Friday, December 9, 2011

Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey XV

Conducted annually since 1995, the Bayer Facts of Science Education survey series gauges the public’s opinion on the state of science education in the United States, support for reform, and the recognition of the roles that science and science literacy play in everyday life.
Over the years, we’ve surveyed a number of different audiences, including the nation’s Ph.D. scientists and science teachers; corporate CEOs of STEM companies and other business leaders; and deans of colleges and universities, as well as parents and the general public.
We share the results with the general public, elected officials, and science and education thought leaders, among others.

http://bayerus.online-pressroom.com/index.cfm/events/bayer-facts-of-science-education-survey-xv/

Documents

Press Release: Why Aren't More Women Graduating with STEM Degrees? U.S. Female Students Enter College Most Prepared for STEM Studies, According to Faculty at America’s Top Research Universities in a New Bayer Survey
 
Executive Summary: Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey XV: A View from the Gatekeepers — STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students
Presentation Slides: Bayer Facts of Science Education Survey XV: A View from the Gatekeepers — STEM Department Chairs at America's Top 200 Research Universities on Female and Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate STEM Students

Monday, November 14, 2011

Jobs for the Future (JFF)

http://www.jff.org/projects/current

JFF identifies, develops, and promotes education and workforce strategies that expand opportunity for youth and adults who are struggling to advance in America today. In more than 200 communities across 43 states, JFF improves the pathways leading from high school to college to family-sustaining careers.Projects/Reports you might find of interest

JFF's national initiatives serve in-school students, out-of-school youth, and working adults who need multiple pathways to advance their learning and their careers. Our successes prove that dramatic change is possible when good ideas have room to grow—and when change leads to a stronger, more productive nation.

High School Through College

New Pathways to Postsecondary

Building Economic Opportunity

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Mass. launches new STEM education initiative, funding

http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2011/10/17/daily15-Mass-launches-new-STEM-education-initiative-funding.html

Mass. launches new STEM education initiative, funding

By Michelle Lang

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

STEM: Good Jobs Now and for the Future

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics workers play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy, and are a critical component to helping the U.S. win the future. The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) compiled this report to evaluate the current career opportunities, outcomes and advantages within the STEM fields.
In its executive summary, the DOC highlights the following statistics as complementary to the intent and content of the publication:
In 2010, there were 7.6 million STEM workers in the United States, representing about 1 in 18 workers.
STEM occupations are projected to grow by 17.0 percent from 2008 to 2018, compared to 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations.
STEM workers command higher wages, earning 26 percent more than their non-STEM counterparts.
More than two-thirds of STEM workers have at least a college degree, compared to less than one-third of non-STEM workers.
STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of whether they work in STEM or non-STEM occupations.
View the full report here:
http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/stemfinaljuly14.pdf

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Research Universities Aim to Strengthen STEM Teaching

Research Universities Aim to Strengthen STEM Teaching The Association of American Universities on Wednesday announced a five-year effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of undergraduate teaching in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, focused on the 61 U.S. and Canadian research universities that are its members but in tandem with similar initiatives in other sectors of higher education. The AAU plan, more details of which can be found here and here, was announced by the group's new president, Hunter R. Rawlings III. It seeks to spread the use of existing, successful methods of teaching undergraduates (not just STEM majors) in math and the sciences, through demonstration projects and other means. “A number of our universities are already leading the way in developing and implementing these new ways of teaching," Rawlings said in a news release. "But there is a long way to go, and there is an urgent need to accelerate the process of reform.” The AAU effort won early praise from several Obama administration officials in a post on the White House's blog http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/09/14/bold-initiative-improve-undergraduate-stem-education

Monday, July 25, 2011

Pipeline persistence: Examining the association of educational experiences with earned degrees in STEM among U.S. students

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/sce.20441/abstract


Pipeline persistence: Examining the association of educational experiences with earned

 

degrees in STEM among U.S. students

  1. Adam V. Maltese1,*
  2. Robert H. Tai2
Article first published online: 3 MAY 2011
DOI: 10.1002/sce.20441

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

STEM Vital Signs - Reports by state

The push for higher standards in K-12 education has been underway for the better part of two decades. But even as some states have created clearer and more rigorous academic standards, many have lowered the bar on their state tests. The result? Too many states are lulling parents and their children into a false sense of security at a time when all students need a much stronger foundation in math and science to thrive in a global economy.

This must change. Change the Equation created “Vital Signs” reports on the condition of STEM learning in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to help measure state performance—and dig deeper into the nation’s education challenges. We aim to arm both business leaders and state leaders with the information they need to make the case for truly high expectations for our nation’s students.

View the reports here.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016

Empowering the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016

NSF 2012 Budget


For 60 years, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has played a central role in innovation by catalyzing the development of fundamental ideas in science and engineering and supporting the people who generate them. As the only federal agency dedicated to the support of basic research and education across all fields of science and engineering, and in a time when economic and environmental challenges are becoming increasingly pressing, NSF is positioned to strategically stimulate innovative research that connects the science and engineering enterprise with potential economic, societal, and educational benefit. NSF's high-risk, potentially transformative investments will continue to lead the way for the important discoveries and cutting-edge technologies that will help keep our Nation globally competitive, prosperous, and secure.
NSF's FY 2012 Budget Request is $7.767 billion, an increase of $894.49 million (13 percent) over the 2010 Enacted level. In addition, NSF will receive $1.0 billion over five years for research on improving access to wireless broadband through the Wireless Innovation (WIN) Fund proposed under the Administration's Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative (WI3).
NSF's comprehensive and flexible support of meritorious projects with broad societal impacts enables the Foundation to identify and foster both fundamental and transformative discoveries within and among fields of inquiry. NSF has the latitude to support emerging fields, high-risk ideas, interdisciplinary collaborations, and research that pushes--and even transforms--the very frontiers of knowledge. In these ways, NSF's discoveries inspire the American public--and the world.
READ MORE

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Recent Publications from the National Academies

Publications

Studies and programs related to engineering and technology cut across the many operational units of the National Academies, including those of the NAE, NAS, IOM, and NRC. The results of these activities are published as reports and proceedings that add to the growing body of knowledge on engineering and technology practice and policy.
 
You can order these publications or read them online at the website of the National Academies Press, the publishing arm of the National Academies.
 [Print Publication]
  • This volume includes 15 papers from the National Academy of Engineering's 2010 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering (USFOE) Symposium held in September 2010. USFOE meetings bring together 100 outstanding engineers (ages 30 to 45) to exchange information about leading-edge technologies in a range of ... Read More
    Author: National Academy of Engineering
  • [Print Publication]
    During a three-hour forum, part of the annual meeting of the National Academy of Engineering on October 4, 2010, a panel of seven experts from a variety of disciplinary and sectoral backgrounds explored the effects, complexities, and risks associated with the global spread of technology and ... Read More
    Author: National Academy of Engineering
  • [Print Publication]
    Nation needs sustained commitment to investment in innovation Read More
    Author: Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine
  • [Print Publication]
    Exposure to noise at home, at work, while traveling, and during leisure activities is a fact of life for all Americans. At times noise can be loud enough to damage hearing, and at lower levels it can disrupt normal living, affect sleep patterns, affect our ability to concentrate at work, interfere ... Read More
    Author: National Academy of Engineering
  • [Print Publication]
    The overall conclusion of this report is that the public image of engineering and engineers must appeal to the optimism and aspirations of students and must be all inclusive. In the past, the image of engineers has been focused mostly on white males and messages have emphasized the preparation ... Read More
    Author: National Academy of Engineering
  • [Print Publication]
    Technological innovation will be essential for addressing the difficult challenges that lie ahead, such as feeding a growing population, meeting the demand for energy without destroying the environment, and countering chronic and emerging infectious diseases. At a public forum at the 2009 Annual ... Read More
    Author: National Academy of Engineering

Why so few? AAUW

http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/whysofew.cfm

In an era when women are increasingly prominent in medicine, law and business, why are there so few women scientists and engineers? A new research report by AAUW presents compelling evidence that can help to explain this puzzle. Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics presents in-depth yet accessible profiles of eight key research findings that point to environmental and social barriers – including stereotypes, gender bias and the climate of science and engineering departments in colleges and universities – that continue to block women’s participation and progress in science, technology, engineering, and math. The report also includes up to date statistics on girls' and women's achievement and participation in these areas and offers new ideas for what each of us can do to more fully open scientific and engineering fields to girls and women.

Report
PowerPoint Presentations
Share findings from Why So Few? at meetings, conferences, and other events.

  • Long version - This hour-long presentation can be broken down into shorter segments and customized for your use.
  • Short version - This version of the hour-long presentation can be given in approximately 25 minutes.
Capitol Hill Briefing
Nobel Laureate Carol Greider spoke at a Capitol Hill briefing on May 4 with report co-author Christianne Corbett.

National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) Webcast
Did you miss the April presentation? View
webcast materials and the video recording on the NGCP website.
Gender-Science IAT
Take the test described in Why So Few? Select Demo, go to Demo, select the
Gender-Science IAT.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Sens. Franken’s Floor Statement in Support of Investing in STEM Education

 Sens. Franken’s Floor Statement in Support of Investing in STEM Education


Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Yesterday, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) spoke on the Senate floor about the need to invest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in order to prepare students to compete in a 21st century economy.

“With the planned reform and reauthorization of No Child Left Behind this year, we have a rare and ideal opportunity to implement real change in K through 12 STEM education in this country,” said Sen. Franken.  “So let’s act now – before it’s too late, before the storm has fully gathered, and before that rapidly-approaching category 5 hurricane destroys the competitive technological edge and prosperity that our country has worked so hard to build and maintain.”

Sen. Franken recently introduce the STEM Master Teacher Corps Act that would boost STEM teacher pay and help improve career advancement opportunities. The legislation is aimed at keeping the best STEM teachers in the field to help ensure that students have the skill set they need to fill the fastest growing jobs in the marketplace and to maintain and improve the country's competitive technological edge.

The legislation has already earned the endorsement of a diverse group of more than 60 Minnesota and national organizations, among them 3M, Medtronic, Education Minnesota, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the College Board, LifeScience Alley, and the National Rural Education Association. For a full list of endorsing organizations, click
here.

For a one-page summary of the bill, click
here.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Jobs for the Future

http://www.jff.org/publications/education

Publications

Our published works are widely referenced because they are grounded in the communities we serve. Each year, JFF publishes more than 40 research reports, case studies, newsletters, and policy briefs that offer insight on local, state, and national practice and policy in education and youth development, workforce development, and economic opportunity.

(sample of Publications)

Education Publications

Monday, March 21, 2011

Science and Technology Education: Preparing and Inspiring America’s Next Generation

http://www.brookings.edu/events/2010/0913_stem_education.aspx

Event Summary
Our nation's future competitiveness relies on having a workforce highly skilled in mathematics and science. Yet efforts to educate our young people in these critical areas, particularly at the secondary school level, have fallen behind those of almost all other advanced nations. The President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology prepared a report advising the Obama administration on ways to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, especially at the K-12 level.
On September 13, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings and Math for America hosted a discussion about key issues in STEM education. A panel of leaders from academia, Congress and the administration, moderated by Brookings Senior Fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr., focused on these critical issues, including the development of a steady supply of outstanding teachers in math, science and technology Eric Lander, co-chair of the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, provided preliminary insights gleaned in the course of the PCAST's ongoing study.

Comments from ERIC LANDER
The PCAST report draws certain key conclusions. First, the organizing principle -- and I give away nothing by saying that the title of the report is “Prepare and Inspire” -- is that we need a two-pronged strategy. We have to focus on preparation to make sure that every student is prepared to be able to learn STEM. But we also have to focus on inspiration, that everyone is inspired enough to learn something about STEM and many of them inspired enough to actually go into STEM.

That’s the first key conclusion and it’s an organizing principle that drives everything that we say in the report -- the kinds of teachers we need, the kind of schools we need, the kind of instructional materials we need -- have to be designed to both prepare and inspire.
We also conclude that the federal government historically over the last quarter century has really lacked a coherent strategy and sufficient leadership capacity for K-12 STEM education. There are programs galore all over federal agencies: a little thing here, a little thing there, et cetera. It’s hard to say it’s part of any coherent strategy. It’s hard to say that many of them have been historically targeted toward the kind of catalytic efforts that have the potential to truly transform STEM education. It’s hard to say that there’s been much appropriate focus on replication and scale up, and it’s very clear that there has been insufficient capacity available at the key agencies focusing on STEM education.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads

In order for the United States to maintain the global leadership and competitiveness in science and technology that are critical to achieving national goals, we must invest in research, encourage innovation, and grow a strong and talented science and technology workforce. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation explores the role of diversity in the science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) workforce and its value in keeping America innovative and competitive. According to the book, the U.S. labor market is projected to grow faster in science and engineering than in any other sector in the coming years, making minority participation in STEM education at all levels a national priority.

Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation analyzes the rate of change and the challenges the nation currently faces in developing a strong and diverse workforce. Although minorities are the fastest growing segment of the population, they are underrepresented in the fields of science and engineering. Historically, there has been a strong connection between increasing educational attainment in the United States and the growth in and global leadership of the economy. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation suggests that the federal government, industry, and post-secondary institutions work collaboratively with K-12 schools and school systems to increase minority access to and demand for post-secondary STEM education and technical training.

The book also identifies best practices and offers a comprehensive road map for increasing involvement of underrepresented minorities and improving the quality of their education. It offers recommendations that focus on academic and social support, institutional roles, teacher preparation, affordability and program development.

Read the full report here.

Study claims US schools less welcoming to peer networks & knowledge sharing than British Schools

In sharp contrast to England’s support for peer networking, the climate for sharing locally developed knowledge and best practices appears much less hospitable in U.S. schools and school systems, concludes a report issued today by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University (AISR).

Entitled “Lessons from England and Implications for the United States,” the research compared the policy and practice landscape of networking and collaboration among school leaders and teachers within England versus New York City schools, and examined whether peer networks in New York City and London fostered effective practice. The investigation, conducted over a six-month period during 2009-10, is part of a series called the “Transatlantic Dialogue on Collaborative Networks.”

“Many public sector organizations and schools are not designed to promote sharing and collaboration; they have cultures of knowledge hoarding, where ‘knowledge is power’ is still a central cultural tenet,” states the report, co-authored by the Annenberg Institute’s Jacob Mishook and Sara McAlister, and Karen Edge of the Institute of Education at the University of London. “The push in the U.S. for new teacher-evaluation systems that rely primarily on matching individual teachers with their students test scores threatens to exacerbate this competitive, rather than collaborative, system of teaching.”

Read the full report here.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators

 NSF.GOV News
The development of the nation's human capital through our education system is an essential building block for future innovation. Currently, the abilities of far too many of America's young men and women go unrecognized and underdeveloped, and, thus, these individuals may fail to reach their full potential. This represents a loss for both the individual and society. There are talented students with enormous potential from every demographic and from every part of our country who, with hard work and the proper educational opportunities, will form the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) innovators.
The purpose of the STEM Innovators project was to explore ways that the country can foster the development of our next generation of leading STEM professionals, entrepreneurs, and inventors, who will form the future vanguard of discovery in science and technology. The Board's rationale for this project was twofold:
  1. The nation's economic prosperity, security, and quality of life depends on the identification and development of our next generation of STEM innovators; and,
  2. Every student in America should be given the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.
To address the issue, the Board proposes three keystone recommendations. Contained within each keystone recommendation are multiple specific policy actions for NSF, the federal government, and/or the nation. Additionally, the Board proposes a research agenda for each keystone recommendation. These research findings will inform policy-making in critical areas, such as how to nurture early interest in STEM, best practices for developing STEM related abilities, and means for improving teaching effectiveness.
First, provide opportunities for excellence. We must offer coordinated, proactive, sustained formal and informal interventions to develop students' potential. Students should learn at a pace and depth commensurate with their talents and interests and in a fashion that elicits engagement, intellectual curiosity, and creative problem solving--essential skills for future innovation.
Second, cast a wide net to identify and develop all types of talents in all demographics of students. Current assessments frequently fail to identify some students with the highest potential or students with certain types of abilities. To this end, we must develop and implement appropriate talent assessments at multiple grade levels and train educators to recognize potential, particularly among those individuals who have not been given adequate opportunities to transform their potential into academic achievement, such as students from lower-income backgrounds and minorities traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.
Third, foster a supportive ecosystem that nurtures and celebrates excellence and innovative thinking. Parents/guardians, education professionals, peers, and students themselves must work together to create a culture that expects excellence, encourages innovations, and rewards success.
The Board believes that the recommendations set forth in this report will help ensure a legacy of continued prosperity and engender a renewed aspiration towards equity and excellence in U.S. STEM education.
The full report is available for download at the NSB Web site.
-NSF-

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Mathematics and Science Learning and School Reform: Mobilizing for a Unified Agenda - Carnegie-IAS Commission

Mathematics and Science Learning and School Reform: Mobilizing for a Unified Agenda -  Carnegie-IAS Commission 

http://opportunityequation.org/report/related-reports

The Carnegie-IAS Commission endorses a unified agenda involving fundamental school system reform and a rigorous overhaul of mathematics and science education. Our analysis suggests that those efforts are mutually dependent—that math and science learning will rise only if schools and instruction change profoundly, but also that schools are much more likely to improve if they tap the motivating power of science and math learning. Within that framework, the Commission’s findings are consistent with those of several influential recent reports:

The Economic Impact of the Achievement Gap in America’s Schools. 2009. McKinsey & Company.

