality of STEM education for students, progress remains elusive. Underperformance is evident in measures of outcomes, participation, and retention. In particular, inequity persists in the attraction and retention of women to STEM fields. Mentoring is heavily cited as a means to improve our national efforts to fortify STEM education. This research explores mentoring styles, gender preferences, and differential impact on outcomes. The results challenge conventional wisdom that women prefer and benefit from a style of mentoring that is different from the preferred style of men. This study found that male and female proteges do not desire different types of mentoring. In fact, male and female proteges desire task-oriented mentoring when compared to relationship-oriented mentoring styles. However, female proteges prefer to be mentored by female mentors and male proteges prefer to be mentored by male mentors. In addition, with respect to gender, mentors do not differ in the type of mentoring they employ. Additionally, results of the study indicate that task-oriented mentoring style may bring incremental explanatory power with regard to intention to pursue STEM careers. This research implicates STEM program design in university settings. Gender-focused STEM programs are advised to focus on preferences and mentoring type, but not in the conventional way. This research indicates that women in STEM disciplines are not expressing a preference for relationship-oriented mentoring type and do benefit from task-oriented mentoring styles.

NASA Science4Girls and Their Families: Connecting Local Libraries with NASA Scientists and Education Programs to Engage Girls in STEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bleacher, L. V.; Meinke, B.; Hauck, K.; Soeffing, C.; Spitz, A.

2014-01-01

NASA Science4Girls and Their Families (NS4G) partners NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education programs with public libraries to provide hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities and career information for girls and their families, along with training for librarians, in conjunction with Women's History Month (March). NS4G is a collaboration among education teams within the four NASA SMD education and public outreach (E/PO) Forums: Planetary, Earth, Astrophysics, and Heliophysics. It began in 2012 as an Astrophysics-led program (Astro4Girls) with 9 events around the country. Upon expanding among the four Forums, over 73 events were held in Spring 2013 (Fig. 1), with preparations underway for events in Spring 2014. All events are individually evaluated by both the student participants and participating librarians to assess their effectiveness in addressing audience needs.

Satisfying STEM Education Using the Arduino Microprocessor in C Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffer, Brandyn M.

There exists a need to promote better Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education at the high school level. To satisfy this need a series of hands-on laboratory assignments were created to be accompanied by 2 educational trainers that contain various electronic components. This project provides an interdisciplinary, hands-on approach to teaching C programming that meets several standards defined by the Tennessee Board of Education. Together the trainers and lab assignments also introduce key concepts in math and science while allowing students hands-on experience with various electronic components. This will allow students to mimic real world applications of using the C programming language while exposing them to technology not currently introduced in many high school classrooms. The developed project is targeted at high school students performing at or above the junior level and uses the Arduino Mega open-source Microprocessor and software as the primary control unit.

Saint Louis Science Center Community STEM Outreach Program: A Local Model for National Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-26

January 2012 and twelve students from Navy-linked Cleveland NJROTC High School completed the program in during the funding period. The program promoted ... cognition , the ability to assess the status of their own learning )  Provides comfortable and respectful ways for teens to revisit and learn STEM... think about their own learning (meta- cognition ). This skill, scaffolded by educators, helps teens develop as independent learners, accepting the

Broadening Participation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM through a Hybrid Online Transfer Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drew, Jennifer C.; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Ardissone, Alexandria N.; Triplett, Eric W.

2016-01-01

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in…

An Analysis of Retention Factors in Undergraduate Degree Programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michael H.

2012-01-01

This mixed-methodological study explored the factors that predict a student's likelihood to complete an undergraduate program in a STEM discipline at one campus reliant upon that mission. Offered in response to a national imperative for the U.S. to compete globally, researchers contend educators must better prepare a STEM foundation and inspire…

Sitting with the scientists: a collaborative approach to STEM content development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattson, Barbara

2018-01-01

For over two decades, the Goddard Astrophysics Education Team has been an integrated part of NASA Goddard’s Astrophysics Science Division. As part of NASA’s largest astrophysics organization, our team is in a unique position to collaborate with the division’s scientists, engineers, and technical personnel - our subject matter experts (SMEs) - in a variety of capacities. We often seek input from our SMEs to help implement our education programs - to ensure our programs’ scientific accuracy, to help us employ cutting-edge topics, and to promote authentic science processes. At the same time, we act as education experts for our SMEs to help them implement their ideas. We see this as a true partnership, with many opportunities for SME participation. Our current STEM Activation programs, Afterschool Universe and NASA Family Science Night, were created with strong involvement from division scientists, and our latest sessions on galaxies were developed in collaboration with an active researcher. In addition to our own programming, we have been tasked with providing NASA astrophysics content and expertise to the Goddard Office of Education, the Heliophysics Education Consortium (and their cross-division efforts), and the NASA Science Mission Directorate STEM Activation Community. This talk will provide an overview of our team’s current efforts and the ways in which we partner with our division’s SMEs.

Preparation of Underrepresented Males for Scientific Careers: A Study of the Dr. John H. Hopps Jr. Defense Research Scholars Program at Morehouse College

PubMed Central

Thompson, Rahmelle C.; Monroe-White, Thema; Xavier, Jeffrey; Howell, Courtney; Moore, Myisha Roberson; Haynes, J. K.

2016-01-01

Equal representation within higher education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and the STEM workforce in the United States across demographically diverse populations is a long-standing challenge. This study uses two-to-one nearest-neighbor matched-comparison group design to examine academic achievement, pursuit of graduate science degree, and classification of graduate institution attended by students participating in the Hopps Scholars Program (Hopps) at Morehouse College. Hopps is a highly structured enrichment program aimed at increasing participation of black males in STEM fields. Morehouse institutional records, Hopps Program records, and National Student Clearinghouse data were used to examine differences between Hopps and non-Hopps STEM graduates of Morehouse. Two-way sample t tests and chi-square tests revealed significant differences in academic achievement, likelihood of STEM degree pursuit, and the classification of graduate institutions attended by Hopps versus non-Hopps students. Hopps Scholars were significantly more likely than non-Hopps STEM graduates both to pursue STEM doctoral degrees and to attend doctoral-granting institutions with higher research activity. The Hopps Program’s approach to training black male students for scientific careers is a model of success for other programs committed to increasing the number of black males pursuing advanced degrees in STEM. PMID:27562959

InsightSTEM Campus Ambassadors: Welcoming, Including, and Supporting All in STEM Careers Worldwide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noel-Storr, J.

2016-12-01

Definitions of genders and, races, ethnicities, abilities and sexualities tend to exist on a binary scale (e.g. male/female, black/white) both for inclusiveness and evaluation of programs. This has the potential to be a schism for individuals who are choosing to enter STEM fields when if their self-identity does not fit this these predefined multi-polar templates. At InsightSTEM, in our Campus Ambassadors program (which has over 290 grassroots members in over 25 countries) we have been striving to nullify this effect... For example, on our application, we choose to not ask for any demographic data, in any spectrum, because those data make no sense on a global stage. We question that if race, gender, sexuality and ethnicity are all on a spectrum: is any program devoted to a particular group appropriate? Instead we deliver professional development to students worldwide to train them to become aware and inclusive STEM educators, involving everyone in their programs no matter what their background. We will present the ways we work with our Campus Ambassadors to create programs that, rather than focusing on particular groups, are truly inclusive, in developing their skills and empowering them to create inclusive programs worldwide for all. InsightSTEM Campus Ambassadors: Welcoming, Including, and & Supporting All in STEM Careers Worldwide

Twelve Years of Education and Public Outreach with the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cominsky, Lynn R.; McLin, K. M.; Simonnet, A.; Fermi E/PO Team

2013-04-01

During the past twelve years, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has supported a wide range of Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) activities, targeting K-14 students and the general public. The purpose of the Fermi E/PO program is to increase student and public understanding of the science of the high-energy Universe, through inspiring, engaging and educational activities linked to the mission’s science objectives. The E/PO program has additional more general goals, including increasing the diversity of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pipeline, and increasing public awareness and understanding of Fermi science and technology. Fermi's multi-faceted E/PO program includes elements in each major outcome category: ● Higher Education: Fermi E/PO promotes STEM careers through the use of NASA data including research experiences for students and teachers (Global Telescope Network), education through STEM curriculum development projects (Cosmology curriculum) and through enrichment activities (Large Area Telescope simulator). ● Elementary and Secondary education: Fermi E/PO links the science objectives of the Fermi mission to well-tested, customer-focused and NASA-approved standards-aligned classroom materials (Black Hole Resources, Active Galaxy Education Unit and Pop-up book, TOPS guides, Supernova Education Unit). These materials have been distributed through (Educator Ambassador and on-line) teacher training workshops and through programs involving under-represented students (after-school clubs and Astro 4 Girls). ● Informal education and public outreach: Fermi E/PO engages the public in sharing the experience of exploration and discovery through high-leverage multi-media experiences (Black Holes planetarium and PBS NOVA shows), through popular websites (Gamma-ray Burst Skymap, Epo's Chronicles), social media (Facebook, MySpace), interactive web-based activities (Space Mysteries, Einstein@Home) and activities by amateur astronomers nation-wide (Supernova! Toolkit). This poster highlights various facets of the Fermi E/PO program.

Influence of an Education Abroad Program on the Intercultural Sensitivity of STEM Undergraduates: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demetry, Chrysanthe; Vaz, Richard F.

2017-01-01

Education abroad programs are becoming more common as a mechanism for developing the global competencies of engineering graduates. An increasing body of research shows that intercultural learning does not occur "de facto" in such programs. This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore changes in students' intercultural…

Evaluating the implementation and impacts of middle grades inquiry-based engineering design modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harlan, Jessica M.

This dissertation uses a format where I present and discuss three articles that were written in conjunction with my work on a research and evaluation team. The articles are based on a multi-year project researching and evaluating the design, development, and implementation of a middle grades integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program. Each of the articles demonstrates the complexity in researching and evaluating curricular development in multifaceted, rapidly changing environments. While the focus of each article differs, they all examine research and evaluation in the context of the design and development of middle grades engineering-design modules. The selected articles address challenges associated with assessing program objectives and evaluating program quality in complex education programs.The first article, presented in Chapter 2, provides an overview of the nature of the EYE program and examines the extent to which participation in the EYE program resulted in the achievement of program objectives. There is evidence that EYE Module participation has a positive impact on participating students as well as teachers. This study also revealed challenges associated with determining the impact of program participation simultaneously with program revisions and assessment development. The second article, presented in Chapter 3, examined the evaluation of fidelity of implementation of inquiry-oriented educational programs. This article was intended to examine one way of triangulating information to determine fidelity while considering variation in implementation consistent with program theories of learning. When applying this model to implementation of the EYE program, we found many teachers were implementing the modules with low to moderate fidelity, especially math teachers. The third article, presented in Chapter 4, examined the factor structure of an occupational values scale intended to measure student interest in STEM careers. When reviewing the assessment's evidence base, we found no published literature regarding the assessment's psychometric properties. We found that the AWE Work Values scale assesses two separate sets of occupational values: 1) using analytical and problem solving skills and 2) personal satisfaction. In Chapter 5, I discuss the implications of the research presented in these articles to the field of integrated STEM. This includes a need to further develop and test tools and methods for measuring program impact. While the articles address several issues related to research and evaluation within the context of K-12 integrated STEM education, the concepts and implications also apply to the general field of instructional design. The primary lesson is the need to systematically evaluate designed instruction, including measuring fidelity of implementation and designing evaluations in advance to ensure appropriate data are gathered. Recommendations for future research include identification of common outcomes for integrated STEM, psychometric testing of integrated STEM attitude measures, impacts of other factors such as interest in STEM, and development and testing of instructional design models for integrated STEM.

National Marrow Donor Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-08-05

Research in HLA Typing, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Clinical Studies to Improve Outcomes 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 19a. NAME...new action item was added to Workflow Management screen for the SCTOD ( Stem Cell Therapeutic Outcomes Data) Data Form. The information will be passed...Improvement Amendment NRP National Response Plan CME Continuing Medical Education NST Non-myeloablative Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation COG

A Measure of Students' Motivation to Learn Science through Agricultural STEM Emphasis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chumbley, Steven Boot; Haynes, J. Chris; Stofer, Kathryn A.

2015-01-01

There is an increased demand for motivated high school students to enter postsecondary STEM fields. Agriscience education is an innovative curriculum that can motivate students and spark interest in STEM. To recruit students to such programs, we must understand what motivates them. The purpose of this study was to determine how the secondary…

Wise Women: A Narrative Study of Former Living-Learning Community Participants' Experiences as STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grays, Shaefny D.

2013-01-01

Over the past few decades, higher education has attempted to address the issue of underrepresentation of women in STEM undergraduate degree programs. Living-learning communities represent one strategy to help address low persistence for women in undergraduate STEM majors. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate…

Increasing Student Success in STEM: Summary of a Guide to Systemic Institutional Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elrod, Susan; Kezar, Adrianna

2017-01-01

For the past 20 years, numerous reports have called for change and reform of undergraduate education to improve student learning, persistence, and graduation rates for students in STEM. Many change efforts have been started but few have reached the transformational level of entire programs, departments, or colleges in the STEM disciplines. In…

Examining the Impact of a Professional Development Course on STEM Teachers' Acceptance of and Intent to Implement Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mong, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

In order to improve STEM education, as well as incorporate 21st century skills, teacher education programs are in the process of finding better ways to address these areas (Trilling & Fadel, 2009). New teachers entering the workforce are prepared mostly to teach content the way they were taught (Alger, 2009; Eick & Reed, 2002; Goodnough…

Analyzing the attributes of Indiana's STEM schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eltz, Jeremy

"Primary and secondary schools do not seem able to produce enough students with the interest, motivation, knowledge, and skills they will need to compete and prosper in the emerging world" (National Academy of Sciences [NAS], 2007a, p. 94). This quote indicated that there are changing expectations for today's students which have ultimately led to new models of education, such as charters, online and blended programs, career and technical centers, and for the purposes of this research, STEM schools. STEM education as defined in this study is a non-traditional model of teaching and learning intended to "equip them [students] with critical thinking, problem solving, creative and collaborative skills, and ultimately establishes connections between the school, work place, community and the global economy" (Science Foundation Arizona, 2014, p. 1). Focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is believed by many educational stakeholders to be the solution for the deficits many students hold as they move on to college and careers. The National Governors Association (NGA; 2011) believes that building STEM skills in the nation's students will lead to the ability to compete globally with a new workforce that has the capacity to innovate and will in turn spur economic growth. In order to accomplish the STEM model of education, a group of educators and business leaders from Indiana developed a comprehensive plan for STEM education as an option for schools to use in order to close this gap. This plan has been promoted by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE, 2014a) with the goal of increasing STEM schools throughout Indiana. To determine what Indiana's elementary STEM schools are doing, this study analyzed two of the elementary schools that were certified STEM by the IDOE. This qualitative case study described the findings and themes from two elementary STEM schools. Specifically, the research looked at the vital components to accomplish STEM education in an elementary school setting. Through use of the interviews, observations, and document analysis, information was gained about the characteristics of each of these two distinct schools. Analysis of all this evidence emerged eight distinct themes common to both STEM schools.

After-school enrichment and the activity theory: How can a management service organization assist schools with reducing the achievement gap among minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, Reagan D.

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate how a management service organization can assist schools with reducing the achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) during the after-school hours. Developing a strategic plan through creating a program that provides support services for the implementation of hands-on activities in STEM for children during the after-school hours was central to this purpose. This Project Demonstrating Excellence (PDE), a social action project, also presents historical and current after-school program developments in the nation. The study is quantitative and qualitative in nature. Surveys were utilized to quantitatively capture the opinions of participants in the social action project on three specific education related issues: (1) disparity in academic motivation of students to participate in after-school STEM enrichment programs; (2) whether teachers and school administrators saw a need for STEM after-school enrichment; and (3) developing STEM after-school programs that were centered on problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills to develop students' interest in STEM careers. The sample consisted of 50 participants comprised of students, teachers, and administrators. The focus groups and interviews provided the qualitative data for the study. The qualitative sample consisted of 14 participants comprised of students, parents and teachers, administrators, an education consultant, and a corporate sponsor. The empirical data obtained from the study survey, focus groups, and interviews provided a comprehensive profile on the current views and future expectations of STEM after-school enrichment, student and school needs, and community partnerships with STEM companies. Results of the study and review of the implementation of the social action project, C-STEM (communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc., revealed the need and focus for STEM after-school enrichment programs in Houston, Texas. This result, along with requirements of STEM Research and Special Programs Administrations and a multiyear and multilevel strategic plan inspired by this study, led to the conceptualization, development, and implementation of C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc. at multiple schools in Houston, Texas. The purpose of C-STEM Teacher and Student Support Services, Inc. is to provide hands-on support services that encourage schools, organizations and families to improve academic achievement and socioemotional development through project-based learning in communication, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (CSTEM) in grades 4-12.

Broadening Participation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM through a Hybrid Online Transfer Program.

PubMed

Drew, Jennifer C; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Ardissone, Alexandria N; Triplett, Eric W

2016-01-01

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in MCS (DE MCS) bachelor of science program. The program has broadened access to STEM with a steadily increasing enrollment that does not draw students away from existing on-campus programs. Notably, half of the DE MCS students are from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds and two-thirds are women, which represents a greater level of diversity than the corresponding on-campus cohort and the entire university. Additionally, the DE MCS cohort has comparable retention and academic performance compared with the on-campus transfer cohort. Of those who have earned a BS through the DE MCS program, 71% are women and 61% are URM. Overall, these data demonstrate that the hybrid online approach is successful in increasing diversity and provides another viable route in the myriad of STEM pathways. As the first of its kind in a STEM field, the DE MCS program serves as a model for programs seeking to broaden their reach. © 2016 J. C. Drew et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Drilling Deep Into STEM Education with JOIDES Resolution Education and Outreach Officers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiansen, E. A.

2015-12-01

During International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expeditions, IODP scientists and Education/Outreach (E/O) Officers enter classrooms and informal science venues via live Internet video links between the JOIDES Resolution (JR) and land-based learning centers. Post-expedition, E/O Officers, serving as JR Ambassadors, deepen and broaden the learning experience by bringing STEM from the JR to the general public through targeted outreach events at those land-based sites. Youth and adult learners participate in scientific inquiry through interactive activities linked directly to the video broadcast experience. Outreach venues include museums, summer camps, and after-school programs; classroom visits from E/O Officers encompass kindergarten to undergraduate school groups and often include professional development for educators. Events are hands-on with simulations, expedition samples, core models, and equipment available for interaction. This program can serve as a model for linking virtual and real experiences; deepening the educational value of virtual field trip events; and bringing cutting edge science into both classrooms and informal science venues.

The Power of Educational Robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cummings, Timothy

The purpose of this action research project was to investigate the impact a students' participation in educational robotics has on his or her performance in the STEM subjects. This study attempted to utilize educational robotics as a method for increasing student achievement and engagement in STEM subjects. Over the course of 12 weeks, an after-school robotics program was offered to students. Guided by the standards and principles of VEX IQ, a leading resource in educational robotics, students worked in collaboration on creating a design for their robot, building and testing their robot, and competing in the VEX IQ Crossover Challenge. Student data was gathered through a pre-participation survey, observations from the work they performed in robotics club, their performance in STEM subject classes, and the analysis of their end-of-the-year report card. Results suggest that the students who participate in robotics club experienced a positive impact on their performance in STEM subject classes.

Overcoming Constraints of Building Successful Partnerships Incorporating STEM Research Into K-12 Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radencic, S.; McNeal, K. S.; Pierce, D.; Hare, D.

2011-12-01

The Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) program at Mississippi State University (MSU), funded by the NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK12) program, focuses on the advancement of Earth and Space science education in K-12 classrooms. INSPIRE is currently in its second year of partnering ten graduate students from the STEM fields of Geosciences, Engineering and Chemistry at MSU with five teachers from local, rural school districts. The five year project serves to increase inquiry and technology experiences in science and math while enhancing graduate student's communication skills as they create interactive lessons linking their STEM research focus to the state and national standards covered in the classrooms. Each graduate student is responsible for the development of two lessons each month of the school year that are then published on the INSPIRE project webpage, www.gk12.msstate.edu, where they are a free resource for any K-12 classroom teacher seeking innovative activities for their classrooms. Many of the participating teachers and graduate students share activities developed with non-participating teachers, expanding INSPIRE's outreach throughout the local community. Numerous challenges were met during the formation of the program as well as throughout the first year in which the project management team worked together to find solutions ensuring that INSPIRE maintained successful partnerships for all involved. Proposed solutions of the following key components were identified by INSPIRE through the development, implementation, and continuous evaluation (internal and external) of the first year of the program as areas that can pose challenges to the construction of strong relationships between STEM research and K-12 classrooms: initializing the partnerships with the K-12 classrooms and STEM graduate fields at the university; maintaining strong partnerships; providing appropriate training and support; developing sound resources involving STEM research, inquiry, and technology; implementing STEM graduate research into the classroom; clarifying potential benefits for all involved partners (school districts, teacher, university departments, graduate students and K-12 students); improving management methods; and planning for sustainability of partnerships and resources developed including synergy with other university outreach projects.

Citizen Science: Broadening Access and Engagement Through Community Partnerships, Aerospace Education and Water Quality Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, M. A.

2016-12-01

We applied a new approach to the design and development of citizen science learning opportunities to enhance outreach to diverse student populations, while advancing water quality research and aerospace education. This collaborative approach to informal science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and aerospace education required innovative partnerships between private general aviation pilots, researchers, teachers, and students. This research explored the development of active partnerships required to facilitate community engaged science, with an emphasis on increased participation of women and girls and people of color, while creating new exploratory pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences. We developed an outreach program through collaborative planning with local schools to create new STEM learning experiences based upon basic aerospace education concepts and an existing water quality research project designed to track harmful algal blooms (HAB) that can produce toxins called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which can impact drinking, fishing, and recreational waters. General aviation pilots functioning as citizen scientists obtained high-resolution aerial images while flying over potentially impacted waters. Aerial data was made available to teachers and students, as well as researchers participating in the existing water quality program lead by NASA Glenn Research Center. Teachers used the images and results to educate in climate change and the dangers of HAB. Students were able to compare aerial data with their own observations, and also gained experience in aeronautical science through field trips to local airports, hands-on experience with private research aircraft, specialized equipment used for data collection, and advanced ground instruction from research pilots. As a result of reaching out to local educators serving diverse student populations and facilitating collaborative planning, we successfully created new educational opportunities with active partnerships between formal educational institutions and informal citizen science research programs, which broadened access to and engagement in aerospace education and STEM learning experiences in our local community.

Understanding Him in STEM: Sharing the Stories of African American Male Scholars in Engineering Academic Programs at a Predominantly White University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Robert E., III

2013-01-01

Globalization of the world economy has confirmed the need for citizens to exemplify competitive capacities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Since the 1970s, American higher education has seen increasing numbers of students entering college but has witnessed a decline in the number of students enrolling in STEM programs.…

Globalisation and International Higher Education: Contested Positionings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Mary

2006-01-01

This article stems from recent policy research involving participants in an international higher education program. Story lines of the program from Thai and Australian policy makers and policy actors are interpreted from a poststructural stance. Through the multiple and shifting positionings of the participants, agency and identity within this…

UNITE 3D Rover Summer Workshop: An Overview and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiung, Steve C.; Deal, Walter F.; Tuluri, Francis

2017-01-01

UNITE is a program sponsored by the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP, 2015). The STEM Enrichment Activities of AEOP are designed to spark student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, especially among the underserved and those in earlier grades and educators by providing exciting, engaging, interactive, hands-on…

HTA educational outreach program and change the equation participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, Robert

2013-05-01

In this presentation, Hitachi High Technologies America (HTA) introduces its Educational Outreach Program and explains it's involvement with Change The Equation (CTEq), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, CEO-led initiative that is mobilizing the business community to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning in the United States.

Implications of New Financial Aid Regulations: The New York State Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadden, Douglass P.

1980-01-01

Student financial aid programs have become significant elements in governmental aid to postsecondary education. The effect of the regulations stemming from the Education Amendments of 1976 and succeeding regulations will serve to increase an already heavy administrative burden in institutional management of student financial aid programs. (MLW)

The perspectives and experiences of African American students in an informal science program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulls, Domonique L.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are the fastest growing sectors of the economy, nationally and globally. In order for the United States (U.S.) to maintain its competitiveness, it is important to address STEM experiences at the precollege level. In early years, science education serves as a foundation and pipeline for students to pursue STEM in college and beyond. Alternative approaches to instruction in formal classrooms have been introduced to engage more students in science. One alternative is informal science education. Informal science education is an avenue used to promote science education literacy. Because it is less regulated than science teaching in formal classroom settings, it allows for the incorporation of culture into science instruction. Culturally relevant science teaching is one way to relate science to African American students, a population that continually underperforms in K-12 science education. This study explores the science perspectives and experiences of African American middle school students participating in an informal science program. The research is framed by the tenets of culturally relevant pedagogy and shaped by the following questions: (1) What specific aspects of the Carver Program make it unique to African American students? (2) How is culturally relevant pedagogy incorporated into the informal science program? (3) How does the incorporation of culturally relevant pedagogy into the informal science program influence African American students' perceptions about science? The findings to the previously stated questions add to the limited research on African American students in informal science learning environments and contribute to the growing research on culturally relevant science. This study is unique in that it explores the cultural components of an informal science program.

The Longitudinal STEM Identity Trajectories of Middle School Girls who Participated in a Single-Sex Informal STEM Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Roxanne

2014-03-01

This study examined the longitudinal effects of participation in an all-girls STEM summer camp on young women's interest in STEM fields and motivation to pursue these fields. The SciGirls camp has been in existence since 2006, with its goal of providing a safe space for young women to explore STEM careers and strengthen their interest in these careers. Over 166 middle school age girls have participated in the program since it began in 2006. Of those participants, 60 responded to at least one of the follow up surveys that are sent every three years - 2009 and 2012. The surveys attempt to determine participants' level of interest in STEM. The survey was qualitative in nature and asked open ended questions. Results indicated that the camp had a positive effect on participants' perceptions of scientists and their work. This study adds to the literature that looks at the longitudinal impacts of informal STEM educational programs that expose young women to female scientist role models and mentors. This study supports the research that claims that exposing young women at an early age to science role models can positively alter their perception of science careers which can eventually increase the number of women who pursue these careers. This increase is important at a time when men still outnumber women in many science and engineering fields. This study was funded in part by the National Science Foundation Division of Materials Research through DMR 0654118.

The master degree: A critical transition in STEM doctoral education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lange, Sheila Edwards

The need to broaden participation in the nation's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate and graduate programs is currently a matter of national urgency. The small number of women and underrepresented minorities (URM) earning doctoral degrees in STEM is particularly troubling given significant increases in the number of students earning master's degrees since 1990. In the decade between 1990 and 2000, the total number of master's recipients increased by 42%. During this same time period, the number of women earning master's degrees increased by 56%, African Americans increased by 132%, American Indians by 101%, Hispanics by 146%, and Asian Americans by 117% (Syverson, 2003). Growth in underrepresented group education at the master's level raises questions about the relationship between master's and doctoral education. Secondary data analysis of the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) was used to examine institutional pathways to the doctorate in STEM disciplines and transitions from master's to doctoral programs by race and gender. While the study revealed no significant gender differences in pathways, compared to White and Asian American students, URM students take significantly different pathways to the doctorate. URM students are significantly more likely to earn the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at three different institutions. Their path is significantly more likely to include earning a master's degree en route to the doctorate. Further, URM students are more likely to experience transition between the master's and doctoral degrees, and the transitions are not limited to those who earn master's degrees at master's-only institutions. These findings suggest that earning a master's degree is more often a stepping stone to the doctorate for URM students. Master's degree programs, therefore, have the potential to be a valuable resource for policymakers and graduate programs seeking to increase the diversity of URM students earning doctorates in STEM.

Alternative Certification Programs & Pre-Service Teacher Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehler, Adrie; Feldhaus, Charles Robert; Fernandez, Eugenia; Hundley, Stephen

2013-01-01

This explanatory sequential mixed methods research study investigated motives and purpose exhibited by professionals transitioning from careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to secondary education. The study also analyzed personal perceptions of teaching preparedness, and explored barriers to successful teaching. STEM career…

What Does it Mean to Be a STEM School: A Comparison of Science Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanley, Rebecca Matthews

Schools that focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been created to address a perceived need to increase numbers of students in the United States choosing and persisting in STEM career pathways. This study compared science programs in STEM and non-STEM high schools to determine how implementing a STEM design impacts science, a cornerstone of STEM. The multiple case study examined STEM integration, science instruction, and extracurricular opportunities in four high schools, two that were designated as STEM by the state's department of instruction and two that were comparable but did not have a focus on STEM. Results from this study indicate that STEM and non-STEM science programs are not significantly different in the schools studied. The two major differences that were found, greater incorporation of engineering design and increased access to extracurricular STEM activities, did not have beneficial impact on students' attitudes or career choices. Technology and math integration were similar but STEM schools integrated engineering design whereas non-STEM schools did not. Science instruction was similar. The numbers of observed inquiry-based lessons were similar, however, STEM schools had more project-based lessons, a form of inquiry-based instruction in which students create a product. A higher number of science-based extracurricular opportunities was available to students in STEM than non- STEM schools. This study offers important insight into the implementation of STEM education within existing school contexts and constraints.

Early Urban Field Experiences for Prospective Teachers: A Case Study of Multicultural Field Placements through a University-Based Preservice STEM Teacher Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segal, Eden H.

2011-01-01

Educational and political leaders have expressed concern about racial and ethnic disparities in students' readiness for postsecondary study and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A lack of preparedness of STEM teachers in high-need urban districts, which serve predominantly low-income minority students, is often…

STEM in Afterschool: Changing Perspectives. Shaping Lives. The Impact of Afterschool rograms on Young People's Aspirations and Skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2014

2014-01-01

After the school bell rings, young people are learning, exploring, making and questioning. Afterschool programs have long influenced students' personal development and supported their social and emotional growth. Today, the afterschool field has enthusiastically embraced STEM as an integral part of their educational offerings. This handout…

The Importance of MS PHD'S and SEEDS Mentoring and Professional Development Programs in the Retenion of Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strickland, J.; Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ricciardi, L.

2012-12-01

According to a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences, underrepresented minority (URM) participation in STEM disciplines represents approximately one third of the URM population in the U.S. Thus, the proportion of URM in STEM disciplines would need to triple in order to reflect the demographic makeup in the U.S. Individual programs targeting the recruitment and retention of URM students in STEM have demonstrated that principles of mentoring, community building, networking, and professional skill development are crucial in encouraging URM students to remain in STEM disciplines thereby reducing this disparity in representation. However, to paraphrase an old African proverb, "it takes a village to nurture and develop a URM student entering into the STEM community." Through programs such as the Institute for Broadening Participation's Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) Professional Development Program in Earth system science and the Ecological Society of America's Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability (SEEDS), URM students are successfully identifying and benefitting from meaningful opportunities to develop the professional skills and strategies needed to achieve their academic and career goals. Both programs share a philosophy of professional development, reciprocal mentoring, field trips, internships, employment, research partnerships, collaborations, fellowships, scholarships, grants, and professional meeting travel awards to support URM student retention in STEM. Both programs share a mission to bring more diversity and inclusivity into STEM fields. Both programs share a history of success at facilitating the preparation and advancement of URM students. This success has been documented with the multitude of URM students that have matriculated through the programs and are now actively engaged in the pursuit of advanced degrees in STEM or entering the STEM workforce. Anonymous surveys from participants affirms that these programs provided an excellent environment for advancing interest in, and knowledge of STEM, and for influencing academic career goals for participants. These programs are models and reflect the importance of providing diversity, mentoring and professional development programs to broaden the participation and retention of URM students in STEM fields.

The C-MORE Scholars Program: Engaging minority students in STEM through undergraduate research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, B. A.; Bruno, B. C.

2010-12-01

There have been several studies that show how undergraduate research experiences (REU) have a positive impact on a student’s academic studies and career path, including being a positive influence toward improving the student's lab skills and ability to work independently. Moreover, minority students appear to relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts better when they are linked with (1) a service learning component, and (2) STEM courses that include a cultural and social aspect that engages the student in a way that does not distract from the student’s technical learning. It is also known that a “place-based” approach that incorporates traditional (indigenous) knowledge can help engage underrepresented minority groups in STEM disciplines and increase science literacy. Based on the methods and best practices used by other minority serving programs and described in the literature, the Center for Microbial Oceanography: Research and Education (C-MORE) has successfully developed an academic-year REU to engage and train the next generation of scientists. The C-MORE Scholars Program provides undergraduate students majoring in an ocean or earth science-related field, especially underrepresented students such as Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, the opportunity to participate in unique and cutting edge hands-on research experiences. The program appoints awardees at one of three levels based on previous research and academic experience, and students can progress through the various tiers as their skills and STEM content knowledge develop. All awardees receive guidance on a research project from a mentor who is a scientist at the university and/or industry. A key component of the program is the inclusion of professional development activities to help the student continue towards post graduation education or prepare for career opportunities after they receive their undergraduate STEM degree.

Standin' tall: (De) criminalization and acts of resistance among boys of color in an elementary after school STEM program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basile, Vincent

The United States current incarcerates more citizens than any other country in history, by disproportionately targeting men and boys of color through mechanisms such as the school to prison pipeline. In better understanding the processes that fuel the school to prison pipeline such as criminalizing practices and the ways boys of color resist them, we can begin to identify teaching practices and perspectives which work to disrupt those processes. Examining criminalization and acts of resistance in STEM education is particularly salient because of the high social and economic status STEM knowledge bears in dominant U.S. culture, and the ways access to STEM learning functions as gateways in our education system. Through a longitudinal study in a multi-site elementary after-school STEM program, I examined what criminalization and acts of resistance look like, the ways they interact, and how staff in the program work to disrupt those cycles. I found that criminalization and acts of resistance are normal and ordinary occurrences, frequently interacting in response to each other in escalating patterns. I also found that staff engaged in multiple categories of decriminalizing practices based on highly respectful interactions and viewing boys of color as brilliant students who engage in acts of resistance as a healthy response to oppressive measures.

SENSE IT: Teaching STEM Principles to Middle and High School Students through the Design, Construction and Deployment of Water Quality Sensors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotaling, Liesl; Lowes, Susan; Stolkin, Rustam; Lin, Peiyi; Bonner, James; Kirkey, William; Ojo, Temitope

2012-01-01

This paper describes the structure and impact of an NSF-funded ITEST project designed to enrich science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education using educational modules that teach students to construct, program, and test a series of sensors used to monitor water quality. During the two years of the SENSE IT project, over 30…

78 FR 21979 - Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-12

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Notice of..., technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and human resources programming. Agenda May 6, 2013... Science Foundation announces the following meeting: Name: Advisory Committee for Education and Human...

76 FR 63666 - Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-13

... Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers Committee discussion of EHR collaborations...'s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and human resources programming...

Building Effective Scientist-Educator Communities of Practice: NASA's Science Education and Public Outreach Forums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwerin, T. G.; Peticolas, L. M.; Shipp, S. S.; Smith, D. A.

2014-12-01

Since 1993, NASA has embedded education and public outreach (EPO) in its Earth and space science missions and research programs on the principle that science education is most effective when educators and scientists work hand-in-hand. Four Science EPO Forums organize the respective NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science EPO programs into a coordinated, efficient, and effective nationwide effort. The result is significant, evaluated EPO impacts that support NASA's policy of providing a direct return-on-investment for the American public, advance STEM education and literacy, and enable students and educators to participate in the practices of science and engineering as embodied in the 2013 Next Generation Science Standards. This presentation by the leads of the four NASA SMD Science EPO Forums provides big-picture perspectives on NASA's effort to incorporate authentic science into the nation's STEM education and scientific literacy, highlighting tools that were developed to foster a collaborative community and examples of program effectiveness and impact. The Forums are led by: Astrophysics - Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI); Earth Science - Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Heliophysics - University of California, Berkeley; and Planetary Science - Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI).

Lauren Bamford

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As the Director of EPA-RTP's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Outreach Program, Kelly collaborates with schools and the community to develop and implement educational outreach programs, particularly in minority and low-income K-12 schools.

Kelly Witter

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As the Director of EPA-RTP's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Outreach Program, Kelly collaborates with schools and the community to develop and implement educational outreach programs, particularly in minority and low-income K-12 schools.

Strengthening STEM Education through Community Partnerships

PubMed Central

Lopez, Colleen A.; Rocha, Jon; Chapman, Matthew; Rocha, Kathleen; Wallace, Stephanie; Baum, Steven; Lawler, Brian R.; Mothé, Bianca R.

2017-01-01

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and San Marcos Elementary Schools have established a partnership to offer a large-scale community service learning opportunity to enrich science curriculum for K-5 students. It provides an opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors to give back to the community, allowing them to experience teaching in an elementary classroom setting, in schools that lack the resources and science instructor specialization needed to instill consistent science curricula. CSUSM responded to this need for more STEM education by mobilizing its large STEM student body to design hands-on, interactive science lessons based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Since 2012, the program has reached out to over four thousand K-5 students, and assessment data have indicated an increase in STEM academic performance and interest. PMID:28725512

Strengthening STEM Education through Community Partnerships.

PubMed

Lopez, Colleen A; Rocha, Jon; Chapman, Matthew; Rocha, Kathleen; Wallace, Stephanie; Baum, Steven; Lawler, Brian R; Mothé, Bianca R

2016-01-01

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and San Marcos Elementary Schools have established a partnership to offer a large-scale community service learning opportunity to enrich science curriculum for K-5 students. It provides an opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors to give back to the community, allowing them to experience teaching in an elementary classroom setting, in schools that lack the resources and science instructor specialization needed to instill consistent science curricula. CSUSM responded to this need for more STEM education by mobilizing its large STEM student body to design hands-on, interactive science lessons based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Since 2012, the program has reached out to over four thousand K-5 students, and assessment data have indicated an increase in STEM academic performance and interest.

Helping STEM Take Root

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schachter, Ron

2011-01-01

STEM--shorthand for "science, technology, engineering, and mathematics"--has been part of the school improvement discussion for more than a decade, as educational leaders and policy makers have underscored the importance of these areas in an internationally competitive, 21st-century economy. But building and implementing programs that…

Pollution Prevention

Science.gov Websites

Service Academies Research Associates (SARA) Postdocs, Students Employee, Retiree Resources Benefits New Careers Inclusion & Diversity Work-Life Balance Career Resources Apply for a Job Postdocs Students Scholarships STEM Education Programs Teachers (K-12) Students (K-12) Higher Education Regional Education

The Ivory Tower and the Community: A New Approach to Emphasizing the Relevance of Environmental Science Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuff, K. E.; Corazza, L.

2006-12-01

Over the past eight years we have developed and implemented several U.C. Berkeley-based outreach programs that provide opportunities for grades nine through eleven students in the East San Francisco Bay Area to gain skills and understandings that increase their capacity to enroll and perform successfully in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in the future, which enhances their capacity to decide to pursue STEM careers. A common element of these programs is the opportunity they provide participants to engage in environmental science research projects that are directly linked to relevant, real-world environmental problems and issues facing their communities. Analysis of evidence gleaned from questionnaires, interviews and specific assessment instruments indicates that these programs have consistently achieved a high degree of success in that they have: significantly increased participants' understanding of the process and nature of science; enhanced their intellectual self-confidence with regard to STEM; developed deeper appreciation of how scientific research can contribute to the maintenance of healthy local environments; developed a greater interest in participating in STEM-related courses of study and after school programs; and improved attitudes toward STEM. These results corroborate recent research studies that indicate a close relationship between educational activities that promote the perception of STEM as being relevant and the ability to foster development of deeper conceptual understandings among teens. Moreover, they support the notion that providing opportunities for students to develop personal connections with particular issues discussed, and real-world STEM experiences that make STEM more relevant and interesting can help to bring about changes in attitude, which is a key component in improving STEM learning and understanding particularly among urban youth. Overall, our work suggests that in order for a given STEM education intervention strategy to be truly successful it must include activities that effectively counter the notion of STEM irrelevancy, and provide experiences that both address youth concerns and interests, and stimulate development and enactment of ideas within a broader community-based context.

Stemming Teacher Turnover in Rural Settings: A Follow-Up Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Michael E.

This paper describes an alternative certification program that was developed to address the shortage of certified special education teachers in West Virginia. The goal of the program is to provide students from a noneducational background with opportunities at the master's degree level to become special education teachers in one of three…

Design and Assessment of an Associate Degree-Level Plant Operations Technical Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwitz, Jason Lawrence

2017-01-01

Research was undertaken to develop and evaluate an associate degree-level technical education program in Plant Operations oriented towards training students in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and knowledge relevant to a spectrum of processing industries. This work focuses on four aspects of the curriculum…

STEM for Females goes from a Ripple to a Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Rita

2015-11-01

At the 2015 World Conference of Science Journalists in Seoul on June 9, 2015 Nobel Prize Winner Sir Tim Hunt gave a speech with remarks which offended females in science around the world. Following the social media reaction several STEM education foundation for girls received justified attention. Programs are being supported for the education of girls and women around the world and they are gaining media attention. I will discuss the growing popularity and availability of all-girl science programs. These eager-to-learn young females are preparing themselves for serious careers in the hopes that their generation will close the gender gap. I will present a statistical analysis of workplace gender equality in professional STEM environments, including a focus on select fluid dynamics corporations, which will show that there is room for improvement across the industry. The goal of this presentation is to endorse and promote the ever-growing wave of qualified female applicants to graduate programs and industrial job placements.

77 FR 23766 - Advisory Committee for Education and Human Resources; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

...'s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and human resources programming. Agenda May 9, 2012 Morning Refreshments/Introductions, 2013 Budget and Planning, EHR's R&D Core Launch...

Hair regrowth in alopecia areata patients following Stem Cell Educator therapy.

PubMed

Li, Yanjia; Yan, Baoyong; Wang, Hepeng; Li, Heng; Li, Quanhai; Zhao, Dong; Chen, Yana; Zhang, Ye; Li, Wenxia; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Shanfeng; Shen, Jie; Li, Yunxiang; Guindi, Edward; Zhao, Yong

2015-04-20

Alopecia areata (AA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases and targets the hair follicles, with high impact on the quality of life and self-esteem of patients due to hair loss. Clinical management and outcomes are challenged by current limited immunosuppressive and immunomodulating regimens. We have developed a Stem Cell Educator therapy in which a patient's blood is circulated through a closed-loop system that separates mononuclear cells from the whole blood, allows the cells to briefly interact with adherent human cord blood-derived multipotent stem cells (CB-SC), and returns the "educated" autologous cells to the patient's circulation. In an open-label, phase 1/phase 2 study, patients (N = 9) with severe AA received one treatment with the Stem Cell Educator therapy. The median age was 20 years (median alopecic duration, 5 years). Clinical data demonstrated that patients with severe AA achieved improved hair regrowth and quality of life after receiving Stem Cell Educator therapy. Flow cytometry revealed the up-regulation of Th2 cytokines and restoration of balancing Th1/Th2/Th3 cytokine production in the peripheral blood of AA subjects. Immunohistochemistry indicated the formation of a "ring of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1)" around the hair follicles, leading to the restoration of immune privilege of hair follicles and the protection of newly generated hair follicles against autoimmune destruction. Mechanistic studies revealed that co-culture with CB-SC may up-regulate the expression of coinhibitory molecules B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1) on CD8β(+)NKG2D(+) effector T cells and suppress their proliferation via herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM) ligands and programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) on CB-SCs. Current clinical data demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the Stem Cell Educator therapy for the treatment of AA. This innovative approach produced lasting improvement in hair regrowth in subjects with moderate or severe AA. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01673789, 21 August 2012.

The Case for Evaluating Student Outcomes and Equity Gaps to Improve Pathways and Programs of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra D.

2017-01-01

When linked to program review and improvement, program evaluation can help practitioners to ensure that career-technical education (CTE) and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs offer equitable access and outcomes for underserved student groups.

Broadening Participation of Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM through a Hybrid Online Transfer Program

PubMed Central

Drew, Jennifer C.; Galindo-Gonzalez, Sebastian; Ardissone, Alexandria N.; Triplett, Eric W.

2016-01-01

The Microbiology and Cell Science (MCS) Department at the University of Florida (UF) developed a new model of a 2 + 2 program that uses a hybrid online approach to bring its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum to students. In this paradigm, 2-year graduates transfer as online students into the Distance Education in MCS (DE MCS) bachelor of science program. The program has broadened access to STEM with a steadily increasing enrollment that does not draw students away from existing on-campus programs. Notably, half of the DE MCS students are from underrepresented minority (URM) backgrounds and two-thirds are women, which represents a greater level of diversity than the corresponding on-campus cohort and the entire university. Additionally, the DE MCS cohort has comparable retention and academic performance compared with the on-campus transfer cohort. Of those who have earned a BS through the DE MCS program, 71% are women and 61% are URM. Overall, these data demonstrate that the hybrid online approach is successful in increasing diversity and provides another viable route in the myriad of STEM pathways. As the first of its kind in a STEM field, the DE MCS program serves as a model for programs seeking to broaden their reach. PMID:27587859

A contextual perspective on talented female participants and their development in extracurricular STEM programs.

PubMed

Stoeger, Heidrun; Schirner, Sigrun; Laemmle, Lena; Obergriesser, Stefanie; Heilemann, Michael; Ziegler, Albert

2016-08-01

We advocate a more contextual perspective in giftedness research. In our view, doing so opens up three particularly interesting research areas, which we refer to as the participation issue, the effectiveness issue, and the interaction issue. To illustrate their utility, we examined characteristics of females participating in German high achiever-track secondary education who had applied for participation in a 1-year extracurricular e-mentoring program in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) (n = 1237). Their characteristics were compared with male and female random-sample control groups. We assessed the effectiveness of the mentoring program by comparing the developmental trajectories of program participants with those of three control groups: applicants who were randomly chosen for later participation (waiting-list control group) and a female and a male control group. Finally, we examined whether differences in program effectiveness could be partially explained by characteristics of the interaction with the domain. Program applicants possessed more advantageous individual characteristics but, unexpectedly, less advantageous home and school environments than female and male members of the control groups. Program participation affected positive changes in certainty about career goals (independent of STEM) and in the number of STEM activities. The amount of STEM communication partially explained differences in program effectiveness. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

The University of Indianapolis Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellowship Program: Reviewing the Policy Implications of University-Based Urban Clinical Residency Programs in STEM Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Jennifer; Moran, Kathryn; Sachs, Deb; Angelov, Azure Dee Smiley; Wheeler, Lynn

2011-01-01

Recent research suggests the need for more intensive clinically-based teacher preparation programs. Many institutions of higher education, in partnership with school districts and education reform organizations, are responding to these findings. This article focuses on the experience of administrators and faculty in one urban teacher residency…

E3: Education, Experience, Employment The Economic Ladder to Success

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anne L Seifert

2011-10-01

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) literate citizenry is critical for Idaho's economy to effectively compete and grow in today's global marketplace and enhance Idaho workforce capabilities. Idaho's blueprint presents a collaboration design developed by a group of Idaho stakeholders including state level (STEM) educators, state and federal government, other agencies, and industry across the state. The purpose the Idaho Learn and Earn Blueprint Design is to describe a comprehensive plan for improving STEM education in Idaho through a collaborative partnerships and a series of grant supported projects underpinning this strategic design process building pathways to overcome hurdles in today'smore » economy, and moving communities and families up their economic ladder. The Idaho Learn and Earn Blueprint Design focuses on three industry sectors; energy, advanced manufacturing, and health care. All are important in Idaho and have room for job growth potential among both displaced workers and graduates. Representatives from each sector are members of the design team and assist in developing grants and implementing the actions outlined in the design as the program goes forward. Idaho's current programs are generally institution specific. Each of the state's two-year colleges, along with regional groups and employers, are already working towards improving STEM education across the state. A key aspect of this design is to bring these groups together to focus on four unique goals: (1) Providing industry driven curriculum directly tied to skill based career needs; (2) Enhancing collaboration among stakeholders; (3) Providing access to learn and earn programs; and (4) Improving public and student awareness and interest in targeted industry sector career and educational opportunities.« less

Measuring Student Career Interest within the Context of Technology-Enhanced STEM Projects: A Cross-Project Comparison Study Based on the Career Interest Questionnaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterman, Karen; Kermish-Allen, Ruth; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

2016-12-01

This article describes Energy for ME and Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World, two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programs with the common goal of improving students' attitudes about scientific careers. The authors represent two project teams, each with funding from the National Science Foundation's ITEST program. Using different approaches and technology, both projects challenged students to use electricity monitoring system data to create action plans for conserving energy in their homes and communities. The impact of each project on students' career interests was assessed via a multi-method evaluation that included the Career Interest Questionnaire (CIQ), a measure that was validated within the context of ITEST projects and has since become one of the instruments used most commonly across the ITEST community. This article explores the extent to which the CIQ can be used to document the effects of technology-enhanced STEM educational experiences on students' career attitudes and intentions in different environments. The results indicate that the CIQ, and the Intent subscale in particular, served as significant predictors of students' self-reported STEM career aspirations across project context. Results from each project also demonstrated content gains by students and demonstrated the impact of project participation and gender on student outcomes. The authors conclude that the CIQ is a useful tool for providing empirical evidence to document the impact of technology-enhanced science education programs, particularly with regard to Intent to purse a STEM career. The need for additional cross-project comparison studies is also discussed.

Computer Literacy and the Library: A New Connection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenske, Rachel F.

1998-01-01

Describes a program at Eastern Washington University that integrates library skills as a component of the English composition program, and is part of a computer-literacy program stemming from a general-education curriculum reform. Discusses program development and design, assessment of student learning, and effectiveness of the program. (LRW)

STEM Careers Are Out of This World--No Need to Fear Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Amanda; Manning, Kelvin

2012-01-01

At NASA, we fully support the President's Educate to Innovate Program in the hopes that American students move from the middle of the pack to the top in the next decade; and that we are expanding STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups, including minorities and females. The first goal we have implemented to help accomplish this is to Strengthen NASA and the Nation's future workforce - Many of you in the audience could be our potential workforce, and the co-op and intern program at NASA is helping students like you. The second goal is to Attract and retain students in STEM disciplines-To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations and career ambitions of young people like you, throughout NASA, we regularly send educators and NASA speakers into classrooms to work directly with you, encouraging you to follow in the footsteps of NASA engineers and scientists. The Third goal is to Engage Americans in NASA's mission- To get young people involved in NASA's mission, we have many exciting programs for college students like the Lunabotics Mining Competition and the Cubes Satellites sent to space

STEM Education Efforts in the Ares Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doreswamy, Rajiv; Armstrong, Robert C.

2010-01-01

According to the National Science Foundation, of the more than 4 million first university degrees awarded in science and engineering in 2006, students in China earned about 21%, those in the European Union earned about 19%, and those in the United States earned about 11%. Statistics like these are of great interest to NASA's Ares Projects, which are responsible for building the rockets for the U.S. Constellation Program to send humans beyond low-Earth orbit. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students are essential for the long-term sustainability of any space program. Since the Projects creation, the Ares Outreach Team has used a variety of STEM-related media, methods, and materials to engage students, educators, and the general public in Constellation's mission. Like Project Apollo, the nation s exploration destinations and the vehicles used to get there can inspire students to learn more about STEM. Ares has been particularly active in public outreach to schools in Northern Alabama; on the Internet via outreach and grade-specific educational materials; and in more informal social media settings such as YouTube and Facebook. These combined efforts remain integral to America s space program, regardless of its future direction.

STEMMING the Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahler, Jim; Valentine, Nancy

2011-01-01

America has a gap when it comes to youth pursuing science and technology careers. In an effort to improve the knowledge and application of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), after-school programs can work in conjunction with formal in-school curriculum to improve science education. One organization that actively addresses this…

Doctoral Programs Need Changes to Attract and Retain Underrepresented Groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernard, R. E.; Mayfield, K. K.

2017-12-01

Geoscience is currently recognized as the least diverse of all STEM fields. While attention typically focuses on K-12 and undergraduate populations, the extreme lack of diversity among graduate students, and doctoral students in particular, should be examined and addressed. In 2016, members of underrepresented minority (URM) groups made up only 6% of those graduating with geoscience PhDs. In all STEM fields, only 48% of Hispanic/Latino and 38% of Black/African American doctoral studies had earned doctorates within 7 years, with 36% of members of these groups leaving the program entirely. Recent studies suggest that these high attrition rates can be attributed, in part, to a mismatch between motivations of URM members and PhD-granting institutions while students are pursuing scientific education and careers. Traditional STEM doctoral programs do not offer, facilitate, or incentivize substantial opportunities to integrate social justice issues, community involvement, and altruism—factors which have been found to be of more importance to these populations than to male members of well-represented groups. URM members are also less likely to be interested in purely academic research careers, so doctoral programs may be failing to attract (and failing to prepare) diverse populations by not offering experiences beyond typical research and TA duties. In this presentation, trends in motivation and persistence among URM students in STEM will be discussed, in addition to highlighting education and outreach activities that can be successfully incorporated for a more fulfilling, balanced, attractive, and preparatory education experience. Specific activities undertaken and recommended by the presenter in her PhD experience include the following: a federal research internship, a state government policy internship, a formal partnership with a local K-12 teacher though a former NSF GK-12 program, a two-week education workshop aboard a scientific research drillship, and attending a research conference geared towards URM students (SACNAS). Suggestions and recommendations will be made for meaningful changes at the institutional, funding agency, societal and community levels.

IBP's Four-Prong Approach for Broadening Participation in the STEM Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricciardi, L.; Fauver, A.; Johnson, A.; Detrick, L.; Siegfried, D.; Thomas, S.; Valaitis, S.

2013-12-01

The goal of the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP) is to increase diversity in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. As a freestanding non-profit dedicated to this work IBP is uniquely positioned to provide resources to faculty and students that individual institutions and disciplinary based programs cannot. Through its initial work with the NSF Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT), Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), and Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) programs, IBP developed a four-pronged approach open to all members of the STEM community nationally for addressing the problem of underrepresentation: Synthesizing information - compiling and translating best practices into materials and resources accessible and useful to a broad national audience; Creating and maintaining strategic web resources - making information on programs, best practices, and references easily available to a wide audience including students, faculty, and administrators; Extensive face-to-face and virtual outreach - drawing constituents to the resources available via IBP that support students and faculty through the entire STEM pathway; and Catalyzing partnerships - cultivating a community of practice and culture of diversity, to reduce isolation among diversity practitioners, and to increase information sharing. IBP is also home to several successful initiatives that use both virtual and face-to-face components to bring together underrepresented students with established underrepresented and other scientists in academia, government and industry. These connections provide underrepresented students with supportive mentoring, networking opportunities, and professional skill development contributing to an overall improved retention rate of underrepresented students majoring in STEM degrees. IBP's initiatives include the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (NASA OSSI), Pathways to Ocean Science, Pathways to Engineering, and the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success (MS PHD'S) Professional Development program in Earth System Science (ESS). NASA OSSI recruits and facilitates student engagement in NASA student education and employment opportunities. Pathways to Ocean Science connects and supports underrepresented students with REU programs in Ocean Sciences and serves as a resource for REU program directors. Pathways to Engineering synthesized mentoring resources into an online mentoring manual for underrepresented STEM students that has been extensively vetted by mentoring experts throughout the country. MS PHD'S, an award-winning professional development program for underrepresented students, focuses on increasing the retention rate of underrepresented students receiving advanced degrees in ESS. As of August 2013, 213 students have participated in the program. 67 of those students are currently enrolled in a PhD. program. Another 47 have completed their PhD and are actively engaged in the ESS workforce.

Elements of Success in Chicago Botanic Garden's Science Career Continuum.

PubMed

Johnson, Katherine A

2016-03-01

The Science Career Continuum at the Chicago Botanic Garden is a model program for successfully encouraging youth from diverse backgrounds into STEM careers. This program has shown that when students are given an opportunity to participate in real scientific research under the mentorship of a caring professional over multiple years, they are more likely to go to college and pursue STEM careers than their peers. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education.

Elements of Success in Chicago Botanic Garden’s Science Career Continuum

PubMed Central

Johnson, Katherine A.

2016-01-01

The Science Career Continuum at the Chicago Botanic Garden is a model program for successfully encouraging youth from diverse backgrounds into STEM careers. This program has shown that when students are given an opportunity to participate in real scientific research under the mentorship of a caring professional over multiple years, they are more likely to go to college and pursue STEM careers than their peers. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education PMID:27047595

Pathway to STEM: Using Outreach Initiatives as a Method of Identifying, Educating and Recruiting the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Arias, Deedee; Zwicker, Andrew; Dominguez, Arturo; Greco, Shannon

2017-10-01

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) uses a host of outreach initiatives to inform the general population: the Young Women's Conference, Science Bowl, Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship, My Brother's Keeper, a variety of workshops for university faculty and undergraduate students, public and scheduled lab tours, school and community interactive plasma science demonstrations. In addition to informing and educating the public about the laboratory's important work in the areas of Plasma and Fusion, these outreach initiatives, are also used as an opportunity to identify/educate/recruit the next generation of the STEM workforce. These programs provide the laboratory with the ability to: engage the next generation at different paths along their development (K-12, undergraduate, graduate, professional), at different levels of scientific content (science demonstrations, remote experiments, lectures, tours), in some instances, targeting underrepresented groups in STEM (women and minorities), and train additional STEM educators to take learned content into their own classrooms.

STEM learning activity among home-educating families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachman, Jennifer

2011-12-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning was studied among families in a group of home-educators in the Pacific Northwest. Ethnographic methods recorded learning activity (video, audio, fieldnotes, and artifacts) which was analyzed using a unique combination of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and Mediated Action (MA), enabling analysis of activity at multiple levels. Findings indicate that STEM learning activity is family-led, guided by parents' values and goals for learning, and negotiated with children to account for learner interests and differences, and available resources. Families' STEM education practice is dynamic, evolves, and influenced by larger societal STEM learning activity. Parents actively seek support and resources for STEM learning within their home-school community, working individually and collectively to share their funds of knowledge. Home-schoolers also access a wide variety of free-choice learning resources: web-based materials, museums, libraries, and community education opportunities (e.g. afterschool, weekend and summer programs, science clubs and classes, etc.). A lesson-heuristic, grounded in Mediated Action, represents and analyzes home STEM learning activity in terms of tensions between parental goals, roles, and lesson structure. One tension observed was between 'academic' goals or school-like activity and 'lifelong' goals or everyday learning activity. Theoretical and experiential learning was found in both activity, though parents with academic goals tended to focus more on theoretical learning and those with lifelong learning goals tended to be more experiential. Examples of the National Research Council's science learning strands (NRC, 2009) were observed in the STEM practices of all these families. Findings contribute to the small but growing body of empirical CHAT research in science education, specifically to the empirical base of family STEM learning practices at home. It also fills a current gap regarding STEM learning among home-educating families, a small, but growing part of society's STEM learning infrastructure for which little research exists.

Analysis of the NSF IUSE Physics & Astronomy Education Portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kevin M.

2017-01-01

The National Science Foundation’s IUSE:EHR (Improving Undergraduate STEM Education) Program is now over 3 years old. This presentation will describe the characteristics of the awards presently in the physics & astronomy portfolio. Awards will be described based upon a) general characteristics (duration, total funding, PI rank, type of institution, etc.), b) applicability (intended audience, level, and arena of implementation), c) nature of project (educational research, practical implementation, or both), and d) pedagogical focus (curriculum, STEM recruitment, STEM retention, information collection, and tools and/or skills development). General trends and exemplars will be identified as well as voids in the portfolio. Understanding what has been funded will help attendees design future proposals that will make innovative contributions to the portfolio.

Integrating independent research into science curricula to foster STEM leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queenan, Craig; Calabro, Alyssa; Becker, David

2013-05-01

Preparing students for college and future careers is one of the main goals of K-12 education, but current STEM teaching methods do not do enough to interest students and leave them prepared to enter into and succeed in STEM careers. While measures to implement unifying standards for science education across the country are aimed at ensuring that all students are taught the same material at each grade level, a shift in the way science is taught to is needed to complete the redesign of science education. The independent research model described here aligns with the new content standards and focuses on developing the principles of perspective, purpose, resources, collaboration, analysis, and presentation. These principles not only engage students in the classroom, but also leave students prepared to enter into science programs in college and succeed in leadership roles in the STEM workforce.

Bioinspiring an Interest in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laut, Jeffrey; Bartolini, Tiziana; Porfiri, Maurizio

2015-01-01

Attracting K-12 students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is viewed as a critical element for benefiting both the economy and society. This paper describes an outreach program, conducted in a Brooklyn, New York, USA, public middle school, aimed at educating students in mechatronics, biology, and…

Skill-Based Teaching for Undergraduate STEM Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidovitch, Nitza; Shiller, Zvi

2016-01-01

This article presents a case study that illustrates the paradigmatic shift in higher education from content-centered teaching to learning-centered academic programs. This pragmatic change, triggered by the STEM movement, calls for the introduction of success measures in the course development process. The course described in this paper illustrates…

Managing an NSF-Funded Information Technology Scholarship Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahatanankoon, Pruthikrai; Hunter, William; El-Zanati, Saad

2018-01-01

Our nation's competitive edge is highly dependent on the success of STEM education and the ability of information technology (IT) graduates to find jobs. The School of Information Technology at Illinois State University (ISU) is strategically positioned to offer S-STEM scholarships to talented, financially disadvantaged students in the IT…

Mathematics, Engineering Science Achievement (MESA). Washington's Community and Technical Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, 2014

2014-01-01

Growing Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) talent Washington MESA--Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement--helps under-represented community college students excel in school and ultimately earn STEM bachelor's degrees. MESA has two key programs: one for K-12 students, and the other for community and technical college…

From Skeletons to Bridges & Other STEM Enrichment Exercises for High School Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riechert, Susan E.; Post, Brian K.

2010-01-01

The national Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Initiative favors a curriculum shift from the compartmentalization of math and science classes into discrete subject areas to an integrated, multidisciplinary experience. Many states are currently implementing programs in high schools that provide greater integration of math,…

Making and Mentors: What It Takes to Make Them Better Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kekelis, Linda; Ryoo, Jean J.; McLeod, Emily

2017-01-01

"Making" as an educational approach holds promise both for introducing mentors into STEM programming and for showing girls new pathways into STEM (Wittemyer & Gill, 2014). With its merger of cutting-edge technology and traditional arts and crafts, "Making" can help girls learn about electronics, robotics, metalwork,…

Think3d!: Training Spatial Thinking Fundamental to STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Holly A.; Hutton, Allyson

2013-01-01

This article describes the initial implementation of an innovative program for elementary-age children involving origami and pop-up paper engineering to promote visuospatial thinking. While spatial ability measures correlate with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) success, a focus on spatial thinking is all but missing in elementary…

STEM contents in pre-service teacher curriculum: Case study at physics faculty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linh, Nguyen Quang; Suong, Huynh Thi Hong; Khoa, Cao Tien

2018-01-01

STEM education; the encompassment of the four fields including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; is introduced to provide students with chances to confront and solve real world problems and situations. Literature has evidence that this approach has positive impacts on students' learning motivation, learning engagement, learning achievements, and participation in STEM subjects and careers. This further lead to assurance of enough qualified STEM staffs for cross economic and mixed cultural working environment of the 21st century world. Our paper explores STEM factors underneath what is considered as traditional ways of teaching in a specific subject in pre-service teacher curriculum at Physics Faculty, Thai Nguyen University of Education, Vietnam. Data of the research were collected from a variety of sources including field notes, observation notes, analyzing of the course syllabus and students' final products. Data were analyzed based on the STS approach and SWOT analysis. The research reveals different kinds of STEM factors and manifestations that has been organized and introduced to the students. The research implications propose further research and directions to take the available advantages to benefit and ease the integration of STEM programs into specific educational context in Vietnam.

STEm Minority Graduate Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicholas, Kaen E

ABSTRACT The state of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the United States has seen some unfavorable assessments over the past decade. In early February, 2010 the House of Representatives heard testimony on undergraduate and graduate education. The message from the panel, which included experts from academia, STEM-based industries, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) was dire and required an urgent response. The experts along with the committee's chairperson, U. S. Representative Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) cited that the complexity of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics applications and coursework and the methodology utilized to teach these subjects are forcingmore » students out of these disciplines. As the National Academies described in its 2007 report Rising Above the Gathering Storm, successful STEM education is not just an academic pursuit it's a necessity for competing in the knowledge-based economy that the United States had a key role in creating. The potential for action is being made available again as the America COMPETES Act of 2007 is up for reauthorization. Its initial focus was on STEM education at the K-12 levels, but efforts at the undergraduate and graduate levels are needed to retain students to fill the jobs left vacant as baby boomers retire. The Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc. (EAA) has for two decades created programs that have not only addressed the issues of ensuring that students are aptly prepared for college but have focused its efforts over the past decade on increasing the number of students who pursue degrees in STEM disciplines. For the EAA, the introduction of the wonders of science begins at the elementary and middle school level via the Learning Lab, a state-of-the-art mobile science laboratory that visits students in grades 4-6 at the various schools throughout Philadelphia and The Math/Tech Academy which meets on Saturdays for students in grades 5-7. For the past two years the EAA has assisted college graduates in their quest to attain advanced degrees in STEM by providing fellowships. The EAA continued this effort by recruiting and providing fellowships to students who aspired to continue their education at the graduate level. The fellowships provided funding for tuition, fees, books, technology, and stipends to assist with room, board, and living expenses during the academic year and salary, transportation, and living expenses to those students who secured internships with the Department of Energy. Additionally the EAA designed and implemented needed support systems to ensure successful completion of the Masters degree programs, including but not limited to membership in professional associations, attendance at industry and academic conferences, and professional development workshops, and tutorial assistance if needed. This program assisted over 80 students directly and society-at-large by helping to educate and develop future physicists, engineers, biostatisticians, and researchers who will have the necessary skillsets to fill the increasing numbers of positions that require such expertise.« less

Early College STEM-focused High Schools: A Natural and Overlooked Recruitment Pool for the Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeman, R.; Bathon, J.; Fryar, A. E.; Lyon, E.; McGlue, M. M.

