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DRAFT for Public Review - November 2011 The Oregon STEM Education Initiative STEM is an acronym to identify the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics This initiative encompasses the integration of the four disciplines with an emphasis on their interconnectedness and the engagement of students in rigorous and relevant learning opportunities Oregon proposes the following as a new description of STEM education STEM education is: “An approach to teaching and lifelong learning that emphasizes the natural interconnectedness of the four separate STEM disciplines The connections are made explicit through collaboration between educators resulting in real and appropriate context built into instruction, curriculum, and assessment The common element of problem solving is emphasized across all STEM disciplines allowing students to discover, explore, and apply critical thinking skills as they learn “ Furthermore, the question should be asked about the purpose for STEM education as defined here There exist many suggestions on the reason for improving STEM education Most suggestions focus on preparation for college, careers, and citizenship In Oregon, the student outcomes for STEM education at any level include:    Improving student performance in STEM related content Increasing interest in and improved preparation for STEM careers Becoming proficient in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions Connection to Other Oregon Initiatives The Oregon Diploma, Common Core Standards, Next Generation of Assessments, Teacher Effectiveness, Technology Standards, Career and Technology Education Skill Sets, Credit for Proficiency, and School Improvement all have connections to STEM The goal of this initiative will be to help forge the connections to each of Oregon’s initiatives As Oregon endeavors to prepare all students for college and career readiness, students can no longer miss out on opportunities due to current lack of STEM preparation Following the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957, the United States accepted the challenge of keeping up with technological advancements and joined the race to put the first man on the moon The result was coordinated educational efforts around mathematics and science resulting in increased numbers of students wanting to excel in math and science and choosing to study for careers in Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 STEM Today, many of our students not have the chance to study enough science until they get into middle school They have no inspiration like the race for space to challenge them Oregon must create that excitement around STEM for students by addressing a variety of components The Need for the Oregon STEM Education Initiative There are bright spots in Oregon STEM education In 2011, students in 10 Oregon schools won awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair The McMinnville school district has partnered with local businesses and Chemeketa Community College to offer robotics experiences, engineering courses, and an engineering academy to students in middle school and high school In Klamath Falls City, elementary students attend the Department of Defense STARBASE program (Department of Defense, 2011) that is designed to engage students in hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics to increase their interest in STEM careers These, and efforts like them, represent the hard work of teachers, administrators, parents, business partners, and postsecondary institutions aimed at providing students with a 21 st Century STEM education However, there are far more students who not have the same level of access to the same level of STEM education The inequity in access results from a wide range of issues including financial resources, informed leadership, and community involvement The Oregon STEM Education Initiative is developed to outline a coherent structure for improving STEM education for all students in Oregon The structure is described in this Initiative framework by: Defining what Oregon means by STEM education Identifying the critical components needed for improvement in STEM education Describing a mechanism for linking educators interested in improving STEM education As a framework, this document supports statewide development of STEM education and encloses STEM education within a definition and set of goals that will help focus activities in the state These two functions are critical in a time of diminishing resources for education and increased accountability This STEM Initiative framework will help form strategic links between current federal and state funded projects and help Oregon compete for future resources Why a Focus on STEM Education? Our nation, state, and local communities face challenges that will only be solved with assistance from a well trained and STEM educated citizenry The growing world demand on energy has created a need to develop new and cost effective resources An aging population will require increased services from the health care industry Finally, driving an economy that thrives on J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 innovation requires a growing number of innovators Increasingly, the solutions to these problems have required a coherent and coordinated effort from all four disciplines in STEM Many of the problems faced will require some form of engineered solution However, those solutions will rely heavily on the knowledge base in science and mathematics as well as the analytical power of sophisticated technological tools In Oregon, there are several signs that STEM education needs a boost The Oregon Workforce Investment Board (OWIB) Manufacturing Workforce Committee has identified inadequate STEM knowledge and skills as one of their four priority challenge areas Apprenticeship programs have consistently pointed to mathematical knowledge as a barrier to many who want to enter the workforce Technology industries continue to invest large sums in out-of-state recruiting to fill the gap between the qualified and available Oregon STEM workforce and the industry need Oregon’s efforts to improve preK-12 STEM education have produced mixed results There are excellent examples of work by individual teachers, schools, and districts that have resulted in significant positive change in student performance and interest in STEM disciplines Oregon students have received significant national and state recognition for their efforts However, national measures of student performance in STEM related disciplines place Oregon near a national average that falls in the middle of the pack in measures of international performance Even