STEM Education: Inspire, Engage, Educate

Crossing the Continental Divide: Climate Change Education

2012-01-19T14:48:00.011-07:00

Beetle killed trees cover millions of acres in Colorado.
Image courtesy of Jeff Mitton, University of Colorado, Boulder

Douglas F. Haller, Ed. M.

STEM Education Consultant

“We are no longer talking about the possibility of climate change…We are seeing an epidemic (of mountain pine beetle killed trees) that is completely unprecedented.”

Jeff Mitton, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU-Boulder.

The Continental Divide runs the length of Colorado. Visitors and residents cross the Divide when traversing the state. Crossing the Divide one transitions from the plains to the mountains (or vice versa). The passage calls to mind elementary geography lessons about watersheds draining east to the Atlantic or west to the Pacific. Today, a traverse of the Divide represents another split in America: one between those who accept and those who do not accept the evidence that climate change is due, in part, to human activities. Dropping west into Summit and Grand Counties withered lodgepole pines stand as a constant reminder that climate change occurs. A succession of warm winters has resulted in an epic number of mountain pine beetles that have killed millions of acres of Colorado conifers. I spoke with educators and scientists to understand why climate change is an important component of STEM education, how to prepare and support teachers to teach climate change in grades K-16, and what educators should anticipate with respect to student understanding of climate change prior to introducing the topic.

Bee in your bonnet? No, this is a mountain pine beetle.

Image courtesy of Jeff Mitton, University of Colorado, Boulder

Climate Change as a STEM Discipline

“…to generate a climate literate public, students are likely to require comprehensive formal instruction about climate change.”

Sarah B. Wise, Climate Change in the Classroom: Patterns, Motivations, and Barriers to Instruction Among Colorado Science Teachers, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 58, n. 5, November, 2010

Climate change education demonstrates the integrated nature of the sciences, the relationship between science and society, and the nature and practice of science.

The study of climate change brings together scientists from across disciplines and nations. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change. Since its establishment in 1988, the IPCC has produced four reports on the state of Earth’s climate, the latest dated 2007. Typically, over 500 scientists contribute their research to the IPCC for use in these assessments. An additional several hundred scientists review and edit the research to produce the final report. Researchers from all the fields within earth systems science contribute to the effort to understand and assess climate change, demonstrating the interdisciplinary nature of topic.

According to Karin Kirk, of SERC (Science Education Resource Center at Carlton College) the multifaceted nature of climate change, its impacts, and policies makes it ideal for learning and teaching science. Although Kirk finds climate change a “compelling” subject to teach she recognizes that it is both a challenging and prickly topic for instructors as well as students. Kirk states that students don’t need to be convinced that climate change is a relevant topic. If anything, today’s students arrive in class, well aware and armed with their own beliefs about human impact on climate and the environment. According to Susan Buhr, Director of K-12 Education and Outreach at CIRES (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences) younger students express apocryphal notions while older ones convey emotional exhaustion when thinking about climate change and their future responsibilities.

Climate Change Education Preparation and Instruction

Teachers of science understand the challenge of addressing student beliefs about and experiences of the nature of the universe. The same holds true when teaching about climate change.

Extensive educational research shows that students arrive in the classroom with a variety of loosely held ideas about the laws of nature many of which they misapply to explain observations. In order to remediate student knowledge and experience, best practices allow students to express their initial knowledge and understanding of a topic before confronting their misconceptions. This approach allows the educator to gauge student understanding of the topic prior to introducing the scientific perspective or a new experience. Once the students demonstrate their existing knowledge, the teacher is in the position of identifying and addressing areas for improved understanding through various instructional strategies.

Kirk recommends that teachers introduce climate change only after students have demonstrated understanding and value of the nature and process of science. Based upon experience, Kirk knows that one cannot casually introduce a complex and challenging topic such as climate change and expect students to readily except the data and conclusions.

Examples of data teachers and students

encounter in the study of climate change.

Sources: Nature (above), RealClimate (left).

In addition to the complexity of the topic, the study of climate change sparks emotional responses in students. Teachers should anticipate student emotions to range from feeling overwhelmed by the effects of climate change to expressing disbelief that our behaviors impact the planet on a global scale. Kirk recommends that teachers take the time to listen to and understand the values, emotions, and judgments students bring to class.

As a teacher, you do not need to tackle climate change education in isolation. Experienced educators and scientist provide a community of support – Susan Buhr, CIRES

Buhr cites evaluation results that demonstrate that those teachers who participate in climate change scientific and education communities feel more confident and prepared to address climate change in the classroom. These communities provide teachers with access to quality education resources and to individuals (educators and researchers) willing to share experience and knowledge about climate change and climate change education.

Climate Change Education Futures

ESS3.D: Global Climate Change

How do people model and predict the effects of human activities on Earth’s climate? – A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, page 151, National Research Council, July 2011.

The new national science education standards under development repeatedly refer to climate change. Chapter 7: Earth and Space, contains the learning outcomes for grades K-12. By the end of 5^th grade students are expected to recognize that a rise in global mean temperature will affect life on earth. Departing middle school students need to understand that human activities and behaviors contribute to climate change and that science and engineering may mitigate the effects. To graduate high school, students should recognize that scientists rely on indirect evidence and computer modeling to understand and anticipate climate change past and future and that we are still learning about complex interactions between earth systems and human impact on the climate.