2017-12-01

As national awareness of the importance of STEM education has grown, so too has the number of high schools that specifically emphasize STEM education. Students at these schools outperform their peers and these institutions send students into the college STEM pipeline at twice the rate of the average high school or more. Another trend in secondary education is the "early college high school" (ECHS) model, which encourages students to prepare for and attend college while in high school. These high schools, particularly ECHS's that focus on STEM, represent a natural pool for recruitment into the geosciences, yet most efforts at linking high school STEM education to future careers focus on health sciences or engineering. Through the NSF GEOPATHS-IMPACT program, the University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Earth and Environmental Science and the STEAM Academy, a STEM-focused ECHS located in Lexington, KY, have partnered to expose students to geoscience content. This public ECHS admits students using a lottery system to ensure that the demographics of the high school match those of the surrounding community. The perennial problem for recruiting students into geosciences is the lack of awareness of it as a potential career, due to lack of exposure to the subject in high school. Although the STEAM Academy does not offer an explicitly-named geoscience course, students begin their first semester in 9th grade Integrated Science. This course aligns to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which include a variety of geoscience content. We are working with the teachers to build a project-based learning curriculum to include explicit mention and awareness of careers in geosciences. The second phase of our project involves taking advantage of the school's existing internship program, in which students develop professional skills and career awareness by spending either one day/week or one hour/day off campus. We hosted our second round of interns this year. Eventually we plan to enroll interested students in introductory earth science courses in our department or at a nearby community college. We hope to build a model for establishing a pipeline from an ECHS STEM high school to a geoscience department that can be implemented by other universities. Here we present the highlights and challenges of this first year of our program.

Students who demonstrate strong talent and interest in STEM are initially attracted to STEM through extracurricular experiences.

PubMed

VanMeter-Adams, Amy; Frankenfeld, Cara L; Bases, Jessica; Espina, Virginia; Liotta, Lance A

2014-01-01

What early experiences attract students to pursue an education and career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Does hands-on research influence them to persevere and complete a major course of academic study in STEM? We evaluated survey responses from 149 high school and undergraduate students who gained hands-on research experience in the 2007-2013 Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Programs (ASSIP) at George Mason University. Participants demonstrated their strong interest in STEM by volunteering to participate in ASSIP and completing 300 h of summer research. The survey queried extracurricular experiences, classroom factors, and hands-on projects that first cultivated students' interest in the STEM fields, and separately evaluated experiences that sustained their interest in pursuing a STEM degree. The majority of students (65.5%, p < 0.0001) reported extracurricular encounters, such as the influence of a relative or family member and childhood experiences, as the most significant factors that initially ignited their interest in STEM, while hands-on lab work was stated as sustaining their interest in STEM (92.6%). Based on these findings collected from a cohort of students who demonstrated a strong talent and interest in STEM, community-based programs that create awareness about STEM for both children and their family members may be key components for igniting long-term academic interest in STEM. © 2014 A. VanMeter-Adams et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

NASA and Public Libraries: Enhancing STEM Literacy in Underserved Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dusenbery, P.; LaConte, K.; Harold, J. B.; Randall, C.

2016-12-01

NASA research programs are helping humanity understand the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets, and defining the conditions necessary to support life beyond Earth. The Space Science Institute's (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) was recently funded by NASA`s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to develop and implement a project called NASA@ My Library: A National Earth and Space Science Initiative That Connects NASA, Public Libraries and Their Communities. As places that offer their services for free, public libraries have become the "public square" by providing a place where members of a community can gather for information, educational programming, and policy discussions. Libraries are developing new ways to engage their patrons in STEM learning, and NCIL's STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) has been supporting their efforts for the last eight years, including through a vibrant community of practice that serves both librarians and STEM professionals. Project stakeholders include public library staff, state libraries, the earth and space science education community at NASA, subject matter experts, and informal science educators. The project will leverage high-impact SMD and library events to catalyze partnerships through dissemination of SMD assets and professional development. It will also develop frameworks for public libraries to increase STEM interest pathways in their communities (with supports for reaching underserved audiences). This presentation will summarize the key activities and expected outcomes of the 5-year project.

The Potential Role of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Programs in Reducing Teen Dating Violence and Intimate Partner Violence.

PubMed

D'Inverno, Ashley Schappell; Kearns, Megan C; Reidy, Dennis E

2016-12-01

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are growing fields that provide job stability, financial security, and health prosperity for professionals in these fields. Unfortunately, females are underrepresented in STEM, which is potentially both a consequence and precipitant of gender inequity in the United States. In addition to the financial and health benefits, increasing the number of girls and women in STEM fields may also indirectly prevent and/or reduce teen dating violence and intimate partner violence by: (1) increasing women's financial independence, thereby reducing dependence on potentially abusive partners; (2) decreasing household poverty and financial stress, which may lead to reductions in relationship discord; and (3) increasing attitudes and beliefs about women as equals, thereby increasing gender equity. In this commentary, we discuss the potential role of primary and secondary school STEM programs in reducing violence against women. We review the literature on existing evaluations of STEM programs for educational outcomes, discuss the limitations of these evaluations, and offer suggestions for future research.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics pre-college outreach program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bering, E.; Bacon, L.; Copper, K.; Hansen, L. J.; Sanchez, M.; Aiaa Precollege Outreach Committee

Throughout the United States school child perceive science technology engineering and mathematics STEM as difficult boring and often irrelevant subjects The possible reasons for this problem are endlessly debated however the economic social and overall national importance of producing graduates who are technically literate and enthusiastic in their support of a rational scientific world should motivate many scientific and engineering societies around the world to develop outreach programs aimed at children ages 5-18 and corresponding support programs aimed at schools and teachers covering kindergarten through 12 th grade The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA is among those organizations that have identified the need to educate students and teachers about STEM current events and their direct affects on the United States population a way that motivates both to get more involved The AIAA has established a pre-college outreach program that has several major elements that will be described in this paper These elements include a pre-college Educator Associate Membership program a program to award small development grants to class room teachers and Educator of the Year awards and recognition program mechanisms for sharing and encouraging innovative local support programs and two national workshop events The first workshop event Passport to the Future is held annually in conjunction with the Joint Propulsion Conference It is intended to provide summertime training in Aerospace science education to classroom

NASA Science4Girls: Engaging Girls in STEM at Their Local Library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinke, B.; Smith, D.; Bleacher, L.; Hauck, K.; Soeffing, C.; NASA SMD EPO Community

2014-07-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Science Education and Public Outreach Forums coordinate the participation of SMD education and public outreach (EPO) programs in Women's History Month through the NASA Science4Girls and Their Families initiative. The initiative partners NASA science education programs with public libraries to provide NASA-themed hands-on education activities for girls and their families. The initiative has expanded from the successful 2012 Astro4Girls pilot to engage girls in all four NASA science discipline areas, which broadens the impact of the pilot by enabling audiences to experience the full range of NASA science topics and the different career skills each requires. The events focus on engaging underserved and underrepresented audiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) via use of research-based best practices, collaborations with libraries, partnerships with local and national organizations, and remote engagement of audiences.

Case study of the science, engineering, mathematics, and aerospace academy: Participant and parental perceptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graves, Catherine

The science, engineering, mathematics, and aerospace academy (SEMAA) is a federally-funded national out-of-school time (OST) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program that provides K-12 grade participants with hands-on activities and access to an aerospace education laboratory with the goals of increasing participants' engagement and interest in STEM and STEM careers. The SEMAA also provides support, resources, and training for SEMAA participants' parents through the Family Cafe. This multiple-case study investigated participants' and their parents' reasons for enrolling in the SEMAA and characterized the SEMAA in terms of its operations and infrastructure, instructors, learning environment, curriculum and instruction, and parental engagement. This study also assessed the role of the SEMAA in supporting participants' STEM college degree and career interests. Additionally, this study assessed the participants' attitudes towards science and science motivation factors. The findings of this study have implications for SEMAA and other OST STEM program providers related to: (a) recruitment and retention, (b) operations and infrastructure, (c) learning environments, (d) instructors, (e) curriculum and instruction, (f) parental engagement, and (g) OST STEM program outcomes.

Ethnographic case study of a high school science classroom: Strategies in stem education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohn, Lucinda N.

Historically, science education research has promoted that learning science occurs through direct physical experiences. In recent years, the need for best practices and student motivation have been highlighted in STEM research findings. In response to the instructional challenges in STEM education, the National Research Council has provided guidelines for improving STEM literacy through best practices in science and mathematics instruction. A baseline qualitative ethnographic case study of the effect of instructional practices on a science classroom was an opportunity to understand how a teacher and students work together to learn in an International Baccalaureate life science course. This study was approached through an interpretivist lens with the assumption that learning science is socially constructed. The following were the research questions: 1.) How does the teacher implement science instruction strategies in the classroom? 2.) In what ways are students engaged in the classroom? 3.) How are science concepts communicated in the classroom? The total 35 participants included a high school science teacher and two classes of 11th grade students in the International Baccalaureate program. Using exploratory qualitative methods of research, data was collected from field notes and transcripts from a series of classroom observations, a single one-on-one interview with the teacher and two focus groups with students from each of the two classes. Three themes emerged from text coded using initial and process coding with the computer assisted qualitative data analysis software, MAXQDA. The themes were: 1.) Physical Forms of Communication Play Key Role in Instructional Strategy, 2.) Science Learning Occurs in Casual Environment Full of Distractions, and 3.) Teacher Persona Plays Vital Role in Classroom Culture. The findings provided insight into the teacher's role on students' motivation to learn science. The recommendation for STEM programs and new curriculum is a holistic and sustainable model for development and implementation. This approach brings together the researcher and practitioner to design effective and specific programs tailored to student needs. The implication of using an effective team model to plan and coordinate individualized STEM initiatives is a long-term commitment to overall STEM literacy, thereby fostering increased access to STEM careers for all learners.

Promoting Diversity Through Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (Polar ICE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonnell, J. D.; Hotaling, L. A.; Garza, C.; Van Dyk, P. B.; Hunter-thomson, K. I.; Middendorf, J.; Daniel, A.; Matsumoto, G. I.; Schofield, O.

2017-12-01

Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (ICE) is an education and outreach program designed to provide public access to the Antarctic and Arctic regions through polar data and interactions with the scientists. The program provides multi-faceted science communication training for early career scientists that consist of a face-to face workshop and opportunities to apply these skills. The key components of the scientist training workshop include cultural competency training, deconstructing/decoding science for non-expert audiences, the art of telling science stories, and networking with members of the education and outreach community and reflecting on communication skills. Scientists partner with educators to provide professional development for K-12 educators and support for student research symposia. Polar ICE has initiated a Polar Literacy initiative that provides both a grounding in big ideas in polar science and science communication training designed to underscore the importance of the Polar Regions to the public while promoting interdisciplinary collaborations between scientists and educators. Our ultimate objective is to promote STEM identity through professional development of scientists and educators while developing career awareness of STEM pathways in Polar science.

Successful ADVANCE Initiatives for Junior Women Faculty in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riskin, Eve

2015-01-01

The NSF ADVANCE program was designed to transform university policies, procedures, and practices so that women faculty could advance in STEM faculty careers, obtain tenure, and ultimately become academic leaders. The results have been impressive. The most recent data from the American Society of Engineering Education (Fall 2013) show that the average percentage of women faculty in U.S. Colleges of Engineering is now 14.5%; it was just 9% when ADVANCE started in 2001.This talk will describe programs to support and promote junior women faculty that have been successful in recruiting and retaining women in STEM. These programs include mentoring, professional development, and work/life balance initiatives. Suggestions will be made for ways to disseminate low-cost successful ADVANCE programs to other institutions so that they can successfully support their own women faculty in STEM. One effort is the University of Washington's LEAD-it-Yourself! online toolkit that will enable other universities to run their own leadership workshops for department chairs and deans.

From the NSF: The National Science Foundation’s Investments in Broadening Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education through Research and Capacity Building

PubMed Central

James, Sylvia M.; Singer, Susan R.

2016-01-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has a long history of investment in broadening participation (BP) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. A review of past NSF BP efforts provides insights into how the portfolio of programs and activities has evolved and the broad array of innovative strategies that has been used to increase the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM, including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. While many are familiar with these long-standing programmatic efforts, BP is also a key component of NSF’s strategic plans, has been highlighted in National Science Board reports, and is the focus of ongoing outreach efforts. The majority of familiar BP programs, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (now 25 years old), are housed in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. However, fellowship programs such as the Graduate Research Fellowships and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships under the Directorate for Biological Sciences (and parallel directorates in other STEM disciplines) are frequently used to address underrepresentation in STEM disciplines. The FY2016 and FY2017 budget requests incorporate funding for NSF INCLUDES, a new cross-agency BP initiative that will build on prior successes while addressing national BP challenges. NSF INCLUDES invites the use of innovative approaches for taking evidence-based best practices to scale, ushering in a new era in NSF BP advancement. PMID:27587853

Urban Climate Change Resilience as a Teaching Tool for a STEM Summer Bridge Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenzweig, B.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Socha, A.; Corsi, F.

2015-12-01

Community colleges have been identified as important gateways for the United States' scientific workforce development. However, students who begin their higher education at community colleges often face barriers to developing the skills needed for higher-level STEM careers, including basic training in mathematics, programming, analytical problem solving, and cross-disciplinary communication. As part of the Business Higher Education Forum's Undergraduate STEM Interventions in Industry (USI2) Consortium, we are developing a summer bridge program for students in STEM fields transferring from community college to senior (4-year) colleges at the City University of New York. Our scientific research on New York City climate change resilience will serve as the foundation for the bridge program curriculum. Students will be introduced to systems thinking and improve their analytical skills through guided problem-solving exercises using the New York City Climate Change Resilience Indicators Database currently being developed by the CUNY Environmental Crossroads Initiative. Students will also be supported in conducting an introductory, independent research project using the database. The interdisciplinary nature of climate change resilience assessment will allow students to explore topics related to their STEM field of interest (i.e. engineering, chemistry, and health science), while working collaboratively across disciplines with their peers. We hope that students that participate in the bridge program will continue with their research projects through their tenure at senior colleges, further enhancing their academic training, while actively contributing to the study of urban climate change resilience. The effectiveness of this approach will be independently evaluated by NORC at the University of Chicago, as well as through internal surveying and long-term tracking of participating student cohorts.

Overview of NASA's Universe of Learning: An Integrated Astrophysics STEM Learning and Literacy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Denise; Lestition, Kathleen; Squires, Gordon; Biferno, Anya A.; Cominsky, Lynn; Manning, Colleen; NASA's Universe of Learning Team

2018-01-01

NASA's Universe of Learning creates and delivers science-driven, audience-driven resources and experiences designed to engage and immerse learners of all ages and backgrounds in exploring the universe for themselves. The project is the result of a unique partnership between the Space Telescope Science Institute, Caltech/IPAC, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and Sonoma State University, and is one of 27 competitively-selected cooperative agreements within the NASA Science Mission Directorate STEM Activation program. The NASA's Universe of Learning team draws upon cutting-edge science and works closely with Subject Matter Experts (scientists and engineers) from across the NASA Astrophysics Physics of the Cosmos, Cosmic Origins, and Exoplanet Exploration themes. Together we develop and disseminate data tools and participatory experiences, multimedia and immersive experiences, exhibits and community programs, and professional learning experiences that meet the needs of our audiences, with attention to underserved and underrepresented populations. In doing so, scientists and educators from the partner institutions work together as a collaborative, integrated Astrophysics team to support NASA objectives to enable STEM education, increase scientific literacy, advance national education goals, and leverage efforts through partnerships. Robust program evaluation is central to our efforts, and utilizes portfolio analysis, process studies, and studies of reach and impact. This presentation will provide an overview of NASA's Universe of Learning, our direct connection to NASA Astrophysics, and our collaborative work with the NASA Astrophysics science community.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) education 1993--2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivie, Christine M.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was established in 1958 and began operating a formal education program in 1993. The purpose of this study was to analyze the education program from 1993 -- 2009 by examining strategic plan documents produced by the NASA education office and interviewing NASA education officials who served during that time period. Constant changes in education leadership at NASA resulted in changes in direction in the education program and the documents produced by each administration reflected both small and some significant changes in program direction. The result of the analysis of documents and interview data was the identification of several trends in the NASA education program. This study identified three significant trends in NASA education. First, the approach that NASA took in both its EPO efforts and in the efforts directed by the Office of Education is disjointed and seems to reflect individual preferences in education approaches designed to reach populations that are of interest to the individuals in decision-making positions rather than reflect a systematic approach designed to meet identified goals and outcomes. Second, this disjointed and person-driven approach led to a lack of consistent evaluation data available for review and planning purposes. Third, there was an ongoing assumption made by the education community that NASA education efforts were tied to larger education reports, concerns, needs, initiatives and evidence collected and presented in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education-related studies over the past twenty years. In fact, there is no evidence that the programs and projects initiated were a response to these identified needs or initiatives. That does not mean that NASA's efforts did not contribute to STEM education initiatives in the United States. This study, however, indicates that contributions to those initiatives occurred as a byproduct of the effort and not because of specific goals aligned to those initiatives.

Mobile STEMship Discovery Center: K-12 Aerospace-Based Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Mobile Teaching Vehicle

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-03

in the fields of science and engineering. Certified by the Space Foundation educational program, FOGE has afterschool programs, summer camps and... educators enjoyed the science center learning extremely well and 20% stated they enjoyed the science centers quite well. 90% of the participants felt...extremely satisfied about the science inspiration presented within the STEMShip. 10% felt quite satisfied and inspired. 70% of the educators felt the

Higher Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs. Testimony before the Committee on Education and the Workforce, House of Representatives. GAO-06-702T

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashby, Cornelia M.

2006-01-01

The United States is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. To help maintain this advantage, the federal government has spent billions of dollars on education programs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for many years. However, concerns have been raised about the nation's ability to maintain…

Collaborative gaming and competition for CS-STEM education using SPHERES Zero Robotics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, Sreeja; Katz, Jacob G.; Saenz-Otero, Alvar

2013-02-01

There is widespread investment of resources in the fields of Computer Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (CS-STEM) education to improve STEM interests and skills. This paper addresses the goal of revolutionizing student education using collaborative gaming and competition, both in virtual simulation environments and on real hardware in space. The concept is demonstrated using the SPHERES Zero Robotics (ZR) Program which is a robotics programming competition. The robots are miniature satellites called SPHERES—an experimental test bed developed by the MIT SSL on the International Space Station (ISS) to test navigation, formation flight and control algorithms in microgravity. The participants compete to win a technically challenging game by programming their strategies into the SPHERES satellites, completely from a web browser. The programs are demonstrated in simulation, on ground hardware and then in a final competition when an astronaut runs the student software aboard the ISS. ZR had a pilot event in 2009 with 10 High School (HS) students, a nationwide pilot tournament in 2010 with over 200 HS students from 19 US states, a summer tournament in 2010 with ˜150 middle school students and an open-registration tournament in 2011 with over 1000 HS students from USA and Europe. The influence of collaboration was investigated by (1) building new web infrastructure and an Integrated Development Environment where intensive inter-participant collaboration is possible, (2) designing and programming a game to solve a relevant formation flight problem, collaborative in nature—and (3) structuring a tournament such that inter-team collaboration is mandated. This paper introduces the ZR web tools, assesses the educational value delivered by the program using space and games and evaluates the utility of collaborative gaming within this framework. There were three types of collaborations as variables—within matches (to achieve game objectives), inter-team alliances and unstructured communication on online forums. Simulation competition scores, website usage statistics and post-competition surveys are used to evaluate educational impact and the effect of collaboration.

Engineering, global health, and inclusive innovation: focus on partnership, system strengthening, and local impact for SDGs.

PubMed

Clifford, Katie L; Zaman, Muhammad H

2016-01-01

The recent drafting of the Sustainable Development Goals challenges the research community to rethink the traditional approach to global health and provides the opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) disciplines, particularly engineering, to demonstrate their benefit to the field. Higher education offers a platform for engineering to intersect with global health research through interdisciplinary partnerships among international universities that provide excellence in education, attract nontraditional STEM students, and foster a sense of innovation. However, a traditional lack of engineering-global health collaborations, as well as limited faculty and inadequate STEM research funding in low-income countries, has stifled progress. Still, the impact of higher education on development efforts holds great potential. This value will be realized in low-income countries through strengthening local capacity, supporting innovation through educational initiatives, and encouraging the inclusion of women and minorities in STEM programs. Current international university-level partnerships are working towards integrating engineering into global health research and strengthening STEM innovation among universities in low-income countries, but more can be done. Global health research informs sustainable development, and through integrating engineering into research efforts through university partnerships, we can accelerate progress and work towards a healthier future for all.

An Unexpected Outcome: Afterschool STEM Enrichment Empowers Facilitators, Too!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masarik, Michelle

2017-01-01

One of the goals of afterschool programming is to empower students by increasing their sense of autonomy and giving them room to chart their own course of discovery. Long before STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) became part of the educational vernacular, afterschool practitioners were using science content and scientific practices…

Technology to Advance High School and Undergraduate Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leddy, Mark H.

2010-01-01

Americans with disabilities are underemployed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at higher rates than their nondisabled peers. This article provides an overview of the National science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program, of technology use by students with disabilities (SWD) in STEM, and of…

AccessSTEM: Building Capacity to Include Students with Disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DO-IT, 2007

2007-01-01

A series of activities were undertaken to understand the underrepresentation and increase the participation of people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. These activities were funded by the Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF). They were…

Planning and Implementing a Comprehensive Student-Centered Research Program for First-Year STEM Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Kimberly R.; Bickel, Amelia; Morrison-Shetlar, Alison

2015-01-01

Retaining college-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students remains a priority in higher education. A variety of methods have been shown to increase retention, including mentorship, tutoring, course enhancements, community building, and engagement in high-impact practices such as undergraduate research. In 2011, an…

A Model of Success: The Model Institutions for Excellence Program's Decade of Leadership in STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merisotis, Jamie P.; Kee, Arnold M.

2006-01-01

The Model Institutions for Excellence (MIE) Grant, funded by the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, enhanced student pathways into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It achieved these results through 10 years of sustained investment and collaborative leadership. Components of the MIE…

Empowering K-12 Students with Disabilities to Learn Computational Thinking and Computer Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, Maya; Wherfel, Quentin M.; Pearson, Jamie; Shehab, Saadeddine; Tapia, Tanya

2015-01-01

This article's focus is on including computing and computational thinking in K-12 instruction within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, and to provide that instruction in ways that promote access for students traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields, such as students with disabilities. Providing computing…

International Education in the 21st Century: The Importance of Faculty in Developing Study Abroad Research Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giedt, Todd; Gokcek, Gigi; Ghosh, Jayati

2015-01-01

This paper argues for a reimagining of education abroad that fuses short-term programming with some kind of experiential research component led by home campus disciplinary faculty, especially those in the sciences, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, in order to better integrate the study abroad program into the core undergraduate…

Evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (IGERT): Follow-Up Study of IGERT Graduates. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carney, Jennifer; Martinez, Alina; Dreier, John; Neishi, Kristen; Parsad, Amanda

2011-01-01

The National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program supports students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields who participate in university-developed interdisciplinary graduate training experiences. Faculty members at each IGERT site develop a series of education…

Engineering Efforts and Opportunities in the National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnerships (MSP) Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Pamela; Borrego, Maura

2013-01-01

The National Science Foundation's Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program (NSF, 2012) supports partnerships between K-12 school districts and institutions of higher education (IHEs) and has been funding projects to improve STEM education in K-12 since 2002. As of 2011, a total of 178 MSP projects have received support as part of a STEM…

Portable Inspiration: The Necessity of STEM Outreach Investment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kressly, Rich

2009-01-01

Running a successful technology education lab and delivering curriculum in today's educational environment can be busy, misunderstood, and downright exhausting. Keeping up with growing and emerging technologies, educating the school and community on what a program is really all about, and running after-school technology and engineering clubs…

Workforce and graduate school outcomes of NOAA's Educational Partnership Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christenson, T.; Kaplan, M.

2017-12-01

Underrepresented groups, including Black, Hispanic, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Island professionals remain underrepresented in STEM fields generally, and in the ocean and atmospheric sciences specifically. NOAA has tried to address this disparity through a number of initiatives under the Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP MSI) which currently has two components: four Cooperative Science Centers (CSCs) aligned with NOAA's mission areas; and an Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP), both established in 2001. In order to determine the outcomes for the program participants and the impacts of these programs on degree completions and on the workforce, the EPP MSI undertook a multi-pronged effort to identify career and education achievements for 80% of the approximately 1750 EPP MSI alumni, 75% of whom are from underrepresented groups. This was accomplished through 1) searching online resources (e.g. professional web pages, LinkedIn, etc.), 2) personal communication with program-associated faculty, 3) National Student Clearinghouse, 4) a survey of former scholars conducted by Insight Policy Research, and 5) self-reporting though NOAA's Voluntary Alumni Update System. Results show that 60% of CSC alumni currently hold an advanced degree in a STEM field with another 8% currently working toward one. 66% of EPP Undergraduate Scholars go to graduate school. 72% of CSC and USP alumni are currently employed in or pursuing a graduate degree in a NOAA-related* field. More than 70 CSC graduates currently work for NOAA as contractors or federal employees while more than 240 work for other government agencies. More than 400 are employed in the private sector. Of more than 225 PhD graduates, 66 have completed or currently hold post-doctoral positions in NOAA mission fields; 71 have held faculty positions at major universities. However, one challenge is retaining diverse STEM talent within the Geosciences in light of the lure of lucrative jobs in other STEM fields and ensuring robust outcomes beyond degree completions.

What and How Are We Evaluating? Meta-Evaluation Study of the NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) Portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, A. M.; Barnes, M. H.; Chambers, L. H.; Pippin, M. R.

2011-12-01

As part of NASA's Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP), the NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) project at Langley Research Center has funded 71 climate education initiatives since 2008. The funded initiatives span across the nation and contribute to the development of a climate-literate public and the preparation of a climate-related STEM workforce through research experiences, professional development opportunities, development of data access and modeling tools, and educational opportunities in both K-12 and higher education. Each of the funded projects proposes and carries out its own evaluation plan, in collaboration with external or internal evaluation experts. Using this portfolio as an exemplar case, NICE has undertaken a systematic meta-evaluation of these plans, focused primarily on evaluation questions, approaches, and methods. This meta-evaluation study seeks to understand the range of evaluations represented in the NICE portfolio, including descriptive information (what evaluations, questions, designs, approaches, and methods are applied?) and questions of value (do these evaluations meet the needs of projects and their staff, and of NASA/NICE?). In the current climate, as federal funders of climate change and STEM education projects seek to better understand and incorporate evaluation into their decisions, evaluators and project leaders are also seeking to build robust understanding of program effectiveness. Meta-evaluations like this provide some baseline understanding of the current status quo and the kinds of evaluations carried out within such funding portfolios. These explorations are needed to understand the common ground between evaluative best practices, limited resources, and agencies' desires, capacity, and requirements. When NASA asks for evaluation of funded projects, what happens? Which questions are asked and answered, using which tools? To what extent do the evaluations meet the needs of projects and program officers? How do they contribute to best practices in climate science education? These questions are important to ask about STEM and climate literacy work more generally; the NICE portfolio provides a broad test case for thinking strategically, critically, and progressively about evaluation in our community. Our findings can inform the STEM education, communication, and public outreach communities, and prompt us to consider a broad range of informative evaluation options. During this presentation, we will consider the breadth, depth and utility of evaluations conducted through a NASA climate education funding opportunity. We will examine the relationship between what we want to know about education programs, what we want to achieve with our interventions, and what we ask in our evaluations.

What and How Are We Evaluating? Meta-Evaluation Study of the NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) Portfolio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, A. M.; Barnes, M. H.; Chambers, L. H.; Pippin, M. R.

2013-12-01

As part of NASA's Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP), the NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) project at Langley Research Center has funded 71 climate education initiatives since 2008. The funded initiatives span across the nation and contribute to the development of a climate-literate public and the preparation of a climate-related STEM workforce through research experiences, professional development opportunities, development of data access and modeling tools, and educational opportunities in both K-12 and higher education. Each of the funded projects proposes and carries out its own evaluation plan, in collaboration with external or internal evaluation experts. Using this portfolio as an exemplar case, NICE has undertaken a systematic meta-evaluation of these plans, focused primarily on evaluation questions, approaches, and methods. This meta-evaluation study seeks to understand the range of evaluations represented in the NICE portfolio, including descriptive information (what evaluations, questions, designs, approaches, and methods are applied?) and questions of value (do these evaluations meet the needs of projects and their staff, and of NASA/NICE?). In the current climate, as federal funders of climate change and STEM education projects seek to better understand and incorporate evaluation into their decisions, evaluators and project leaders are also seeking to build robust understanding of program effectiveness. Meta-evaluations like this provide some baseline understanding of the current status quo and the kinds of evaluations carried out within such funding portfolios. These explorations are needed to understand the common ground between evaluative best practices, limited resources, and agencies' desires, capacity, and requirements. When NASA asks for evaluation of funded projects, what happens? Which questions are asked and answered, using which tools? To what extent do the evaluations meet the needs of projects and program officers? How do they contribute to best practices in climate science education? These questions are important to ask about STEM and climate literacy work more generally; the NICE portfolio provides a broad test case for thinking strategically, critically, and progressively about evaluation in our community. Our findings can inform the STEM education, communication, and public outreach communities, and prompt us to consider a broad range of informative evaluation options. During this presentation, we will consider the breadth, depth and utility of evaluations conducted through a NASA climate education funding opportunity. We will examine the relationship between what we want to know about education programs, what we want to achieve with our interventions, and what we ask in our evaluations.

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Including Multiple Voices in Collaboratively Designing a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konecki, Loretta R.; Sturdivant, Robika L.; King, Caryn M.; Melin, Jacquelyn A.; Lancaster, Paula E.

2012-01-01

This narrative case study describes the collaborative processes employed by a midwestern university as it designed and implemented a clinically based, postbaccalaureate teacher preparation program for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates committed to teaching in high need secondary schools. The program development…

The Nautilus Exploration Program: Utilizing Live Ocean Exploration as a Platform for STEM Education and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fundis, A.; Cook, M.; Sutton, K.; Garson, S.; Poulton, S.; Munro, S.

2016-02-01

By sparking interest in scientific inquiry and engineering design at a young age through exposure to ocean exploration and innovative technologies, and building on that interest throughout students' educational careers, the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) aims to motivate more students to be lifelong learners and pursue careers in STEM fields. Utilizing research conducted aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus, the ship's associated technologies, and shore-based facilities at the University of Rhode Island — including the Graduate School of Oceanography and the Inner Space Center — we guide students to early career professionals through a series of educational programs focused on STEM disciplines and vocational skills. OET also raises public awareness of ocean exploration and research through a growing online presence, live streaming video, and interactions with the team aboard the ship 24 hours a day via the Nautilus Live website (www.nautiluslive.org). Annually, our outreach efforts bring research launched from Nautilus to tens of millions worldwide and allow the public, students, and scientists to participate in expeditions virtually from shore. We share the Nautilus Exploration Program's strategies, successes, and lessons learned for a variety of our education and outreach efforts including: 1) enabling global audiences access to live ocean exploration online and via social media; 2) engaging onshore audiences in live and interactive conversations with scientists and engineers on board; 3) engaging young K-12 learners in current oceanographic research via newly developed lessons and curricula; 4) onshore and offshore professional development opportunities for formal and informal educators; 5) programs and authentic research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students onshore and aboard Nautilus; and 6) collaborative opportunities for early career and seasoned researchers to participate virtually in telepresence-enabled, interdisciplinary expeditions.

