Why Technology/Engineering for Swampscott School District?

Why Teach Engineering?  Children are born engineers – they like solving problems and we can build on this natural instinct.  We use most of our lives interacting or using technology –from a phone, to a pen, to medicine, clothing, computer, all of which are technologies.  Allows for project-based instruction and learning in the classroom which boosts student engagement while honing critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Brings math and science to life because children can see how it is used and it opens up wonderful career opportunities

STEM Demand is High America faces an acute STEM job gap, and what makes the crisis worse is that we aren’t producing enough students trained in those fields to fill those jobs in the future. The nation is expected to have more than 8.6 million STEM-related jobs available in 2018, the National Math and Science initiative warns as many as three million of those jobs could go unfilled at the current rate the U.S. produces workers trained in STEM.

STEM Demand is High  In the next 10 years, STEM jobs will grow by 17%, compared to 9.8% for all other occupations.  Across the US, when you look at all types of occupations, there are 3.6 people for every 1 job. In STEM, there is 1 person for every 1.9 jobs The Powerful Link between STEM, Early Childhood, and Global Competitiveness, JD Chesloff

So What Has Changed?  The demand for knowledgeable workers vs. skilled labor  Population growth in this country  Demographic change in America  The focus on global competitiveness and innovation

“NCTL’s goal is to foster appreciation and understanding of the human-made world by infusing technology and engineering into K-12 schools and museums nationwide. By applying science and mathematics as well as engineering processes, children and adults can solve real world problems and learn about the creation and implications of technologies. We aim to inspire our nation’s next generation of innovators, inventors, and engineers.” National Center for Technological Literacy® Vision

The Gateway Project Mission The goal of the Gateway Project is for all students to become scientifically and technologically literate so that they can fully participate in our increasingly technological society, as citizens, workers, and consumers.

History of the Gateway Project Phase I ( 2005 – 2007)  50 K-12 district teams attend Gateway District Institute  Gateway website and discussion board goes live Phase II (2008 – 2012)  First cohort of five Regional Gateway Leaders formed  33 new districts participate in the Gateway District Institute

Gateway Summer Institute: K-12 The Gateway Summer Institute provides all the tools needed by school districts to work together as a team in order to create a “Plan of Action” that will guide their district in implementing K-12 standards-based technology/engineering education strategies that work. Cornerstone of the Gateway Project

Massachusetts Gateway School Districts Abington Agawam Amesbury Andover Arlington Ashburnham- Westminster Regional Ashland Attleboro Auburn Berkley Boston Bourne Braintree Brockton Burlington Cambridge Canton Carlisle Carver Chatham Christa McAuliffle Regional Charter Concord Danvers Dennis-Yarmouth Regional Dighton-Rehoboth Regional Dover-Sherborn Duxbury Everett Fall River Falmouth Foxborough Framingham Freetown-Lakeville Gateway Regional Gill-Montague Regional Hanover Harwich Holbrook Hopedale Lowell Lynn Lynnfield Manchester Essex Regional Methuen Middleborough Millis Milton Monson Mystic Valley Regional Natick Nauset Needham New Bedford Newton North Reading Northampton and Northampton-Smith Vocational Norwell Old Rochester Regional Peabody Quincy Randolph Revere Salem Saugus Sharon Southwick-Tolland Regional Springfield Sudbury Swansea Tewksbury Triton Regional Tri-Town School Union Tyngsborough Wachusett Regional Walpole Waltham Wareham Wellesley Westborough Westwood Whitman-Hansen Regional Winchendon Winchester Winthrop Worcester

K-12  Develop an “Action Plan” that is crafted around an individual school district’s vision for implementing K-12 standards-based technology/engineering education strategies.  Develop effective and feasible ways of “steering the ship” and generating “contingency plans”. YOUR  If YOUR team can’t make it work - no one else can! District STEM Leadership Teams Responsibilities

 Short Term - create a “Plan of Action” that provides a practical framework in which to begin implementing systemic changes to technology/engineering education within the district (Summer Institute) K-12  Long Term – use of the “Plan of Action” as a flexible guide with which to build and sustain engineering/technology programs that will serve all their district students, K-12 (year 1 and beyond…..) Expected Outcomes for Gateway District STEM Leadership Teams

Many participating schools have seen measurable increases in their 5 th and 8 th grade Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS scores. *District results will vary Additional Benefits