Additional Resources

Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN)

The CLEAN project, a part of the National Science Digital Library, provides a reviewed collection of resources coupled with the tools to enable an online community to share and discuss teaching about climate and energy science. Click to access the reviewed collection.

Inspiring Climate Education Excellence (ICEE)

A forum for Educators to discuss Climate Literacy best practices and current science

Learn More about Climate

Learn More about Climate seeks to:

Extend the university's vast scientific expertise to raise awareness about climate change,
Inspire an informed dialogue about climate change among Coloradans, and
Encourage Coloradans to make lifestyle changes that contribute to the health of our state and planet.

NCAR Climate Discovery Teacher Guide

A teacher's guide produced by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Each unit contains lessons appropriate for grades 5-9 on a variety of Earth system science topics that facilitate learning about our planet's climate system.

On the Cutting Edge

NSF-sponsored comprehensive faculty development project for geoscience educators. Quaternary climate change is one of the most complex, yet relevant issues facing researchers and educators today. Not only is the topic scientifically complex, but there are economic, social and political ramifications as well. This site will allow educators to locate and use the best resources for teaching about Earth's climate system and the changing climate over the past one million years. Here you will find climate data, visualizations, teaching activities, workshops and more.

NASA Innovations in Climate Education (NICE)

NASA is developing high quality literacy resources to help better understand and explain the causes and effects of global change.

Acknowledgements

Susan Buhr, Director, CIRES Education and Outreach, University of Colorado, Boulder

Karin Kirk, Geoscience Content Developer, SERC, Carlton, College.

Jeff Mitton, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Contact the Author

Doug Haller

STEM Education Consultant

Haller Education Consulting

http://www.hallerconsulting.com

mail:doug@hallerconsulting.com

303.818.3230

Why Pizza is part of the STEM Pie

2011-12-02T09:46:00.009-07:00

Many of us recently chuckled when headlines misleadingly declared that Congress approved pizza as a vegetable. “Politics!” we thought and returned to mulling over how to encourage the best and brightest students to engage in STEM education. It turns out that a select group of STEM educators may have digested that news very differently. The green school movement considers student health and well being critical to producing a well-trained STEM workforce.

At one time, the term “green school” referred to the goal of making the school building energy efficient, comfortable, and perhaps minimally detrimental to the local environment. Today, the green school educators focus on student and community. In February, Denver will host the second national Green Schools National Conference. The 2012 program addresses five strands:

Strand 1: Curriculum that Advances Environmental Literacy and Sustainability

Strand 2: Stewardship and Service Learning

Strand 3: Facilities Design & Management

Strand 4: Health & Well Being

Strand 5: Strong Partnerships & Networks

Creating and maintaining energy efficient school buildings is only a lesson in a larger unit of study. The green school effort seeks to prepare a generation of students to meet current and future challenges of sustainability and environmental stewardship at every level, local to global. Green school advocates recognize the value and importance of work in targeted areas such as energy efficiency, water quality, or waste removal. Yet, they argue that for K-12 education, best practices combine these fields of study to engage, inspire, and educate the whole child. According to the Green Education Foundation (GEF):

The integrated approach necessary for sustainability education must be based on systems thinking. A systems viewpoint requires that we assess ecological risks, as well as policies and efforts to mitigate those risks, in terms of their broader economic and social implications. This is the triple bottom line of sustainability. This approach demands that we consider the interconnected aspects of all threats to global sustainability. — Victoria Waters, CEO and Founder of GEF

Additionally, green school educators recognize the value of STEM to sustainability education. Again, GEF states:

Sustainability offers a concrete and pressing array of challenges in which to ground the abstract and technical concepts and methods in STEM and civics courses. — GEF, on-line course content.

According to Jim McGrath, executive director of the Green Schools National Network, interest in greening schools increases annually. McGrath conservatively estimates that over 1000 schools have implemented steps to achieve Green Ribbon status. Green Ribbon Schools, a relatively new U.S. Department of Education classification, meet criteria for energy efficiency, sustainability, environmental education, health, and community engagement. To facilitate the greening process, the Green Schools National Network creates state level hubs designed to coordinate, consolidate resources, and provide support to schools engaged in the “greening” process. Most schools take anywhere from 3-5 years to reach minimum standards in the areas of facilities, education, health, and community.

Although McGrath believes that all schools can and should achieve Green Ribbon status, he recognizes that it takes time. Two key characteristics that improve success and shorten the path toward sustainability include existing emphasis on STEM and building autonomy. Schools with strong STEM programs naturally gravitate toward green school efforts due to shared appreciation for integrated and cross-disciplinary approaches to learning and teaching. Charter and magnet schools may rapidly transition to green schools programs in response to community needs and due in part to flexible, site-based leadership.

One never knows what to expect when turning over a rock. Even so, I was surprised to find much effort of green schools dedicated to improving the quality of food and food service at the school and district level. Beth Collins, executive director of the Boulder based, Food Family Farming Foundation, works locally and nationally to improve food service programs. In addition to reducing reliance on processed foods, Collins and her staff spend much of their time educating cafeteria staff and the community about all aspects of food from production on the farm through waste collection and disposal. Like McGrath, Collins notes that it takes several years for schools to reap the benefits a green food services initiative. Collins believes benefits are well worth the effort. Students receive quality and healthy food necessary to function well in any and especially the learning environment, schools reduce reliance on packaged and processed foods, chemicals, and waste management. Additionally, local food producers often develop mutually beneficial relationships with schools and districts.

Extensive resources along the Front Range make Denver an obvious site for the annual Green School National Conference. Locally, we have access to internationally recognized research facilities and think tanks such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Rocky Mountain Institute as well as workforce organizations like the Boulder Green Building Guild. Boulder is also home to education leaders such Ghita Carroll, Sustainability Coordinator, for Boulder Valley School District and Katie Navin, Executive Director, of the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education.

Additional Resources

Beyond Pac Man: Computer Games and Simulations in STEM Education

2011-10-13T08:34:00.010-06:00

360° of STEM appears as a column for the Boulder Area STEM Education Coalition. The column outlines a national issue, gives a local context, and provides additional resources.

I Never Mastered Pac Man

As a teen, I lacked hand-eye coordination and interest in interacting with computers. Due to limited skill and less motivation, my interest in computer games lapsed and I became out of touch with a technology and environment that today may prove a valuable resource to STEM educators.

All that changed when I sat near Scot Osterweil and Chris Hancock while working for Technical Education Research Centers (TERC). Scot and Chris developed The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis. The object of the game is to help the Zoombinis populate a new island. Users must puzzle out the rules of logic that allow Zoombinis access to each new section of the island. For example in the image below, each bridge allows Zoombinis with a set of specific physical characteristics to reach the other side. The player must identify the combinations of physical features leading to success or their Zoombinis fall off the bridge.

Zoombinis fall off the bridge if their physical features do not match those required for passage.

Zoombinis was developed in the early 1990’s. Since then, the increased access to and power of computers has led to a blossoming of gaming for entertainment. Some educators see an opportunity to use computer games and simulations to engage and educate students in STEM education. National interest coupled with local expertise led me to wonder how and if computer games and simulations promote the learning and teaching of STEM. In an attempt to satisfy my curiosity, I spoke with several experts in the field and read some of the underlying research.

Earlier this year the National Research Council released a study entitled, Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations. The report examines the role and efficacy of computer games and simulations in K-12 education, finding that simulations may promote comprehension and retention of concepts, process skills, and motivation in science. Research on games remains limited. The NRC publication calls for increased efforts to understand the place of both in the K-12 environment.

The NRC defines games and simulations as follows:

Simulations and games are both based on computer models and allow user interactions, but each has unique features. Simulations are dynamic computer models that allow users to explore the implications of manipulating or modifying parameters within them. Games are often played in informal contexts for fun, incorporating explicit goals and rules, and providing feedback on the player’s progress. In a game, the player’s actions affect the state of play.

– National Research Council, Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations, 2011

Simulation and Game Classification

The NRC classified simulations based upon the level of user control of variables, pedagogical support, and the nature of what is modeled. Control of simulations ranges from restricted to open. Simulations may stand alone, requiring the instructor to create or insert them into existing courses. Alternatively, developers may integrate simulations into a curriculum. Simulations may model the behavior of objects, complex systems, or engage users in virtual environments.

Games range from fun to serious. Serious games generally differ from fun games by having a goal or intent beyond competition or winning. For example, a serious Wii game may be played to lose weight. The NRC report restricted its interest in games to those that support science learning. They looked at games based upon learning goals, participation duration, and purpose.

Efficacy and Implementation of Games and Simulations in STEM Education

Most studies of simulations have focused on conceptual understanding, providing promising evidence that simulations can advance this science-learning goal. There is moderate evidence that simulations motivate students’ interest in science and science learning. Less evidence is available about whether simulations support development of science process skills and other science learning goals.

– National Research Council, Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations, 2011

For years, military and commercial pilots have used virtual environments to train and maintain their skills. More recently, other professions have adopted virtual environments in which to develop or enhance skills and experience. The application of computer games and simulations in K-12 science education is a relatively new phenomenon. Few studies of their use in schools exist and many of those that do lack a control group for comparison. Efficacy may reflect the design and/or implementation of the resources. Not surprisingly, like most new resources, students learn best when computer games and simulations include:

· A supported, inquiry-based approach embedded in a meaningful context

· Teachers receive practical and meaningful professional development before they implement the resources

National growth in the interest of the application of computer games and simulations in K-12 STEM education is partially rooted in Boulder, CO. Local scientists and educators have demonstrated success with the development and implementation of computer games and simulations in K-16 classrooms. PhET Interactive Simulations, a project of the physics department at CU, Boulder provides standalone, targeted simulations designed to encourage exploration and understanding of basic physics, chemistry, and other science concepts. In addition to PhET, CU’s Dr. Alexander Repenning, leads an interdisciplinary initiative, Scaleable Game Design, that engages students in computational thinking as they design and program computer games.

The PhET simulation, Ramp: Forces and Motion, explores basic physics concepts and comes with research and resources guides for teachers.

Kathy Perkins, director of the PhET project at CU-Boulder, advocates for the use of simulations to stimulate student exploration and learning of fundamental scientific concepts. PhET not only develops the simulations but the team has done much of the research required to back up claims of the efficacy of simulations in STEM education. Perkins explains that in an ideal situation, students would manipulate and explore the simulation with a partner, reporting back to the whole class, what they did and learned. Following open-ended exploration, students would study specific cause-and-effect relationships, collecting and analyzing data with the simulation and perhaps comparing the results with experiments performed in a laboratory setting.

AgentSheets software, used by the Scaleable Game Design initiative, allows students to build and test their own version of the classic game Frogger.

Not only do simulations need to be implemented well, teachers need support to use new resources. This past summer Alex Repenning hosted a conference and teacher professional development workshop designed to improve computer science and science education in public schools. Through the Scaleable Game Design project teachers and students participate in computer game design as the context for learning computational thinking, computer programming, and basic scientific concepts. Repenning sees learning game development as a precursor for the design of computer simulations, noting that game design requires students to think through and develop models for the behavior of natural phenomena. At the conference, teachers shared instructional strategies and planned lessons to effectively use the software, AgentSheets, in computer science classes throughout the U.S. The Scaleable Game Design project includes a Wiki where the community shares resources and experiences.

Playing for Keeps

In speaking with Scot Osterweil (MIT Comparative Media Studies) and Jeremy Friedberg (SpongeLab Interactive), it became clear that the current education environment pose challenges for the use of computer games to teach STEM concepts. Both Scot and Jeremy explained that games work best in an immersive environment – one not bounded by bells, clocks, and standardized assessments. To address the disconnect between 21^st century learning and 19^th century school settings, one group of educators opened a public school in New York dedicated to learning and teaching from the perspective of gaming. Quest to Learn explains the role of games in learning as follows:

Games work as rule-based learning systems, creating worlds in which players actively participate, use strategic thinking to make choices, solve complex problems, seek content knowledge, receive constant feedback, and consider the point of view of others.

– Quest to Learn

Another promise of games and simulations is their ability to respond to individual users. In an environment that increasingly emphasizes individualized learning, games and simulations challenge users to work at their own pace and skill level. The flip side of the coin is that multi-user games exist for entertainment purposes foreshadowing opportunities to develop similar approaches for serious games with science learning goals requiring cooperative learning and teamwork that reflects research and work environments.

Although the jury is out, evidence suggests that in the right environment, with adequate training, teachers and students will find teaching and learning through computer games and simulations beneficial to retaining and comprehending complex STEM concepts.

Additional Resources

· AgentSheets

· the education arcade

· PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado, Boulder

· Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations, National Research Council, 2011

· Scaleable Game Design

· SpongeLab: gaming the art of science education, Scientific American, September 12, 2011.

· Quest to Learn

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following individuals for sharing their time and expertise with me as I researched the role of computer games and simulations in STEM education:

· Jeremy Friedberg, Co-Founder, SpongeLab Interactive

· Scot Osterweil, Creative Director of the MIT Education Arcade and a research director in the MIT Comparative Media Studies Program

· Katherine Perkins, Director, PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado, Boulder

· Alexander Repenning, University of Colorado, Boulder and founder of AgentSheets

Contact the Author

Douglas F. Haller, Ed. M., Principal

Haller Education Consulting

Boulder, CO

http://www.hallerconsulting.com

mailto:doug@hallerconsulting.com

303.818.3230

Written and Visual Communication in STEM Education

2011-08-10T09:23:00.005-06:00

Recently, I was asked to contribute a monthly column to the newsletter for the Boulder Area STEM Education Coalition. The name of the column currently is 360° of STEM. Each column describes a national issue, the local, Colorado perspective, and several resources. The column is limited to 150 words but appears in full below.

After my first semester of college, I was politely asked to learn to write or find another institution. – Doug Haller

On Writing in K-12 STEM Education

Learning to write requires learning to think clearly. Research demonstrates that the opportunity to write provides students the necessary space to summarize and reflect on their learning. In my inquiry-based science classroom, I found that a quiet writing session provided needed calm after a whirlwind of activity.

I finally learned to write when faced with expulsion from college. Thanks to a writing lab generously supported of by s taff and peer-tutors, I gradually improved my skills. Only later did I realize that learning to write was the equivalent of learning to think. Facing a blank page taught me to distill and refine my ideas before sharing them with others.

Near expulsion from college enco uraged me to incorporate writing into my middle school science classes. I felt that by requiring students to learn to write, I was helping them to learn to reflect on and organize their thoughts. I coordinated efforts with the team Language Art (LA) teacher to ensure that I reenforced her wri ting approach. The collaboration also provided the LA class with the oppopportunity to teach writing in the context of science.

I based my middle school assignments on one of my most memorable college writing assignments. The professor required us to summarize a multi-page article from Scientific American in no more than 250 words. Tasked to articulate the arguments for and against dinosaurs as warm-blooded, I worried away extra words, unearthing the skeletal outline of the debate. The assignment appealed to my minimalist approach. As a teacher, I replicated the 250-word maximum with my students, encouraging the idea of quality over quantity. For example, I required my students to research and write about plants and plant products, preparing an essay that answered five questions. In addition, they had to create a poster illustrating images of the plant and the products produced.