more troubling is the achievement gap among some groups (National Science Foundation, 2010) While many students in Oregon may be poised to contribute to a workforce that demands greater knowledge in STEM, there are other groups who will continue to be seriously underrepresented in many STEM fields unless there is intervention In 2010, The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology released Prepare and Inspire: K-12 Education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for America’s Future(2010) The report highlights the increasingly familiar argument for improved STEM education Perhaps less familiar is the argument that lack of proficiency in STEM disciplines is not the only problem Even students who demonstrate proficiency demonstrate a lack of interest in STEM fields This interplay between proficiency and interest is an essential part of the Oregon STEM initiative How is STEM Different? STEM has been frequently attached to a great deal of proposed and actual expanded funding for education It is hard to miss the growth in STEM education reforms and literature and the importance of those reforms With such a rapid rise in dialogue about STEM education, the eminent question is whether STEM is just an acronym for existing content or if it represents a new vision of how the four disciplines should be taught J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 This initiative was developed with input from a group of people representing industry and education When this group was asked to describe a vision of STEM education, it characterized STEM as problem-based, interdisciplinary, and connected to a wide range of other disciplines STEM problems easily emerge from global issues such as energy independence, green technology, and world food production Solutions often tap into the historical record of past problems The creativity necessary in developing solutions can be cultivated in the arts However, there is a notion that STEM has enough of an integrated identity to treat it as something more than a cluster of four disciplines and something less than the entire realm of human knowledge and skill The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2010) report attempts to describe the unique relationship between the four STEM disciplines The report describes the distinctive nature of STEM education as having characteristics that include: STEM subjects tend to be highly cumulative and sequential STEM knowledge is specialized STEM knowledge is rapidly changing STEM-trained individuals have alternative, high-paying career options STEM is not always familiar and accessible to the public and education leaders The STEM professional community can be a major resource for educators STEM trained individuals tend to be tech-savvy In addition to the seven characteristics described in the 2010 report, STEM disciplines have a common focus on problem solving and critical thinking Although there may be some differences in specific problem-solving strategies in each of the four disciplines, there is far more common ground Scientific Inquiry and Engineering Design both demand identification and clarification of a problem or question and a systematic approach to finding an answer or solution Both involve reliance on empirical data and an iterative approach Both also require a critical analysis of the results in terms of their meaning in light of the problem or question Mathematics and technology also have their discipline-specific strategies This Initiative is based on the notion that STEM education is coherent and more than a sum of its sub-disciplines STEM education is also unified in the use of problem-solving and critical thinking For the purpose of this Initiative, STEM education is defined as: “An approach to teaching and lifelong learning that emphasizes the natural interconnectedness of the four separate STEM disciplines The connections are made explicit through collaboration J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 between educators resulting in real and appropriate context built into instruction, curriculum, and assessment The common element of problem solving is emphasized across all STEM disciplines allowing students to discover, explore, and apply critical thinking skills as they learn “ Transformation The success of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative is dependent upon the work of many coming together in a Collective Impact Partnership (Bryk, Gomez, & Grunow, 2010) in order to effect change PreK-12, community colleges, higher education, business and industry, nonprofits, government, parents and students must come together to address the five key elements of a Collective Impact Partnership: a common agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication and backbone support organizations The Common Agenda for the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Partnership is to transform preK-12 education so that all students experience STEM curricula that keep them on a successful pathway for college and career readiness Many hands will make the lifting light when partners align their education goals to the goals of improving student equitable access to quality interconnected STEM education in order to:    Improve student performance in STEM related content Increase interest in and improve preparation for STEM careers Become proficient in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions Success of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative statewide impact requires Shared Measurements or agreements on the measurement and reporting of progress Shared indicators across all participating organizations ensure that efforts are aligned and allow each to learn from the other participant’s results Shared measurements for the Oregon STEM Education Initiative should include: a b c d Student achievement Overall STEM program performance Improved skills of teachers and leaders to implement STEM instruction Partnership engagement Mutually Reinforcing Activities are the power of collective impact Each participant in the partnership brings a unique action to the collective The multiple actions working in concert with each other brings together a symphony of opportunities, solutions, and supports for STEM education Partnership activities for improving STEM outcomes will focus on instructional systems, information infrastructure, student support systems, human resource systems and governance J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Continuous Communication allows for all participants to develop common language, an understanding of everyone in the collective, and provides for decision-making representative of each member of the partnership The Oregon STEM Education Advisory Committee will meet quarterly and include representatives from each of the Regional STEM Education Centers Webbased tools will provide a medium for status updates and keep communication flowing between Advisory Committee members and Regional STEM Centers The Backbone Support Organization for the Oregon STEM Education Initiative will initially be the Oregon Department of Education, transitioning to a support organization that fully represents the entire state of Oregon This organization will manage and support the initiative by serving the roles of project manager, data manager, communications hub and facilitator The Oregon STEM Education Advisory Committee will provide guidance and oversight to the operations of this organization Regional STEM Centers will be encouraged to follow the Carnegie model of Networked Improvement Communities (Bryk, Gomez, & Grunow, 2010) where diverse expertise within the region comes together to solve complex problems Each region will address how STEM education resources will be deployed and opportunities will be seized to increase student achievement in STEM content areas, increase student interest and skill in STEM, and provide opportunities for students to become proficient in STEM concepts The centers will use the organizational model of a Network Improvement Community to help structure and guide the varied multiple efforts required to sustain collective action towards solving complex improvement problems associated with STEM education STEM for the 21st Century One of the implications of Oregon’s definition of STEM education is that STEM education looks fundamentally different in a classroom than education in any of the four disciplines treated separately The Partnership for 21st Century Learning Skills(2011) identifies learning and innovation skills such as creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration Applied to STEM education, this would mean that students will need to ask questions that can be answered through scientific inquiry, make sense of complex math problems, identify appropriate technological tools, and define engineering problems These are unlikely to happen in a classroom solely focused on facts, algorithms, and tools The Oregon definition of STEM education also recognizes the interconnection between disciplines Although there are times when it is necessary to learn a specific scientific concept, operate a certain technology, or internalize a mathematical algorithm, this is seldom how STEM disciplines are applied outside of the classroom More likely students in a STEM career will J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 need to use their scientific knowledge to identify possible solutions to an engineering problem while deploying math and technology as tools to define and refine those solutions This can be a pleasant surprise to someone who has only experienced STEM as a set of isolated disciplines The implication for education in Oregon is that STEM classrooms are problem-based classrooms Teachers engage students in instruction centered around important themes or problems Students work together and access sophisticated technologies to generate creative and innovative solutions based soundly in the fundamentals of each STEM discipline Teachers are versed in pedagogy and content so they can guide students through their investigations while growing in their understanding of rigorous standards-based content STEM education will call for increased use of proficiency-based teaching and learning where instruction is studentcentered, learning outcomes are well-defined, and students take responsibility and ownership for their learning with the support of their teachers STEM Education and Student Learning A statewide STEM Initiative only has real educational meaning if it addresses the intended impact on students and an approach that leads to that impact STEM education as defined in this Initiative has three broad student goals or outcomes This Initiative is developed to improve student equitable access to quality interconnected STEM education in order to:    Improve student performance in STEM related content Increase interest in and improve preparation for STEM careers Become proficient in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions These three goals encompass a wide range of purposes for education The first two address needs for students intending to enroll in STEM related college programs and pursue STEM careers These are often called pipeline goals because meeting them helps fill an increasingly shrinking pipeline of potential employees in STEM careers The third goal, often called a mainline goal, addresses the general need for an educated citizenry that can make informed decisions and understand important STEM related issues These three goals make it clear that STEM education is important for all students In order to reach these goals, there will need to be a change in the complexity of the STEM content; the knowledge and skills teachers bring to instructional practice and the engagement of students in the instruction These three aspects of teaching and learning interact with each other in complex ways to change what Richard Elmore describes as the instructional core(Elizabeth A City, 2009) Only by changing the instructional core will we be able to reach the desired student outcomes J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 This STEM initiative includes six components of a broad strategy to change the instructional core and reach the desired student outcomes The six components, described in detail later in this document are: Effective Instruction Effective Learning Environments Coherent Standards, Content and Policies Effective Leadership Research and Evaluation Community Engagement The first three components address the three aspects of the instructional core as illustrated in the diagram below The last three are drivers to accelerate the process of change Without the drivers, changes in the instructional core may languish due to lack of direction, resources, and knowledge Driver Components Evaluation and Research Effective Leadership Community Engagement J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 The Components Systemic and sustainable reform in STEM education requires more than a single activity or program It relies on more than a single group of people or a single agency Systemic reform in STEM education will result from a targeted interaction of multiple strategies, organizations, and individuals Most of the actions that will move STEM education forward are encompassed in one of six categories that are identified as components for this Initiative For the purposes of the tables under each of the components, the following definitions apply: State: Refers to those activities coordinated by the Oregon Department of Education Regional Community: Refers to those activities that a collaborative of regional partners might implement Regional partners should include schools, business and industry, community colleges and higher education, Education Service Districts, and informal education entities Local (District/School) Refers to those activities that might be implemented within the school or district Examples in the tables below are not comprehensive and are presented to illustrate the potential of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Under each component there is a description of what that component addresses, specific connection to the STEM education initiative goals for students, and the objectives to be accomplished (1) Effective Learning Environments STEM learning environments must challenge students to engage personally in their learning Janice Morrison (2006) outlined several functions of a STEM education She suggested that students should be:    Problem-solvers—able to frame problems as puzzles and then able to apply understanding and learning to these novel situations (argument and evidence) Innovators—“power to pursue independent and original investigation” o Using the design process (Gilman, 1898) o Inventors—recognize the needs of the world and creatively design and implement solutions Self-reliant—able to set own agendas, develop and gain self-confidence and work within time specified time frames J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011     Logical thinkers—using the logic offered by calculus and found in 60% of all professions world-wide; able to make the kinds of connections to affect an understanding of natural phenomena Technologically literate—understand the nature of the technology, master the skills needed and apply it appropriately (National Academy of Engineering, 2002) Participants in the STEM lexicon that supports the bridge between STEM education in school and the workplace Able to relate their own culture and history to their education STEM learning is influenced by both the physical and social environments With an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking in STEM, students need to be part of a social environment that encourages dialogue with teachers and other students Effective learning requires an environment that includes appropriate pacing of instruction, grouping of students and feedback Careful consideration of physical layout of classrooms including appropriate tools and technologies is required to support social aspects of learning Connection to Student Outcomes  Teaching and learning that takes place in an effective physical and social environment is likely to increase student engagement and the depth of understanding and retention of knowledge Objectives: Support student interaction with STEM content in ways that promote deeper understanding of real-world complex ideas, engage students in solving complex problems, using technology and creating new opportunities for STEM learning across the core curriculum Increase access to learning environments that support multidisciplinary, highly interactive learning within a social setting that engages all students Action Result Evidence State Provide professional development opportunities throughout the state that demonstrate the use of communication technologies in STEM education or instructional practice ODE and partners provide multiple professional development opportunities throughout the state that demonstrate use of technology in STEM education or instructional practice  Increased use of technology and practices by teachers  Increased opportunities for students to use technology for learning  Improved student performance in STEM understanding and skills Regional Community Provide professional development Students use interactive digital J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx  Improved student performance 10 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 etc., that develops own policies) effectiveness partnerships in STEM areas Identify how existing state policies related to graduation, dual credit, proficiency affect STEM education (ODE, CCWD, OUS, etc.) Create incentives in business to develop STEM related partnerships/internships that engage instructors, students, leaders in STEM related activities (business, school/districts, foundations, state government.) Identify/catalogue examples of infrastructure and facilities that support STEM education in order to improve leadership decisions: Central resource of infrastructure examples Disseminated examples of infrastructure development for leaders to use for planning  New construction  Maximizing time and space utilization  Using partnerships for facilities Regional Community Regional leaders convene as a networked improvement community Leadership identifies current activities, resources and direction to set goals and leverage resources to attain those goals  Increased STEM opportunities for students and teachers Local (District/School) Leaders develop a clear understanding of STEM and design a systemic approach for integration of STEM across the district/school A coherent plan for STEM integration identifying needs for: o o o o professional development technology resources partnerships to be established sustainability    District/school environment systemically supports STEM learning opportunities for students and teachers Increased student performance in STEM content assessments and interest in STEM careers Increased community support for STEM (5) Evaluation and Research J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 18 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Evaluation of the Oregon STEM progress is essential for monitoring the impact of this work and fine tuning based on lessons learned Our ability to illustrate what STEM learning looks like and the impact on student achievement is imperative for developing sustainable STEM learning opportunities for our students Research will help provide training for leadership and teachers by providing information about successful strategies, efficiencies, and greater ability to communicate the importance of STEM to our students, parents and community members Evaluation includes monitoring progress and lessons learned in addition to identification of best practices in STEM Evaluation and research assists teachers in improving instruction based on the needs of individual students Teachers play an essential role in increasing student preparation in STEM skills and processes Common metrics for evaluation will be identified for a clear view of what is working to improve STEM performance in Oregon As individual student progress in meeting academic standards is examined, there is a need to evaluate and analyze student performance based upon common metrics associated with STEM to clearly identify best practices Best practices will be shared among regional STEM centers and scaled up to other regions of the state Connection to Student Outcomes  Evaluation of the impact of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative and the work being accomplished in schools and districts across the state will help expand and improve the STEM learning opportunities available to students Objectives:  Each regional STEM center will report on common metrics including (but not limited to): o Student achievement in science and mathematics as measured by the state assessment o Student technological literacy o Student mastery of the Career Related Learning Standards and Career and Technical Education Skill Sets o Increased teacher skills in providing STEM learning opportunities for students o Increased numbers of teachers providing STEM learning opportunities o Increased leadership for STEM  Evaluation results will be used to revise and scale up the Oregon STEM Initiative across the state  Evaluation results will be used by districts and schools to improve STEM learning opportunities for students  Evaluation results will be used to improve professional development for teachers and leaders and improve practice J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 19 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Action Result Evidence State The state will convene STEM Advisory Council and Regional STEM Centers to set direction, network regional and local STEM activities, and analyze statewide results of STEM common metrics Evaluation of progress resulting from the implementation of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Develop a baseline measurement for access to STEM education opportunities & data collection model to show growth in equity Understanding of where students and teachers in Oregon have access to STEM learning opportunities    Annual report on the state of STEM in Oregon Increased state-wide and regional STEM partnerships resulting from networked improvement communities Dissemination of best practice models of other schools/communities Central collection of partnership stories or scenarios accessible to any educator or community member  Data illustration of access to STEM education activities is used to address equity across the state   Regional work coalesces to form a Regional STEM Center Increased STEM learning opportunities for students and teachers Increased student performance STEM content Increased interest in and improved preparation for STEM careers Increased numbers of students who are proficient in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions Regional Community Regional communities will evaluate the impact of the local networked improvement community on STEM education Improvements made to all aspects of STEM education as a result of lessons learned from the evaluation and analysis of data    Develop a clearinghouse to opportunities for students/staff to engage in STEM Districts and schools use evaluation and analysis of data to Local (District/School) System planning is informed by data Decision-making is    Increased STEM learning opportunities for students and teachers Increased student performance STEM content Increased interest in and improved preparation for STEM J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 20 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 inform practice and improve systems for STEM education informed by data Classroom instruction is informed and improved by analysis of student performance  careers Increased numbers of students who are proficient in STEM concepts necessary to make personal and societal decisions (6) Community Engagement STEM education is the responsibility of a community that extends beyond schools Business and industry have an interest in STEM education in order to grow a literate, technically prepared and innovative workforce A wide range of organizations provide STEM learning opportunities through classes, competitive events, and mentorships Parents and volunteers provide personal knowledge and experience that can engage and inspire students Post secondary education plays a key role in preparing students for the STEM workforce not only through academic coursework, but by providing internships where students practice industry skills first hand Engagement of the community in STEM education requires communication, collaboration and partnerships to leverage resources (National Governors Association, 2011) Community members who are not part of the school setting need to know how to interact with schools, teachers, and students in a meaningful and sustainable fashion Schools need to learn how to articulate their goals and need for opportunities for students to extend learning outside of the classroom Schools and communities need to communicate to understand what resources are available and how to best incorporate those resources into the educational setting Collaborations between schools and communities can also provide positive support for policy Community engagement can increase opportunities for students to engage in a wide range of STEM activities that are locally relevant Connection to Student Outcomes  A networked improvement community is a key driver for improving student performance in STEM related content because of the role partnerships play in creating STEM education opportunities for students and teachers within a region or across the state Through interactions within a community, students become proficient in STEM concepts as they make personal and societal decisions that impact the community in which they are a member J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 21 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Objective: Increase community partnerships and implement network improvement community strategies to increase access to STEM learning opportunities for all Action Result Evidence State Provide opportunities for potential STEM partners to engage in conversations to design a regional STEM collaborative Convene a meeting of potential regional partners to provide an overview of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative and guidance on how to get a regional partnership established locally  Increased number of recognized regional STEM partnerships Create a statewide database of STEM community organizations Database allows study of regional activity based upon Ed Tech, Perkins, Math and Science Partnerships, and 21st