1. Feedback on the Literacy-based STEM Challenge Assignment
Most were very creative and engaging
Great book selections and good standards selections
Make sure that your standards drive everything
Standards content should be evident in the project or problem
Standards content should be measured in the assessment
The assessment should measure everything that you want the student to know and be able to do

2. Feedback on the Literacy-based STEM Challenge Assignment
The assessment should measure performance in the STEM challenge
Most of you included a STEM engineering journal
The assessment should include a measure of performance on the engineering journal
The assessment should be as performance-based as possible

3. Feedback on the Literacy-based STEM Challenge Assignment
Make sure that you’re considering the four STEM disciplines (at least) as you develop to challenge
Remember, the scenario is designed to engage the students and extend upon the book, as well as the standards
Content: Make sure to include specific content in this section—refer to the standards as well as the content students will need to adequately solve the problem

4. Feedback on the Literacy-based STEM Challenge Assignment
All teachers borrow ideas—that’s encouraged!
But, when you borrow, make the borrowed material your own
Many of you though carefully about the teacher (limitations, teacher guidelines, testing procedures)
Make sure that you are specific when discussing testing—think of the most amateur teacher and how they would perform
Make sure the big ideas are truly “big”
Watch for grammar, typos, and colloquialisms

5. col·lo·qui·al·ism kəˈlōkwēəˌlizəm/ noun noun: colloquialism; plural noun: colloquialisms a word or phrase that is not formal or literary, typically one used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

6. Examples Colloquialism Better Figuring out Do experiment Do research
Working through
Throw out ideas
Fiddling around with
Put on back burner
Fixing
Set up
Think
Long ways
Kids
Determining
Conduct experiment
Conduct research
Completing
Generate ideas
Experimenting with
Delay until later/set aside
Preparing to
Arrangement
Consider
Long distance
Children/students

7. Engineering Design
One classification of technological, engineering, or STEM problem solving. Unlike some other types of problems that students in a STEM class might encounter, design problems are frequently less well defined and can often be solved in a number of different ways within a set of constraints. Design problems usually start with a phrase like, “design a device that will…”

8. Technical/Procedural
Form of problem solving that requires a student to follow a set of technical directions to accomplish a task. For example, students might be required to build an electronic device following precise directions of a technical nature and then, when the device is complete, the students must complete a series of experiments.

9. Invention
Among the most open-ended and creative approaches to problem solving. Unlike other forms of problem solving that deal with things already in existence, invention launches into the unknown and the untried. Invention is the process of coming up with new ideas. Invention tends to require considerable creativity, and an ability to visualize, model, and create. Invention problems used in a STEM class usually begin with a phrase like, “invent a new or more efficient device to affix a shoe to your foot

10. Innovation
On the other hand, an innovation is an improvement of an existing product, system, or method of doing something. An innovation problem might begin with a phrase like, “the shoelace has been used to affix shoes to human feet for thousands of years and they often break, create a new type of shoelace that will not break.”

11. Experimentation
Form of problem solving that resembles most closely the methods that scientists use. Using methods that are similar to the scientific approach, problem solvers apply iterative processes to experiment on technological products and systems. For example, performing hardness tests on various metals prior to selecting the steel from which to make a new tool.

12. Trouble-shooting
Problems tend to be well defined and activity is directed at finding a single solution to a problem (e.g., locating a fault in an electronic circuit, finding out why a flashlight won’t work, etc.). Trouble-shooting problems typically require specific knowledge in order to solve. Before using a trouble-shooting problem in a STEM class, the teacher needs to provide the students with the background knowledge and experiences that can be drawn upon to solve the given troubleshooting problem.

13. Research & Development
After something has been conceived, it can take considerable time for teams of people to work the bugs out and prepare the product for the market. R&D attempts to address a wide range of issues concurrently. The product must work. It must be reliable, safe, and have market appeal. Sometimes, questions about its value to society or potential harm to the environment must be addressed as well. R&D problems often start with phrases like, “the Razor Scooter Company has created a new scooter for children ages 3-8 but discovered during product testing that too many children were being injured while operating the scooter. Conduct R&D to determine ways to make the scooter safer for children ages 3-8.”