STEM INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK ASTE January 2014 San Antonio, TX ASTE January 2014 San Antonio, TX DRS. Andrea Burrows, Tim Slater, Mike Borowczak, and Ms. Debbie French UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING Drs. Andrea Burrows, Tim Slater, *Mike Borowczak, and Ms. Debbie French UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING & ERERBUS Labs

(PRE) CONCEPTIONS  USE THE SHEET PROVIDED…  Write the CITY and STATE where you work (at the top).  Write a 3 DIGIT CODE (that you will remember )  ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: 1. WHAT IS STEM? 2. WHAT IS INTEGRATED STEM? 3. HOW DO PARTNERSHIPS IMPACT INTEGRATED STEM?

TRY IT (#1) TRY IT! (#1)  Pick a partner  Pick an index card  Write out directions for someone else to draw your picture

TRY IT! (#2)  Draw the picture Based on written directions from your partner

TRY IT! (#3)  Compare your picture to the picture that your partner used to write the directions  How close was your picture to the actual picture (original)?  Why does “matching” the original picture matter?  Why doesn’t “matching” the original picture matter?  How does this relate to the integrated STEM question?

SO WHAT?  The key to collective understanding of integrated STEM in the education community is defining the picture  The picture in this case is INTEGRATED STEM SO WHAT?

I-STEM  INTEGRATED STEM – Why and What? Improve K-12 College readiness skills And Enhance the quantity and quality of students pursuing STEM related careers I-STEM

5 CATEGORIES  REVIEW OF 50 ARTICLES, BOOKS, AND PRESENATIONS ON I-STEM… 1. K-20 ACTIVITIES 2. UNIVERSITY FACULTY IMPLEMENTATION 3. PARTNERSHIPS 4. GRANT WORK 5. TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

WHY NOW?  I-STEM is a source of ambiguity SANDERS, 2009  Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) They are here!  If we are asked to use it… We should be able to do it and explain it!

GROUP DEFINITION  Project based Specific goal (e.g. engineering or others – product based)  Making relationships explicit (STEM)  Definitions are nebulous  Context for learning that drives personal engagement  Buy in from all the areas at once brings additional value Mixed groups (cooperative setting)  Come together around projects Inquiry based  The complexities of cross-disciplinary teaching (e.g. teaching out of subject matter – quality)

NGSS  PRACTICES Formulating a problem – instead of only a question  CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS Apply to all realms of science  DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS Importance, Concept, Tools, Real-world NGSS

CONVENTIONAL TEACHER PREPARATION TRADITIONAL MODEL Pathway Undergraduate trained in a discipline while taking education classes for certification ALTERNATIVE MODEL Pathway Person trained in a discipline taking education classes for certification Biggest difference – …experiences prior to certification

DISCONNECT  Trained in one discipline  Expected to incorporate many disciplines (STEM) BIG QUESTION:  If “integration is crucial” how do pre-service and in-service teachers connect to I-STEM?

BELIEF STUDY  STUDY: 11 PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS (Fall 2012) 17 survey questions Average change of 30% for each question (pre vs. post) 8 questions had a significant difference (pre vs. post)  SHOWS: Willingness/Eagerness to learn

ADDITIONAL DATA  [30] Teachers and Educators (Fall 2013) answered the 3 questions asked earlier  Found the following QuestionChange Q2 (79% Change)All STEM together consistently(+36%); increased complexity(+29%); blended courses(+29%); different perspective(+14%) Q3 (57% Change)Seeing teachers as partners (29%); mutli-level partnership(+21%); change in understanding (+14%);

5-TIER I-STEM FRAMEWORK  IMAGINE A TARGET LEVEL 0 = Single Discipline LEVEL 1 = 2 Disciplines LEVEL 2 = 3 Disciplines LEVEL 3 = Engineering Projects highlighting S, T, & M LEVEL 4 = Constant Integration (BULLSEYE!)

ASSESSMENT OF I-STEM?  INSTRUCTION, MATERIALS, AND ASSIGNMENTS… Emphasize ONE discipline/possibly TWO? Expose learners to same phenomena from SINGLE discipline? Expose learners to same phenomena from MULTIPLE disciplines? Engineering projects with real-world S, T, and M connections? Show seamless integration of STEM…

INTERVIEW TEACHERS?  INTERVIEWS COULD: Show insight into what teachers are teaching (pre vs. post?) Show teacher openness/willingness/eagerness Show teacher growth  Could this approach lead to discussion about Integrated STEM?  How would administrators find the time for these discussions?

THINGS TO CONSIDER  Where do partnerships come from?  What is the added value of partnerships?  Is defining I-STEM (Creating a Framework) important?  Why or why not? IF IT IS – How is it defined? By Whom? How is it assessed? By Whom? IF NOT – Why push “integrated STEM?”  What feedback do you have to add to the 5 tiers? I-STEM concept(s)?

(POST)CONCEPTION POST CONCEPTION  USE THE SHEET PROVIDED…  Write the CITY and STATE where you work (at the top).  Write a 3 DIGIT CODE (SAME AS THE ONE YOU CHOOSE EARLIER )  ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS: 1. WHAT IS STEM? 2. WHAT IS INTEGRATED STEM? 3. HOW DO PARTNERSHIPS IMPACT INTEGRATED STEM?

MOVE BEYOND… TO… SCIENCE TEACHERS NEED TO: MOVE BEYOND – The rhetoric to integrate STEM MOVE TO – Specialized knowledge relating to teaching science – including PCK (Shulman, 1987)  Purposely break down discipline walls  Expect I-STEM approaches and attitudes

THANK YOU! THANK YOU  QUESTIONS?  Contact us anytime: Andrea Burrows: Tim Slater: Mike Borowczak: Debbie French:

EXAMPLES  Robotics in the 21 st Century: UWRobotics.com  Engineering Lessons: