1. The League for Innovation - STEMTech Conference
Orlando, Florida
October 30 – November 3, 2010
Presented by:
Elke Milton &
Dr. Keith Pratt

2. Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Education
Why STEM?
Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) Education
Think in terms of a STEM education P-16 alignment with early age students as building bridges and an investment towards a sustainable future.

3. Why a P-16 STEM Alignment?
The success of the United States in the 21st century will depend on the ideas and skills of its population.
The world has become extremely technological, and the value of the U.S. will be determined by the effectiveness of how we advance STEM education.
STEM education will determine whether the U.S. will remain a leader among nations with the ability to solve global challenges in such areas as energy, health, environmental protection, and national security.

4. Why a P-16 STEM Alignment?
It will ensure our society continues to make fundamental discoveries and to advance our understanding of ourselves, our planet, and the universe.
It will generate the scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians who will create the new ideas, new products, and entirely new industries of the 21st century.
It will provide the technical skills and quantitative literacy needed for individuals to earn livable wages and make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.
it will strengthen our democracy by preparing all citizens to make informed choices in an increasingly technological world.

5. Results of a STEM Education
STEM education, based on a hands-on learning approach that actively involves students in their own learning process, makes learning fun and an adventure.
STEM Education from 1½ years right up to university level is a starting point to provide complete learning that cover a variety of curriculum areas, while encouraging children to use their creative, problem-solving and team-working skills.

6. Results of a STEM Education
Optimal STEM learning occurs when children get the opportunity to explore the world on their own, but in a guided environment. When children actively construct things in the physical world, it helps them to build knowledge. This new knowledge enables them to create ever more sophisticated solutions, yielding more skills, more knowledge, and more challenges in a self-reinforcing cycle.
MIT Professor Emeritus Seymour Papert says: "Constructionism means learning by making something. LEGO is an example, writing computer programs is an example, painting is an example. And what you learn in the process of doing that sinks much deeper, its roots go deeper into the subsoil of the mind than anything anybody can tell you."

7. STEM Education - Learning Process
STEM education is designed to support a structured learning process which consists of four phases: Connect, Construct, Contemplate, and Continue. Connect A key aspect of learning by making is the fact that children learn best when they can either relate new experiences to their existing knowledge bank or are exposed to an idea so compelling that it inspires them to learn more about it. The Connect phase provides a short, engaging story, introducing a problem or a challenge that students must solve. Construct The Construct phase is all about building things in the real world and students piecing knowledge and understanding together. They are given particular assignments encouraging them to plan and then build their own solutions to the problem or challenge presented in the Connect phase, perhaps even ending up with their own software program.

8. STEM Education - Learning Process
Contemplate An important aspect of the learning process is the Contemplate phase. This involves children taking time to think about what they have seen or constructed, and thereby deepening their understanding of what they have just achieved or experienced. Students discuss the project at hand, reflect on and adapt their ideas, and teachers can encourage this process by asking questions. Continue Finally, the Continue phase builds on the natural urge to want to know more. Extension ideas are provided that encourage students to change or add features to their models. Doing so will lead them to a new Connect phase, thus allowing them to enter a positive learning spiral, in which they take on increasingly difficult challenges.

9. Is Our Current System for STEM Education Working?
The U.S. still lags behind other nations in STEM education at the elementary and secondary levels. Less than one-third of U.S. eighth graders show proficiency in mathematics and science.
African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and women are seriously underrepresented in many STEM fields. This deprives students and the Nation of the full benefit of their talents and perspectives.
Evidence suggests that proficient students have been gravitating from science and engineering toward other professions, because students believe STEM subjects are boring.

10. Of 29 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 24th
PISA 2003 Results, OECD

11. Is Our Current System for STEM Education Working?
The U.S. focuses too much on low-performing students, and must devote attention and resources to our most high-achieving students from across all groups.
Mediocre test scores and a pervasive lack of interest in STEM is troubling, and can be attributable to schools that are failing systemically.
Schools that are generally successful often fall short in STEM fields.

12. Is Our Current System for STEM Education Working?
Schools often lack teachers who know how to teach science and mathematics effectively and inspire their students.
Teachers lack adequate support, appropriate professional development as well as interesting and intriguing curricula.
The Nation lacks clear, shared standards for science and math that would help all stakeholders in the system establish and achieve goals.

13. PISA 2006 Science Of 30 OECD Countries, U.S.A. Ranked 21st
Higher than U.S. average Not measurably different from U.S. average Lower than U.S. average
Source: NCES, PISA 2006 Results,

14. Immigrants? The U.S.A. does have a larger percentage of immigrants and children of immigrants than most OECD countries
U.S.A.
Source: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c,

15. But ranks 21st out of 30 OECD countries when only taking into account native student* scores PISA 2006 Science
U.S.A.
*Students born in the country of assessment with at least one parent born in the same country
Source: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c,

16. Among OECD Countries, U. S. A
Among OECD Countries, U.S.A. has the 4th Largest Gap Between High-SES and Low-SES Students
U.S.A.
PISA 2006 Results, OECD, table 4.8b
Source: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c,

17. What Can We Do to Improve STEM Education?
Encourage higher education leaders to strengthen K–8 teacher education programs to provide a deeper understanding of the content knowledge necessary to teach mathematics and science. early math and science knowledge is a powerful predictor of later learning, and prevents high school dropout.
America’s global competitiveness will increasingly depend on our ability to better educate our young people to think critically in math and science and to attract more of our best and brightest students into technological careers.

18. What Can We Do to Improve STEM Education?
To attract and retain precollege science and mathematics teachers, we must provide quality, sustained professional development experiences for all K–12 science and mathematics teachers that will increase and deepen content knowledge.
Invest in research on teaching and learning that will better inform development of science and mathematics curricula and pedagogical approaches.

19. STEM is all about Problem-Solving; however, the U. S. A
STEM is all about Problem-Solving; however, the U.S.A. Ranks 24th Out of 29 OECD Countries in Problem-Solving
U.S.A.
PISA 2003 Results, OECD
Source: OECD, PISA 2006 Results, table 4.2c,

20. Excellent Slide Shows - STEM Programs To Advance Education

21. STEM Initiatives in Community Colleges

22. Documents/Articles Resources

23. Web Resources

24. STEM Programs http://www.firstlegoleague.org/

25. The Thrill of Genuine Achievement
STEM Education
The Thrill of Genuine Achievement
Finally, students who create their own solutions to problems experience the thrill of genuine achievement - an experience altogether different from simply memorizing the achievements of others.
This makes learning an adventure. The more empowered children feel, the more they enjoy their classes, and the more they begin to take charge of their own learning process.
Let’s Do It!

26. Q&A

27. Elke Milton teaches middle school in the Houston, Texas area, and has been teaching for 10 years. She also taught high school for two years, but is now focused on developing students from the early childhood education years. STEM education is her passion and she plans summer camps with kids from all backgrounds. Ms. Milton is currently a PhD student with Walden University in the Early Childhood and Primary Education program. Ms. Milton can be reached at or Dr. Keith Pratt is a managing partner in Crossroads Consulting Group. He has also taught online courses at several universities. Since 1994 he has collaboratively conducted pioneering research and training in the emerging areas of electronic group facilitation, face-to-face and electronic community building, distance learning, and management and supervision.  has taught online for Ottawa University, where he was Chair of the Management Information Systems Program. He has also taught at Wayland Baptist University and the University of Alaska. His information can be located at:

28. Milton, E. & Pratt, K. (2010, October)
Milton, E. & Pratt, K. (2010, October).  Building bridges:  P-16 stem alignment.  Paper presented at the meeting of the League of Innovations STEMTech Conference, Orlando, FL, USA.