Century Community Learning Center grants  Illustration of current regional STEM activity used in planning Identify and connect with STEM leadership at the community college and higher education levels to create a resource that supports regional partnerships to articulate and leverage support and offerings Increased communication between state STEM partners acting as a catalyst for regional collaboration and partnership  Increased regional STEM activity resulting from increased state initiated conversations J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 22 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Communication between regional partners to identify local businesses that connect to STEM and reach out to involve them shared learning regarding how to create/provide students and teachers with learning experiences within business/community  This practice gains usage and value through peerbased adaptation & adoption as well as industry approval Regional Community Create personal relevance and understanding of real world STEM application Engage community volunteers in informal or extracurricular/cocurricular STEM activities (Saturday Academy, Robotics/DECA/etc.)  Students, teachers, and professionals are actively engaged and sharing STEMbased learning practices Monitor volunteer actions over time as they relate to STEM Identify and connect with STEM leadership at the community college and higher education levels to articulate and leverage     Increased opportunities for students and teachers to experience learning within a real world setting Increased number of artifacts and projects applicable or effecting real world decisions Increased volunteer participation in STEM education activities Community of STEM-based learning occurs and evolves Increased connections between k12 curriculum and post  Increased opportunities for duel credit or credit for proficiency J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 23 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 support and offerings Develop and initiate a STEM-based marketing plan at the local level Identify local businesses that connect to STEM and reach out to involve them in providing learning experiences for students and teachers within the business/community secondary course work  Coordinated message to the extended community regarding local STEM collaboration and the opportunities for joining the partnership Local (District/School)  Meaningful relationships between business and local schools  Increased student, teacher parent and community understanding of STEM  Increased opportunities for students and teachers to participate in real world STEM learning experiences Increased student engagement in learning by increasing awareness of how STEM affects the everyday lives of student via community connections Aligned STEM experiential learning opportunities (within and beyond school), standards, curriculum and assessments Relationships with community organizations to improve the knowledge and skills brought by educators to the instructional process (local as well as global)    J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 24 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Governance The Oregon STEM Education Initiative will be governed by the STEM Education Advisory Committee Representatives from preK-12, community colleges, higher education, business and industry, non-profit organizations and community members will serve as advisory committee members This advisory committee will provide overarching leadership for further development of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative and implementation of this initiative, including policy and funding recommendations Roles and responsibilities of the STEM Advisory Committee include:              Further development and articulation of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Review of best practice programs from the Regional STEM Centers Incorporate input from business and industry addressing the workforce pipeline and educational skill attainment needs Assess how best to dramatically increase student interest in, and preparation for, careers in STEM Annually collaborate with the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon’s Education Investment Board to review and update the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Approve applications for Regional STEM Centers based upon the components of the Oregon STEM Education Initiative Provide recommendations regarding a public awareness campaign helping parents, students, business and community understand why STEM disciplines are critical to individual student success Investigate and make funding recommendations to the Oregon Department of Education and Oregon’s Education Investment Board Hold an annual STEM Education Forum to bring together Regional STEM Partnerships to evaluate progress and engage in scale-up efforts Develop a rubric in partnership with the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Education Investment Board to evaluate best practice programs and Initiatives Provide ongoing technical assistance to the regional STEM partnerships to insure high performance Post an annual report highlighting the progress in achieving the Oregon STEM goals and the outcomes for each Regional STEM Education Center Collaborate with all STEM education related agencies and organizations to further the implementation of the Oregon STEM Initiative J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 25 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Oregon Regional STEM Education Centers The role of the Regional STEM Education Centers (ORSEC):       Convene preK-12, community colleges, higher education, business, regional organizations and community members to address the need for systemic change in STEM education Identify potential best practice programs appropriate to scale up regionally or statewide Submit a detailed plan outlining the use of best practices in the region including the role of all partners to the Oregon Department of Education and implement that plan for the region Develop new and innovative Initiatives to meet local needs Secure local contributions and funding to expand the number of students, teachers and schools engaged in STEM learning opportunities Provide an annual report to the STEM Education Advisory Committee presented at the STEM Education Forum Required members of an Oregon Regional STEM Education Center All networks and communities have rules for how to join as a member Open communities can have very loose membership requirements, such as Facebook, where literally anyone can join the community Communities of instructional practice that are more open in nature may