Information is Beautiful

Imaging all the questions you could ask students based upon this image of toy exports.

Given the opportunity, my middle school students always enjoyed visually representing scientific knowledge through works of art. I challenged them to distinguish art from scientific illustration just a

s one separates fiction and non-fiction. I drew upon my experience as a scientist to demonstrate the value of images to simply convey complex information and concepts. I encouraged them to make accurate and precise drawings of their observations of scientific objects or events.

We built or used models to represent objects or events inaccessible or inappropriate for use in a classroom environment. Most of my students enjoyed the creative process and the opportunity to work individually while sitting with friends. Their efforts provided decoration for my room throughout the year and testified to their level of investment and ability to express themselves visually. Each year, while studying botany, I provided students with a variety of materials to design an anatomically correct flower. One year, I had an exceptionally motivated and academic group. Expanding upon the “designer flower” activity, I challenged students to make a pollinator to match flowers made by their peers. The students buzzed, hummed, and flapped their way around the room, pollinating the flowers and thoroughly enjoying themselves. The activity provided a way to segue into the discussion of the role of animals in plant reproduction.

Advances in computer processing and software provide the tools for manipulating and visually representing data in more imaginative ways. For example, using GIS, students can combine seemingly disparate layers of data leading to engaging and thought provoking questions and answers. By exploring creative data representations, students learn to develop unique presentations of their own data. Often student products reveal their thoughts and ideas in ways that written and verbal communication does not, providing the teacher with added insight from which to assess understanding.

Video: The beauty of data visualization, David McCandless

Additional Resources
Writing

Philip M. Sadler, Doug Haller, and Eliza Garfield, Observational Journals: An Aid to Sky Watching, Journal of College Science Teaching; February 2000.
Process Writing, North Central Regional Education Laboratory
Project CRISS, Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies

Visualizing Data

Worldmapper, a Geographic Information System resource for creating world maps
Information is Beautiful more work by David McCandless
The Work of Edward Tufte another excellent resource on visualizing data

Acheivement Gap: Persistant & Puzzling

2011-07-07T11:04:00.009-06:00

In 1974 I was old enough to know about, but too young to understand, court-ordered busing and the battles that rocked Boston and surrounding communities.–

Douglas F. Haller, Ed. M.

360° STEM

Achievement Gap: Persistent & Puzzling

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson – a 1896 decision allowing states to segregate public schools. The case, commonly known as Brown v. Board of Education, declared unconstitutional separate but equal public education facilities for black and white students. 20 years later, Judge W. Arthur Garrity Jr., enforced implementation of the Racial Imbalance Law (of the state of Massachusetts) requiring Boston public schools to redress a recurring pattern of racial discrimination.

Achievement gaps occur when one group of students outperforms another group and the difference in average scores for the two groups is statistically significant –

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Despite over five decades of effort to rectify imbalances, significant differences in achievement persist. White students continually outperform their Black and Latino counterparts on standardized tests, high school graduation rates, and college completion. Education researchers can measure but cannot explain the underlying causes for continued achievement gaps. To some degree, the hard work of educators has paid off; NEAP reading and mathematics scores for all students have improved over the last 20 years. Yet, gaps persist, causing many to puzzle about their tenacious hold on the U.S. education system.

Approaches to closing the achievement gap exist beyond physically busing students to schools outside their neighborhoods. Head Start (1965-present) provides education, nutrition, and a variety of additional services to low-income families with children ages 3-5. Systemic change initiatives, implemented in 1990’s and running currently, target rural and urban school districts. Systemic change seeks comprehensive reform of education communities taking a “whole-district” view rather than addressing individual inadequacies. More recently, efforts to understand and define effective teaching have come to the fore. Research shows, and most teachers will tell you, that effective teaching rests upon three solid legs: content knowledge, use of effective instructional strategies, and strong student rapport.

Today, national demographics are changing rapidly. Between 2000 and 2050 the White population will decrease from 68% to 49% while the Latino population will grow from 13% to 24%. In the same time frame the Black population will increase by 1% and the Asian population by 4%. These numbers suggest that the achievement gap will remain a significant conversation to which educators must speak.

Narrowing the Gaps

According to NAEP there are several ways that achievement gaps narrow:

Table #1: Source: NAEP

Flatiron Focus

STEM educators already face numerous hurdles when inspiring, engaging, and educating students and their teachers. A number of tools exist for educators seeking to ferret out the details associated with state education achievement gaps.

The National Center for Education Statistics and the Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America provide interactive web pages that allow users to create state-by-state profiles or compare and contrast such things as human capital investment to STEM education success. Until new research into the causes of achievement gaps or methods of effective teaching illuminate new and productive paths to redress inequities embedded within our social, political, and education institutions quality education programs will continue to rely heavily on individual educators who demonstrate strength of knowledge, employ best practices, and connect with students.

Additional Resources

· The Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University

· National Assessment of Educational Progress, Achievement Gap Study

· Closing the Achievement Gap, PGS

· NAEP State Profiles tool

· ASTRA Report Card tool

Contact the Author

Douglas F. Haller, Ed. M.

