STEM 4033 Introduction to STEM Education

“People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care”

Notecard Intro Activity 1.What is your major and concentration? 2.Where are you from-where in the world is home? 3.What is the most exciting thing you did this summer? 4.A ‘maker’ is a person that makes or produces something. This term is used to describe those who enjoy creating things in their spare time, and is often synonymous with the DIY, DIWO, and STEM movement. How are you a maker?

Where in the world is home?

Assignment: What is STEM? What does STEM mean to you? Why should STEM be important in schools? -½ pg. type-written reflection Reading: -STEM Education is Elementary article -Intel Foundation: Changing Attitudes is Key in STEM Education

The STEM Imperative

Only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient and interested in a STEM career. Partly because of this, the U.S. ranks 25th in math and 17th in science among industrialized nations. Considering a Job in STEM

According to the U.S. Department of Education, all STEM jobs in the U.S. will increase 14 percent between now and 2020, accounting for millions of positions. Yet, data shows that 3 million of those jobs will go unfilled. STEM Jobs

The Problem Just as the nation’s economic engines and national security measures have come to rest squarely on the shoulders of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), American students are recoiling from these disciplines in record numbers.

STEM prepares students for life, regardless of the profession they choose to follow. STEM teaches students how to think critically and how to solve problems — skills that can be used throughout life Preparation for Life

Preparing the next-generation to succeed in life is a tall order. And, we will substantially fail if we don’t teach children how to think critically and solve ill-structured problems. A Tall Order

STEM doesn’t have to be expensive

Today, PK-12 education does not focus enough on teaching children to solve real world problems and is not interdisciplinary, nor collaborative enough in its approach Currently, STEM is Not A Focal Point

What We Need in Schools STEM content integrated in all courses; More engaged learning/less lecture; More Ill-structured problem solving; More strategies that cause students to seek STEM content answers; More underrepresented populations engaging in STEM; and, More collaborative learning experiences.

We Need to Emphasize  Critical thinking  Problem solving ability development  Leadership/teamwork development  Ethics and responsibility  Invention, imagination, and ingenuity  Communication skill development

Teamwork!

Message from STEM Kids

Critical thinking is impossible to teach directly Must be entangled with content Placing too strong an emphasis on simply acquiring knowledge leaves students struggling when trying to use this knowledge outside the classroom Power of Critical Thinking

STEM teachers pose problems and combine problem solving with project- based learning across disciplines. Developing students’ critical thinking, communication, assessment, and inquiry skills. What do STEM Teachers Do?

Real-world problem-solving is the essence of STEM lessons. Solving real-world problems causes students to use/expand higher-order thinking skills. Identifying creative, real-world problems for students is the essence of STEM teaching. Using Real-World Problems

Pre-service Teachers Develop & Test STEM Lessons Charlotte’s Web The Big Builder

Developing/Testing STEM Curricula

Students Designing Solutions

Accomplish these things: 1.Apply math/science through authentic, hands-on learning 2.Include the use/creation of technology 3.Require the use of the engineering design loop 4.Require collaborative teamwork 5.Emphasize math/science/technology standards 6.Address real-world problems Good STEM Lessons…

Connecting Literature w/STEM

Halloween Theme

Working Collaboratively to Solve the Problem

PBL in Action

Logs and Presentations

Is it STEM?  A lot of lessons are trying to fly under the name of STEM.  Does the lesson you are using pass these tests:  Does it require use of the engineering design process?  Is it a real-world problem?  Can the students relate? (is it locally important?)  Is teamwork essential for solving this problem?  Are there multiple possible solutions?  Do students explore/develop own ideas, without being spoon- fed?  Does it cover important concepts from STEM disciplines?  Can performance be assessed?  Does the STEM lesson deliver content, or is it a follow-up?  Is it more than a cute toy?  Is it really STEM—or just a new name for an old activity?