Pursuit of STEM: Factors shaping degree completion for African American females in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilkins, Ashlee N.

The primary purpose of the study was to examine secondary data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman and College Senior Surveys to investigate factors shaping degree aspirations for African American female undergraduates partaking in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data and identify relationships between independent variables in relation to the dependent variable. The findings of the study reveal four key variables that were predictive of degree completion for African American females in STEM. Father's education, SAT composite, highest degree planned, and self-perception were positive predictors for females; while independent variable overall sense of community among students remained a negative predictor. Lastly implications for education and recommendations for future research were discussed.

Mobilizing the Forgotten Army: Improving Undergraduate Math and Science Education through Professional Development of Graduate Teaching Assistants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerton, Jordan

Evidence-based best practices for improving undergraduate STEM education abound. Unfortunately, these practices have not been widely adopted, in part because typical dissemination efforts are mediated in a top-down fashion and fail to obtain critical buy-in from key local stakeholders. Here, we present a novel framework to increase nationwide uptake of STEM-education best practices through grassroots propagation of Professional Development programs for Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA-PD). Our model pays special attention to overcoming resistance to change by soliciting, from the very start, critical buy-in from departmental chairs, faculty, and GTAs who have direct control over and responsibility for instruction. A key component of our approach involves an annual National GTA Workshop where faculty-GTA leadership teams from many different Physics and Chemistry departments come together to develop best-practices-based GTA-PD improvement plans for their own departments while guided by a core group of nationally recognized expert practitioners in GTA-PD and STEM education. As a pre-condition for participation, each department chair must pledge to facilitate implementation of their leadership team's plan; additional and ongoing support is provided by the core group of experts, together with other teams from the workshop cohort. Our initial pilot efforts point to success via enthusiastic buy-in within each STEM department due to the potential for immediate positive impacts on both undergraduate instruction and the long term research productivity of GTAs. In the future, longitudinal data on the progress of the GTA-PD programs will be gathered and analyzed to provide guidance for improving the success of future GTA-PD programs. Financial support provided by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement and the American Chemical Society.

NASA GSFC Opportunities for STEM Professionals Using the Vantage Point of Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meeson, Blanche W.; Robbins, Geraldine B.

2012-01-01

NASA has a variety of learning opportunities for STEM professionals. Three opportunities at GSFC are examined in this chapter: 1) standard summer research and development internship for undergraduates, 2) senior internship for undergraduate and graduate students and 3) a workshop series for informal learning center professionals. We describe these programs, examine their evolution with respect to most effective education practices and their assessment and evaluation, and identify the similarities and differences between them. The internship programs highlight authentic project-based research and development experiences with the senior internship providing a richer, deeper, and more demanding experience that has greater professional value. The workshops for informal learning center professionals on-the-other hand, focus on building knowledge of GSFC s science and engineering strengths among these professionals, and on building enduring partnerships between individuals (participants and GSFC scientist, engineers and educators) and between organizations (GSFC and the informal learning center). Finally, we examine the characteristics of these programs from a design and management perspective. Through this examination we identify a general structure that provides insight into more effective design and management of similar education programs.

Airborne Research Experience for Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa, V. B.; Albertson, R.; Smith, S.; Stockman, S. A.

2009-12-01

The Airborne Research Experience for Educators (AREE) Program, conducted by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Office of Education in partnership with the AERO Institute, NASA Teaching From Space Program, and California State University Fullerton, is a complete end-to-end residential research experience in airborne remote sensing and atmospheric science. The 2009 program engaged ten secondary educators who specialize in science, technology, engineering or mathematics in a 6-week Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) offered through NSERC. Educators participated in collection of in-flight remote sensor data during flights aboard the NASA DC-8 as well as in-situ research on atmospheric chemistry (bovine emissions of methane); algal blooms (remote sensing to determine location and degree of blooms for further in-situ analysis); and crop classification (exploration of how drought conditions in Central California have impacted almond and cotton crops). AREE represents a unique model of the STEM teacher-as-researcher professional development experience because it asks educators to participate in a research experience and then translate their experiences into classroom practice through the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional materials that emphasize the scientific research process, inquiry-based investigations, and manipulation of real data. Each AREE Master Educator drafted a Curriculum Brief, Teachers Guide, and accompanying resources for a topic in their teaching assignment Currently, most professional development programs offer either a research experience OR a curriculum development experience. The dual nature of the AREE model engaged educators in both experiences. Educators’ content and pedagogical knowledge of STEM was increased through the review of pertinent research articles during the first week, attendance at lectures and workshops during the second week, and participation in the airborne and in-situ research studies, data collection, and subsequent data analysis. Their pedagogical skills in teaching STEM content were enhanced through the collaborative development of curriculum units, critique of curriculum plans by education faculty experts, and exploration of NASA educational resources. AREE also engaged educators in the NASA-sponsored Classroom of the Future's Virtual Design Center (http://vdc.cet.edu/overview.htm), which provides curriculum designers with research-based guidelines to help them design inquiry-based learning activities. The AREE Master Teachers are currently in process of a pilot implementation of their developed curricula, with results due at the end of October 2009. This session will report on program evaluation data and identify best practices for replication of the model. Three perspectives will be provided, including views from the NASA Flight Operations Director, AREE Project Manager, and University Science Education Faculty Mentor. Three AREE Master Educators will present examples of their curriculum materials.

In Brief: Revitalizing Earth science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2008-12-01

A 5-year, $3.9-million U.S. National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership grant to Michigan Technological University (MTU), in Houghton, aims to improve instruction in middle-school Earth and space science courses. The program will enable geoscience and education researchers to work with middle-school science teachers to test strategies designed to reform science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Project lead researcher Bill Rose said the project could be a template for improvement in STEM throughout the United States. Rose, one of seven MTU faculty members involved with the Michigan Institute for Teaching Excellence Program (MITEP), said the project is ``trying to do something constructive to attract more talented young people to advanced science, math, and technology.'' The project includes data collection and analysis overseen by an evaluation team from the Colorado School of Mines. Also participating in the project are scientists from Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Mich.; the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Area Pre-College Engineering Program; the American Geological Institute; and the U.S. National Park Service.

Examining Relationships among Choice, Affect, and Engagement in Summer STEM Programs.

PubMed

Beymer, Patrick N; Rosenberg, Joshua M; Schmidt, Jennifer A; Naftzger, Neil J

2018-06-01

Out-of-school time programs focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have proliferated recently because they are seen as having potential to appeal to youth and enhance STEM interest. Although such programs are not mandatory, youth are not always involved in making the choice about their participation and it is unclear whether youth's involvement in the choice to attend impacts their program experiences. Using data collected from experience sampling, traditional surveys, and video recordings, we explore relationships among youth's choice to attend out-of-school time programs (measured through a pre-survey) and their experience of affect (i.e., youth experience sampling ratings of happiness and excitement) and engagement (i.e., youth experience sampling ratings of concentration and effort) during program activities. Data were collected from a racially and ethnically diverse sample of 10-16 year old youth (n = 203; 50% female) enrolled in nine different summer STEM programs targeting underserved youth. Multilevel analysis indicated that choice and affect are independently and positively associated with momentary engagement. Though choice to enroll was a significant predictor of momentary engagement, positive affective experiences during the program may compensate for any decrements to engagement associated with lack of choice. Together, these findings have implications for researchers, parents, and educators and administrators of out-of-school time programming.

Spaceflight-relevant stem education and outreach: Social goals and priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, Barrett S.

2015-07-01

This paper is based on a presentation and conference proceedings paper given at the 65th International Astronautical Congress. The paper addresses concerns in education and public outreach (EPO) in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The author serves as a Director of a US statewide NASA-funded Space Grant Consortium, with responsibilities to coordinate funding for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, and program awards. Space Grant is a national NASA network of STEM EPO programs including over 1000 higher education, outreach center, science museum, local government, and corporate partners. As a Space Grant Director, the author interacts with a variety of levels of STEM literacy and sophistication among members of the public. A number of interactions highlight the need for STEM EPO leaders to speak directly to a variety of social goals and priorities. Spaceflight is largely seen as an appealing and potentially desirable STEM application. However, members of the public are often unclear and ill-informed regarding relative expense, relative benefit, and relative breadth of domains of expertise that are relevant to the spaceflight enterprise. In response (and resulting in further disconnects between STEM specialists and the public), focused STEM professionals frequently over-emphasize their own technical specialty and its priority in general because of its importance to that professional. These potential divides in the attempt to share and connect STEM related goals and priorities are discussed as an elaboration of invitations to discuss spacefaring in "futures forum" contexts. Spaceflight can be seen as addressing a combination of "actualization" and "aspirational" goals at social and societal levels. Maslow's hierarchy of needs distinguishes between "basic needs" and "actualization" as a higher-order need. Another aspect of spaceflight is aspirational-it speaks to hopes and desires for levels of flexibility and capability at the societal level. One analogy is the marketing of premium brand luxury items, at lower cost and larger volumes, to larger segments of the population. STEM EPO activities should not be directed solely at the "rocket science" applications of technology and engineering capabilities. Additional effort is needed to connect spaceflight experiences and examples to broader STEM needs, social priorities, and local contexts.

Students Learn Programming Faster through Robotic Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Allison; Newsom, Jeff; Schunn, Chris; Shoop, Robin

2013-01-01

Schools everywhere are using robotics education to engage kids in applied science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, but teaching programming can be challenging due to lack of resources. This article reports on using Robot Virtual Worlds (RVW) and curriculum available on the Internet to teach robot programming. It also…

The Impact of Length of Engagement in After-School STEM Programs on Middle School Girls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cupp, Garth Meichel

An underrepresentation of females exists in the STEM fields. In order to tackle this issue, work begins early in the education of young women to ensure they are interested and have the confidence to gain a career in the STEM fields. It is important to engage girls in STEM opportunities in and out of school to ignite their interest and build their confidence. Brigid Barron's learning ecology perspective shows that girls pursuing STEM outside of the classroom is critical to their achievement in the STEM pipeline. This study investigated the impact after-school STEM learning opportunities have on middle school girls by investigating (a) how the length of engagement in after-school programs can affect the confidence of female students in their science and math abilities; (b) how length of engagement in after-school programs can affect the interest of female students in attaining a career in STEM; (c) how length of engagement in after-school programs can affect interest in science and math classes; and (d) how length of engagement can affect how female students' view gender parity in the STEM workforce. The major findings revealed no statistical significance when comparing confidence in math or science abilities or the perception that gender plays a role in attaining a career in STEM. The findings revealed statistical significance in the areas when comparing length of engagement in the girls' interest in their math class and attaining a career in three of the four STEM fields: science, technology, and engineering. The findings showed that multiple terms of engagement in the after-school STEM programs appear to be an effective catalyst to maintain the interest of girls pursuing STEM-related careers, in addition to allowing their interest in a topic to provide a new lens for the way they see their math work during the school day. The implications of this study show that schools must engage middle school girls who are interested in STEM in a multitude of settings, including outside of the classroom in order to maintain engagement in the STEM pipeline.

The Single Sex Debate for Girls in Science: A Comparison between Two Informal Science Programs on Middle School Students' STEM Identity Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Roxanne M.; Nzekwe, Brandon; Molyneaux, Kristen J.

2013-01-01

Currently, there are policy debates regarding the efficacy and legality of single sex formal and informal education programs. This issue is particularly poignant in science education due to the historical marginalization of women in these fields. This marginalization has resulted in women being positioned as a stigmatized group within many…

Developing and Sustaining an Educative Mentoring Model of STEM Teacher Professional Development through Collaborative Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Gail; Dershimer, R. Charles; Ferreira, Maria; Maylone, Nelson; Kubitskey, Beth; Meriweather, Alycia

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present details of a partnership undertaken by four universities with field-based, alternative STEM teacher preparation programs and a large urban school district to provide ongoing professional support for teachers serving as mentors for individuals preparing for careers in high-poverty schools. We also present key findings…

Igniting the Spark: Tech Trek STEM Camps for Girls. Summary of Survey Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of University Women, 2014

2014-01-01

Tech Trek opens up STEM possibilities for girls in many contexts. It expands and influences their academic and social lives, starting in middle school and continuing on into their careers. The program seeks out talented girls, sparks their interest, illuminates the value of a college education, and validates their passions. Tech Trek's exciting,…

Latina Women in STEM: A Critical Analysis of Ph.D. Students' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arroyo, Jorge Luis

2017-01-01

The intent of this qualitative study was to better understand factors, which impacted Latin women's development of resilience and how they continued their education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The participants were enrolled in Ph.D. programs at 5 of the 10 University of California campuses currently designated as…

STEM Professionals Entering Teaching: Navigating Multiple Identities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grier, Jeanne M.; Johnston, Carol C.

2012-01-01

In this qualitative study, we identify the complexity of the transitioning identities of four STEM career changers to better inform teacher education programs on how to be more mindful of the needs of this population as they return to the life of a student again on their path toward a new career in teaching. Findings suggest the career changers…

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs (IBDP) in Oklahoma: A Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hood, Susan J.

2012-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: As Oklahoma grows in technical markets, the need for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educated individuals will continue to increase. Our focus in aviation should be at focusing to attract students into STEM related fields, however, a stronger focus needs to be in retaining the top tier category…

SHINE for Girls: Innovating STEM Curriculum with Dance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hally, Tara; Sinha, Kirin

2018-01-01

SHINE for Girls, a nonprofit with the mission of empowering young women to value their own potential and capabilities within STEM fields, employs a unique curriculum that blends math with dance. They were selected as part of HundreED's 100 Global Education Innovations for 2017. In this article, Tara Hally, Director of Programming, and Kirin Sinha,…

Science identity possibilities: a look into Blackness, masculinities, and economic power relations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, Katemari

2018-02-01

This forum paper dialogues with Sheron Mark's A bit of both science and economics: a non-traditional STEM identity narrative. In her paper, she discusses the development of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) identity by a young African American male during an informal STEM for Social Justice Program. Here, the discussion focuses on Black masculinities, identity formation, and the role of science educators in making STEM fields a welcoming place for young Black men. Drawing from Mark's data and discussion, this paper is a dialogue between science identity possibilities in the United States and in Brazil when we look at the intersections of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Using the shared colonial past of both countries a connection is established to address race relations within science education. The main argument in this paper is that racism can no longer be denied and dismissed by the science education community worldwide and that intersectional approaches are needed to face this issue.

STEM Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education pathway in Georgia: Perceptions of Georgia engineering and technology education high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crenshaw, Mark VanBuren

This study examined the perceptions held by Georgia Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education (ETE) high school pathway teachers and Georgia's Career, Technical and Agriculture Education (CTAE) administrators regarding the ETE pathway and its effect on implementation within their district and schools. It provides strategies for ETE teaching methods, curriculum content, STEM integration, and how to improve the ETE pathway program of study. Current teaching and curricular trends were examined in ETE as well as the role ETE should play as related to STEM education. The study, using the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey, was conducted to answer the following research questions: (a) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE teaching methodology between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (b) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE curriculum content between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (c) Is there a significant difference in the perception of STEM integration in the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? and (d) Is there a significant difference in the perception of how to improve the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? Suggestions for further research also were offered.

Toward Achievement in the "Knowledge Economy" of the 21st Century: Preparing Students through T-STEM Academies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Alberto

2010-01-01

Schools are constantly engaged in implementing reform strategies to prepare students for post-secondary education leading to their career choices. Challenges here involve education initiatives addressing programs not strategically planned, educators not prepared for transition, and no follow-up support beyond initial implementation stages. This…

Toward Achievement in the "Knowledge Economy" of the 21st Century: Preparing Students through T-STEM Academies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Alberto; Jones, Don; Ruiz, Alberto

2014-01-01

Schools are constantly engaged in implementing reform strategies to prepare students for postsecondary education leading to their career choices. Challenges here involve education initiatives addressing programs not strategically planned, educators not prepared for transition, and no follow-up support beyond initial implementation stages. This…

Stakeholders' Perceptions of Physical Education at a Selected Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzales, Monica

2013-01-01

The motivation for this study stemmed from a lack of understanding of why members of an elementary school community did not support the physical education program. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers', administrators', and parents' perceptions about the value and importance of physical education at the school. Guided by the…

Exploring the Disconnect between Mathematics Ability and Mathematics Efficacy among Preservice Agricultural Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilby, Alyssa C.; Stripling, Christopher T.; Stephens, Carrie A.

2014-01-01

STEM disciplines will continue to impact school-based agricultural education programs; thus, in order to produce secondary students proficient in science and mathematics, developing preservice agricultural education teachers who are competent in mathematics and teaching mathematics is essential. This study utilized data collected through a focus…

Where Science Intersects Pop Culture: An Informal Science Education Outreach Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burks, R.; Deards, K. D.; DeFrain, E.

2017-01-01

Attracting a general audience to STEM topics can be a challenge, and developing engaging and interactive instruction is important for educators in all fields. While many chemical educators have successfully used pop-culture themes to introduce their students to scientific concepts, these encounters are largely limited to formal classroom…

76 FR 77982 - Applications for Eligibility Designation; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III of the Higher...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-15

... Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA), and Programs Under Title V of the HEA...: Programs authorized under Part A, Title III of the HEA: Strengthening Institutions Program (Part A SIP... AANAPISI). Programs authorized under Part F, Title III of the HEA: Hispanic- Serving Institutions Stem and...

77 FR 67805 - Applications for Eligibility Designation; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III of the Higher...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-14

... Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA), and Programs Under Title V of the HEA...: Programs authorized under Part A, Title III of the HEA: Strengthening Institutions Program (Part A SIP...). Programs authorized under Part F, Title III of the HEA: Hispanic- Serving Institutions STEM and...

NASA Astrophysics EPO Community: Increasing and Sustaining Youth and Public Engagement in STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, B.; Smith, D. A.; Bartolone, L.; Meinke, B. K.; Schultz, G.; Manning, J.; NASA Astrophysics EPO Community

2015-11-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach (EPO) community and Forum work together to capitalize on the cutting-edge discoveries of NASA Astrophysics missions to enable youth to engage directly in doing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) inside and outside of school. The NASA SMD Astrophysics EPO community has proven expertise in providing student opportunities that reinforce research skills; exhibits, multimedia shows, and visualizations that inspire and engage; professional development for informal educators; and partnerships that provide local, regional, and national reach. These mission- and grant-based EPO programs are uniquely poised to foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We present examples of how the NASA Astrophysics EPO community and Forum support youth and public engagement in STEM in these ways, including associated metrics and evaluation findings.

NASA Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach: Engaging with Scientists and Educators through the Higher Education Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Gregory R.; Gross, Nicholas; Buxner, Sanlyn; Low, Russanne; Moldwin, Mark; Fraknoi, Andrew; Grier, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Forums have established a Higher Education Working Group (HEWG), which has explored and surveyed the higher education landscape with regard to different subjects, such as community colleges and diversity. The HEWG is composed of representatives from each of the SMD EPO Forums, along with 'external' members who have rotated in and out, and the co-authors here constitute the present membership, chaired by Nicholas Gross. Most recently, the HEWG has worked to identify the key characteristics of higher education STEM programs that reach diverse populations. While increasing the involvement of students from diverse backgrounds in SMD EPO is a core goal for our community, engaging these students meaningfully requires a dedicated strategy using proven techniques. In reality, while most educational programs have this goal, undertaking it meaningfully is more challenging. For higher education, diversity is a long-standing issue, and the working group could have taken many different paths to explore this important topic. The HEWG has undertaken a review of programs that involve engaging undergraduates from diverse backgrounds in SMD-related research internships or hands-on STEM experiments. This information will be synthesized and documented so that future education efforts can incorporate the most valuable components. Meanwhile, the working group is exploring ways that NASA SMD can be more helpful to higher education faculty and students, and community input is solicited as part of this presentation.

Inspiring careers in STEM and healthcare fields through medical simulation embedded in high school science education.

PubMed

Berk, Louis J; Muret-Wagstaff, Sharon L; Goyal, Riya; Joyal, Julie A; Gordon, James A; Faux, Russell; Oriol, Nancy E

2014-09-01

The most effective ways to promote learning and inspire careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain elusive. To address this gap, we reviewed the literature and designed and implemented a high-fidelity, medical simulation-based Harvard Medical School MEDscience course, which was integrated into high school science classes through collaboration between medical school and K-12 faculty. The design was based largely on the literature on concepts and mechanisms of self-efficacy. A structured telephone survey was conducted with 30 program alumni from the inaugural school who were no longer in high school. Near-term effects, enduring effects, contextual considerations, and diffusion and dissemination were queried. Students reported high incoming attitudes toward STEM education and careers, and these attitudes showed before versus after gains (P < .05). Students in this modest sample overwhelmingly attributed elevated and enduring levels of impact on their interest and confidence in pursuing a science or healthcare-related career to the program. Additionally, 63% subsequently took additional science or health courses, 73% participated in a job or educational experience that was science related during high school, and 97% went on to college. Four of every five program graduates cited a health-related college major, and 83% offered their strongest recommendation of the program to others. Further study and evaluation of simulation-based experiences that capitalize on informal, naturalistic learning and promote self-efficacy are warranted. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

Inspiring careers in STEM and healthcare fields through medical simulation embedded in high school science education

PubMed Central

Berk, Louis J.; Muret-Wagstaff, Sharon L.; Goyal, Riya; Joyal, Julie A.; Gordon, James A.; Faux, Russell

2014-01-01

The most effective ways to promote learning and inspire careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain elusive. To address this gap, we reviewed the literature and designed and implemented a high-fidelity, medical simulation-based Harvard Medical School MEDscience course, which was integrated into high school science classes through collaboration between medical school and K–12 faculty. The design was based largely on the literature on concepts and mechanisms of self-efficacy. A structured telephone survey was conducted with 30 program alumni from the inaugural school who were no longer in high school. Near-term effects, enduring effects, contextual considerations, and diffusion and dissemination were queried. Students reported high incoming attitudes toward STEM education and careers, and these attitudes showed before versus after gains (P < .05). Students in this modest sample overwhelmingly attributed elevated and enduring levels of impact on their interest and confidence in pursuing a science or healthcare-related career to the program. Additionally, 63% subsequently took additional science or health courses, 73% participated in a job or educational experience that was science related during high school, and 97% went on to college. Four of every five program graduates cited a health-related college major, and 83% offered their strongest recommendation of the program to others. Further study and evaluation of simulation-based experiences that capitalize on informal, naturalistic learning and promote self-efficacy are warranted. PMID:25179609

The AGI-ASU-NASA Triad Program for K-12 Earth and Space Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacheco, H. A.; Semken, S. C.; Taylor, W.; Benbow, A. E.

2011-12-01

The NASA Triad program of the American Geological Institute (AGI) and Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration (ASU SESE) is a three-part effort to promote Earth and space science literacy and STEM education at the national level, funded by NASA through a cooperative agreement starting in 2010. NASA Triad comprises (1) infusion of NASA STEM content into AGI's secondary Earth science curricula; (2) national lead teacher professional development workshops; and (3) an online professional development guide for teachers running NASA STEM workshops. The Triad collaboration draws on AGI's inquiry-based curriculum and teacher professional-development resources and workforce-building programs; ASU SESE's spectrum of research in Mars and Moon exploration, astrobiology, meteoritics, Earth systems, and cyberlearning; and direct access to NASA facilities and dynamic education resources. Triad milestones to date include integration of NASA resources into AGI's print and online curricula and two week-long, national-scale, teacher-leader professional development academies in Earth and space sciences presented at ASU Dietz Museum in Tempe and NASA Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston. Robust front-end and formative assessments of these program components, including content gains, teacher-perceived classroom relevance, teacher-cohort lesson development, and teacher workshop design, have been conducted. Quantitative and qualitative findings from these assessment activities have been applied to identify best and most effective practices, which will be disseminated nationally and globally through AGI and NASA channels.

NASA Opportunities in Visualization, Art, and Science (NOVAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fillingim, M. O.; Zevin, D.; Croft, S.; Thrall, L.; Shackelford, R. L., III

2015-12-01

Led by members of UC Berkeley's Multiverse education team at the Space Sciences Laboratory (http://multiverse.ssl.berkeley.edu/), in partnership with UC Berkeley Astronomy, NASA Opportunities in Visualization, Art and Science (NOVAS) is a NASA-funded program mainly for high school students that explores NASA science through art and highlights the need for and uses of art and visualizations in science. The project's aim is to motivate more diverse young people (especially African Americans) to consider Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. The program offers intensive summer workshops at community youth centers, afterschool workshops at a local high school, a year-round internship for those who have taken part in one or more of our workshops, public and school outreach, and educator professional development workshops. By adding Art (fine art, graphic art, multimedia, design, and "maker/tinkering" approaches) to STEM learning, we wanted to try a unique combination of what's often now called the "STEAM movement" in STEM education. We've paid particular attention to highlighting how scientists and artists/tinkerers often collaborate, and why scientists need visualization and design experts. The program values the rise of the STEAM teaching concept, particularly that art, multimedia, design, and maker projects can help communicate science concepts more effectively. We also promote the fact that art, design, and visualization skills can lead to jobs and broader participation in science, and we frequently work with and showcase scientific illustrators and other science visualization professionals. This presentation will highlight the significant findings from our multi-year program.

The Effect of a Climate Change Monitoring Program on Students' Knowledge and Perceptions of STEAM Education in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Sophia; Kim, Hyoungbum

2015-01-01

Korea has recently started to implement a STEM-like approach in K-12 education, titled STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum, to educate the next generation of students to become creative innovators. As this approach has been shown to increase educational success, it is vital to prepare and develop interest in…

Cooperative Research Projects of Master's Students (Education Programs) in the Open Informational Educational Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cao, Yonghui; Kirilova, Galiya I.; Grunis, Maxim L.

2017-01-01

Relevance of the research problem stems from the need to meet the challenges of personal growth of each participant of the educational process, a productive exchange of information and personalized contribution to the overall result of the conducted educational research. The aim of this paper is to improve joint training activities as the basis…

National Defense Education Program (NDEP) - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of...EDUCATION 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER FA8650-10-2-1743 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER N /A 6. AUTHOR(S) Shannon M. Cox and Sandra M...Preiss 5d. PROJECT NUMBER N /A 5e. TASK NUMBER N /A 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER N /A 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING

Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Pathways into Geoscience (IUSE: GEOPATHS) - A National Science Foundation Initiative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, B.; Patino, L. C.

2016-12-01

Preparation of the future professional geoscience workforce includes increasing numbers as well as providing adequate education, exposure and training for undergraduates once they enter geoscience pathways. It is important to consider potential career trajectories for geoscience students, as these inform the types of education and skill-learning required. Recent reports have highlighted that critical thinking and problem-solving skills, spatial and temporal abilities, strong quantitative skills, and the ability to work in teams are among the priorities for many geoscience work environments. The increasing focus of geoscience work on societal issues (e.g., climate change impacts) opens the door to engaging a diverse population of students. In light of this, one challenge is to find effective strategies for "opening the world of possibilities" in the geosciences for these students and supporting them at the critical junctures where they might choose an alternative pathway to geosciences or otherwise leave altogether. To address these and related matters, The National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) has supported two rounds of the IUSE: GEOPATHS Program, to create and support innovative and inclusive projects to build the future geoscience workforce. This program is one component in NSF's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) initiative, which is a comprehensive, Foundation-wide effort to accelerate the quality and effectiveness of the education of undergraduates in all of the STEM fields. The two tracks of IUSE: GEOPATHS (EXTRA and IMPACT) seek to broaden and strengthen connections and activities that will engage and retain undergraduate students in geoscience education and career pathways, and help prepare them for a variety of careers. The long-term goal of this program is to dramatically increase the number and diversity of students earning undergraduate degrees or enrolling in graduate programs in geoscience fields, as well as ensure that they have the necessary skills and competencies to succeed as next generation professionals in a variety of employment sectors.

MS PHD'S: Bridging the Gap of Academic and Career Success Through Educational and Professional Development for Minorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, D.; Vargas, W.; Padilla, E.; Strickland, J.; Echols, E.; Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Ricciardi, L.; Johnson, A.; Braxton, L.

2011-12-01

Historically, there has been a lack of ethnic and gender diversity in the geo-sciences. The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S) Professional Development Program provides a bridge to young scientists of diverse backgrounds who in turn will impact many. In a process of 3 phases, the program introduces the students to the scientific community through participation in professional and society meetings and networking with scientists and personnel within federal agencies, academic institutions and STEM-based industries. The program builds confidence, offers role models for professional development and provides students support during their education. Upon completion, students achieve a high level of self-actualization and self-esteem combined with individual growth. They become part of a community that continuously provides support and security to each other. This support is tangible through the mentor/mentee relationships which will help with individual growth throughout the mentoring cycle. Having role models and familiar faces to whom mentees can relate to will encourage our students to succeed in the STEM's field. To date, 159 students have participated in the program: 26 have successfully completed their PhD and 56 are currently enrolled in the PhD programs nationwide. The MS PHD'S Program creates a forum of diverse peoples by diverse peoples with diverse interest and strength, where the ongoing goal is to continually raise the bar for each individual. MS PHD'S establishes a nurturing goal-oriented environment for the geo scientist of the future who in turn will make profound contributions on a local, national and global scale. To conclude, MSPHD'S not only bridges the gap of unrepresented minorities in STEM careers, but also generates educational approaches to make the earth system sciences available to more, impacting all.

Surveying the Landscape of Professional Development Research: Suggestions for New Perspectives in Design and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manduca, Cathryn A.

2017-01-01

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education is in need of improved teaching methods to increase learning for all students. Faculty professional development programs are a widespread strategy for fostering this improvement. Studies of faculty development programs have focused on program design and the impact of…

Engineering, global health, and inclusive innovation: focus on partnership, system strengthening, and local impact for SDGs

PubMed Central

Clifford, Katie L.; Zaman, Muhammad H.

2016-01-01

The recent drafting of the Sustainable Development Goals challenges the research community to rethink the traditional approach to global health and provides the opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) disciplines, particularly engineering, to demonstrate their benefit to the field. Higher education offers a platform for engineering to intersect with global health research through interdisciplinary partnerships among international universities that provide excellence in education, attract nontraditional STEM students, and foster a sense of innovation. However, a traditional lack of engineering–global health collaborations, as well as limited faculty and inadequate STEM research funding in low-income countries, has stifled progress. Still, the impact of higher education on development efforts holds great potential. This value will be realized in low-income countries through strengthening local capacity, supporting innovation through educational initiatives, and encouraging the inclusion of women and minorities in STEM programs. Current international university-level partnerships are working towards integrating engineering into global health research and strengthening STEM innovation among universities in low-income countries, but more can be done. Global health research informs sustainable development, and through integrating engineering into research efforts through university partnerships, we can accelerate progress and work towards a healthier future for all. PMID:26790462

Encouraging Girls into Science and Technology with Feminine Role Model: Does This Work?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamberger, Yael M.

2014-08-01

This study examines the effect of a program that aimed to encourage girls to choose a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career in Israel. The program involved school visits to a high-tech company and meeting with role model female scientists. Sixty ninth-grade female students from a Jewish modern-orthodox single-sex secondary school in the same city as the company participated in the study. The control group contained 30 girls from the same classes who did not participate in the program. Data were collected through pre-post questionnaires, observations, and focus group interviews. It was analyzed for three main themes: perceptions of scientists and engineers, capability of dealing with STEM, and future career choice. Findings indicated respect toward the women scientists as being smart and creative, but significant negative change on the perceptions of women scientists/engineers, the capability of dealing with STEM, and the STEM career choices. Possible causes for these results are discussed, as well as implications for education.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Naval Scientists and Engineers in Mississippi and Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breland-Mensi, S.; Calantoni, J.

2012-12-01

In 2011, the American Institute of Physics ranked Mississippi 50th out of 50 states in preparing students for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. Louisiana placed 48th on the list. [1] The Naval Research Laboratory - Stennis Space Center detachment (NRL-SSC) is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, approximately 2 miles from the Louisiana state line. In response to a growing need for NRL-SSC to sustain recruitment and retention of the best and brightest scientists and engineers (S&Es), NRL-SSC became a National Defense Education Program (NDEP) site in August 2009. NDEP's mission is to support a new generation of S&Es who will apply their talents in U.S. Defense laboratories. As an NDEP site, NRL-SSC receives funding to promote STEM at K-12 institutions geographically local to NRL-SSC. NDEP funding allows present Department of Defense civilian S&Es to collaborate with teachers to enrich student learning in the classroom environment through various programs, events, training and activities. Since NRL-SSC's STEM program's inception, more than 30 S&Es have supported an array of STEM outreach activities in over 30 different local schools. An important part of the K-12 outreach from NRL-SSC is to provide professional development opportunities for local teachers. During the summer of 2012, in collaboration with STEM programs sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), we provided a series of professional development opportunities for 120 local science and mathematics teachers across K-12. The foundation of NRL-SSC STEM programs includes MATHCOUNTS, FIRST and SeaPerch—all nationally recognized, results-driven programs. We will discuss the breadth of participation in these programs and how these programs will support NRL-SSC future recruitment goals.