share common artifacts, such as a rubric that specifies common elements of problem solving or scientific inquiry However, having common artifacts rarely leads to common work across the network Coordination within such a community is generally limited to maintaining a social focus on a common problem (Bryk, Gomez, & Grunow, 2010) In contrast, an ORSEC is an intentionally formed educational improvement community The partnerships represented by an ORSEC will share certain minimum characteristics, but will also allow for variation and ingenuity within each network OSRECs represent a collaborative social network that will expand to include more practitioners, program developers, and researchers as new needs and priorities come into focus At a minimum, an ORSEC must have at least one member identified in each of the following categories: A PreK-12 Partner: The role of a preK-12 partner is to support teachers to continually learn how to improve their practice and identify leadership within their system to support school improvement efforts in STEM education J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 26 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Examples of potential PreK-12 Partners include (but are not limited to): local school districts, educational service districts, private schools, charter schools, teacher organizations, etc A Post-Secondary Education Partner: The role of a post-secondary partner is to ensure access to high quality content and pedagogical knowledge is disseminated to educators to improve STEM education practice This may include providing courses or workshops focused on the needs the preK-12 institutions within their partnership At least one of the post-secondary partners must also support of the research and evaluation responsibilities of the ORSEC Examples of potential Post-Secondary Partners include (but are not limited to): universities, community colleges, trade schools, etc A Community (and/or Business) Partner: The role of a community partner is to support the work of preK-12 and post-secondary partners A community partner’s support could be financial in nature by providing needed funds to carry out the work described by the ORSEC A community partner could also support the center in the form of in-kind support such as providing access for students and teachers to quality applications of STEM work at reduced or no cost to help control the expenses of maintaining a quality partnership In some cases a community partner may serve as a contractor to the ORSEC Examples of potential Community Partners include (but are not limited to): local businesses, parent organizations, informal educators (e.g museums), other educational organizations (publishers, non-profit professional development businesses), etc Establishment and maintenance of an Oregon Regional STEM Education Center will require a partnership to identify how it will meet two key aspects of a network improvement community: (1) mapping to a common problem solving solution space; and (2) commitment to common protocols of inquiry: Mapping to a Common Problem-Solving Solution Space: An important aspect of a network improvement community is to map a problem-solution space that articulates how a potential partnership will navigate the terrain of possible STEM innovation This “roadmap” organizes challenges facing all partnerships using a common structure to coordinate efforts across the state The roadmap gives partnerships the opportunity to articulate how developments in different domains fit together, and then allow for the development of micro-targets within the partnership Longitudinal data analyses from public schools in Chicago identify five common elements of elementary schools that demonstrated significant improvement in mathematics and reading achievement These five common elements include: (1) Leadership, (2) Professional capacity, (3) Parent-Community ties, (4) Student-centered learning climate, and (5) Ambitious instruction (Sebring, Allensworth, Bryk, Easton, & Luppescu, 2006; National J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 27 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Research Council, 2011) Schools that were strong in most of these essential supports were at least ten times more likely than schools weak in these supports to show substantial gains in reading and mathematics (Sebring, Allensworth, Bryk, Easton, & Luppescu, 2006) The Oregon STEM Education Initiative very closely parallels these five essential supports for improving student achievement Thus, the Oregon STEM Education Initiative itself will serve as a common structure for all partnerships Interested participants will be required to submit proposals of how they will implement the Initiative, which in turn will serve as a guiding document as the partnership plans its activities Oregon Regional STEM Education Centers will need to articulate how their partnership will address: i Effective Instruction: To significantly raise student achievement in STEM profound changes in teachers’ capacities to implement STEM education principles (“Professional Capacity” element, Sebring, et al, 2006, p 12) Potential partnerships will need to identify how they plan supporting the professional capacity of teachers This should include, but not be limited to: helping master the needed content and pedagogical knowledge, positively orient beliefs to innovative practices, and ongoing professional development opportunities ii Effective Learning Environments: It is essential that STEM instruction creates a safe, welcoming, stimulating, and nurturing environment for all students (“Student-centered learning climate”, Sebring, et al, 2006, p 13) Potential partnerships will need to identify how they plan to engage students in the learning process though innovative learning environments and activities iii Coherent Standards & Policies: A nurturing learning environment for students sets the stage for learning, but instruction itself is the single most direct factor to affects student learning (“Ambitious Instruction” element, Sebring, et al, 2006, p 11) How teachers engage with the subject matter dictates to a large degree of what students learn It is important then for potential partnerships to identify how they intend to align their curriculum and instruction to intellectually challenging work described in the national content standards within the STEM disciplines Additionally, partnerships will need to identify how they will help align policies and remove potential barriers to proposed STEM Initiatives iv Effective Leadership: Leadership is a catalyst for school improvement It is conceptualized broadly as inclusive of all stakeholders with a focus on instructional