STEM Education Consultant

Haller Education Consulting

http://www.hallerconsulting.com

mailto:doug@hallerconsulting.com

303.818.3230

Rise of the “E” in STEM Education

2011-05-21T19:30:00.022-06:00

360° of STEM

Recently, stakeholders at the national level have focused their attention (and funding) on improved K-12 engineering education. Leaders of policy, industry, and post-secondary education view engineering education as a potential hub for improving student comprehension and retention of fundamental science and mathematics, creativity, and innovation. They argue that for the U.S. to maintain a position of strength and leadership in an increasingly globalized economy, we must encourage youth to understand the value and excitement of the engineering profession.

Each stakeholder community also has its own agenda for requiring all students to engage in engineering education during their formative years. The government and industry view engineers as a source of innovation. Research and development provide a foundation for the growth of industry and new jobs. Industry would rather hire locally than select foreign nationals to fill key roles. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 11% growth in job opportunities for engineers with specific fields, such as biomedical engineering, undergoing a 72% increase. Universities want incoming freshmen to consider and be academically prepared for the rigors of earning a B.S. in engineering. These stakeholders believe that adding engineering to the core K-12 disciplines—mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies—will increase the knowledge of engineering as a viable profession for a diverse population, placing it alongside medicine, the law, and teaching.

Research, and my personal experience teaching engineering design at the middle school level, suggest that students who engage in engineering design challenges develop an understanding of the profession, improve their scores on standardized tests, and better understand the application of mathematics and science to solving real-world problems. Many of my fondest teaching memories come from observing my students avidly involved in solving a design challenge that engaged their creativity, critical-thinking, and communication skills.

Flatiron Focus

At the local level, the rise of engineering education will result in several important discussions and potential changes. I view these as opportunities that will drive improvement throughout the K-12 STEM effort. Several states have already begun to develop engineering education standards. If standards exist then courses and teacher certification will follow shortly. Districts will need to identify quality engineering education instructional materials. Teachers already in the fields of mathematics and science may be charged with delivering applied courses in engineering such as engineering mathematics or engineering design and problem solving. These professionals will require training to demonstrate their ability to implement engineering education. Finding additional funding for all of these efforts, during a period of economic stress, no doubt, will present challenges. The payoff is that by increasing engineering education efforts in grades K-12, we add a dose of applied mathematics and science to their course work and plant the seed early for considering engineering and other STEM professions.

Additionally, several local organizations already have strong K-12 engineering education components. Two of note, the Integrated Teaching & Learning Program and Laboratory (ITLL) and Science Discovery, both out of the University of Colorado, Boulder, provide programs and support for K-12 engineering education to students and teachers.

Video

NASA for Kids: Intro to Engineering

Additional Resources

· Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects

o Linda Katehi, Greg Pearson, and Michael Feder Editors; Committee on K-12 Engineering Education, National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council, (2009)

· Engineering Competitions in the Middle School Classroom: Key Elements in Developing Effective Design Challenges

o Philip M. Sadler, Harold P. Coyle, Marc Schwartz, The Journal of the Learning Sciences, Janet L. Kolodner, Ed. Special: Design Education, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2000.

· The Bridge

o Charles M. Vest, Editor, Volume 39, Number 3, Fall 2009 K-12 Engineering Education

Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature

2010-11-04T16:43:00.006-06:00

Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature presents the following lesson plans for the educators in middle- and high-schools. Each lesson plan provides suggested instructional guides and materials that an educator may adapt in whole or in parts as he or she deems most appropriate for the students' interest, level, and academic goals. The lesson plans contain background information, relevant academic topics, national standards, learning outcomes, step-by-step procedures, and all instructional materials that include several historical primary sources.

Middle School Lesson
Electricity, Frankenstein, and the Spark of Life is prepared for 6-8 grade classes. In this lesson, students explore how Mary Shelley's horror science fiction published in 1818, reflect the increasing knowledge and hopes about electricity in her time. Students read and view the excerpts from Frankenstein novel and its 1931 film, where there are references to electricity. Afterwards student learn about Galvanism and Luigi Galvani whose experiments and observations on electricity and muscle contractions ignited imagination and work of many scientists in late 18th century.

High School Lesson
"It's Alive!": Frankenstein and the Limits of Medical Research is appropriate for students in 9-12 grades. In this lesson, students are guided to address the questions, "What is acceptable scientific advance?" and "What is the role of an individual in determining acceptability of a scientific endeavor?" Students reflect on these questions and formulate their own responses to them after examining how Dr. Frankenstein and his science are depicted using excerpts from the novel and a short clip of the 1931 film Frankenstein as well as how the acceptability of a scientific work is debated in the online exhibition, Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secretes of Nature.

Binding Wounds, Pushing Boundaries: African Americans in Civil War Medicine

2010-10-25T09:43:00.004-06:00

The National Library of Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, recently opened a new exhibition, Binding Wounds, Pushing Boundaries: African Americans in Civil War Medicine.

This exhibition is near and dear to me. I collaborated with their education department to design and develop the K-12 education materials that support the exhibition. You may find those online. Additionally, my maternal grandfather, after fleeing Austria in 1939, worked at NIH.