Sharing NASA's Scientific Explorations with Communities Across the Country: A Study of Public Libraries Collaborating with NASA STEM Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dusenbery, P.; LaConte, K.; Holland, A.; Harold, J. B.; Johnson, A.; Randall, C.; Fitzhugh, G.

2017-12-01

NASA research programs are helping humanity understand the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets, how our Sun varies and impacts the heliosphere, and defining the conditions necessary to support life beyond Earth. As places that offer their services for free, public libraries have become the "public square" by providing a place where members of a community can gather for information, educational programming, and policy discussions. Libraries are also developing new ways to engage their patrons in STEM learning. The Space Science Institute's (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) was funded by NASA`s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to develop and implement a project called NASA@ My Library: A National Earth and Space Science Initiative That Connects NASA, Public Libraries and Their Communities. NCIL's STAR Library Network (STAR_Net) is providing important leverage to expand its community of practice that serves both librarians and STEM professionals. Seventy-five libraries were selected through a competitive application process to receive NASA STEM Facilitation Kits, NASA STEM Backpacks for circulation, financial resources, training, and partnership opportunities. Initial survey data from the 75 NASA@ My Library partners showed that, while they are actively providing programming, few STEM programs connected with NASA science and engineering. With the launch of the initiative - including training, resources, and STEM-related event opportunities - all 75 libraries are engaged in offering NASA-focused programs, including with NASA subject matter experts. This talk will highlight the impacts the initiative is having on both public library partners and many others across the country.

The community FabLab platform: applications and implications in biomedical engineering.

PubMed

Stephenson, Makeda K; Dow, Douglas E

2014-01-01

Skill development in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education present one of the most formidable challenges of modern society. The Community FabLab platform presents a viable solution. Each FabLab contains a suite of modern computer numerical control (CNC) equipment, electronics and computing hardware and design, programming, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided machining (CAM) software. FabLabs are community and educational resources and open to the public. Development of STEM based workforce skills such as digital fabrication and advanced manufacturing can be enhanced using this platform. Particularly notable is the potential of the FabLab platform in STEM education. The active learning environment engages and supports a diversity of learners, while the iterative learning that is supported by the FabLab rapid prototyping platform facilitates depth of understanding, creativity, innovation and mastery. The product and project based learning that occurs in FabLabs develops in the student a personal sense of accomplishment, self-awareness, command of the material and technology. This helps build the interest and confidence necessary to excel in STEM and throughout life. Finally the introduction and use of relevant technologies at every stage of the education process ensures technical familiarity and a broad knowledge base needed for work in STEM based fields. Biomedical engineering education strives to cultivate broad technical adeptness, creativity, interdisciplinary thought, and an ability to form deep conceptual understanding of complex systems. The FabLab platform is well designed to enhance biomedical engineering education.

Teaching Climate Change Through Data Analytics: Updates on the TRELLIS Project at the City University of New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenzweig, B.; Cak, A. D.

2017-12-01

Community colleges have been identified as a particularly important gateway for the United States' scientific workforce. However, students that begin their higher education at community colleges often face barriers in developing the skills needed for higher-level STEM careers, including basic training in mathematics, programming and communications, deep analytical and problem-solving skills, and experience with working across disciplines. As part of the Undergraduate STEM Interventions in Industry (USI2) Consortium, we have developed a summer bridge program for students in diverse STEM fields transferring from City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges to the City College of New York. Students participating in the program receive training and work on team data analysis projects on various themes related to climate change resilience and New York City. We will discuss our experiences during the first 2 years of implementation of the summer bridge program along with plans for a capstone program for students in their senior year.

Student Planetary Investigators: A Program to Engage Students in Authentic Research Using NASA Mission Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallau, K.; Turney, D.; Beisser, K.; Edmonds, J.; Grigsby, B.

2015-12-01

The Student Planetary Investigator (PI) Program engages students in authentic scientific research using NASA mission data. This student-focused STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program combines problem-based learning modules, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned curriculum, and live interactive webinars with mission scientists to create authentic research opportunities and career-ready experiences that prepare and inspire students to pursue STEM occupations. Primarily for high school students, the program employs distance-learning technologies to stream live presentations from mission scientists, archive those presentations to accommodate varied schedules, and collaborate with other student teams and scientists. Like its predecessor, the Mars Exploration Student Data Team (MESDT) program, the Student PI is free and open to teams across the country. To date, students have drafted research-based reports using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mini-RF instrument and the MESSENGER Mercury orbiter, with plans to offer similar programs aligned with additional NASA missions in the future pending available funding. Overall, the program has reached about 600 students and their educators. Assessments based on qualitative and quantitative data gathered for each Student PI program have shown that students gain new understanding about the scientific process used by real-world scientists as well as gaining enthusiasm for STEM. Additionally, it is highly adaptable to other disciplines and fields. The Student PI program was created by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) Space Department Education and Public Outreach office with support from NASA mission and instrument science and engineering teams.

NASA's Astronomy Education Program: Reaching Diverse Audiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Hashima; Smith, Denise Anne; Hertz, Paul; Meinke, Bonnie

2015-08-01

An overview will be given of the rich programs developed by NASA to inject the science from it's Astrophysics missions into STEM activities targeted to diverse audiences. For example, Astro4Girls was started as a pilot program during IYA2009. This program partners NASA astrophysics education programs with public libraries to provide NASA-themed hands-on education activities for girls and their families, and has been executed across the country. School curricula and NASA websites have been translated in Spanish; Braille books have been developed for the visually impaired; programs have been developed for the hearing impaired. Special effort has been made to reach underrepresented minorities. Audiences include students, teachers, and the general public through formal and informal education settings, social media and other outlets. NASA Astrophysics education providers include teams embedded in its space flight missions; professionals selected though peer reviewed programs; as well as the Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Education forum. Representative examples will be presented to demonstrate the reach of NASA education programs, as well as an evaluation of the effectiveness of these programs.

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

PubMed Central

LYE, Jee Leng; SOON, Lean Keng; WAN AHMAD, Wan Amir Nizam; TAN, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Background: Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. Results: The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Conclusion: Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students. PMID:26715905

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia.

PubMed

Lye, Jee Leng; Soon, Lean Keng; Wan Ahmad, Wan Amir Nizam; Tan, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students.

Engaging learners outside the classroom walls: Preliminary evaluation of three informal STEM education programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD USA 20771

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, G.; Delaney, M.; Conaty, C.; Gabrys, R.

2012-04-01

Tomorrow's classroom may not be a classroom. In fact, it may not be a room at all. With a recent focus on summer learning and the understanding that much of the achievement gap may be directly related to "unequal access to summer learning opportunities" (National Summer Learning Association, 2011 & Russo, 2011), educators are targeting after-school and summer-times to fill the gap. For those students who "don't get it" during the day, a longer school day may not be the solution. More of the same is not always better. Different, on the other hand, may well be the key to improved learning and may drive the model of education in the future. The nature of this investigation was to identify those informal education programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt, Maryland USA) that instilled inspiration and engagement in participants. During 2011, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center hosted two such programs and supported a third: an open house event for the general public, a museum educators' workshop, and NASA's BEST Students (NBS) educator professional development at the Los Angeles, California Unified School District (LAUSD) "Beyond the Bell" after-school program. Each was a unique experience. The open house drew approximately 15,000 with over 4,000 taking part in structured informal educational programs, the workshop supported 30 informal educators from museums across the United States, and NBS hosted 33 after-school coach-educators from LAUSD. Formative evaluation of these programs was carried out and preliminary results indicate high levels of engagement, desire for follow-on learning, and interest in additional hands-on and partnership opportunities. Each event enjoyed positive reviews and each served to further deploy high-quality NASA STEM content to learners. This work was first presented at the American Geophysical Union 2011 Fall Meeting in San Francisco, California. Since then, additional museum educators' workshop data has been collected and NBS has been added.

NASA STEM Event

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-01-19

School children watch a TV program showing how the Mars rover Curiosity landed on Mars during an Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education event held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Arlington, VA on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013. Students were able to meet with Astronaut Melvin, conduct experiments, build their own space jab, and touch a mockup space suit. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Who Am I versus Who Can I Become? Exploring Women's Science Identities in STEM Ph.D. Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szelényi, Katalin; Bresonis, Kate; Mars, Matthew M.

2016-01-01

This article explores the science identities of 21 women STEM Ph.D. students at three research universities in the United States. Following a narrative approach, the findings depict five salient science identities, including those of a) academic, b) entrepreneurial, c) industrial, and d) policy scientist and e) scientist as community educator. Our…

Effect of Makerspace Professional Development Activities on Elementary and Middle School Educator Perceptions of Integrating Technologies with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jennifer Renea

2016-01-01

This study investigated a Makerspace professional development program, the Makers' Guild, provided to teachers within north Texas over the course of a semester. The research employed a constructionist approach delivered via 2D and 3D technologies during STEM instructional activities within a creative space. Participants reported statistically…

Sandia National Laboratories: About Sandia: Community Involvement:

Science.gov Websites

DOE Regional Science Bowls - New Mexico DOE Regional Science Bowls - California Family Math Night Family Science Night Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Programs About Education Programs a national concern. Encouraging students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM

Flight Mechanics Experiment Onboard NASA's Zero Gravity Aircraft

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Kyle R.; Motiwala, Samira A.; Edberg, Donald L.; García-Llama, Eduardo

2012-01-01

This paper presents a method to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education through participation in a reduced gravity program with NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Microgravity programs with NASA provide students with a unique opportunity to conduct scientific research with innovative and…

Enhancing the Impact of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Using Real NASA Data in the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Smith, D. A.; SMD Astrophysics E/PO Community, NASA

2013-01-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach (E/PO) community in enhancing the coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of SMD-funded E/PO programs. As a part of this effort, the Astrophysics Forum is coordinating a collaborative project among the NASA SMD astrophysics missions and E/PO programs to create a broader impact for the use of real NASA data in classrooms. Among NASA's major education goals is the training of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. The use of real data, from some of the most sophisticated observatories in the world, provide educators an authentic opportunity to teach students basic science process skills, inquiry, and real-world applications of the STEM subjects. The goal of this NASA SMD astrophysics community collaboration is to find a way to maximize the reach of existing real data products produced by E/PO professionals working with NASA E/PO grants and missions in ways that enhance the teaching of the STEM subjects. We present an initial result of our collaboration: defining levels of basic science process skills that lie at the heart of authentic scientific research and national education standards (AAAS Benchmarks) and examples of NASA data products that align with those levels. Our results are the beginning of a larger goal of utilizing the new NASA education resource catalog, NASA Wavelength, for the creation of progressions that tie NASA education resources together. We aim to create an informational sampler that illustrates how an educator can use the NASA Wavelength resource catalog to connect NASA real-data resources that meet the educational goals of their class.

Agricultural Awareness Days: Integrating Agricultural Partnerships and STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Brian T.; Wilkinson, Carol A.; Shepherd, Pamela J.

2014-01-01

In the United States there is a need to educate young children in science, technology, and agriculture. Through collaboration with many agricultural groups, the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Education Center has set up a program that works with 3rd grade students and teachers to reinforce the science that has been taught in the…

Postsecondary STEM Education for Students with Disabilities: Lessons Learned from a Decade of NSF Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurston, Linda P.; Shuman, Cindy; Middendorf, B. Jan; Johnson, Cassandra

2017-01-01

The Research in Disabilities Education Synthesis Project (RDE-SP), a four-year mixed methods research project, assessed a decade of funded projects (2001-2011) under the National Science Foundation's Research in Disabilities Education program which is aimed at increasing participation and retention of students with disabilities (SWD) in Science,…

President Barack Obama Honors Teachers

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-01-06

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010, during an 'Educate to Innovate' event where he honored teachers who received awards for excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education. NASA's 'Summer of Innovation' program supports the President's 'Educate to Innovate' campaign. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

STEM after School: How to Design and Run Great Programs and Activities. A Guidebook for Program Leaders, Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ExpandED Schools, 2014

2014-01-01

This guidebook was prepared by TASC (The After-School Corporation) and their Frontiers in Urban Science Education (FUSE) programs. FUSE is TASC's initiative to help more out-of-school-time programs and expanded learning time schools offer kids engaging, exciting and inspiring activities that promote science inquiry. The guidebook offers a a…

Building integrated pathways to independence for diverse biomedical researchers: Project Pathways, the BUILD program at Xavier University of Louisiana.

PubMed

Foroozesh, Maryam; Giguette, Marguerite; Morgan, Kathleen; Johanson, Kelly; D'Amour, Gene; Coston, Tiera; Wilkins-Green, Clair

2017-01-01

Xavier University of Louisiana is a historically Black and Catholic university that is nationally recognized for its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricula. Approximately 73% of Xavier's students are African American, and about 77% major in the biomedical sciences. Xavier is a national leader in the number of STEM majors who go on to receive M.D. degrees and Ph.D. degrees in science and engineering. Despite Xavier's advances in this area, African Americans still earn about 7.5% of the Bachelor's degrees, less than 8% of the Master's degrees, and less than 5% of the doctoral degrees conferred in STEM disciplines in the United States. Additionally, although many well-prepared, highly-motivated students are attracted by Xavier's reputation in the sciences, many of these students, though bright and capable, come from underperforming public school systems and receive substandard preparation in STEM disciplines. The purpose of this article is to describe how Xavier works to overcome unequal education backgrounds and socioeconomic challenges to develop student talent through expanding biomedical training opportunities and build on an established reputation in science education. The National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)-funded BUILD (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity) Program at Xavier University of Louisiana, Project Pathways , is a highly-innovative program designed to broaden the career interests of students early on, and to engage them in activities that entice them to continue their education towards biomedical research careers. Project strategies involve a transformation of Xavier's academic and non-academic programs through the redesign, supplementation and integration of academic advising, tutoring, career services, personal counseling, undergraduate research training, faculty research mentoring, and development of new biomedical and research skills courses. The Program also focuses on mentor training and providing faculty members with opportunities to improve their teaching skills as well as their research competitiveness. In addition to the wide range of activities supported by BUILD within the institution, Xavier University is partnering with a number of major research universities across the nation to achieve Project Pathways' goals. The strategies developed by Project Pathways are designed to address the challenges and barriers Xavier students face as they work towards graduate studies and entering the biomedical workforce. Xavier University of Louisiana has a long history of providing high quality, rigorous education to African American students in a very supportive environment with highly dedicated faculty and staff. The program highlighted here could be used by other institutions as a model program for assisting students in STEM and other biomedical fields of study to successfully matriculate through college and graduate school and develop their research careers.

Approaches to School Leadership in Inclusive STEM High Schools: A Cross-Case Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Michael Robert

Inclusive STEM-focused high schools (ISHSs) are a relatively new phenomenon in the landscape of public education. This study of four exemplar ISHSs (identified by experts in STEM education as highly successfully in preparing students underrepresented in STEM for STEM majors in college and future STEM careers) provides a rich description of the approach to ISHS school leadership by identifying various internal and external leadership factors influencing school leadership. This study examined an existing data set that included site visits to four ISHSs along with pre- and post-visit data, and a cross-case analysis focused on the leadership contributions of ISHS leaders and their larger community. This study found that the ISHSs expanded the concept of school leadership to include leadership both within and outside the school. In addition, school leaders needed autonomy to innovate and respond to their schools' needs. This included autonomy in hiring new teachers, autonomy from school district influence, and autonomy from restrictive teachers' union regulation and policies. Finally, ISHSs needed to continually invest in increasing their schools' capacities. This included investing in teacher professionalization, providing pathways for school leadership, collaborating with business and industry, and identifying the best student supports. A product of this study was a proposition for characterizing school leadership in an ISHS. This proposition may offer valuable insight, implications, and information for states and schools districts that may be planning or improving STEM education programs.

Increasing Internal Stakeholder Consensus about a University Science Center's Outreach Policies and Procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Richard D.

For decades the United States has tried to increase the number of students pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. Educators and policy makers continue to seek strategies to increase the number of students in the STEM education pipeline. Public institutions of higher education are involved in this effort through education and public outreach (EPO) initiatives. Arizona State University opened its largest research facility, the new Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB4) in September, 2012. As the new home of the School of Earth & Space Exploration (SESE), ISTB4 was designed to serve the school's dedication to K-12 education and public outreach. This dissertation presents a menu of ideas for revamping the EPO program for SESE. Utilizing the Delphi method, I was able to clarify which ideas would be most supported, and those that would not, by a variety of important SESE stakeholders. The study revealed that consensus exists in areas related to staffing and expansion of free programming, whereas less consensus exist in the areas of fee-based programs. The following most promising ideas for improving the SESE's EPO effort were identified and will be presented to SESE's incoming director in July, 2013: (a) hire a full-time director, theater manager, and program coordinator; (b) establish a service-learning requirement obligating undergraduate SESE majors to serve as docent support for outreach programs; (c) obligate all EPO operations to advise, assist, and contribute to the development of curricula, activities, and exhibits; (d) perform a market and cost analysis of other informational education venues offering similar programming; (3) establish a schedule of fee-based planetarium and film offerings; and (f) create an ISTB4 centric, fee-based package of programs specifically correlated to K12 education standards that can be delivered as a fieldtrip experience.

Effect of Robotics on Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Science Learning, and Computational Thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaipal-Jamani, Kamini; Angeli, Charoula

2017-04-01

The current impetus for increasing STEM in K-12 education calls for an examination of how preservice teachers are being prepared to teach STEM. This paper reports on a study that examined elementary preservice teachers' ( n = 21) self-efficacy, understanding of science concepts, and computational thinking as they engaged with robotics in a science methods course. Data collection methods included pretests and posttests on science content, prequestionnaires and postquestionnaires for interest and self-efficacy, and four programming assignments. Statistical results showed that preservice teachers' interest and self-efficacy with robotics increased. There was a statistically significant difference between preknowledge and postknowledge scores, and preservice teachers did show gains in learning how to write algorithms and debug programs over repeated programming tasks. The findings suggest that the robotics activity was an effective instructional strategy to enhance interest in robotics, increase self-efficacy to teach with robotics, develop understandings of science concepts, and promote the development of computational thinking skills. Study findings contribute quantitative evidence to the STEM literature on how robotics develops preservice teachers' self-efficacy, science knowledge, and computational thinking skills in higher education science classroom contexts.

NASA SMD STEM Activation: Enabling NASA Science Experts and Content into the Learning Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Hashima; Erickson, Kristen

2018-01-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) restructured its efforts to enhance learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content areas through a cooperative agreement notice issued in 2015. This effort resulted in the competitive selection of 27 organizations to implement a strategic approach that leverages SMD’s unique assets. Three of these are exclusively directed towards Astrophysics. These unique assets include SMD’s science and engineering content and Science Discipline Subject Matter Experts. Awardees began their work during 2016 and span all areas of Earth and space science and the audiences NASA SMD intends to reach. The goal of the restructured STEM Activation program is to further enable NASA science experts and content into the learning environment more effectively and efficiently with learners of all ages. The objectives are to enable STEM education, improve US scientific literacy, advance national educational goals, and leverage efforts through partnerships. This presentation will provide an overview of the NASA SMD STEM Activation landscape and its commitment to meeting user needs.

Title: The Impact of 2006-2012 CReSIS Summer Research Programs that Influence Student's Choice of a STEM Related Major in College Authors: Dr. Darnell Johnson Djohnson@mail.ecsu.edu Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina 27909 Dr. Linda Hayden Haydenl@mindspring.com Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, 27909

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D.

2013-12-01

Abstract: Researchers, policymakers, business, and industry have indicated that the United States will experience a future shortage of professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Several strategies have been suggested to address this impending shortage, one of which includes increasing the representation of females and minorities in the STEM fields. In order to increase the representation of underrepresented students in the STEM fields, it is important to understand the motivational factors that impact underrepresented students' interest in STEM academics and extracurricular programs. Research indicates that greater confidence leads to greater interest and vice versa (Denissen et al., 2007). In this paper, the mathematics research team examined the role of practical research experience during the summer for talented minority secondary students studying in STEM fields. An undergraduate research mathematics team focused on the link between summer research and the choice of an undergraduate discipline. A Chi Square Statistical Test was used to examine Likert Scale results on the attitude of students participating in the 2006-2012 Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) Summer Research Programs for secondary students. This research was performed at Elizabeth City State University located in northeastern North Carolina about the factors that impact underrepresented students' choices of STEM related majors in college. Results can be used to inform and guide educators, administrators, and policy makers in developing programs and policy that support and encourage the STEM development of underrepresented students. Index Terms: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Underrepresented students

Students Who Demonstrate Strong Talent and Interest in STEM Are Initially Attracted to STEM through Extracurricular Experiences

PubMed Central

Frankenfeld, Cara L.; Bases, Jessica; Espina, Virginia; Liotta, Lance A.

2014-01-01

What early experiences attract students to pursue an education and career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)? Does hands-on research influence them to persevere and complete a major course of academic study in STEM? We evaluated survey responses from 149 high school and undergraduate students who gained hands-on research experience in the 2007–2013 Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Programs (ASSIP) at George Mason University. Participants demonstrated their strong interest in STEM by volunteering to participate in ASSIP and completing 300 h of summer research. The survey queried extracurricular experiences, classroom factors, and hands-on projects that first cultivated students’ interest in the STEM fields, and separately evaluated experiences that sustained their interest in pursuing a STEM degree. The majority of students (65.5%, p < 0.0001) reported extracurricular encounters, such as the influence of a relative or family member and childhood experiences, as the most significant factors that initially ignited their interest in STEM, while hands-on lab work was stated as sustaining their interest in STEM (92.6%). Based on these findings collected from a cohort of students who demonstrated a strong talent and interest in STEM, community-based programs that create awareness about STEM for both children and their family members may be key components for igniting long-term academic interest in STEM. PMID:25452491

NASA's Elementary and Secondary Education Program: Review and Critique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Helen R. (Editor); Schweingruber, Heidi A. (Editor); Feder, Michael A. (Editor)

2008-01-01

The federal role in precollege science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is receiving increasing attention in light of the need to support public understanding of science and to develop a strong scientific and technical workforce in a competitive global economy. Federal science agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), are being looked to as a resource for enhancing precollege STEM education and bringing more young people to scientific and technical careers. For NASA and other federal science agencies, concerns about workforce and public understanding of science also have an immediate local dimension. The agency faces an aerospace workforce skewed toward those close to retirement and job recruitment competition for those with science and engineering degrees. In addition, public support for the agency s missions stems in part from public understanding of the importance of the agency s contributions in science, engineering, and space exploration.

Investigating Preservice STEM Teacher Conceptions of STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radloff, Jeff; Guzey, Selcen

2016-10-01

Surrounding the national emphasis on improving STEM education, effective STEM educators are required. Connected, yet often overlooked, is the need for effective preservice STEM teaching instruction for incoming educators. At a basic level, preservice STEM teacher education should include STEM content, pedagogy, and conceptualization. However, the literature suggests no leading conception of STEM education, and little is known about how preservice STEM teachers are conceptualizing STEM education. In order to explore preservice STEM teacher conceptions of STEM education, preservice teachers at a large, Midwestern research university were given an open-ended survey eliciting both textual and visual responses. Here, we report and discuss the results of employing this instrument in relation with the current STEM conceptualization literature.

Female Participation in ATE-Funded Programs: A Ten-Year Trend

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westine, Carl D.; Gullickson, Arlen R.; Wingate, Lori A.

2010-01-01

It is widely known that women are generally underrepresented in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has persistently worked to reduce this disparity. For example, the 2000 solicitation specified "increasing the participation of…

Learning from our global competitors: A comparative analysis of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education pipelines in the United States, Mainland China and Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Christina M.

Maintaining a competitive edge within the 21st century is dependent on the cultivation of human capital, producing qualified and innovative employees capable of competing within the new global marketplace. Technological advancements in communications technology as well as large scale, infrastructure development has led to a leveled playing field where students in the U.S. will ultimately be competing for jobs with not only local, but also international, peers. Thus, the ability to understand and learn from our global competitors, starting with the examination of innovative education systems and best practice strategies, is tantamount to the economic development, and ultimate survival, of the U.S. as a whole. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce pipelines in the U.S., China, and Taiwan. Two broad research questions examined STEM workforce production in terms of a) structural differences in primary and secondary school systems, including analysis of minimum high school graduation requirements and assessments as well as b) organizational differences in tertiary education and trends in STEM undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded in each region of interest. While each of the systems studied had their relative strengths and weaknesses, each of the Asian economies studied had valuable insights that can be categorized broadly in terms of STEM capacity, STEM interest and a greater understanding of global prospects that led to heightened STEM awareness. In China and Taiwan, STEM capacity was built via both traditional and vocational school systems. Focused and structured curriculum during the primary and early secondary school years built solid mathematics and science skills that translated into higher performance on international assessments and competitions. Differentiated secondary school options, including vocational high school and technical colleges and programs beginning shortly after junior high produced a greater number of alternatives for producing STEM capable students. A heightened interest in the STEM fields was built upon standardized academic core curriculum that ultimately yielded a greater percentage of qualified and interested Asian students pursuing bachelor's and advanced STEM degrees both in their native country and abroad. Rewards and incentives built into school systems, expansion of tertiary degree-granting programs, as well as the development of multiple university entrance pathways has served to heighten interest and perception of STEM careers as well as recruit top students into STEM fields. Further, foreign language classes, starting from either the first or third year of primary school, coupled with information technology and other experimental science and research themed classes, resulted in students who were more aware of global market demands. Analysis of longitudinal data shows that over a nine-year period, this combination of increased STEM capacity, interest and awareness resulted in a far greater percentage of 9th graders who eventually became STEM certificate, bachelor's, and advanced degree holders capable of competing in the global marketplace.

An Emerging Research Framework for Studying Informal Learning and Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Laura M. W.

2004-01-01

In recognition of the fact that science centers and other informal educational institutions can play a role in the reform of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, several major research and professional programs are currently underway. This article discusses one such effort, the Center for Informal Learning and…

Managing to Sell.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, John W.

The third in a series of subject presentation in the field of administrative management for use by educators and businessmen who teach management courses is offered. The point is made that the concept of an educational program in small-business administrative management involves the investigation of a series of topics stemming from basic…

Records and Credit in Profitable Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perreault, John O.; And Others

The second in a series of subject presentation in the field of administrative management for use by educators and businessmen who teach management courses is offered. The point is made that the concept of an educational program in small-business administrative management involves the investigation of a series of topics stemming from basic…

Enhancing Elementary Teacher Practice through Technological/Engineering Design Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deck, Anita S.

2016-01-01

As widespread as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives and reforms are today in education, a rudimentary problem with these endeavors is being overlooked. In general, education programs and school districts are failing to ensure that elementary teachers who provide children's early academic experiences have the appropriate…

Innovations and Challenges in Project-Based STEM Education: Lessons from ITEST

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connors-Kellgren, Alice; Parker, Caroline E.; Blustein, David L.; Barnett, Mike

2016-01-01

For over a decade, the National Science Foundation's Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program has funded researchers and educators to build an understanding of best practices, contexts, and processes contributing to K-12 students' motivation and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics…

True Stem Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomez, Alan; Albrecht, Bryan

2014-01-01

The authors argue that the ongoing research by the National Academies, the National Research Council, and the National Science Foundation are imperative. The findings and recommendations on what the school systems of America must do to develop specific educational programming will position the U.S. at the forefront of the world's economies if…

Toward Teacher Education Research That Informs Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sleeter, Christine

2014-01-01

This article investigates the extent to which researchers are currently engaged in a shared research program that offers systematic evidence of the classroom impact of organized venues (preservice as well as inservice) for teacher professional learning. The article stems from concern about policies rooted in suspicion that teacher education is…

Reforming a Large Foundational Course: Successes and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talanquer, Vicente; Pollard, John

2017-01-01

Calls for educational reform in undergraduate STEM education have become more prominent in recent years, particularly in introductory/foundational courses. Such reform efforts were initiated 10 years ago in the general chemistry program at the University of Arizona. In this contribution, we describe the major successes and challenges encountered…

Meta-analytic Evaluation of a Virtual Field Trip to Connect Middle School Students with University Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adedokun, Omolola A.; Liu, Jia; Parker, Loran Carleton; Burgess, Wilella

2015-02-01

Although virtual field trips are becoming popular, there are few empirical studies of their impacts on student outcomes. This study reports on a meta-analytic evaluation of the impact of a virtual field trip on student perceptions of scientists. Specifically, the study examined the summary effect of zipTrips broadcasts on evaluation participants' perceptions of scientists, as well as the moderating effect of program type on program impact. The results showed statistically significant effect of each broadcast, as well as statistically significant summary (combined) effect of zipTrips on evaluation participants' perceptions of scientists. Results of the moderation analysis showed that the effect was greater for the students that participated in the evaluation of the 8th grade broadcasts, providing additional insight into the role of program variation in predicting differential program impact. This study illustrates how meta-analysis, a methodology that should be of interest to STEM education researchers and evaluation practitioners, can be used to summarize the effects of multiple offerings of the same program. Other implications for STEM educators are discussed.

Curricular Influences on Female Afterschool Facilitators' Computer Science Interests and Career Choices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koch, Melissa; Gorges, Torie

2016-10-01

Underrepresented populations such as women, African-Americans, and Latinos/as often come to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers by less traditional paths than White and Asian males. To better understand how and why women might shift toward STEM, particularly computer science, careers, we investigated the education and career direction of afterschool facilitators, primarily women of color in their twenties and thirties, who taught Build IT, an afterschool computer science curriculum for middle school girls. Many of these women indicated that implementing Build IT had influenced their own interest in technology and computer science and in some cases had resulted in their intent to pursue technology and computer science education. We wanted to explore the role that teaching Build IT may have played in activating or reactivating interest in careers in computer science and to see whether in the years following implementation of Build IT, these women pursued STEM education and/or careers. We reached nine facilitators who implemented the program in 2011-12 or shortly after. Many indicated that while facilitating Build IT, they learned along with the participants, increasing their interest in and confidence with technology and computer science. Seven of the nine participants pursued further STEM or computer science learning or modified their career paths to include more of a STEM or computer science focus. Through interviews, we explored what aspects of Build IT influenced these facilitators' interest and confidence in STEM and when relevant their pursuit of technology and computer science education and careers.

KSC-2009-5140

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-15

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – While on the space station, Buzz Lightyear supported NASA’s education outreach program – STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) -- by creating a series of fun, educational online outreach programs. Following his return, Disney is partnering with NASA to create a new online educational game and an online mission patch competition for school kids across America. NASA will fly the winning patch in space. In addition, NASA plans to announce on Oct. 2 the details of a new exciting educational competition that will give students the opportunity to design an experiment for the astronauts on the space station.

A Decade of Building a STEM Educational Community of Practice from the Ground Up: Leveraging Technology, Visualization, and Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisut, D.; MacIntosh, E.; McDougall, C.; Peddicord, H.; Russell, E. L.; Zepecki, S., III

2017-12-01

A small group of scientists and museum directors sit in a room and ponder, "What do we do with this thing?" It was ten years ago, and the Science On a Sphere was a nascent educational technology. Since that time, NOAA has built a energetic community of practice, with over 150 institutional network members ranging from museums and aquariums, to scientific laboratories, and even documentary producers. A key to the long term success of this educational community has been its constant evolution - driven by needs assessments of the network partners, NOAA's foresight on how to improve user experiences by integrating new visualizations, storytelling, and improved technology, and the ability of institutions to integrate the technologies into their other STEM offerings. In this talk we'll cover specific examples of the challenges that have arisen, and how NOAA, and its close partner NASA, has evolved the program offerings and technologies to meet the needs of this educational community of practice, along with some thoughts on the future of the Science On a Sphere Collaborative Network and NOAA's STEM educational technology portfolio.

Engaging Girls in STEM: A Discussion of Foundational and Current Research on What Works

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, K.; Jesse, J.; Migus, L. H.

2012-08-01

Diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and careers occupies center stage in national discussions on U.S. competitiveness in the 21st century. Women constitute roughly half the total workforce in the U.S., but they hold just 25% of mathematical and science jobs and 11% of engineering jobs. Women earn nearly 60% of all bachelors and masters degrees, except in physics, computer science, and engineering, where the percentages are 20-25%. This disparity is even more pronounced at the doctoral level, where women earn fewer than 20% of awarded Ph.D.'s in physics or engineering. However, at the high school level, there is far less gender disparity: both female and male students take comparable advanced physical science and math courses. What, then, accounts for the lack of gender diversity in STEM advanced education and career paths? In fact, there is no consensus even among experts. So, what information and strategies do the EPO community need to know and include as part of designing and implementing programs to encourage more girls and women to engage in STEM for the long term? The panelists will discuss foundational and current research on pressing questions on why these trends exist and what can be done to change them. They will highlight research and evaluation results from programs that are successfully engaging girls in STEM.