leadership and strategic orientation Skillful leadership will foster development in the other four essential supports (community involvement, professional capacity, student-centered climate, and ambitious instruction) (“Leadership” element, Sebring, et al, 2006, p 9) Potential partnerships must identify how they will address supporting school, district, and community leadership in supporting STEM education Initiatives J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 28 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 v Research & Evaluation: An Oregon STEM Education Partnership must commit to the development and use of common measurements that allow network partners to share, test, and generalize local learning across the STEM Education Network Partnerships must also work towards the endorsement of shared, precise, and measureable targets Once established, members will need to agree on meeting common targets, and over time set new targets to more ambitious goals as targets are met vi Community Engagement: Schools with strong supports more likely existed in communities with strong social capitol (“Parent-community ties” element, Sebring, et al, 2006, p 11) Outreach to parents and community members to make schools a welcoming place to engage with students are essential elements for success in any STEM Initiative Potential partnerships will need to identify how they plan to strengthen relationships between school staff and the community in which they consist Commitment to Common Protocols of Inquiry: Continuous improvement within and across Oregon STEM Education Centers will require common protocols that enable ORSECs to share information and lessons learned, test new strategies and generalize local learning across the statewide network improvement community STEM Initiative These protocols will guide STEM improvement efforts regionally and statewide “In principle, each cycle (of designengineering-development) propels some bit of local learning When parallel development activities occur in different sites at the same time, a network can learn from the ensemble of these experiences” (Bryk, Gomez, & Grunow, 2010) The anticipated result is research that drives broad scale change in Oregon STEM education practices J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 29 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 REFERENCES Bryk, A S., Gomez, L M., & Grunow, A (2010) Getting Ideas Into Action: Building Networked Improvement Communities in Education Retrieved from Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: http://rd.carnegiefoundation.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/05/bryk-gomez_building-nics-education.pdf Department of Defense (2011) DoD Starbase Retrieved November 1, 2011, from DoD Starbase: A Department of Defense youth program: http://www.starbasedod.com/ Elizabeth A City, R F (2009) Instructional Rounds in Education: A Network Approach to Improving Teaching and Learning Cambridge: Harvard Education Press Morrison, J (2006, August) Attributes of STEM Education: The student, the school, and the classroom Retrieved from Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES): http://www.technologyiselementary.com/userfiles/file/Attributes%20of%20STEM %20Education%20with%20Cover5.pdf National Academy of Engineering (2002) Technically Speaking: Why Americans Need to Know More About Technology Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press National Governors Association (2011) Promoting STEM education: A communications toolkit Retrieved from Iowa Workforce Development: http://www.iowaworkforce.org/rig/education/stem.pdf National Research Council (2011) Successful K-12 STEM Education: Identifying Effective Approaches in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Committee on Highly Successful Science Programs for K-12 Science Education Board on Science Education and Board on Testing and Assessment, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Washington, DC: The National Academies Press National Science Foundation (2010) STEM education database and trends Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/ Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2011, March) Framework for 21st Century Learning Retrieved from Partnership for 21st Century Skills: http://p21.org/overview/skills-framework President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2010, September) Prepare and Inspire: K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education for America’s Future Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-stemed-report.pdf J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 30 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 Sebring, P B., Allensworth, E., Bryk, A S., Easton, J Q., & Luppescu, S (2006) The essential supports for school improvement Chicago, IL: Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 31 Oregon STEM Education Initiative PUBLIC DRAFT – November 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Oregon Department of Education would like to thank the following STEM Education Planning Committee members for their contributions: Jennifer Arns, Organization for Educational Technology and Curriculum (OETC) SueAnn Bottoms, Oregon State University Aubrey Clark, Intel Corporation and Chalkboard Advisory Council Trish Conlon, Chemeketa Community College Claire Gates, Northwest Regional Comprehensive Center at Education Northwest Shalee Hodgson, Oregon Community Colleges and Workforce Development Greg Kulander, Business Education Compact (BEC) Kelly Kuntz, Beaverton School District Jayne James, International Society for Technology in Education Nancy Lapotin, Portland Public Schools Ruth McDonald, Lincoln City School District Thor Pritchard, Clarity Innovations Linda Rhine, High Desert Museum Bruce Schafer, Oregon Pre-Engineering and Applied Sciences (OPAS) Adel Schepige, Western Oregon University and Project WET Ray Vandiver, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry Don Wolff, Willamette Education Service District Oregon Department of Education STEM Team: Mark Freed, Math Education Specialist mark.freed@state.or.us Cheryl Kleckner, Science Education Specialist Cheryl.kleckner@state.or.us Tom Thompson, Industrial & Engineering Systems Education Specialist tom.thompson@state.or.us Carla Wade, Technology & STEM Education Specialist carla.wade@state.or.us Tryna Luton, Director of School Improvement & Accountability tryna.luton@state.or.us To provide feedback on the Oregon STEM Education Initiative, please complete the STEM survey form by December 3, 2011: http://tiny.cc/ORSTEM Thank you, The ODE STEM Team J://STEM/Current Drafts/ STEM Education Initiative DRAFT for Public Comment.docx 32