About the Elementary Lesson:
Students learn about four African American surgeons and nurses who served in the Union during the American Civil War. In Class 1, students consider African Americans' experiences of being limited by others in what they could do due to slavery and prejudice against them. Students closely examine Dr. Augusta's letter to President Lincoln, written in 1863, as a case study of an African American who became a doctor and worked with African American soldiers in the Union army. In Class 2 (and 3 if needed), students read the biographical sketches of Dr. Augusta and one of three other Civil War African American doctors and nurses. Students reflect upon what they have read and learned, and then write about that reflection.

About the High School Lesson:
Students view several primary sources and closely examine transcripts of the sources, featuring two Civil War African American surgeons and a nurse. In Class 1, students assess and then build on their existing knowledge about African American doctors and nurses during the U.S. Civil War. In Class 2 students share their findings from close examination of two primary sources from Class 1 and study the case of Dr. Augusta's streetcar incident in 1863 through several related primary sources, including a record of a congressional debate on the resolution to desegregate Washington, DC, streetcars. In Class 3, students share their findings from the examination of the congressional record, and write a short essay about the contributions African Americans made to expanding the roles available to African Americans during the Civil War and to others' views of them and their roles in society.

Blogtalkradio: STEM Professional Development

2010-08-11T09:42:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I participated in an interview about the need for STEM education professional development. The interview resides on the Internet as a podcast.

The conversation addressed challenges of providing K-12 educators with necessary resources and professional development to implement STEM curricula. The host posed four discussion questions:

Why is there a lack of STEM professional development?
In addition to a lack of funding, what inhibits STEM professional development?
Can or how will STEM professional development be delivered in an era when professional development is increasingly delivered via the Internet?
Why do surveys show that the need for STEM professional development is greatest at the elementary level?

Of the three individuals holding the conversation, all of us agreed that there is no substitute for hands-on experiences and human interactions when working with teachers. At the same time, we all acknowledged that budgets for, especially in the present economic environment, continue to limit the types and amount of opportunities for teacher professional development.

The conversation caused me to think about the boom in on-line education. If hands-on, materials-based interactions are the best way to approach STEM professional development for adults, then why such excitement in the education community about resources for teaching that rely on Internet access?

I do not claim to have the answers but I can make a short list of my thoughts on this. Notice that I am not prioritizing or critiquing, just brainstorming:

Kit-based curricula often includes consumables resulting in an annual expense
“Technology” has become a synonym for “computer” placing blinders on the variety and nature of experiences that students need
Computing power continues to grow allowing for more sophisticated interactions that simulate hands-on experiences
Hands-on, inquiry based activity is often messy, literally and figuratively, where as on-line simulations or interactives pare down the experience to the bare essentials
There is room in the education industry to develop computer based simulations and interactives adding a new line of products to sell to schools
Computers have become as common place and as useful as pencils and paper
Youth are early adopters and adapters of new technology

Part IV: State STEM Initiatives

2010-07-28T13:54:00.006-06:00

In 2001$784 billion dollars (US) were spent on primary education around the world... The the largest amount was spent is the United States; the spending was 28% of all spending in the world.
Source: Worldmapper.org

States STEM Initiatives
The rise of STEM broadens the definition of educational technology to support high-technology “shop” classes and broadens the market for kits, labs, simulations, and software and “hands-on” projects in K-12 schools. Brazell, Jim, STEM: Mainstreaming Career and Technical Education (CTE), 2010.

Numerous states have initiated STEM education programs in recognition of the growing need for a professionally trained workforce. In 2007, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia each received $500,000 matching grants over two years from the National Governors’ Association Center for Best Practices. States put these funds to work to in a variety of ways. Colorado, Ohio, and Pennsylvania used the funds to develop regional STEM centers. Hawaii, Minnesota, and Virginia opted to fund schools and academies as well as provide professional development resources to teachers.

Many more states actively promote STEM education. Each state provides resources for teachers, students, and other community stakeholders.

Alabama: Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) Alabama Department of Education’s initiative to improve math and science teaching statewide. Its mission is to provide all students in Grades K-12 with the knowledge and skills needed for success in the workforce and/or postsecondary studies.

California: The Center for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Excellence at California State University, Sacramento is a University-wide initiative aimed at strengthening the quality of STEM education and research, increasing the number of students graduating in STEM disciplines to meet local and national workforce needs, building the university's capacity to advance knowledge in STEM disciplines, and enhancing recruitment of students, staff, and faculty such that these populations better reflect the diversity of California.

Connecticut: CONNvene is a statewide Pre-Kindergarten through baccalaureate degree (PreK-16) initiative to improve student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to better meet Connecticut's 21st Century economic development, quality of life, and workforce preparation needs.

Georgia: The Georgia Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics (PRISM) is an initiative of the University System of Georgia designed to increase science and mathematics achievement for all P-12 students in order to improve their readiness for post-secondary education and careers by enhancing teacher quality, raising expectations for all stakeholders, and closing achievement gaps.
Awarded to the University System of Georgia in 2003, the initiative is funded by a five-year, $34.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is scheduled to be funded through the school year of 2008.

Hawaii: The state of Hawaii runs the Innovation Initiative through its department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

Illinois: The goal of the High Technology School to Work Program is to improve education and to prepare Illinois’ students to transition from school to high skilled, high paying jobs in the areas of science, mathematics, and advanced technology.

