Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Needs, Initiatives and Concerns

Francis Eberle

National Science Teachers Association

Robotic Caucus Briefing

Sept 22, 2011

S&E Job Market: Job Growth 1950-2007 by occupation (in millions)

(STEM Education Data and Trends, National Science Board)

Earnings in S&T and Related Occupations 2007

(STEM Education Data and Trends, National Science Board)

Third International Mathematics and Science Study

TIMSS scores show American students compared to their peers in countries worldwide in math and science achievement

Underrepresented minority groups comprised 28.5 percent of our national population in 2006, yet just 9.1 percent of college-educated Americans in science

and engineering occupations (academic and nonacademic).

This suggests the proportion of underrepresented minorities in S&E would need to triple to match their share of the overall U.S. population

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: Participation: America’s Science and America’s Science and Technology Talent at the CrossroadsTechnology Talent at the Crossroads

NRC, 2011

NAEP Science at Grades 4, 8, and 12

020406080

100120140160180

Grade4 Grade 8 Grade 12

White BlackHispanic Asian/Pacific IslanderAmerican Indian/Native Alaska

Average scores in NAEP 2009

Elementary Teacher Preparation and Confidence

K-5 Multi-Subject Teachers Perception of Content Preparedness

3% 3%20%

42%

97% 97%

80%

58%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Math (n=605) Language Arts(n=606)

Social Studies(n=605)

Science (n=606)

Subject Area

Perc

en

tag

e

Not adequately prepared --> Only somewhat prepared Prepared --> Very well prepared

42% of teachers do not feel prepared to teach science

Bay Area Consortium for Improving Science Education

Harris Poll/Microsoft : College Students: n=500, Parents of Child in Grades K–12: n=854

Parent Rating of K–12 STEM Prep

Grade Total Parents

A 28%

B 41%

C 22%

D 7%

F 3%

Average Grade: B

“AP courses were offered at my high school so I was able to gain a good foundation in Calculus and Physics.”

“My schools prepared me for college workloads by sometimes giving college

entry level work. Also quite often we would be given opportunities to take a

college course or something of that sort.”

“More in-depth curriculum.”

“Offer more AP courses and also more opportunities for hands-on experience and

programs with each field.”

“More application, less theory.”

STEM Perceptions: Student & Parent StudySTEM College Students: How Well Did Your K–12

Education Prepare You for College?What did your school do to

help prepare you?

What could your school have done to better prepare you?

Females in STEM are more

likely than males to say they were extremely/well-

prepared (64% vs. 49%)

8.2

7.2

7.5

*

*

*

*

*

6.3

4.9

5.5

9.4

5.2

N/A

Parents: What Is Your Child’s Favorite Subject in School?

Average Age INTEREST

Began

STEM Perceptions: Student & Parent Study

STEM Students: When Did You DECIDE You Wanted to Study STEM?

Harris Poll/Microsoft: College Students: n=500, Parents of Child in Grades K–12: n=854

“All of you understand it will take far more than the work of government. It will take all of us. It will take all of you. And so today I want to challenge you to use your love and knowledge of science to spark

the same sense of wonder and excitement in a new generation.”

--President Obama, speaking to the National Academy of Science, April 27th, 2009

Educate to Innovate Public/private partnerships w/ both $ and in kind

contributions ($700m) Reach 10M students with hands-on learning Emphasis on STEM programs

• Time Warner Cable’s “Connect a Million Minds” Campaign• Discovery Communications’ “Be the Future” Campaign• Sesame Street’s Early STEM Literacy Initiative• National STEM Game Design Competitions• National Lab Day• Intel’s Science and Math Teachers Initiative• Expansion of the National Math and Science Initiative’s UTeach Program• Public University Presidents Commit to Train 10,000 Math and Science Teachers Annually by 2015• The PBS Innovative Educators Challenge• Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships in Math and Science• NASA’s “Summer of Innovation” Enrichment Program• Department of Education’s Teacher Initiatives• Youth Inspired Challenge with 350 science centers and science museums• Transforming Libraries and Museums into 21st Century Learning Labs• National STEM Video Game Challenge• Raytheon’s New STEM Tool for State Policymakers.• National Math Science Initiative’s (NMSI) To Assist Military Families• Nature Publishing’s “Bridge to Science” Program for Parents and Scientists• HP Efforts to Bring Passions of Scientists and Engineers into Classrooms

Change the Equation: CEO of Major Companies

White House STEM Events

Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology Recruit and train 100,000 great STEM teachers over the next decade

Recognize and reward the top 5 percent of the Nation’s STEM teachers, by creating a STEM master teachers corps

Create 1,000 new STEM-focused schools over the next decade

Use technology to drive innovation, in part by creating an advanced research projects agency—modeled on the famously innovative Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)—for education

Create opportunities for inspiration through individual and group experiences outside the classroom

• Support the current state-led movement for shared standards in math and science

President Obama American Jobs Act $25 billion investment in school infrastructure that will modernize at least 35,000 public schools. Funds could be used for a range of emergency

repair and renovation projects, greening and energy efficiency upgrades, asbestos abatement and removal, and modernization efforts to build new science and computer labs and to upgrade technology in schools (emphasis added).

$5 billion investment in modernizing community colleges.

$30 billion investment to prevent layoffs of up to 280,000 teachers nationwide.

Digital Promise Initiative

A new national center founded to spur breakthrough technologies that can help transform the way teachers teach and students learn.

It will advance breakthrough technologies that can help transform teaching and learning through research and development with private-sector investment in learning technology.

Next Generation of Science StandardsThe Conceptual Framework Science EducationImplications:Integration of the 3 elements

Core Ideas Cross Cutting Concepts Scientific Practices

Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science StandardsTargeted for completion in Dec 201220 State Partners

Next Generation Science and Engineering Standards: Timeline

www.nextgenscience.org

Successful K-12 STEM Education:

Identifying Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Key recommendation: State, national, and local policymakers should elevate science education in grades K-12 to the same level of importance as reading and mathematics

Key elements of high-quality STEM education:

A coherent set of standards and curriculum.  Teachers with high capacity to teach in their discipline.     A supportive system of assessment and

accountability.  Adequate instructional time for science.  Equal access to high-quality STEM learning

opportunities.  School conditions and cultures that support

learning.   

STEM Learning in Afterschool: An Analysis of Impact and Outcomes

Afterschool programs improve access to the STEM fields for a diverse group of learners.

High-quality afterschool STEM programs are yielding STEM-specific benefits in three broad categories: improved attitudes toward STEM fields and

careers; increased STEM knowledge and skills; increased likelihood of graduation and pursuing a

STEM career.

Administration’s STEM Request for Elementary and Secondary Education Act Reauthorization

The Administration proposes to eliminate the current Math and Science Partnerships at ED, a targeted program where every state gets funding

Create Effective Teaching and Learning: STEM program, funded at $260m. These would provide competitive grants to states for STEM programs.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act and STEM Senators are introducing education bills

and this legislation could be amended as an ESEA base bill. Franken: Master Teacher Corps Begich: Effective STEM Teaching and Learning Shaheen: Innovation Inspiration School Grants Udall: STEM 2 bill Gillibrand: Engineering Bill

In the House, no specific legislation deals with STEM education

Thoughts for Policymakers’ Next Steps Include Science in the Accountability

System Expand and Strengthen State Grants for

STEM Initiatives Create Effective Teachers by Dedicating

Funding for Teacher Professional Development

Support the Implementation of Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards

Highest possible funding for STEM Program