Crisis in K-16 STEM Education: A Regional Conference to Promote Local Solutions to a National Problem

Miller-McNeill 1212282该奖项旨在资助一个区域会议研究科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教育的未来，代表性不足和弱势群体对STEM的影响，以及STEM就业增长和劳动力发展在区域范围内，而不是国家范围内。 该项目汇集了区域K-16利益相关者（教师，管理人员，政策制定者，社区学院和四年制大学教师）与STEM教育专家，以解决支持优秀的地方计划的主要挑战和机遇，这些计划为学生准备STEM大学水平的学习和职业，特别强调准备代表性不足的人口。它旨在汇集来自纽约哈得逊河流域下游至中部地区的研究人员和教育工作者，以规划当前K-16 STEM实践的轮廓，特别是从哪些努力不起作用，为什么不起作用以及如何使这些努力发挥作用的角度来看。该项目是与罗克兰社区学院和CEJJES研究所合作开展的。预计将有来自纽约地区学校和学院的约150名参与者参加，代表该地区约20万所K-12公立学校和10万名大学生，STEM相关行业的影响力日益突出。会议的总体目标是促进区域战略，使这一代学习者，特别是那些来自代表性不足的群体，在21世纪的STEM职业中占据一席之地。有人建议，这样一个与STEM教育有关的个人和团体的聚会，正如本项目所建议的那样，将解决四个关键问题：（1）大学水平的学习和STEM职业的知识和技能要求如何改变K-16所需的准备？ 在课程、教师和教学、实验室和资源获取以及校内和校外学习方面需要做出哪些改变，以改善区域STEM成果？可以采取哪些战略和做法来支持和推动整个地区的STEM教育？(2)什么是有效的战略，以促进在STEM的代表性不足的群体的学术成功，以及如何才能成功地在这个地区实施？(3)STEM教育环境的变化如何影响成为一名有效的K-16 STEM教育者所需的知识和教学技能要求？什么样的教学策略最适合教授21世纪的STEM技能？教师的专业发展需求得到满足的程度如何？有哪些战略可以确保该区域？的教师有机会获得他们需要的STEM专业发展？(4)当前有哪些地区学校/社区/大学合作伙伴关系模式可以加强K-16 STEM管道？这些模式如何以学区无法自行应对的方式解决区域需求？什么样的解决方案适合这个地区？社区学院和其他共享教育资源的独特方式是什么，作为中学到大学学生的STEM资源？这一战略对其他关心K-16 STEM教育的地区有什么影响？区域战略为解决K-16 STEM问题提供了一个可行且可扩展的模式，特别是当它们加强了服务和支持的可用性时，这些服务和支持超出了个别学区的范围。作为会议活动的成果，该项目将建立和维护一个会议网站，视频记录发言的关键内容、会议过程以及收集的信息和材料。该网站还将提供共享资源、学术论文和促进未来对话。

Miller-McNeill1212282This award is for the funding of a regional conference study the future of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, the impact of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups with regards to STEM, and STEM job growth and workforce development in a regional, as opposed to a national, context. The project brings together regional K-16 stakeholders (teachers, administrators, policy makers, community college and four-year college faculty) with STEM education experts to address the major challenges and opportunities in supporting outstanding local programs that prepare students for STEM college-level study and careers, with a special emphasis on preparing under-represented populations. It is designed to bring together researchers and educators from the lower to mid-Hudson River Valley region of New York to layout the contours of current K-16 STEM practice, particularly from the point of view of what efforts are not working, why they are not working, and how to make these efforts work. The project is a partnership with Rockland Community College and CEJJES Institute. Approximately 150 participants from area schools and colleges in New York are expected to attend, representing approximately 200,000 K-12 public schools and 100,000 college students in a region where STEM-related industries are a prominent and growing influence.The overarching goal of the Conference is to promote regional strategies that will enable this generation of learners, especially those from under-represented groups, to take their place in 21st century STEM careers. It is suggested that such a gathering of individuals and groups concerned with STEM education, as proposed in this project, would address four key questions: (1) How are knowledge and skill requirements for college-level study and careers in STEM changing the preparation needed for K-16? What changes need to be made with respect to curriculum, teachers and teaching, laboratories and access to resources, and in-school and out-of-school learning to improve the regional STEM outcomes? What strategies and practices can be adopted to support and advance STEM education throughout the region? (2) What are effective strategies for advancing the academic success of under-represented groups in STEM and how can they be successfully implemented in this region? (3) How does changing context for STEM education impact the knowledge and pedagogical skill requirements needed for being an effective K-16 STEM educator? What pedagogical strategies are best suited for teaching 21st century STEM skills? How well are teachers' professional development needs being met? What are some strategies for ensuring that the region?s teachers have access to the STEM professional development they need? (4) What are some current models of regional school/community/college partnerships for strengthening the K-16 STEM pipeline? How do these models address regional needs in ways that school districts cannot respond on their own? What solutions would be a good fit for this region? What unique ways in which Community Colleges and other share educational resources, serve as a STEM resource for students in middle school through college? What are the implications of this strategy for other regions concerned about K-16 STEM education?Regional strategies offer a viable and scalable model for addressing K-16 STEM, especially when they reinforce the availability of services and support that would go beyond the reach of individual school districts. As a result of conference activities, the project will create and maintain a conference website with video capture of key elements of the presentations, conference procedings and information and materials collected. The website will also be available for shared resources, scholarly papers, and the facilitating of future dialogue.