Measuring Student Career Interest within the Context of Technology-Enhanced STEM Projects: A Cross-Project Comparison Study Based on the Career Interest Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterman, Karen; Kermish-Allen, Ruth; Knezek, Gerald; Christensen, Rhonda; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

2016-01-01

This article describes Energy for ME and Going Green! Middle Schoolers Out to Save the World, two Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education programs with the common goal of improving students' attitudes about scientific careers. The authors represent two project teams, each with funding from the National Science…

Women in STEM Research: Federal Agencies Differ in the Data They Collect on Grant Applicants. GAO-15-291R STEM Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Government Accountability Office, 2015

2015-01-01

Since the enactment of Title IX in 1972--which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities receiving any federal financial assistance--women have made significant gains in many academic fields. However, recent research shows that women continue to lag behind men in academic and professional advancement in…

Innovative Arts Programs Require Innovative Partnerships: A Case Study of STEAM Partnering between an Art Gallery and a Natural History Museum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Jacqualine; Patterson, Delaney

2016-01-01

The arts animate learning because they are inherently experiential and because of their potential to develop creative and critical thinking skills in students. These same skills are valued in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, but the arts have not been consistently included in STEM lessons. We transformed our STEM…

STEMujeres: A case study of the life stories of first-generation Latina engineers and scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vielma, Karina I.

Research points to the many obstacles that first-generation, Latina students face when attempting to enter fields in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM. This qualitative, case study examined the personal and educational experiences of first-generation Latina women who successfully navigated the STEM educational pipeline earning bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in various fields of engineering. Three research questions guided the study: (1) How does a first-generation Latina engineer and scientist describe her life experiences as she became interested in STEM? (2) How does she describe her educational experiences as she navigated the educational pipeline in the physics, mathematics, and/or engineering field(s)? (3) How did she respond to challenges, obstacles and microaggressions, if any, while navigating the STEM educational pipeline? The study was designed using a combination of Critical Race Theory frameworks---Chicana feminist theory and racial microaggressions. Through a life history case study approach, the women shared their stories of success. With the participants' help, influential persons in their educational paths were identified and interviewed. Data were analyzed using crystallization and thematic results indicated that all women in this study identified their parents as planting the seed of interest through the introduction of mathematics. The women unknowingly prepared to enter the STEM fields by taking math and science coursework. They were guided to apply to STEM universities and academic programs by others who knew about their interest in math and science including teachers, counselors, and level-up peers---students close in age who were just a step more advanced in the educational pipeline. The women also drew from previous familial struggles to guide their perseverance and motivation toward educational degree completion. The lives of the women where complex and intersected with various forms of racism including gender, race, class, legality and power. In many instances, the women used their knowledge to help other STEMujeres advance.

Introducing High School Students to Careers in Osteopathic Medicine.

PubMed

Wilson, Nedra F

2017-05-01

An aging population and expansion of health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have led to a predicted deficit of primary care physicians by 2025. In response, medical schools must develop new strategies to identify students early in their educational pathways to encourage exploration of careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, especially medicine. Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences developed 2 internship programs, Oklahoma Science Training and Research Students (OKStars) and Native OKStars, to introduce high school students to osteopathic medicine. Native OKStars was designed to encourage Native American students, who are underrepresented in STEM fields, to pursue osteopathic medicine. These programs provided students with a 6-week immersion in biomedical research, along with weekly discussion groups with mentors. Participant questionnaire responses suggested that these programs were effective in introducing them to careers in osteopathic medicine as well as other STEM fields.

Connecting Scientists, College Students, Middle School Students & Elementary Students through Intergenerational Afterschool STEM Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, N. A.; Paglierani, R.; Raftery, C. L.; Romero, V.; Harper, M. R.; Chilcott, C.; Peticolas, L. M.; Hauck, K.; Yan, D.; Ruderman, I.; Frappier, R.

2015-12-01

The Multiverse education group at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab created the NASA-funded "Five Stars Pathway" model in which five "generations" of girls and women engage in science together in an afterschool setting, with each generation representing one stage in the pathway of pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). The five stages are: elementary-age students, middle-school-age students, undergraduate-level college students, graduate-level college students and professional scientists. This model was field-tested at two Girls Inc. afterschool locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and distributed to Girls Inc. affiliates and other afterschool program coordinators nationwide. This presentation will explore some of the challenges and success of implementing a multigenerational STEM model as well as distributing the free curriculum for interested scientists and college students to use with afterschool programs.

Navigating the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics pipeline: How social capital impacts the educational attainment of college-bound female students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Rebecca Elizabeth

Despite the proliferation of women in higher education and the workforce, they have yet to achieve parity with men in many of the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors and careers. The gap is even greater in the representation of women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This study examined pre-college intervention strategies provided by the University of Southern California's Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, as well as the relationships and experiences that contributed to the success of underrepresented female high school students in the STEM pipeline. A social capital framework provided the backdrop to the study. This qualitative study takes an ethnographic approach, incorporating 11 interviews, 42 hours of observation, and document analysis to address the research questions: How does involvement in the MESA program impact female students' decisions to pursue a mathematics or science major in college? What is the role of significant others in supporting and encouraging student success? The findings revealed a continuous cycle of support for these students. The cycle started in the home environment, where parents were integral in the early influence on the students' decisions to pursue higher education. Relationships with teachers, counselors, and peers provided critical networks of support in helping these students to achieve their academic goals. Participation in the MESA program empowered the students and provided additional connections to knowledge-based resources. This study highlights the interplay among family, school, and the MESA program in the overall support of underrepresented female students in the STEM pipeline.

From the NSF: The National Science Foundation's Investments in Broadening Participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education through Research and Capacity Building.

PubMed

James, Sylvia M; Singer, Susan R

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has a long history of investment in broadening participation (BP) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. A review of past NSF BP efforts provides insights into how the portfolio of programs and activities has evolved and the broad array of innovative strategies that has been used to increase the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM, including women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. While many are familiar with these long-standing programmatic efforts, BP is also a key component of NSF's strategic plans, has been highlighted in National Science Board reports, and is the focus of ongoing outreach efforts. The majority of familiar BP programs, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (now 25 years old), are housed in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. However, fellowship programs such as the Graduate Research Fellowships and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships under the Directorate for Biological Sciences (and parallel directorates in other STEM disciplines) are frequently used to address underrepresentation in STEM disciplines. The FY2016 and FY2017 budget requests incorporate funding for NSF INCLUDES, a new cross-agency BP initiative that will build on prior successes while addressing national BP challenges. NSF INCLUDES invites the use of innovative approaches for taking evidence-based best practices to scale, ushering in a new era in NSF BP advancement. © 2016 S. M. James and S. R. Singer. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Perceived Effects of Scholarships on STEM Majors' Commitment to Teaching in High Need Schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou, Pey-Yan; Kirchhoff, Allison; Lawrenz, Frances

2010-06-01

This study examines the Noyce Program, which provides scholarships for STEM majors in return for teaching in high need schools. The perceptions of 555 scholarship recipients were investigated using hierarchical cluster analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch analysis to determine how the scholarship influenced their commitments to teaching in high need schools. The analyses indicated that recipients perceived the scholarship in two ways: it influenced their commitment to complete their certification program and to teach in high need schools. Implications for teacher education programs include that recruitment strategies should identify candidates who are committed to teaching in high need schools and programs should provide experiences to encourage this commitment not just to become certified.

Using the Process of Disruption to Find New Markets and to Develop New Marketing Programs for Management Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somers, Mark John

2009-01-01

The market for management education has grown rapidly over the past 40 years. However, increasing competition stemming from new entrants such as for-profit universities and from the globalization of management education have changed the dynamics of the market thereby presenting business schools with difficult challenges. The process of disruption…

Effective Recruiting and Intrusive Retention Strategies for Diversifying the Geosciences through a Research Experiences for Undergraduate Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liou-Mark, J.; Blake, R.; Norouzi, H.; Yuen-Lau, L.; Ikramova, M.

2016-12-01

Worse than in most Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, underrepresented minority (URM) groups in the geosciences are reported to be farthest beneath the national benchmarks. Even more alarming, the geosciences have the lowest diversity of all the STEM disciplines at all three levels of higher education. In order to increase the number of underrepresented groups in the geosciences, a National Science Foundation funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the New York City College of Technology has implemented effective recruitment strategies to attract and retain diverse student cohorts. Recruitment efforts include: 1) establishing partnership with the local community colleges; 2) forging collaborations with scientists of color; 3) reaching out to the geoscience departments; and 4) forming relationships with STEM organizations. Unlike the other REU programs which primarily provide a summer-only research experience, this REU program engages students in a year-long research experience. Students begin their research in the summer for nine weeks, and they continue their research one day a week in the fall and spring semesters. During the academic year, they present their projects at conferences. They also serve as STEM ambassadors to community and high school outreach events. This one-year triad connection of 1) professional organizations/conferences, 2) continual research experience, and 3) service constituent has resulted in higher retention and graduation rates of URMs in the STEM disciplines. Both formative and summative program assessment have uncovered and shown that strong recruitment efforts accompanied by intrusive retention strategies are essential to: a) sustain and support STEM URMs in developing confidence as scientists; b) create formal and informal STEM communities; and c) provide a clear pathway to advanced degrees and to the geoscience workforce. This project is supported by NSF REU Grant #1560050.

Postsecondary Programs for Deaf Students at the Peak of the Rubella Bulge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCaro, James J.; And Others

1987-01-01

The paper describes the status, as of 1985, of postsecondary education for the deaf in the United States. Noted are the appearance of 37 new programs for deaf students reflecting the increased number of deaf college age students stemming from the rubella epidemic of 1963-65. (DB)

Yale National Initiative Models Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adam, Michelle

2011-01-01

In 1978, James Vivian established the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute, a collaborative program between Yale faculty and New Haven public schools designed to improve teacher effectiveness. The program stemmed from work Vivian had begun while director of a history education project that promoted faculty partnerships with public school teachers.…

Investigating Preservice STEM Teacher Conceptions of STEM Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radloff, Jeff; Guzey, Selcen

2016-01-01

Surrounding the national emphasis on improving STEM education, effective STEM educators are required. Connected, yet often overlooked, is the need for effective preservice STEM teaching instruction for incoming educators. At a basic level, preservice STEM teacher education should include STEM content, pedagogy, and conceptualization. However, the…

Design of a Hypermedia-Based Educating System for the Construction of Knowledge

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

the variety they confront, promote short-term learning . This thesis provides the required background for developing an educating system which promotes...an effective educating system stems frm ever-increasing requirements for learning . Ine Total Quality Management (TQM) program, a Department of Defense...Japan has realized that best efforts ’nly pay off when the workforce is properly educated . Learning has become a pivotal element in the Japanese

Full STEAM Ahead with the NASA Opportunities in Visualization, Art, and Science (NOVAS) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zevin, D.; Croft, S.; Thrall, L.; Fillingim, M.; Cook, L. R.

2015-11-01

There has been increasing interest in the use of art as a new tool in the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The concept has received major consideration by our federal government, design colleges, art institutes, and leading universities. Many have, in fact, fully embraced this concept, and it's not unusual today to see “Art” added to STEM to get STEAM. On August 5, 2014, the NASA-funded NASA Opportunities in Visualization, Art, and Science (NOVAS) program team provided a professional development workshop at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's 2014 Annual Meeting. In this two-hour workshop, participants learned about the rise of STEAM and were shown valuable skills and techniques used by the NOVAS program for the application of STEAM in a variety of out-of-school time (OST) settings. The workshop highlighted how OST and other informal educators can use art and digital media to help teach about current, cutting-edge STEM investigations, and why scientists need artists to help visualize and communicate their research. Although NASA science and project outcomes from the NOVAS program were emphasized, participants also discussed how NOVAS' methodologies could be applied to other STEM subjects and OST formats.

77 FR 15139 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; Generic Survey Clearance for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-14

... order to conduct program- or portfolio-level evaluations, however, both experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation research studies on STEM education interventions require researchers to identify...

Using data to help increase STEM retention rates for at-risk students; Student expectations and skill building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reed, D. E.; Jones, G.; Heaney, A.

2013-12-01

Retention in the STEM fields is often a focus for higher education due to a shortage of trained workforce members. In particular, much effort has been spent on first year retention rates and introductory level courses under the assumption that students are more likely to drop out of STEM majors early in their higher education degree progress. While the retention rates of women, minorities, and low income students have been a priority by both the National Science Foundation and the private sector, we are interested in at-risk first year students for this study. The University of Wyoming Synergy Program's goal is to promote academic success and retention for underprepared and at-risk students by creating a series of first semester curricula as theme-based college transition skills courses that are paired with English courses. This creates a cohort group of courses for the students with increased communication between instructors at the same time allowing greater development of student social networks. In this study we are highlighting the results of the STEM students as compared with other at-risk participants in the program. The Synergy Program enrolls approximately 144 students each year with pre- and post-course surveys that directly measure which college skills students select as important as well as student expectations of the amount of time required for STEM courses. Follow-up surveys track the same queries for students who persist to their junior and senior year. In addition, instructors complete a summative survey about skills they find important to student success and individual student's challenges and successes with a variety of skills. Our results show a large gap in skills between those identified as important by students and those identified by their instructors. Expectations for the amount of time required to complete work for STEM courses and the reported time spent on course work are not constant when progressing throughout college. This analysis will show other higher education instructors both the course design and results from this study of at-risk students. Our results will include specific strategies for instructors or institutes to enhance STEM retention while increasing the overall college success of at-risk freshmen through this innovative course design.

STEM Girls Night In at Goddard

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-05

Girls Night In was held at Goddard on Nov 4-5, 2016. This is a pilot program which reinvigorates, inspires, and engages high school girls who may be struggling or not fully engaged in STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math) education. The program allowed NASA women to share and demonstrate the work they do, provide the girls an opportunity to completely immerse themselves in Goddard science, technology, engineering and math as well as provide them activities that will challenge and promote knowledge and discovery. Goddard invites other NASA centers tolearn from this pilot program and work towards a simultaneous multicenter event in the future. Participating schools were: DuVal, Crossland, Flowers, High Point, Northwestern and Oxon Hill

STEM Girls Night In at Goddard

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-04

Girls Night In was held at Goddard on Nov 4-5, 2016. This is a pilot program which reinvigorates, inspires, and engages high school girls who may be struggling or not fully engaged in STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math) education. The program allowed NASA women to share and demonstrate the work they do, provide the girls an opportunity to completely immerse themselves in Goddard science, technology, engineering and math as well as provide them activities that will challenge and promote knowledge and discovery. Goddard invites other NASA centers tolearn from this pilot program and work towards a simultaneous multicenter event in the future. Participating schools were: DuVal, Crossland, Flowers, High Point, Northwestern and Oxon Hill

Using Authentic Science in the Classroom: NASA's Coordinated Efforts to Enhance STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawton, B.; Schwerin, T.; Low, R.

2015-11-01

A key NASA education goal is to attract and retain students in science, technology engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. When teachers engage students in the examination of authentic data derived from NASA satellite missions, they simultaneously build 21st century technology skills as well as core content knowledge about the Earth and space. In this session, we highlight coordinated efforts by NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public Outreach (EPO) programs to enhance educator accessibility to data resources, distribute state-of -the-art data tools and expand pathways for educators to find and use data resources. The group discussion explores how NASA SMD EPO efforts can further improve teacher access to authentic NASA data, identifies the types of tools and lessons most requested by the community, and explores how communication and collaboration between product developers and classroom educators using data tools and products can be enhanced.

Engaging students in STEM outside the classroom walls: preliminary evaluation of two informal science education programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, G.; Delaney, M. P.; Conaty, C.

2011-12-01

"School is not where most Americans learn most of their science" (Falk, Dierking). With a recent focus on summer learning and the understanding that much of the achievement gap may be directly related to "unequal access to summer learning opportunities" (Russo), educators are targeting after-school and summer times to fill the gap. For those students who "don't get it" during the day, a longer school day may not be the solution. More of the same is not always better. Different, on the other hand, may well be the key to improved learning. The nature of this investigation was to identify those informal science education programs at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center that instilled STEM inspiration and engagement in participants. During 2011, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center hosted two such programs: an open house event for the general public and a museum educators' workshop. The open house drew approximately 15,000 people and the workshop supported 30 participants from museums across the United States. Each was a very unique experience. Formative evaluation of these programs was implemented and preliminary results indicated high level of engagement, desire for follow-on learning, and interest in additional hands-on, internship or partnership opportunities. These results confirmed the design of the museum workshop and lead to the development of a new student summer experience and educator professional development, planned for 2012.

Integrating Engineering into K-6 Curriculum: Developing Talent in the STEM Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Eric L.; Mann, Rebecca L.; Strutz, Michele L.; Duncan, Daphne; Yoon, So Yoon

2011-01-01

The fields of gifted and engineering education share many common interests, and their students share many common attributes. Infusing and making engineering implicit in the K-6 education programs creates opportunities to develop concepts, skills, and habits of the mind that are valuable in all disciplines while providing opportunities to discover…

Success and Failure Factors in Small Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perreault, John O.; And Others

The first in a series of subject presentations in the field of administrative management for use by educators and businessmen who teach management courses is offered. The point is made that the concept of an educational program in small-business administrative management involves the investigation of a series of topics stemming from basic…

Service-Learning: Recentering the Deaf Community in Interpreter Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Sherry; Roberson, Len

2009-01-01

The concept of recentering the Deaf community in interpreter education stems from the recent discussion of program evolution away from stakeholders and into academia highlighted by Monikowski and Peterson (2005). The University of North Florida, in the initial stages of developing a B.S. degree and M.Ed. concentration in ASL/English Interpreting,…

Perceptions of Constructivist Pedagogy in Project Lead the Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capers, Gesa Maria

2017-01-01

In 2016, six of six American Nobel Prize winners in science were immigrants. The numbers of U.S. educated graduates who enter the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields have been on the decline, and policymakers and educators have continually sought new policies and programs to try resolve this problem with long-term…

Cinematherapy in Gifted Education Identity Development: Integrating the Arts through STEM-Themed Movies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Timothy C.; Cook, Michelle; Rule, Audrey C.

2017-01-01

Gifted students, because of their advanced development compared to peers, have emotional needs that require differentiated education programs. Asynchronous social and emotional development of gifted students often leads to identity issues. Cinematherapy can be used to help gifted students explore their identities through analysis of the actions of…

NASA's Elementary and Secondary Education Program: Review and Critique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feder, Michael A., Ed.; Schweingruber, Heidi A., Ed.; Quinn, Helen R., Ed.

2008-01-01

The federal role in precollege science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is receiving increasing attention in light of the need to support public understanding of science and to develop a strong scientific and technical workforce in a competitive global economy. Federal science agencies, such as the National Aeronautics…

Mentoring in Cooperative Education and Internships: Preparing Proteges for STEM Professions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fifolt, Matt; Searby, Linda

2010-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a mixed methods study regarding students' perceptions of mentoring in a cooperative education (co-op) program. Specifically, content analysis of student interviews suggested a lack of understanding of the mentoring process as characterized by unexamined assumptions and inadequate preparation for the co-op…

A New Approach to Improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education. Backgrounder No. 2259

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lips, Dan; McNeill, Jena Baker

2009-01-01

The authors express reservations about additional federal funding for the National Science Foundation, including new funding for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more than 50 years, American political, business, military, and academic leaders…

How Does Service Learning Increase and Sustain Interest in Engineering Education for Underrepresented Pre-Engineering College Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosman, Lisa; Chelberg, Kelli; Winn, Ryan

2017-01-01

Many barriers exist for American Indian students pursuing STEM degree programs. However, federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are uniquely suited to overcome these barriers because of their shared mission to provide 21st Century educational opportunities for American Indian students. Qualitative and quantitative findings…

75 FR 68829 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; Generic Survey Clearance for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... evaluation studies. In order to conduct program- or portfolio-level evaluations, however, both experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation research studies on STEM education interventions require researchers...

Vision, Identity, and Career in the Clinical and Translational Sciences: Building upon the Formative Years.

PubMed

Manson, Spero M; Martinez, Dominic F; Buchwald, Dedra S; Rubio, Doris M; Moss, Marc

2015-10-01

This paper is the second in a five-part series on the clinical and translational science educational pipeline. It focuses on the role that Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) programs can play in supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in primary and secondary schools, as well as in facilitating these interests during transition to undergraduate training. Special emphasis should be placed on helping to form and sustain an identity as a scientist, and on instilling the persistence necessary to overcome numerous barriers to its actualization. CTSAs can contribute to cementing this sense of self by facilitating peer support, mentorship, and family involvement that will reinforce early educational decisions leading to clinical and translational science research careers. Meanwhile, the interests, skills, and motivation induced by participation in STEM programs must be sustained in transition to the next level in the educational pipeline, typically undergraduate study. Examples of CTSA collaborations with local schools, businesses, interest groups, and communities at large illustrate the emerging possibilities and promising directions with respect to each of these challenges. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Vision, Identity, and Career in the Clinical and Translational Sciences: Building upon the Formative Years

PubMed Central

Martinez, Dominic F.; Buchwald, Dedra S.; Rubio, Doris M.; Moss, Marc

2015-01-01

Abstract This paper is the second in a five‐part series on the clinical and translational science educational pipeline. It focuses on the role that Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) programs can play in supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in primary and secondary schools, as well as in facilitating these interests during transition to undergraduate training. Special emphasis should be placed on helping to form and sustain an identity as a scientist, and on instilling the persistence necessary to overcome numerous barriers to its actualization. CTSAs can contribute to cementing this sense of self by facilitating peer support, mentorship, and family involvement that will reinforce early educational decisions leading to clinical and translational science research careers. Meanwhile, the interests, skills, and motivation induced by participation in STEM programs must be sustained in transition to the next level in the educational pipeline, typically undergraduate study. Examples of CTSA collaborations with local schools, businesses, interest groups, and communities at large illustrate the emerging possibilities and promising directions with respect to each of these challenges. PMID:26271774

Improving Science and IT Literacy by Providing Urban-Based Environmental Science Research Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuff, K. E.; Corazza, L.; Liang, J.

2007-12-01

A U.C. Berkeley-based outreach program known as Environmental Science Information Technology Activities has been in operation over the past four years. The primary aim of the program is to provide opportunities for grades 9 and 10 students in diverse East San Francisco Bay Area communities to develop deeper understandings of the nature and conduct of science, which will increase their capacity to enroll and perform successfully in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in the future. Design of the program has been informed by recent research that indicates a close relationship between educational activities that promote the perception of STEM as being relevant and the ability to foster development of deeper conceptual understandings among teens. Accordingly, ESITA includes an important student-led environmental science research project component, which provides participants with opportunities to engage in research investigations that are directly linked to relevant, real-world environmental problems and issues facing their communities. Analysis of evidence gleaned from questionnaires, interviews with participants and specific assessment/evaluation instruments indicates that ESITA program activities, including after-school meetings, summer and school year research projects, and conference preparations and presentations has provided students with high-quality inquiry science experiences that increased their knowledge of STEM and IT concepts, as well as their understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise. In addition, the program has achieved a high degree of success in that it has: enhanced participants' intellectual self-confidence with regard to STEM; developed deeper appreciation of how scientific research can contribute to the maintenance of healthy local environments; developed a greater interest in participating in STEM-related courses of study and after school programs; and improved attitudes toward STEM. Overall, evaluation results support the notion that providing opportunities for students to develop personal connections with particular issues discussed, and real-world STEM experiences that make STEM more relevant and interesting can help to bring about changes in attitude, which is a key component in improving STEM learning and understanding particularly among urban youth.

Women's Choice in College STEM Majors: Impact of Ability Tilt on Women Students' Educational Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Audie Jane

2017-01-01

This quantitative study explored the impact of ability and ability tilt on the choice of an academic program in STEM majors for female college students who have not been identified as profoundly or highly gifted. A math tilt would be an ability tilt slanting toward math. The career development theory that provided a framework for this study was…

Toward Critical Data-Scientific Literacy: An Intersectional Analysis of the Development of Student Identities in An Introduction to Data Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olivares Pasillas, Maria Concepción

2017-01-01

The national imperative to increase the presence of women and people of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) coupled with the growing presence of Latinos in the United States has led to the dramatic rise of programs and initiatives aimed at improving access to and equity in STEM careers and education for Latino youth.…

Characteristics of Exemplary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Related Experiential Learning Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simmons, Jamie Munn

Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the "intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education" (Dewey, 1938, p. 19- 20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding, improving perception of CTE and STEM programs, and small class sizes was also recommended.

Art and human embryonic stem cells: from the bench to the high street.

PubMed

Duprat, Sebastien

2009-03-01

ESTOOLS, a project funded by the European Commission (FP6), gathers expertise on human embryonic stem cells in 10 countries of the European Research Area. The ESTOOLS outreach program uses Art extensively as the only universal cross-cultural and cross-religion means of communication. The Smile of a Stem Cell photo exhibition, a major component of this program, aims to fill a missing link between public dissemination of science and science-illiterate citizens. Scientists are also engaged to stand at a distance from their work and observe it with an outsider's perspective, which enhances their competency to communicate science. The photo exhibition, by its situation upstream of scientific education, makes itself open to interest and enthusiasm among a public with no prerequired scientific knowledge or abilities.

Undergraduate Students As Effective Climate Change Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2014-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) have partnered with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences through the Climate Change Communication: Engineer, Environmental science, and Education (C3E3) project. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students participated in the second summer internship funded by the project. The program is in its third year. More than 75 students participated in a guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. The students went through training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of webcasts on investigating the aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Three Colleges were involved in the program: Engineering, Education, and Science.

Using Mars Mission Analogs and Authentic Experiences to Stimulate STEM Learning in K-14 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klug, S. L.; Grigsby, B.; Valderrama, P.; Watt, K.

2005-12-01

Today, in many of the classrooms across our nation, K-12 educators are finding it more difficult to engage their students in the subjects that will help them to succeed to a more productive way of life - science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Finally, add to this formidable task a diverse set of learners (demographically and skill level) of an average classroom and the constraints of high stakes testing. Quite a challenge, indeed! The Arizona State University (ASU) Mars Education Program, in partnership with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Public Engagement Team have created programming, curriculum, and activities that help to bridge the gap between STEM learning and student interest. Starting with the Standards in the STEM areas - the areas which teachers are tasked to teach already, our team has modeled the STEM-based curriculum after the way that NASA's Mars team conducts their work and research. There is much challenge in the statement "Science for All Americans" when it comes to applying it equally to all classrooms across the U.S. To make sure that these curricular materials and hands-on experiences are available to any teacher and student, the ASU Mars Education Program has adopted a "high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech" approach. In other words, materials and programming have to be available and doable with whatever capabilities a classroom might possess. Using this approach, successful examples of Mars-based educational materials include Marsbound and the Mars Student Imaging Project. The Marsbound simulation is based on National Technology Standards and seemingly low tech. However, the simplicity of this simulation is quickly forgotten as it follows the familiar NASA scenario of building a mission to Mars with engineering constraints. Student teams use a set of equipment cards and a playmat (both available at no cost) to build their mission and balance it according to the constraints given. Students soon realize there is a lot of complexity to achieve science goals, populate a spacecraft with a meaningful payload for science return, not exceed mass margins, and stay within budget. A full set of Standards-based activities and curriculum are also available for the teacher at the same website. The Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP) is an authentic research experience available to 5th grade - early college student teams across the U.S. During this program, students formulate a question about Mars, write a proposal, and target an image at Mars using the Thermal Emission Imaging System camera (THEMIS) onboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The students then analyze the image and report their findings to NASA. As of June 2005, over 10,000 students have participated in MSIP. The data gathered on this program shows a high rate of interest in students of all ages, demographics, skill levels, and diverse audiences. To sustain our country and the ability to be a nation that will continue to lead and move forward educationally, technologically, and scientifically, we as educators and trainers of educators must persevere to reach diverse audiences in ways that will resonate with our customers - the students. We must pay attention to important issues such as accessibility, cost, Standards, teacher concerns and student interest.

Transforming a Traditional Inquiry-Based Science Unit into a STEM Unit for Elementary Pre-service Teachers: A View from the Trenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Matthew; Fulton, Lori

2016-04-01

The need to prepare students with twenty-first-century skills through STEM-related teaching is strong, especially at the elementary level. However, most teacher education preparation programs do not focus on STEM education. In an attempt to provide an exemplary model of a STEM unit, we used a rapid prototyping approach to transform an inquiry-based unit on moon phases into one that integrated technology in a meaningful manner to develop technological literacy and scientific concepts for pre-service teachers (PSTs). Using qualitative case study methodology, we describe lessons learned related to the development and implementation of a STEM unit in an undergraduate elementary methods course, focusing on the impact the inquiry model had on PSTs' perceptions of inquiry-based science instruction and how the integration of technology impacted their learning experience. Using field notes and survey data, we uncovered three overarching themes. First, we found that PSTs held absolutist beliefs and had a need for instruction on inquiry-based learning and teaching. Second, we determined that explicit examples of effective and ineffective technology use are needed to help PSTs develop an understanding of meaningful technology integration. Finally, the rapid prototyping approach resulted in a successful modification of the unit, but caused the usability of our digital instructional materials to suffer. Our findings suggest that while inquiry-based STEM units can be implemented in existing programs, creating and testing these prototypes requires significant effort to meet PSTs' learning needs, and that iterating designs is essential to successful implementation.

Bringing in the Tech: Using Outside Expertise to Enhance Technology Learning in Youth Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akiva, Thomas; Povis, Kaleen Tison; Martinez, Ani

2015-01-01

Afterschool continues to be promoted as a complementary setting to school for strengthening science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education (for example, Krishnamurthi, Bevan, Rinehart, & Coulon, 2013). This is a reasonable idea: 10.2 million children and youth in the U.S. participate in structured afterschool programs (Afterschool…

Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Schools and Communities: Preparing Sophisticated and Resilient Elementary STEM Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smetana, Lara K.; Coleman, Elizabeth R.; Ryan, Ann Marie; Tocci, Charles

2013-01-01

Loyola University Chicago's Teaching, Learning, and Leading With Schools and Communities (TLLSC) program is an ambitious break from traditional university-based teacher preparation models. This clinically based initial teacher preparation program, fully embedded in local schools and community organizations, takes an ecological perspective on the…

Increasing Access for Economically Disadvantaged Students: The NSF/CSEM & S-STEM Programs at Louisiana State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Zakiya S.; Iyengar, Sitharama S.; Pang, Su-Seng; Warner, Isiah M.; Luces, Candace A.

2012-01-01

Increasing college degree attainment for students from disadvantaged backgrounds is a prominent component of numerous state and federal legislation focused on higher education. In 1999, the National Science Foundation (NSF) instituted the "Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarships" (CSEMS) program; this initiative was designed to…

Northeast Tennessee Educators' Perception of STEM Education Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Kristin Beard

2013-01-01

A quantitative nonexperimental survey study was developed to investigate Northeast Tennessee K-8 educators' perceptions of STEM education. This study was an examination of current perceptions of STEM education. Perceived need, current implementation practices, access to STEM resources, definition of STEM, and the current condition of STEM in…

NASA Astrophysics EPO Community: Enhancing STEM Experience of Undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manning, J.; Meinke, B. K.; Lawton, B.; Smith, D. A.; Bartolone, L.; Schultz, G.; NASA Astrophysics EPO Community

2015-11-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach (EPO) community and Forum work together to capitalize on the cutting-edge discoveries of NASA Astrophysics missions to enhance the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) experience of undergraduates. The NASA SMD Astrophysics EPO community has proven expertise in providing both professional development and resources to faculty at two- and four-year institutions and in offering internships and student collaboration opportunities. These mission- and grant-based EPO programs are uniquely poised to foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. We present examples of how the NASA Astrophysics EPO community and Forum engage the higher education community in these ways, including associated metrics and evaluation findings.

Undergraduate Students as Climate Communicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H. O.; Joseph, J.; Mullendore, G. L.