  • Highlights the significant and negative correlation between educational achievement gaps and national GDP. The data presented in this report underscore the dual national needs—and supports Commission recommendations—to close achievement gaps and raise achievement for all students to meet and exceed international benchmarks.

Benchmarking for Success. 2008. National Governors Association, Council of Chief State School Officers, Achieve.

  • Addresses challenges and promising solutions to combat the international achievement gap. Findings in support of common and rigorous standards, better assessments, and improved human capital management with a focus on recruiting, training, and retaining the best teachers are particularly aligned with the Commission’s recommendations.

Fostering Learning in a Networked World. 2008. National Science Foundation Task Force on Cyberlearning.

  • Analyzes the challenges of preparing students with 21st century levels of understanding of technology and science. its support for improved professional development for teachers around the use of technology, and for increased and strategic deployment of technology and instructional tools in the classroom, are particularly coherent with the Commission’s recommendations.

Foundations for Success. 2008. National Mathematics Advisory Panel.

  • Addresses the challenges of math achievement in the united States and highlights inter- national achievement gaps in this area. its support for improved and targeted recruitment of teachers and for the implementation of fewer, clearer, higher standards align with the Commission’s recommendations.

Out of Many, One. 2008. Achieve, Inc.

  • Presents an analysis of the college- and career-ready standards for english and mathematics in a selection of states. The findings, in alignment with Commission recommendations, recognize that “there is fundamental knowledge in english and mathematics that all graduates must know to succeed and that is not bound by state lines” and thus support common, rigorous, college- and career-ready standards for all students.

Building a STEM Agenda. 2007. National Governors Association.

  • Highlights the challenges of supporting American global competitiveness and innovation, particularly in light of the fact that U.S. 12th and 8th grade students score below the OECD average on tests of math and science. Its recommendations for a multi-pronged strategy to spur improvement—including common, rigorous, and internationally benchmarked standards and aligned assessments; improved management of human capital with attention to STEM capacity; and improved accountability systems to track achievement— align with the Commission’s recommendations.

Rigor at Risk. 2007. ACT.

  • Highlights the negative impact of multiple and often low standards across high school core courses and the resulting depression of college readiness among far too many graduates. its support for increased alignment between high school and college-level standards as a necessary component for raising achievement is coherent with the Commission’s recommendations in this area.

Taking Science to School. 2007. National Research Council.

  • Highlights the need to bring a much broader cohort of students to much higher levels of achievement in science. its support for common and rigorous standards and aligned assessments and for targeted professional development in science teaching cohere with the Commission’s focus on bringing all students to much higher levels of science knowledge and understanding and producing a STEM-literate citizenry.

Tough Choices or Tough Times. 2006. National Center on Education and the Economy.

  • Considers the need to build student knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the 21st century global labor market. its view that these skills are new, increasingly cognitive, and analytic and support for innovations in recruitment of teachers and in design and delivery of schools cohere with the Commission’s recommendations in these areas.

Rising Above the Gathering Storm. 2005. National Research Council.

  • Emphasizes the need to significantly improve science and technology capacity to maintain and increase national innovation. its recommendations in support of dramatic increases in recruitment (and corresponding incentives) of science and math teachers, enlarging the STEM pipeline across high school and college, and increasing participation and retention in higher education STEM fields are all coherent with the Commission’s recommendations.

Engaging Schools: Fostering High School Students’ Motivation to Learn. 2004. National Research Council.

  • Stresses the importance of organizing secondary schools to promote student engagement, especially for urban students. Its emphasis on structuring all aspects of school—including curriculum, instruction, and school organization—to engage students cognitively and emotionally is consistent with the Commission’s recommendations for school design.

Adding It Up. 2001. National Research Council.

  • Addresses the need to bring many more students to much higher levels of math achievement. its recommendations regarding improved, capacity-driven standards and corresponding instructional and curricular reforms support the Commission’s recommendations in these areas.

The Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy;Report of the Carnegie-IAS Commission on Mathematics and Science Education, June 2009

Report of the Carnegie-IAS Commission on Mathematics and Science Education, June 2009

Opportunity Equation Report

The world has shifted dramatically—and an equally dramatic shift is needed in education. The Opportunity Equation: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy report states that we must raise the bar in education and rethink the design of school if we want excellent mathematics and science learning for all America students. We need to “do school differently” in ways that raise expectations and place math and science at the center.
Released in 2009 and endorsed by more than 65 organizations, the report provides a hopeful view of the future of K-12 education in the U.S. It also provides a roadmap for this vision through recommendations for key stakeholders including the federal government, governors and states, school districts, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, businesses, unions, philanthropy, and others.
The report was released by the Carnegie-IAS Commission on Mathematics and Science Education. The Commission was formed to address the concern that the U.S. education systems are not providing students with an adequate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology—the so-called STEM fields.

Teaching by Choice: Community Colleges Expand K-12 STEM Pathways and Practices (American Association of Community Colleges, National Science Foundation)

Teaching by Choice: Community Colleges Expand K-12 STEM Pathways and Practices
 
(information provided by http://www.stem.project.mnscu.edu/index.asp?Type=B_DIR&SEC={804DB56E-FB62-435D-95DC-5692960AF255}&DE={B3D590A2-EB9F-4E94-A820-1DD91B6E272E}
Goal:  "This report addresses key issues for recruiting and retaining K-12 mathematics and science teachers, for designing and delivering programs that will place well-prepared instructors in the nations' K-12 classrooms, and for developing appropriate assessment and evaluation strategies for community college post-baccalaureate teacher education and professional development programs."  [pg. 3]
Recommendations:
Community College Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Education Programs:  Recommendations are given for increasing diverse applicant pools, program design and delivery, and assessment and improvement of post-baccalaureate programs.
Community College Professional Development Programs in K-12 STEM Education:  Recommendations are given to encourage participation in K-12 STEM professional development programs at community colleges, for program design and delivery, and for assessment and improvement of professional development programs.
Conclusion:  The report calls for community colleges to provide STEM experiences for future and current K-12 teachers and to partner with schools, four-year colleges and universities and STEM businesses to share resources.
http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Resources/aaccprograms/Documents/K12STEMpaths.pdf
Patton, Madeline.  2008.  Teaching by Choice:  Community Colleges Expand K-12 STEM Pathways and Practices.  Ed. Lynn Barnett and Faith San Felice.  Washington, DC:  American Association of Community Colleges

Carnegie Foundaton - Strenthening Pre-Collegiate Education in Community Colleges

Strengthening Pre-Collegiate Education in Community Colleges (SPECC) - http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/previous-work/undergraduate-education

A multi-site action-research project (2007-2009), SPECC focused on teaching and learning in pre-collegiate mathematics and English language arts at 11 California community colleges. It was a joint project with The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Major Publications

A set of reports drawn from the work on the 11 participating campuses were produced over the final year and a half of the project by different members of the Carnegie team.
Basic Skills for Complex Lives: Designs for Learning in the Community College
 
Listening to Students About Learning
By Andrea Conklin Bueschel

The Promise of Faculty Inquiry for Teaching and Learning Basic Skills
By Mary Taylor Huber

Faculty Inquiry in Action: Guidelines for Working Together to Improve Student Learning
Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges: Project Summary and Recommendations


Change and Sustain/Ability: A Program Director’s Reflections on Institutional Learning
By Rose Asera

STEM Reports of Interest

In a world where advanced knowledge is widespread and low-cost labor is readily available, U.S. advantages in the marketplace and in science and technology have begun to erode. A comprehensive and coordinated federal effort is urgently needed to bolster U.S. competitiveness and pre-eminence in these areas. This congressionally requested report by a pre-eminent committee makes four recommendations along with 20 implementation actions that federal policy-makers should take to create high-quality jobs and focus new science and technology efforts on meeting the nation's needs, especially in the area of clean, affordable energy:

1) Increase America's talent pool by vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science education;
2) Sustain and strengthen the nation's commitment to long-term basic research;
3) Develop, recruit, and retain top students, scientists, and engineers from both the U.S. and abroad; and
4) Ensure that the United States is the premier place in the world for innovation.

Some actions will involve changing existing laws, while others will require financial support that would come from reallocating existing budgets or increasing them. Rising Above the Gathering Storm will be of great interest to federal and state government agencies, educators and schools, public decision makers, research sponsors, regulatory analysts, and scholars.