2012-12-01

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio College (SAC), and the University of North Dakota (UND) are partnering with NASA to provide underrepresented undergraduates from UTSA, SAC, and other community colleges climate-related research and education experiences. The program aims to develop a robust response to climate change by providing K-16 climate change education; enhance the effectiveness of K-16 education particularly in engineering and other STEM disciplines by use of new instructional technologies; increase the enrollment in engineering programs and the number of engineering degrees awarded by showing engineering's usefulness in relation to the much-discussed contemporary issue of climate change; increase persistence in STEM degrees by providing student research opportunities; and increase the ethnic diversity of those receiving engineering degrees and help ensure an ethnically diverse response to climate change. Students will have the opportunity to participate in guided research experiences aligned with NASA Science Plan objectives for climate and Earth system science and the educational objectives of the three institutions. An integral part of the learning process will include training in modern media technology (webcasts), and in using this technology to communicate the information on climate change to others, especially high school students, culminating in production of a webcast about investigating aspects of climate change using NASA data. Content developed is leveraged by NASA Earth observation data and NASA Earth system models and tools. Several departments are involved in the educational program.

Engaging Minority University STEM Education Professors in the Science of Climate Change: Recruitment, Implementation and Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayden, L. B.; Hale, S. R.; Johnson, D.

2013-12-01

Elizabeth City State University has joined with the University of New Hampshire under the NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE) to empower faculty of education programs at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to better engage their pre-service teachers in teaching and learning about global climate change through the use of NASA Earth observation data sets. This project is designed to impact teaching first on college campuses within science education classes. Second, as pre-service teachers transition into in-service teachers, the impact will extend to elementary and secondary classrooms. Our goal is to empower faculty of education programs at Minority Serving Institutions to better engage their pre-service teachers in teaching and learning about global climate change through the use of NASA Earth observation data sets. This presentation documents the efforts to recruit two cohorts of STEM education faculty from MSIs along with the associated implementation and program evaluation efforts. To date, thirty-four (34) faculty from over a dozen MSIs have participated in the summer workshops. Recruitment efforts have focused on interactions with faculty in campus and conference settings. This has included the Johnson C. Smith University conference, the Minorities (QEM) Network Workshop on Evidence-Based STEM Instructional Strategies and the Annual Minority Serving Institutions Technical Assistance and Capacity Conference. The primary implementation mechanism was a one-week summer workshop conducted each year. ECSU hosted the first summer workshop and UNH hosted the second workshop. During each workshop, faculty had an opportunity to engage in activities using NASA Earth observation data, and benefited from engaged instruction and interaction with scientists who routinely use these datasets in their professional practice. This provided a comprehensive learning environment ensuring the transfer of the know-how on utilizing NASA datasets and tools in climate change education from researcher to science educator to pre-service STEM teacher. The faculty conducted field work that emphasizes place-based pedagogy. They worked with NASA satellite imagery data from the MODIS and SeaWiFS sensors, and discussed the challenges and approaches to integrating all or some of the lessons into their courses. Program Evaluation efforts, led by Learning Innovations at WestEd, includes formative and summative evaluation related to the outcomes of the project. Evaluators worked with project staff to create a logic model that clearly articulates a theory of action for the project. Included in the evaluation model were online questionnaires and focus group protocols. There exist evidence to show that the MSI faculty who participate in the workshop are using the information learned to engage their pre-service teachers in teaching and learning about global climate change through the use of NASA Earth observation sets.

Strengthening the STEM Education & Workforce Pipeline: Insights from the BHEF U.S. STEM Education Model Led to the STEM Higher Education and Workforce Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-15

ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Business-Higher Education Forum ,Washington,DC,20036 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING...Strengthening the STEM Education & Workforce Pipeline: Insights from the BHEF U.S. STEM Education Model Led to the STEM Higher Education and...Workforce Project Naval STEM Forum June 15, 2011 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection of

Post-vision and change: do we know how to change?

PubMed

D'Avanzo, Charlene

2013-01-01

The scale and importance of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action challenges us to ask fundamental questions about widespread transformation of college biology instruction. I propose that we have clarified the "vision" but lack research-based models and evidence needed to guide the "change." To support this claim, I focus on several key topics, including evidence about effective use of active-teaching pedagogy by typical faculty and whether certain programs improve students' understanding of the Vision and Change core concepts. Program evaluation is especially problematic. While current education research and theory should inform evaluation, several prominent biology faculty-development programs continue to rely on self-reporting by faculty and students. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty-development overviews can guide program design. Such studies highlight viewing faculty members as collaborators, embedding rewards faculty value, and characteristics of effective faculty-development learning communities. A recent National Research Council report on discipline-based STEM education research emphasizes the need for long-term faculty development and deep conceptual change in teaching and learning as the basis for genuine transformation of college instruction. Despite the progress evident in Vision and Change, forward momentum will likely be limited, because we lack evidence-based, reliable models for actually realizing the desired "change."

Post–Vision and Change: Do We Know How to Change?

PubMed Central

D’Avanzo, Charlene

2013-01-01

The scale and importance of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action challenges us to ask fundamental questions about widespread transformation of college biology instruction. I propose that we have clarified the “vision” but lack research-based models and evidence needed to guide the “change.” To support this claim, I focus on several key topics, including evidence about effective use of active-teaching pedagogy by typical faculty and whether certain programs improve students’ understanding of the Vision and Change core concepts. Program evaluation is especially problematic. While current education research and theory should inform evaluation, several prominent biology faculty–development programs continue to rely on self-reporting by faculty and students. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculty-development overviews can guide program design. Such studies highlight viewing faculty members as collaborators, embedding rewards faculty value, and characteristics of effective faculty-development learning communities. A recent National Research Council report on discipline-based STEM education research emphasizes the need for long-term faculty development and deep conceptual change in teaching and learning as the basis for genuine transformation of college instruction. Despite the progress evident in Vision and Change, forward momentum will likely be limited, because we lack evidence-based, reliable models for actually realizing the desired “change.” PMID:24006386

Understanding him in STEM: Sharing the stories of African American male scholars in engineering academic programs at a predominantly White university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, Robert E., III

Globalization of the world economy has confirmed the need for citizens to exemplify competitive capacities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Since the 1970s, American higher education has seen increasing numbers of students entering college but has witnessed a decline in the number of students enrolling in STEM programs. African American men fall behind other students in regards to academic performance, persistence, and success throughout primary, secondary, and tertiary schooling. Accordingly, participation of African American men in STEM disciplines is low in comparison to White males and other race groups. Various factors have been identified as contributing to the academic failures of Black men. Poor academic and social preparedness, racial identity issues, institutional climates, negative stereotypes, and fear of success have been cited as potential contributors to the relative invisibility of African American men in STEM disciplines. This study explores the life stories of five African American male scholars in the college of engineering at a predominantly white university. The goal of the qualitative investigation is to help university faculty and administrators understand the institutional, interpersonal, and collective mechanisms influencing the success identities of African American male undergraduates in STEM academic programs. Understanding the lived experiences of this population may help universities innovate stronger supports for men of color in college and broaden the borders for all students interested in STEM careers.

Resources to Transform Undergraduate Geoscience Education: Activities in Support of Earth, Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty, and Future Plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, J. G.; Singer, J.

2013-12-01

The NSF offers funding programs that support geoscience education spanning atmospheric, oceans, and Earth sciences, as well as environmental science, climate change and sustainability, and research on learning. The 'Resources to Transform Undergraduate Geoscience Education' (RTUGeoEd) is an NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES) Type 2 special project aimed at supporting college-level geoscience faculty at all types of institutions. The project's goals are to carry out activities and create digital resources that encourage the geoscience community to submit proposals that impact their courses and classroom infrastructure through innovative changes in instructional practice, and contribute to making transformative changes that impact student learning outcomes and lead to other educational benefits. In the past year information sessions were held during several national and regional professional meetings, including the GSA Southeastern and South-Central Section meetings. A three-day proposal-writing workshop for faculty planning to apply to the TUES program was held at the University of South Florida - Tampa. During the workshop, faculty learned about the program and key elements of a proposal, including: the need to demonstrate awareness of prior efforts within and outside the geosciences and how the proposed project builds upon this knowledge base; need to fully justify budget and role of members of the project team; project evaluation and what matters in selecting a project evaluator; and effective dissemination practices. Participants also spent time developing their proposal benefitting from advice and feedback from workshop facilitators. Survey data gathered from workshop participants point to a consistent set of challenges in seeking grant support for a desired educational innovation, including poor understanding of the educational literature, of available funding programs, and of learning assessment and project evaluation. Many also noted that their institutions did not recognize the value of education-related scholarly activities, or undervaluing it compared to more traditional research activities. Given this reality, faculty desire strategies for balancing their time to allow time to pursue both. The current restructuring of NSF educational programs raises questions regarding future directions and the scale of support that may be available from the proposed Catalyzing Advances in Undergraduate STEM Education (CAUSE) Program. At the time of writing this abstract, specific details have not been communicated, but it appears that CAUSE could encompass components from several programs within the Division of Undergraduate Education's TUES, STEP, and WIDER programs, as well as the Geoscience Education and OEDG programs in the Geosciences Directorate. The RTUGeoEd project will continue to provide support to faculty seeking CAUSE (and other educational funding within DUE).

Incorporating Hot Topics in Ocean Sciences to Outreach Activities in Marine and Environmental Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergondo, D. L.; Mrakovcich, K. L.; Vlietstra, L.; Tebeau, P.; Verlinden, C.; Allen, L. A.; James, R.

2016-02-01

The US Coast Guard Academy, an undergraduate military Academy, in New London CT, provides STEM education programs to the local community that engage the public on hot topics in ocean sciences. Outreach efforts include classroom, lab, and field-based activities at the Academy as well as at local schools. In one course, we partner with a STEM high school collecting fish and environmental data on board a research vessel and subsequently students present the results of their project. In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops In another course, cadets develop and present interactive demonstrations of marine science to local school groups. In addition, the Academy develops and/or participates in outreach programs including Science Partnership for Innovation in Learning (SPIL), Women in Science, Physics of the Sea, and the Ocean Exploration Trust Honors Research Program. As part of the programs, instructors and cadets create interactive and collaborative activities that focus on hot topics in ocean sciences such as oil spill clean-up, ocean exploration, tsunamis, marine biodiversity, and conservation of aquatic habitats. Innovative science demonstrations such as real-time interactions with the Exploration Vessel (E/V) Nautilus, rotating tank simulations of ocean circulation, wave tank demonstrations, and determining what materials work best to contain and clean-up oil, are used to enhance ocean literacy. Children's books, posters and videos are some creative ways students summarize their understanding of ocean sciences and marine conservation. Despite time limitations of students and faculty, and challenges associated with securing funding to keep these programs sustainable, the impact of the programs is overwhelmingly positive. We have built stronger relationships with local community, enhanced ocean literacy, facilitated communication and mentorship between young students and scientists, and encouraged interest of underrepresented minorities in STEM education.

Underrepresented Minority High School and College Students Report STEM-Pipeline Sustaining Gains After Participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program

PubMed Central

Salto, Lorena M.; Riggs, Matt L.; Delgado De Leon, Daisy; Casiano, Carlos A.; De Leon, Marino

2014-01-01

An urgent need exists for graduate and professional schools to establish evidence-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline programs to increase the diversity of the biomedical workforce. An untapped yet promising pool of willing participants are capable high school students that have a strong STEM interest but may lack the skills and the guided mentoring needed to succeed in competitive STEM fields. This study evaluates and compares the impact of the Loma Linda University (LLU) Summer Health Disparities Research Program on high school (HS) and undergraduate (UG) student participants. The primary focus of our summer research experience (SRE) is to enhance the research self-efficacy of the participants by actively involving them in a research project and by providing the students with personalized mentoring and targeted career development activities, including education on health disparities. The results of our study show that our SRE influenced terminal degree intent and increased participant willingness to incorporate research into future careers for both the HS and the UG groups. The quantitative data shows that both the HS and the UG participants reported large, statistically significant gains in self-assessed research skills and research self-efficacy. Both participant groups identified the hands-on research and the mentor experience as the most valuable aspects of our SRE and reported increased science skills, increased confidence in science ability and increased motivation and affirmation to pursue a science career. The follow-up data indicates that 67% of the HS participants and 90% of the UG participants graduated from college with a STEM degree; for those who enrolled in graduate education, 61% and 43% enrolled in LLU, respectively. We conclude that structured SREs can be highly effective STEM strengthening interventions for both UG and HS students and may be a way to measurably increase institutional and biomedical workforce diversity. PMID:25250695

Underrepresented minority high school and college students report STEM-pipeline sustaining gains after participating in the Loma Linda University Summer Health Disparities Research Program.

PubMed

Salto, Lorena M; Riggs, Matt L; Delgado De Leon, Daisy; Casiano, Carlos A; De Leon, Marino

2014-01-01

An urgent need exists for graduate and professional schools to establish evidence-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) pipeline programs to increase the diversity of the biomedical workforce. An untapped yet promising pool of willing participants are capable high school students that have a strong STEM interest but may lack the skills and the guided mentoring needed to succeed in competitive STEM fields. This study evaluates and compares the impact of the Loma Linda University (LLU) Summer Health Disparities Research Program on high school (HS) and undergraduate (UG) student participants. The primary focus of our summer research experience (SRE) is to enhance the research self-efficacy of the participants by actively involving them in a research project and by providing the students with personalized mentoring and targeted career development activities, including education on health disparities. The results of our study show that our SRE influenced terminal degree intent and increased participant willingness to incorporate research into future careers for both the HS and the UG groups. The quantitative data shows that both the HS and the UG participants reported large, statistically significant gains in self-assessed research skills and research self-efficacy. Both participant groups identified the hands-on research and the mentor experience as the most valuable aspects of our SRE and reported increased science skills, increased confidence in science ability and increased motivation and affirmation to pursue a science career. The follow-up data indicates that 67% of the HS participants and 90% of the UG participants graduated from college with a STEM degree; for those who enrolled in graduate education, 61% and 43% enrolled in LLU, respectively. We conclude that structured SREs can be highly effective STEM strengthening interventions for both UG and HS students and may be a way to measurably increase institutional and biomedical workforce diversity.

The influence of stem initiative programs for middle and high school students on female STEM college majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaslin, Stephanie D.

The areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics have long been overrepresented by men. In the workforce, more men work in these fields than women, and in school, more male students select majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) than female students. Research has indicated that female students represent less than a third of college students selecting STEM majors. Several recommendations have been made by prominent educational organizations, such as the American Association of University Women (AAUW), including promoting these subjects to female students through STEM initiatives that are innovative and expose female students to careers in these areas. This qualitative research study sought to analyze the effectiveness of these initiatives by determining what factors are considered when a female student selects a STEM field of study at the college level and to examine how these students perceived the effectiveness of the STEM initiatives in which they participated. A series of interviews were conducted with female college students with declared majors in STEM fields who had participated in STEM initiatives in the state of Maryland. After analysis of the data collected, it was determined that STEM initiatives are not necessarily effective in increasing the number of women who enroll in STEM programs at the college level, however, they are effective in encouraging female students who are already interested in STEM. Female students who participated in these STEM initiatives more frequently were more likely to have a better understanding of STEM options, and were also more likely to complete STEM college degrees in less time than those who did not participate frequently in STEM initiatives.

Involvement of African-American Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nkere, Nsidi

A qualitative case study was conducted by examining the perceptions of fifth-grade African American girls about their experiences with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and potential for STEM as a future career. As the United States suffers from waning participation across all demographics in STEM and a high level of underrepresentation of African American women in STEM, the proposed study examined data collected through open-ended interviews with fifth-grade African American girls to explore how their current experiences and perceptions might relate to the underrepresentation of African American women in the STEM fields. Participants were selected from Miracle Elementary School (pseudonym), and consisted of all five students in a small class of high-achieving fifth-grade girls. Data were collected through in-class observations and open-ended interviews, and were analyzed using computer content analysis. The most important key results threaded through the data were related to the importance and role of the teacher, the importance of math to students, the role of experimentation and discovery, and hands-on and personal experience. Future studies are encouraged to utilize longitudinal design to follow students from elementary to university level in an effort to develop and understand the perception, persistence, and experience of all girls in STEM programs.

Analyzing the Watershed Dynamics project as an example of successful science and education partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzby, C. K.; Jona, K.

2009-12-01

The Watershed Dynamics project is a partnership between Northwestern University, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science (CUAHSI), and the GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment). The goal of the project is to develop inquiry-based educational materials that use authentic scientific data and analysis techniques to teach students about the watershed. The relationship between Northwestern, CUAHSI, and GLOBE allows each partner to contribute to the development of the project in the area of their expertise. Science researchers from CUAHSI share science content knowledge and data access through the development of their Hydrologic Information System (HIS). Curriculum developers at Northwestern write inquiry-based curriculum using GIS technology to access and analyze live data. The GLOBE Program is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science education program that provides teacher training opportunities to a network of teachers around the world. This partnership allows each partner to bring their area of expertise to the project and make the best use of one another's resources. The Watershed Dynamics project can serve as a model for future partnerships between the science and education communities. The Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education Partnerships (OSEP) at Northwestern is a service organization that supports Northwestern researchers in developing proposals and implementing research projects that incorporate K-12 educational components, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). OSEP assists faculty with the development of sound plans for education and outreach that reflect current research on learning and educational reform and provides expertise in STEM education materials development, learning technologies, and professional development for K-12 teachers and facilitators in informal education institutions. Resources such as OSEP can pair scientists with educational organizations so that science outreach programs can be sustainable.

Improving Attitudes Toward STEM By Providing Urban-Based Environmental Science Research Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuff, K. E.; Molinaro, M.

2005-12-01

Over the past decade, numerous calls have been made for the need to increase the participation of the nation's underrepresented population in science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) fields of endeavor. A key element in improving the less than impressive conditions that now exist with regard to this issue, is the development of effective approaches that result in positive changes in young people's attitudes toward education in general, and STEM subject matter in particular during the early stages of their intellectual development. The Environmental Science Information Technology Activities (ESITA) program provides opportunities for under-represented grades 9 - 10 students in the East San Francisco Bay Area to learn about and apply key STEM concepts and related skills. Consisting of two-year-long after school programs at community center and school-based sites, as well as a Summer Research Institute, the ESITA program engages participants in a combination of STEM content learning activities and environmental science research projects that address issues relevant to their communities. Design of the ESITA program has been informed by: 1) pilot-study data that indicated key elements necessary for ensuring high levels of participant enthusiasm and interest; 2) a conceptual framework for development of instructional materials grounded in recent research about student learning of STEM content; and 3) research about effective after school programs that present academic content. Throughout the program's two-year existence, ESITA students have participated in the following projects: investigations of the distribution of elevated lead levels in drinking water samples from Washington, D.C.; air and water quality studies in and around a popular lake situated within the nation's oldest wildlife refuge, located in downtown Oakland, California; and studies of the relationship between airborne particulate matter concentrations in Richmond, California, and activity at local petroleum refineries. As participants have used newly acquired skills and understandings while performing such investigations that are directly linked to relevant, real-world environmental problems and issues, they have: significantly increased their understanding of the process and nature of science; enhanced their intellectual self-confidence with regard to STEM; developed a deeper appreciation of how scientific research can contribute to the maintenance of healthy local environments; developed a greater interest in participating in STEM-related courses of study and after school programs; improved their general attitudes toward STEM. All of these gains significantly increase the capacity of participants to enroll and perform successfully in STEM courses in the future, which together enhances their chances of deciding to pursue STEM careers.

Renewable Microgrid STEM Education & Colonias Outreach Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

To provide Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outreach and education to secondary students to encourage them to select science and engineering as a career by providing an engineering-based problem-solving experience involving renewable energy systems such as photovoltaic (PV) panels or wind turbines. All public and private schools, community colleges, and vocational training programs would be eligible for participation. The Power Microgrids High School Engineering Experience used renewable energy systems (PV and wind) to provide a design capstone experience to secondary students. The objective for each student team was to design a microgrid for the student’s school using renewable energymore » sources under cost, schedule, performance, and risk constraints. The students then implemented their designs in a laboratory environment to evaluate the completeness of the proposed design, which is a unique experience even for undergraduate college students. This application-based program was marketed to secondary schools in the 28th Congressional District through the Texas Education Agency’s (TEA) Regional Service Centers. Upon application, TEES identified regionally available engineers to act as mentors and supervisors for the projects. Existing curriculum was modified to include microgrid and additional renewable technologies and was made available to the schools.« less

Utilizing the Scientist as Teacher Through the Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, D.; McNeal, K. S.; Radencic, S.

2011-12-01

The presence of a scientist or other STEM expert in secondary school science classroom can provide fresh new ideas for student learning. Through the Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) program sponsored by NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12), scientists and engineers at Mississippi State University work together with graduate students and area teachers to provide hands-on inquiry-based learning to middle school and high school students. Competitively selected graduate fellows from geosciences, physics, chemistry, and engineering spend ten hours per week in participating classrooms for an entire school year, working as a team with their assigned teacher to provide outstanding instruction in science and mathematics and to serve as positive role models for the students. We are currently in the second year of our five-year program, and we have already made significant achievements in science and mathematics instruction. We successfully hosted GIS Day on the Mississippi State University campus, allowing participating students to design an emergency response to a simulated flooding of the Mississippi Delta. We have also developed new laboratory exercises for high school physics classrooms, including a 3-D electric field mapping exercise, and the complete development of a robotics design course. Many of the activities developed by the fellows and teachers are written into formal lesson plans that are made publicly available as free downloads through our project website. All participants in this program channel aspects of their research interests and methods into classroom learning, thus providing students with the real-world applications of STEM principles. In return, participants enhance their own communication and scientific inquiry skills by employing lesson design techniques that are similar to defining their own research questions.

Connecting mathematics learning through spatial reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulligan, Joanne; Woolcott, Geoffrey; Mitchelmore, Michael; Davis, Brent

2018-03-01

Spatial reasoning, an emerging transdisciplinary area of interest to mathematics education research, is proving integral to all human learning. It is particularly critical to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. This project will create an innovative knowledge framework based on spatial reasoning that identifies new pathways for mathematics learning, pedagogy and curriculum. Novel analytical tools will map the unknown complex systems linking spatial and mathematical concepts. It will involve the design, implementation and evaluation of a Spatial Reasoning Mathematics Program (SRMP) in Grades 3 to 5. Benefits will be seen through development of critical spatial skills for students, increased teacher capability and informed policy and curriculum across STEM education.

Racial/Ethnic and Gender Equity Patterns in Illinois High School Career and Technical Education Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Asia Fuller; Malin, Joel; Hackmann, Donald

2015-01-01

This study analyzed high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) enrollments in Illinois, with comparisons to national data when possible, by career cluster and pathway and with respect to gender and racial/ethnic makeup of students. Enrollment patterns in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) CTE programming were emphasized.…

Inquiry-Based Examination of Chemical Disruption of Bacterial Biofilms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redelman, Carly V.; Hawkins, Misty A. W.; Drumwright, Franklin R.; Ransdell, Beverly; Marrs, Kathleen; Anderson, Gregory G.

2012-01-01

Inquiry-based instruction in the sciences has been demonstrated as a successful educational strategy to use for both high school and college science classrooms. As participants in the NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program, we were tasked with creating novel inquiry-based activities for high school classrooms. As a way to…

Perceptions of Critical Thinking, Task Value, Autonomy and Science Lab Self-Efficacy: A Longitudinal Examination of Students' CASE Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velez, Jonathan J.; Lambert, Misty D.; Elliott, Kristopher M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to begin examining the impact of the Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE). Under development since 2008, the curriculum is intended to integrate core academics and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) into agricultural education programs. This longitudinal descriptive correlational study…

Should Rey Mysterio Drink Gatorade? Cultural Competence in Afterschool STEM Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciechanowski, Kathryn; Bottoms, SueAnn; Fonseca, Ana Lucia; St. Clair, Tyler

2015-01-01

Creating a space for learning science outside the traditional classroom shifts the expectations for both educators and children. In the classroom, both groups have preconceived notions of their roles and of what classroom science looks like. In the hybrid space of afterschool, students and educators are free to explore alternative ways of teaching…

Diving beneath the Surface: Underwater Robotics Lessons Bring STEM to Life for Teachers in Guam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tweed, Anne; Arndt, Laura

2017-01-01

In spring 2014, education leaders from across Micronesia came together on the island of Guam to learn about underwater robotics and Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE), a program based at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California. Participants listened intently as they learned about building and participating in competitions with…

STEM Pathways: Examining Persistence in Rigorous Math and Science Course Taking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashford, Shetay N.; Lanehart, Rheta E.; Kersaint, Gladis K.; Lee, Reginald S.; Kromrey, Jeffrey D.

2016-01-01

From 2006 to 2012, Florida Statute §1003.4156 required middle school students to complete electronic personal education planners (ePEPs) before promotion to ninth grade. The ePEP helped them identify programs of study and required high school coursework to accomplish their postsecondary education and career goals. During the same period Florida…

Using Citation Analysis Methods to Assess the Influence of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenseid, Lija O.; Lawrenz, Frances

2011-01-01

This study explores the use of citation analysis methods to assess the influence of program evaluations conducted within the area of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Citation analysis is widely used within scientific research communities to measure the relative influence of scientific research enterprises and/or…

Challenges Confronting Career-Changing Beginning Teachers: A Qualitative Study of Professional Scientists Becoming Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watters, James J.; Diezmann, Carmel M.

2015-01-01

Recruitment of highly qualified science and mathematics graduates has become a widespread strategy to enhance the quality of education in the field of STEM. However, attrition rates are very high suggesting preservice education programs are not preparing them well for the career change. We analyse the experiences of professionals who are…

A Holistic Approach to Science Education: Disciplinary, Affective, and Equitable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehta, Rohit; Mehta, Swati; Seals, Christopher

2017-01-01

In this chapter, we argue that science education is more than the high stakes, rigorous practices and methodology that students often find dull and uninspiring. We present that aesthetic and humanistic motivations, such as wonder, curiosity, and social justice, are also inherent reasons for doing science. In the MSUrbanSTEM program, we designed an…

Developing and Sustaining a Science and Technology Center Education Program: "Inquiry" as a Means for Organizational Change and Institutional Legitimacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ball, T.; Hunter, L.

2010-12-01

Formal organizations have become ubiquitous in contemporary society and since so many of us spend so much of our daily lives working, learning, and socializing in them it is important to understand not only how they govern our interactions but also how we can incite (and sustain) organizational change. This is especially true for STEM education; learning about science, technology, engineering or mathematics rarely occurs outside of formal settings and educators need to be aware of how learning goals, priorities and practices are permeable to the institutional processes that structure sponsoring organizations. Adopting a historical perspective, this paper reports on organizational changes at the Center for Adaptive Optics in relation to an emerging emphasis on inquiry learning. The results of our analysis show how the inquiry model functioned as a boundary object and was instrumental in transforming members' expectations and assumptions about educational practice in STEM while securing the institutional legitimacy of the CfAO as a whole. Our findings can inform the advancement of educational initiatives within the STEM research community and are particularly useful in relation to concerns around accommodating and integrating individuals from non-dominant backgrounds.

Marshalling Corporate Resources for Public and K-12 Technical Education Outreach and Engagement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wynne, James

2011-03-01

In 1988, the Education Task Force of the Business Roundtable recommended that American corporations invest in pre-college education. Prior to that date, corporate investment was targeted at higher education. IBM and other corporations responded by encouraging their employees and their corporate philanthropic organizations to develop programs aimed at enhancing pre-college education. The IBM TJ Watson Research Center initiated a Local Education Outreach program, active for these past 23 years, that marshals the resources of our science-rich institution to enhance STEM education in our local schools. We have broad and deep partnerships between the Research Center and local school districts, including New York City. We have just completed our 19th consecutive year of Family Science Saturdays, which brings 4th and 5th grade children, along with their parents, to our Research Center for hands-on workshops in topics like States of Matter, Polymer Science, Kitchen Chemistry, and Sound and Light. The workshops are staffed by IBM volunteers, assisted by local high school student ``Peer Teachers.'' Since 1990, the IBM Corporation has joined with a coalition of other companies, professional engineering societies, and government agencies to sponsor the annual Engineers Week (EWeek) campaign of technical education outreach, serving as Corporate Chair in 1992, 2001, and 2008. In recent years, we have annually recruited around 5000 IBM volunteers to reach out to more than 200,000 K-12 students in order to increase their awareness and appreciation of technical careers and encourage them to continue their studies of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The speaker, who helped found the APS Forum on Education (FED) and served as FED Councillor for 8 years, will review these and other programs for Public and K-12 Technical Education Outreach and Engagement.

The Impact of STEM Outreach Programs in Addressing Teacher Efficacy and Broader Issues in STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myszkal, Philip Ian

This study explores the potential of the Outreach Workshops in STEM (OWS) to affect Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) teachers' content knowledge, self-efficacy, and pedagogical approaches, as well as its viability as a potential form of professional development (PD). The data for the thesis is taken from a larger longitudinal study looking at the potential of OWS to influence middle school students' and teachers' attitudes and beliefs around STEM. The study employs a mixed-methods design, utilizing surveys, open-ended questions, interviews, and observations. The findings show that there were no significant changes in teachers' content knowledge, confidence, or pedagogical approaches. However, the majority of participants reported that they learned new teaching ideas and considered the workshops to be an effective PD opportunity.

Mathematically precocious and female: Self-efficacy and STEM course choices among high achieving middle grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burt, Stacey M.

The problem addressed in this project is the lack of mathematically gifted females choosing to pursue advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in secondary education due to deficiencies in self-efficacy. The purpose of this project was to study the effects of a child-guided robotics program as it relates to the self-efficacy of mathematically gifted 6th grade female students and their future course choices in the advanced STEM content areas. This mixed-model study utilized a STEM attitude survey, artifacts, interviews, field notes, and standardized tests as measurement tools. Significance was found between genders in the treatment group for the standardized science scores, indicating closure in the achievement gap. Research suggests that STEM enrichment is beneficial for mathematically gifted females.

Review and Appraisal of the Federal Investment in STEM Education Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-06

science literacy and education efforts, the NIH has also been supporting the Science Education Partnership Awards (SEPA) for close to 15 years...agency websites. While individual projects may be required to work directly and closely with practitioners, rarely do federal programs convey the...understanding of the factors that give rise to this national problem and provide evidence-based corrective actions for effectively modifying the current

Scientists and Educators Working Together: Everyone Teaches, Everyone Learns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lebofsky, Larry A.; Lebofsky, N. R.; McCarthy, D. W.; Canizo, T. L.; Schmitt, W.; Higgins, M. L.

2013-10-01

The primary author has been working with three of the authors (Lebofsky, McCarthy, and Cañizo) for nearly 25 years and Schmitt and Higgins for 17 and 8 years, respectively. This collaboration can be summed up with the phrase: “everyone teaches, everyone learns.” What NASA calls E/PO and educators call STEM/STEAM, requires a team effort. Exploration of the Solar System and beyond is a team effort, from research programs to space missions. The same is true for science education. Research scientists with a long-term involvement in science education have come together with science educators, classroom teachers, and informal science educators to create a powerful STEM education team. Scientists provide the science content and act as role models. Science educators provide the pedagogy and are the bridge between the scientists and the teacher. Classroom teachers and informal science educators bring their real-life experiences working in classrooms and in informal settings and can demonstrate scientists’ approaches to problem solving and make curriculum more engaging. Together, we provide activities that are grade-level appropriate, inquiry-based, tied to the literacy, math, and science standards, and connected directly to up-to-date science content and ongoing research. Our programs have included astronomy camps for youth and adults, professional development for teachers, in-school and after-school programs, family science events, and programs in libraries, science centers, and museums. What lessons have we learned? We are all professionals and can learn from each other. By engaging kids and having them participate in activities and ask questions, we can empower them to be the presenters for others, even their families. The activities highlighted on our poster represent programs and collaborations that date back more than two decades: Use models and engage the audience, do not just lecture. Connect the activity with ongoing science and get participants outside to look at the real sky: do a Moon journal, measure shadows, observe constellations, and look through a telescope—the sky is more than just string, balls, or a computer program.

STEM development: A study of 6th--12th grade girls' interest and confidence in mathematics and science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heaverlo, Carol Ann

Researchers, policymakers, business, and industry have indicated that the United States will experience a shortage of professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Several strategies have been suggested to address this shortage, one of which includes increasing the representation of girls and women in the STEM fields. In order to increase the representation of women in the STEM fields, it is important to understand the developmental factors that impact girls' interest and confidence in STEM academics and extracurricular programs. Research indicates that greater confidence leads to greater interest and vice versa (Denissen et al., 2007). This study identifies factors that impact girls' interest and confidence in mathematics and science, defined as girls' STEM development. Using Bronfenbrenner's (2005) bioecological model of human development, several factors were hypothesized as having an impact on girls' STEM development; specifically, the macrosystems of region of residence and race/ethnicity, and the microsystems of extracurricular STEM activities, family STEM influence, and math/science teacher influence. Hierarchical regression analysis results indicated that extracurricular STEM involvement and math teacher influence were statistically significant predictors for 6--12th grade girls' interest and confidence in mathematics. Furthermore, hierarchical regression analysis results indicated that the only significant predictor for 6--12th grade girls' interest and confidence in science was science teacher influence. This study provides new knowledge about the factors that impact girls' STEM development. Results can be used to inform and guide educators, administrators, and policy makers in developing programs and policy that support and encourage the STEM development of 6--12th grade girls.

Mentoring in Native American Communities using STEM Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angrum, A.; Alexander, C. J.; Martin, M.

2011-12-01

In this paper we will present a concept for mentoring built on STEM principles, and applied to the Native American community in Chinle, AZ. Effective mentoring includes being sensitive, listening to, and advising mentees based upon a 'correct' appreciation not only of their needs but also of the desires of the community they come from. Our project is an outreach effort on the part of NASA's contribution to the International Rosetta mission. Our initial program design incorporated ambitious STEM materials developed by NASA/JPL for other communities that excite and engage future generations in geoscience careers, to be re-packaged and brought to the Navajo community in Chinle. We were cognizant of the communities' emphasis on the need to know themselves and their own culture when teaching their students. Recognizing that one of the most important near-term problems in Native American communities across the country is preservation of aboriginal language, a first step in our program involved defining STEM vocabulary. Community participation was required to identify existing words, write a STEM thesaurus, and also define contemporary words (what we called 'NASA words') that have no equivalent in the native tongue. This step critically involved obtaining approval of new words from tribal Elders. Finally, our objective was to put this newly defined STEM vocabulary to work, helping the kids to learn STEM curriculum in their own language. The communities' response to our approach was guarded interest, an invitation to return for further work, and finally a request that we co-sponsor a Summer Science Academy that was not focused on the subjects of space exploration originally envisioned by the project. Thus a first lesson learned was that ambitious material might not be the first step to a sustained educational program on the reservation. Understanding the end-users' environment, requirements and constraints is a major component to sustainability. After several months of visits to the community, listening to individuals, educators and administrators we have been able to successfully sponsor a program that is responsive to the district's requests, and well received by the community. Importantly, these steps resulted in (a) the project gaining a better understanding of qualitative needs in the community and (b) better techniques to enhance the quality and efficacy of the program. Enhancements for future summer academies include: college preparation and recruitment workshops; targeted teacher training; quantitative homework and exercises -- rehearsing kids in the dialog of numbers; laboratory work co-sponsored by the local tribal technical college that will allow kids to potentially perform environmental studies on their own land. Working as partners creates a relationship of trust, which opens doors of mutual understanding for both the community and project, allowing us to 'mentor' the curriculum requested by the district. Working within and understanding the community paradigm is a critical first step building a bridge for Native American students that ultimately will help them gain access to geoscience education and the workforce, and survive in a multi-cultural world.

Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) Brining STEM Research to 7th-12th Grade Science and Math Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radencic, S.; McNeal, K. S.; Pierce, D.

2012-12-01

The Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) program at Mississippi State University (MSU), funded by the NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK12) program, focuses on the advancement of Earth and Space science education in K-12 classrooms. INSPIRE currently in its third year of partnering ten graduate students each year from the STEM fields of Geosciences, Engineering, Physics and Chemistry at MSU with five teachers from local, rural school districts. The five year project serves to enhance graduate student's communication skills as they create interactive lessons linking their STEM research focus to the state and national standards covered in science and math classrooms for grades 7-12 through inquiry experiences. Each graduate student is responsible for the development of two lessons each month of the school year that include an aspect of their STEM research, including the technologies that they may utilize to conduct their STEM research. The plans are then published on the INSPIRE project webpage, www.gk12.msstate.edu, where they are a free resource for any K-12 classroom teacher seeking innovative activities for their classrooms and total over 300 lesson activities to date. Many of the participating teachers and graduate students share activities developed with non-participating teachers, expanding INSPIRE's outreach of incorporating STEM research into activities for K-12 students throughout the local community. Examples of STEM research connections to classroom topics related to earth and ocean science include activities using GPS with GIS for triangulation and measurement of area in geometry; biogeochemical response to oil spills compared to organism digestive system; hydrogeology water quality monitoring and GIS images used as a determinant for habitat suitability in area water; interactions of acids and bases in the Earth's environments and surfaces; and the importance of electrical circuitry in an electrode used in sediment analysis. INSPIRE is striving to create synergy with other education focused grants at MSU, including those that focus on climate literacy and Earth hazards. Graduate students create at least one lesson plan that links their STEM research to climate related topics to share in their assigned K-12 classrooms. They also assist with a science day sponsored at MSU centered on Earth hazards where local middle school students participate. In addition to the development of interactive experiences that bring current STEM research into the classroom, INSPIRE also creates and organizes inquiry activities for National GIS Day each year. Graduate students not only design the GIS explorations focused on hazards, but they also guide middle school students through these explorations. Additionally, all graduate students involved with INSPIRE are required to participate in at least one Science Fair event either at the local school level or at the regional competitions. Participating teachers have noted that several students had science fair projects that included some aspect of the STEM research topics they had learned about from the graduate students in the classroom.

Engaging Scientists in Meaningful E/PO: NASA Science4Girls and Their Families

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meinke, B. K.; Smith, D. A.; Bleacher, L.; Hauck, K.; Soeffing, C.

2014-12-01

The NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Science Education and Public Outreach Forums coordinate the participation of SMD education and public outreach (EPO) programs in Women's History Month through the NASA Science4Girls and Their Families initiative. The initiative partners NASA science education programs with public libraries to provide NASA-themed hands-on education activities for girls and their families. These NASA science education programs are mission- and grant-based E/PO programs are uniquely poised to foster collaboration between scientists with content expertise and educators with pedagogy expertise. As such, the initiative engages girls in all four NASA science discipline areas (Astrophysics, Earth Science, Planetary Science, and Heliophysics), which enables audiences to experience the full range of NASA science topics and the different career skills each requires. The events focus on engaging underserved and underrepresented audiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) via use of research-based best practices, collaborations with libraries, partnerships with local and national organizations, and remote engagement of audiences.

Summer Enrichment Programs to Foster Interest in STEM Education for Students with Blindness or Low Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Supalo, Cary A.; Hill, April A.; Larrick, Carleigh G.

2014-01-01

Hands-on science enrichment experiences can be limited for students with blindness or low vision (BLV). This manuscript describes recent hands-on summer enrichment programs held for BLV students. Also presented are innovative technologies that were developed to provide spoken quantitative feedback for BLV students engaged in hands-on science…

The Exploratorium's XTech Program: Engaging STEM Experiences for Middle-School Youth. Summative Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carroll, Becky; Smith, Anita; Castori, Pam

2009-01-01

The Exploratorium is home to XTech, a science education program which began in 2006 and was primarily funded by a three-year National Science Foundation grant (Award # 05-25217) through its ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers) initiative. XTech provided project-based afterschool activities in science, engineering,…

Arts-inspired students sync their assets to a nuts and bolts world: A career mentoring pilot progam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, Lynn

This research examined how students who are arts-inspired feel about their futures in a STEM-based work climate. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math are the nuts and bolts, and in education today, the only avenue touted for our country and our students' success in this 21st century economy. This can be disconcerting to those interested in other fields, like the arts. This study was guided by the following questions in an effort to understand if our artists and arts-inspired students realize their options and importance in this 21st century climate. The pilot study was designed to help improve the students' perception of their abilities or self-efficacy in the STEM areas by introducing STEM professionals as mentors who designed hands-on activities that simulate work in the STEM fields. Research Questions: 1. Do arts-inspired students have an interest in a STEM career area prior to participating in the career mentoring program? 2. Does participation in a STEM career mentoring program improve student's self-efficacy in STEM fields? 3. Does participation in STEM career mentoring program increase student's interest in pursuing STEM-related careers? Lent, Brown and Hackett's Social Cognitive Career Theory and Daniel Pink's, "A Whole New Mind: Why Left-Brainers Will Rule the Future" were used as the theoretical framework for this study. Seventeen African-American girls who were enrolled in the "I AM COMPLETE" summer program participated in the pilot study. Data was collected from the College Foundation of North Carolina Career Interest Explorer and the STEM Career Interest Survey, which served as a pre and post-test. This pilot offered limited support for the hypothesis, however, career mentoring and opportunities for young people to experience careers, especially in the STEM areas must continue to grow. The role that the arts play in this process is pivotal in galvanizing females and minorities to join these professions. It is the hope of this researcher that the pilot be replicated using a much larger population of students and school communities.

Leadership's Role in Recruitment and Retention of First Generation, Low-Income Latino Students into STEM Majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Eliseo A.

Fostering resiliency and educational success in students that are faced with adversity is not a simple task. The gap in educational success and achievement among low-income, first generation, traditionally marginalized students continues to be significant. California's educational system needs to stop the hemorrhaging from its educational pipeline, also known as the P-20 pipeline, of all students, especially those groups of students with larger gaps in educational attainment. One potential path towards fixing California's educational pipeline for all students is to form and keep partnerships with programs such as Upward Bound, AVID, and Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA). In 2010-11, the California Department of Education (CDE) reported that over 51% of students enrolled in California's school system and 51% of all California high school seniors were Latino were Latino. Of the 231,231 Latino high school seniors, 79%, graduated. However, of those that graduated, only 26%, met University of California/California State University (UC/CSU) college entrance requirements. Even though 79% of Latinos graduated, 74% did not qualify to apply to a UC or CSU. If the majority of Latino students continue to fall through holes in the educational pipeline, companies will continue to look abroad to fill STEM jobs that remain unfilled by American workers (California Department of Education [CDE], 2012). Alongside the U.S.'s current economic woes, the lack of college preparedness and knowledge by parents and students has led to a decrease in first generation, low-income Latino students' higher education enrollment (Camacho & Lord, 2011). With strong and positive leadership from family, supplemented by the MESA program, these youths can exert their resiliency, face adversity, and overcome extraordinary barriers. Leaders in education such as teachers, coordinators, advisers, administrators, and parents are in the best position to teach students about resilience (Ginsburg, 2007). The American Psychological Association (APA Practice Central, n.d.) defined resilience as, "the ability to handle stress and respond more positively to difficult events" (para. 1). MESA is structured to help foster resiliency and academic success in first generation, low-income, traditionally marginalized students. This study examined the role that leadership and programs such as MESA have in fostering or increasing resiliency attributing to increased academic success among first generation, low-income Latino students in the STEM fields.

Principles and Practices Fostering Inclusive Excellence: Lessons from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Capstone Institutions

PubMed Central

DiBartolo, Patricia Marten; Gregg-Jolly, Leslie; Gross, Deborah; Manduca, Cathryn A.; Iverson, Ellen; Cooke, David B.; Davis, Gregory K.; Davidson, Cameron; Hertz, Paul E.; Hibbard, Lisa; Ireland, Shubha K.; Mader, Catherine; Pai, Aditi; Raps, Shirley; Siwicki, Kathleen; Swartz, Jim E.

2016-01-01

Best-practices pedagogy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) aims for inclusive excellence that fosters student persistence. This paper describes principles of inclusivity across 11 primarily undergraduate institutions designated as Capstone Awardees in Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) 2012 competition. The Capstones represent a range of institutional missions, student profiles, and geographical locations. Each successfully directed activities toward persistence of STEM students, especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups, through a set of common elements: mentoring programs to build community; research experiences to strengthen scientific skill/identity; attention to quantitative skills; and outreach/bridge programs to broaden the student pool. This paper grounds these program elements in learning theory, emphasizing their essential principles with examples of how they were implemented within institutional contexts. We also describe common assessment approaches that in many cases informed programming and created traction for stakeholder buy-in. The lessons learned from our shared experiences in pursuit of inclusive excellence, including the resources housed on our companion website, can inform others’ efforts to increase access to and persistence in STEM in higher education. PMID:27562960

Beyond Academic and Social Integration: Understanding the Impact of a STEM Enrichment Program on the Retention and Degree Attainment of Underrepresented Students.

PubMed

Lane, Tonisha B

2016-01-01

The current study used a case study methodological approach, including document analysis, semistructured interviews, and participant observations, to investigate how a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enrichment program supported retention and degree attainment of underrepresented students at a large, public, predominantly white institution. From this study, a model emerged that encompassed four components: proactive care, holistic support, community building, and catalysts for STEM identity development. These components encompassed a number of strategies and practices that were instrumental in the outcomes of program participants. This paper concludes with implications for practice, such as using models to inform program planning, assessment, and evaluation. © 2016 T. B. Lane. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

An Investigation of a Culturally Responsive Approach to Science Education in a Summer Program for Marginalized Youth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garvin, Brittany A.

There have been numerous calls and efforts made to provide states, school districts, and communities needed financial support to increase and enhance access to and opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) related disciplines for marginalized populations (Tyson, Lee, & Hanson, 2007; Caldwell & Siwatu, 2003). As the challenge to better educate students of color and poor students intensifies, the need to provide equitable science learning experiences for all students aimed at scientific literacy and STEM also becomes critical. Thus the need to provide summer science enrichment programs where students engage in scientific experimentation, investigation, and critical thinking are vital to helping students who have been traditionally marginalized achieve success in school science and enter the science career pipeline. This mixed methods study examined the impact of a culturally responsive approach on student attitudes, interests in science education and STEM careers, and basic science content knowledge before and after participation in an upward bound summer program. Quantitative results indicated using a culturally responsive approach to teach science in an informal learning space significantly increases student achievement. Students receiving culturally responsive science instruction exhibited statistically significant increases in their posttest science scores compared to pretest science scores, M = 0.376, 95% CI [0.266, 0.487], t (10) = 7.610, p < 0.001. Likewise, students receiving culturally responsive science instruction had a significantly higher interest in science (M = 1.740, SD = 0.548) and STEM careers, M = 0.597, 95% CI [0.276, 0.919], p = 0.001. The qualitative data obtained in this study sought to gain a more in-depth understanding of the impact of a culturally responsive approach on students' attitudes, interests in science and STEM careers. Findings suggest providing students the opportunity to do and learn science utilizing a culturally responsive approach was much more beneficial to their overall science knowledge, as it allowed students to experience, understand, and connect to and through their science learning. Likewise, culturally responsive science instruction helped students to foster a more positive interest in science and STEM careers as it provided students the opportunity to do science in a meaningful and relevant way. Moreover, results revealed students receiving culturally responsive science instruction were able to see themselves represented in the curriculum and recognized their own strengths; as a result they were more validated and affirmed in and transformed by, their learning.

From the Green Screen to the Classroom: Training Graduate Students to Communicate Science and Mathematics Effectively through the INSPIRE Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, Donna M.; Radencic, Sarah P.; Walker, Ryan M.; Cartwright, John H.; Schmitz, Darrel W.; Bruce, Lori M.; McNeal, Karen S.

2014-11-01

Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education (INSPIRE) is a five-year partnership between Mississippi State University and three school districts in Mississippi’s Golden Triangle region. This fellowship program is designed to strengthen the communication and scientific reasoning skills of STEM graduate students by having them design and implement inquiry-based lessons which channel various aspects of their research in our partner classrooms. Fellows are encouraged to explore a diversity of approaches in classroom lesson design and to use various technologies in their lessons, including GIS, SkyMaster weather stations, Celestia, proscopes, benchtop SEM, and others. Prior to entering the classrooms for a full school year, Fellows go through an intense graduate-level training course and work directly with their partner teachers, the program coordinator, and participating faculty, to fold their lessons into the curricula of the classrooms to which they’ve been assigned. Here, we will discuss the various written, oral, and visual exercises that have been most effective for training our Fellows, including group discussions of education literature, role playing and team-building exercises, preparation of written lesson plans for dissemination to other teachers nationwide, the Presentation Boot Camp program, and production of videos made by the Fellows highlighting careers in STEM fields. We will also discuss the changes observed in Fellows’ abilities to communicate science and mathematics over the course of their fellowship year. INSPIRE is funded by the NSF Graduate K-12 (GK-12) STEM Fellowship Program, award number DGE-0947419.

Fertilizing ROSES through the STEM: Interdisciplinary Modules as Pre-service Research Experiences for Secondary STEM Educators (IMPRESS-Ed)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavic, Michael; Wiita, P. J.; Benoit, M.; Magee, N.

2013-01-01

IMPRESS-Ed is a program designed to provide authentic summer research experiences in the space, earth, and atmospheric sciences for pre-service K-12 educators at Long Island University (LIU) and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). In 2011 and 2012, the program involved five students and took place over eight weeks with recruitment occurring during the preceding academic year. The program was divided into two modules: A common core module and an individual mentored research experience. The common module consisted of three units focusing on data-driven pedagogical approaches in astrophysics, tectonophysics, and atmospheric science, respectively. The common module also featured training sessions in observational astronomy, and use of a 3D geowall and state of the art planetarium. Participants in the program are also offered the opportunity to utilize the available TCNJ facilities with their future students. The individual mentored research module matched student interests with potential projects. All five students demonstrated strong gains in earth and space science literacy compared to a baseline measurement. Each student also reported gaining confidence to incorporate data and research-driven instruction in the space and earth sciences into the K-12 STEM classroom setting. All five research projects were also quite successful: several of the students plan to continue research during the academic year and two students are presenting research findings as first authors here at AAS. Other research results are likely to be presented at this year's American Geophysical Union meeting.

Building up STEM education professional learning community in school setting: Case of Khon Kaen Wittayayon School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thana, Aduldej; Siripun, Kulpatsorn; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

The STEM education is new issue of teaching and learning in school setting. Building up STEM education professional learning community may provide some suggestions for further collaborative work of STEM Education from grounded up. This paper aimed to clarify the building up STEM education learning community in Khon Kaen Wittayayon (KKW) School setting. Participants included Khon Kaen University researchers, Khon Kaen Wittayayon School administrators and teachers. Methodology regarded interpretative paradigm. The tools of interpretation included participant observation, interview and document analysis. Data was analyzed to categories of condition for building up STEM education professional learning community. The findings revealed that the actions of developing STEM learning activities and research showed some issues of KKW STEM community of inquiry and improvement. The paper will discuss what and how the community learns about sharing vision of STEM Education, supportive physical and social conditions of KKW, sharing activities of STEM, and good things from some key STEM teachers' ambition. The paper may has implication of supporting STEM education in Thailand school setting.

A Serendipitous Benefit of a Teaching-Exploration Program at a Large Public University: Creating a STEM Workforce That Supports Teachers and Public Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whang-Sayson, Hannah; Daniel, Janice C.; Russell, Arlene A.

2017-01-01

We have discovered a new and formerly unstudied long-term impact of a system-wide research university program that provides opportunities for students to explore secondary school teaching as a potential career. Looking beyond teacher recruitment as the only assessment of success, we have investigated the impact of the program on those who explored…

Make Change Happen at the Program or Institutional Scale: Converting Community Expertise into Practical Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDaris, J. R.; Manduca, C. A.; Orr, C. H.

2016-12-01

As geoscience and STEM programs address common challenges like increasing the diversity of graduates or implementing active learning pedagogies, it is important to learn from the experiences of others in the community. Individual faculty members embody a wealth of experience on these topics but distilling that experience into practical guidance that has value for a broad audience is not as simple as knowing exactly what one person did. Context is important, not only because activities used in similar contexts are easier to adapt, but also because activities that work across multiple contexts are more robust. The development of any best practices guidance benefits from the engagement of a community. Synthesizing across multiple viewpoints leads to a consensus that builds on the diversity of individual experiences. The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College has had success generating such resources in geoscience and STEM education. Working with different groups of educators, we have helped develop content around making change happen at the program or institutional levels, increasing the diversity of students graduating in geoscience and STEM, fostering interdisciplinary learning, translating the results of education research into practice, and several others. These resources draw out common practices, situate them in the education research base, and highlight examples of their use in the real world but also communicate the different ways individuals or institutions have adapted these practices for their particular situation. These resources were developed through a group synthesis process involving the contribution of individual or group expertise, a face-to-face meeting of teams working on themes drawn from the contributed work, and asynchronous group revision and review following the meeting. The materials developed via this process provide reliable and adaptable guidance firmly rooted in the community's experience. This presentation will showcase these materials and describe the development process in detail. The materials that have been developed are being added to SERC's For Higher Ed portal (serc.carleton.edu/highered/index.html).

Engaging diverse community college students in the geosciences through a year-round career mentoring and research workforce program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sloan, V.; Barge, L. M.; Smith, M.

2017-12-01

Student attrition from STEM majors most often occurs in the first or second year of college. To retain underrepresented minority students who are largely enrolled in community colleges in STEM pathways, it is critical to provide hands-on experiences and exposure to STEM occupations in a supportive community, before the students transfer to four-year colleges. The goal of the Bridge to the Geosciences is to provide community college students with year-round career mentoring, exposure to different fields and organizations in the geosciences through small field or research experiences, and community-building within the cohort and in connection with a broader community of scientists. Each year, 20 students from Citrus College in Glendora, California participate in research "geomodules" organized around the planetary, atmospheric, ocean, and environmental science subfields of the geosciences at: (1) the Oak Crest Institute of Science, a chemistry research and diversity-oriented education organization in Monrovia, CA; (2) the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a NASA center in Pasadena, CA; (3) the University of Southern California's (USC) Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, a research center on Catalina Island; and (4) the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) in Boulder, CO. A peak experience of the program is a ten-day mini-internship at UCAR in Colorado where the students are immersed in atmospheric research, training, fieldwork, and presenting at a premier facility. Professional development, mentoring, science communication and cohort-development are woven across all four geomodules and throughout the year. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation's Improving Undergraduate STEM Education or IUSE program. Preliminary results indicate that the students' interest in the geosciences, confidence in their skills and identify as a scientist, and their sense of belonging to a cohort are increased by participation in this program.

Pathways to Excellence Scholarship Program for women in STEM fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Rienzi, Joseph

2013-03-01

Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) has an NSF S-STEM grant, Pathways to Excellence, that gives 10 scholarships annually to academically talented women undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are pursuing degrees in mathematics, physics, computer information systems, or engineering. NDMU has been cited (Whitten, et al. (2007)) as providing a female friendly environment for the study of physics. In this program we are using a tri-part mentoring system involving a faculty member in the student's discipline, a peer mentor from the program and an external alumnae mentor. The program also has a thematic seminar course for the scholars. Each student in the program is tasked to construct a career development plan in assistance with her faculty mentor and set measured annual goals. In addition, all scholarship students are requested to have an experiential experience. As a result, NDMU aims to strengthen its role in increasing the numbers of well-educated and skilled women employees from diverse backgrounds, including mostly first-generation college students, in technical and scientific areas. Early assessment of the success of the program will be presented as well as modifications that resulted from the formative evaluation. This program is funded by a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant which is not responsible for its content.

Bridging the Gap Between Scientists and Classrooms: Scientist Engagement in the Expedition Earth and Beyond Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graff, P. V.; Stefanov, W. L.; Willis, K. J.; Runco, S.

2012-01-01

Teachers in today s classrooms need to find creative ways to connect students with science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) experts. These STEM experts can serve as role models and help students think about potential future STEM careers. They can also help reinforce academic knowledge and skills. The cost of transportation restricts teachers ability to take students on field trips exposing them to outside experts and unique learning environments. Additionally, arranging to bring in guest speakers to the classroom seems to happen infrequently, especially in schools in rural areas. The Expedition Earth and Beyond (EEAB) Program [1], facilitated by the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Directorate Education Program at the NASA Johnson Space Center has created a way to enable teachers to connect their students with STEM experts virtually. These virtual connections not only help engage students with role models, but are also designed to help teachers address concepts and content standards they are required to teach. Through EEAB, scientists are able to actively engage with students across the nation in multiple ways. They can work with student teams as mentors, participate in virtual student team science presentations, or connect with students through Classroom Connection Distance Learning (DL) Events.

Using FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competitions to Engage Middle School Students in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosen, Jeffrey

2009-11-01

As the nation and world grapple with looming crises in sectors such as energy, health care and the environment, it is critical that we keep today's youth interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Studies indicate that many students lose interest in the sciences by ages 10-13, when they are in grades 4-8 in the U.S. educational system. Many of the interventions to counteract this trend focus on boosting interest in STEM in secondary schools and universities. However the case can be made that the greater need is actually earlier in the education of the child. How can we work with this age group in an exciting way that will promote the study of science? Student robotics competitions might be one effective answer. Programs are currently being run around the country and the world that engage young people in the study of science through robotic competition. Many of these programs rely on mentors to guide the students through the process, which in the most effective programs includes the study of physic concepts through engineering design. During this presentation we will discuss the options for participating in programs that help the students and teachers better understand the science, specifically the physics, which underlies robotics. In particular, we will focus on the international program called FIRST LEGO League (FLL), in which students ages 9-14 are challenged every year to construct a LEGO robot that can navigate and complete a course of theme-related missions. The FLL program is currently operating in almost every state in the U.S. and relies on recruiting qualified mentors and judges who want to impact young people's interest in STEM. Physics professionals can make a tremendous difference in the lives of these eager middle school students.

Informal Physics Education: Outreach from a National Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, Jose; Dixon, Patricia; Hughes, Roxanne

2012-02-01

This presentation highlights strategies for K-20 teaching and learning about materials research in informal settings. The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory's Center for Integrating Research & Learning is in a unique position to conduct programs that reach K-20 students and teachers. As part of a national laboratory the Center provides the infrastructure around which informal education programs are implemented, including the nationally-recognized programming as well as facilitating scientists' educational outreach in the community. Research Experiences for Undergraduates, focuses on encouraging women and other underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers reaching approximately 200 students many of whom have pursued careers in research as well as academia. The Research Experiences for Teachers program has provided internships for over 150 teachers; the Center also reaches over 10,000 students each year through school and community outreach. Success of informal education programs relies heavily on establishing strong mentoring relationships between scientists and K-20 students and teachers. The Center's success at maintaining diverse programming that transforms how materials education is presented beyond the traditional classroom is the focus for this presentation.

Physics education research: A research subfield of physics with gender parity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthelemy, Ramón S.; Van Dusen, Ben; Henderson, Charles

2015-12-01

Women currently outnumber men in obtaining undergraduate degrees but are underrepresented within STEM fields. However, women's representation varies by STEM field, and even further by STEM subfield. One field that has held a persistent low representation of women is physics. This paper seeks to uncover the truth behind an anecdotal claim that the subfield of physics education research (PER) has a higher representation of women than physics as a whole. Graduate students in PER completed an online survey to assess their demographics, trajectory in PER, climate experiences, and goals for their research. The response rate for the survey was 68%, yielding 125 total respondents. This paper will focus on the 91 respondents enrolled in U.S. graduate programs. It was found that women make up 51% of the U.S. PER graduate students in this sample, as compared to only 19% of physics graduate students overall. Survey findings also revealed that both women and men in PER graduate programs experience similarly positive working relationships with faculty and fellow students. Last, both men and women reported building a stronger scientific workforce and becoming better teachers as goals for their PER research.

Identifying Perceptions That Contribute to the Development of Successful Project Lead the Way Pre-Engineering Programs in Utah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMullin, Keith; Reeve, Edward

2014-01-01

An educational crisis has been reported from many scholarly platforms for the last quarter century. The United States is faced with the challenge of providing a secondary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, especially in secondary pre-engineering, that will lead its students to the fulfillment of academic and domestic…

Best Practices in NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, H.; Smith, D.

2015-11-01

NASA's Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program has partnered scientists and educators since its inception almost twenty years ago, leading to authentic STEM experiences and products widely used by the education and outreach community. We present examples of best practices and representative projects. Keys to success include effective use of unique mission science/technology, attention to audience needs, coordination of effort, robust partnerships and publicly accessible repositories of EPO products. Projects are broadly targeted towards audiences in formal education, informal education, and community engagement. All NASA programs are evaluated for quality and impact. New technology is incorporated to engage young students being raised in the digital age. All projects focus on conveying the excitement of scientific discoveries from NASA's Astrophysics missions, advancing scientific literacy, and engaging students in science and technology careers.

Integrating local environmental research into K-12 science classrooms and the value of graduate student-educator partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, N. D.; Petrik-Finley, R.

2015-12-01

Collaboration between researchers and K-12 educators enables an invaluable exchange of teaching philosophies and educational tools. Programs that partner graduate students with K-12 educators serve the dual purpose of training future educators and providing K-12 students with unique opportunities and perspectives. The benefits of this type of partnership include providing students with enhanced educational experiences and positive student-mentor relationships, training STEM graduate students in effective teaching strategies, and providing teachers with a firsthand resource for scientific information and novel educational materials. Many high school students have had little exposure to science beyond the classroom. Frequent interactions with "real-life" scientists can help make science more approachable and is an effective strategy for promoting science as a career. Here I describe my experiences and several lessons designed as a NSK GK-12 fellow. For example, a month-long unit on biogeochemical principles was framed as a crime scene investigation of a fish kill event in Hood Canal, Washington, in which students were given additional pieces of evidence to solve the mystery as they satisfied checkpoints in their understanding of key concepts. The evidence pieces included scientific plots, maps, datasets, and laboratory exercises. A clear benefit of this investigation-style unit is that students were able to learn the material at their individual pace. This structure allowed for a streamlined integration of differentiated materials such as simplified background readings or visual learning aids for struggling students or more detailed news articles and primary literature for more advanced students. Although the NSF GK-12 program has been archived, educators and researchers should pursue new partnerships, leveraging local and state-level STEM outreach programs with the goal of increasing national exposure of the societal benefits of such synergistic activities.

NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwerin, T. G.; Callery, S.; Chambers, L. H.; Riebeek Kohl, H.; Taylor, J.; Martin, A. M.; Ferrell, T.

2016-12-01

The NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC) is led by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies with partners at three NASA Earth science Centers: Goddard Space Flight Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Langley Research Center. This cross-organization team enables the project to draw from the diverse skills, strengths, and expertise of each partner to develop fresh and innovative approaches for building pathways between NASA's Earth-related STEM assets to large, diverse audiences in order to enhance STEM teaching, learning and opportunities for learners throughout their lifetimes. These STEM assets include subject matter experts (scientists, engineers, and education specialists), science and engineering content, and authentic participatory and experiential opportunities. Specific project activities include authentic STEM experiences through NASA Earth science themed field campaigns and citizen science as part of international GLOBE program (for elementary and secondary school audiences) and GLOBE Observer (non-school audiences of all ages); direct connections to learners through innovative collaborations with partners like Odyssey of the Mind, an international creative problem-solving and design competition; and organizing thematic core content and strategically working with external partners and collaborators to adapt and disseminate core content to support the needs of education audiences (e.g., libraries and maker spaces, student research projects, etc.). A scaffolded evaluation is being conducted that 1) assesses processes and implementation, 2) answers formative evaluation questions in order to continuously improve the project; 3) monitors progress and 4) measures outcomes.

Kennedy Space Center ITC-1 Internship Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ni, Marcus

2011-01-01

As an intern for Priscilla Elfrey in the ITC-1 department, I was involved in many activities that have helped me to develop many new skills. I supported four different projects during my internship, which included the Center for Life Cycle Design (CfLCD), SISO Space Interoperability Smackdown, RTI Teacher Mentor Program, and the Discrete Event Simulation Integrated Visualization Environment Team (DIVE). I provided the CfLCD with web based research on cyber security initiatives involving simulation, education for young children, cloud computing, Otronicon, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education initiatives. I also attended STEM meetings regarding simulation courses, and educational course enhancements. To further improve the SISO Simulation event, I provided observation feedback to the technical advisory board. I also helped to set up a chat federation for HLA. The third project involved the RTI Teacher Mentor program, which I helped to organize. Last, but not least, I worked with the DIVE team to develop new software to help visualize discrete event simulations. All of these projects have provided experience on an interdisciplinary level ranging from speech and communication to solving complex problems using math and science.

FINESSE Spaceward Bound - Teacher Engagement in NASA Science and Exploration Field Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, A. J. P.; Heldmann, J. L.; Sheely, T.; Karlin, J.; Johnson, S.; Rosemore, A.; Hughes, S.; Nawotniak, S. Kobs; Lim, D. S. S.; Garry, W. B.

2016-01-01

The FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration) team of NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is focused on a science and exploration field-based research program aimed at generating strategic knowledge in preparation for the human and robotic exploration of the Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, and the moons of Mars. The FINESSE science program is infused with leading edge exploration concepts since "science enables exploration and exploration enables science." The FINESSE education and public outreach program leverages the team's field investigations and educational partnerships to share the excitement of lunar, Near Earth Asteroid, and martian moon science and exploration locally, nationally, and internationally. The FINESSE education plan is in line with all of NASA's Science Mission Directorate science education objectives, particularly to enable STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and leverage efforts through partnerships.