Indiana: The I-STEM Resource Network’s overarching goal is to help Indiana achieve its vision to be a national leader in student academic achievement in STEM disciplines and the in quality of its workforce.

Kentucky: The state of Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education STEM Task Force Report details initiatives throughout various regions of the state.

Maine: Maine Pathways to STEM. Our focus is on making education and careers in the sciences more accessible for Maine students. We foster an on-going exchange of ideas and resources for Maine students, parents, educators, businesses and policy makers.

Massachusetts: The Massachusetts STEM Initiative has held annual summits since 2003. The website provides resources about state and local efforts including resources for teachers students and other stakeholders.

Michigan: Four major research universities in the state of Michigan have established one of the Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate to advance under-represented minority students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics as they pursue graduate degrees

Minnesota: MN-STEM is a statewide campaign that has been made possible through the support of state organizations including the Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota High Tech Association, Minnesota Business Partnership, and Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

North Carolina: North Carolina Math Science Education Network - Pre-College Program (Grades 6-12). The Pre-College Program is designed to prepare students in grades six through 12 to pursue mathematics and science at the university level and beyond. The program implements a variety of activities to stimulate students’ interest in math and science at an early age. In 2004, approximately 97% of Pre-College seniors responding to a senior survey indicated that they would enroll in college after graduation!

Ohio: Building upon the NGA funding, Ohio provides numerous links to state STEM efforts through the Ohio Board of Regents, Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Legislature

Rhode Island: Rhode Island’s portal to STEM education includes resources for educators, families, students, and business.

Part III: Barriers-Funding & Communicating about STEM

2010-07-22T07:41:00.004-06:00

It is clear that, given the dynamics of today’s economy, this nation can ill-afford to wait to innovate. States can and should lead the way by strengthening the innovative processes within their boundaries and staying ahead of the global competition unleashed by the computing and communications revolution. Innovation America: A Final Report, National Governors Association, 2007

Two prominent barriers to successfully marketing STEM products are a perceived lack of funding and confusion about product capacity. Fortunately, both of these challenges may be overcome through partnerships and communication. According to Linda Brent, Ed. D. and CEO of The Asta Group, there are a multitude of initiatives underway at local, state, and national levels to encourage growth of STEM programs within K-20 education. These efforts often pair industry with schools or districts. AWIM’s Ciuca agrees—many of his programs receive funding and support from local engineering or technology sector businesses.

In October of 2009, The Asta Group received National Science Foundation funding to create a cyberlearning taskforce with the expressed purpose of

advancing Cyberlearning for the improvement of STEM education and how to use technology to connect underrepresented groups with resources and tools to which they have never before been exposed. ASTA and the national defense industrial community have encountered and solved many of the same implementation issues arising now in education and have actively sought ways that technology can improve education and training effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility. NSF Award Abstract #0940773, Building a National Program to Improve STEM Education and Lifelong Learning

Brent specializes in multi-user virtual environments, modeling and simulation, and game-based learning, all approaches that she anticipates will take hold as more consistent and better quality educational resources arise.

In late November of 2009, President Obama announced the “Educate to Innovate" Campaign for Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Education. The effort raised $260 million in financial and in-kind support to “create methods of generating and maintaining student interest and enthusiasm” and “reinvigorate the pipeline of ingenuity and innovation”. Funding and support led to five public-private partnerships all dedicated to advancing STEM education. Corporations involved include Time Warner, Discovery Communications, and Sesame Street.

Partnerships with industry and government will help coordinate efforts and centralize funding for STEM education. Individuals seeking avenues into schools and districts will benefit from creating new partnerships and supporting existing ones.

Educate Clients
To ensure that prospective clients review your product, highlight how it aligns to state standards in science and mathematics while employing technology and/or engineering. The need to be explicit cannot be understated. Curriculum review committees have limited time and resources to dissect products in detail. Documentation must clearly and concisely convey how your product aligns to state standards. Consider providing a rubric or matrix that demonstrates exactly how the learning outcomes of each lesson or component of the product meet state standards. If your product takes an engineering design approach to teaching science and mathematics, a reviewer may dismiss it due to an inability to recognize the traditional science and mathematics embedded in engineering challenges. Ensure that you communicate explicitly how an engineering approach requires students to demonstrate their understanding and knowledge of fundamental science and mathematics.

Coming Soon-- Part IV:State STEM Initiatives

Part II: The Need for STEM Education

2010-07-08T16:18:00.003-06:00

Competition to dominate space motivated Americans to study and work in scientific and technological fields during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Surviving and wining the Cold War led to significant advances in our understanding of science and technology and their commercial applications but did it also produce a population content to rest on past achievements? Today, the need for a highly educated and technically trained workforce grows while post-secondary education graduates fewer men and women with the required knowledge and experience.

The news, while grim, is not new. Politicians, industry leaders, and education innovators have recognized and articulated the need to inspire, engage, and educate K-20 students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education for many years if not decades. Funding at the national, regional, state and local levels continues to pour into schools providing teachers with professional development to weave together disciplines and technology, modeling the interdisciplinary nature of the modern work environment.

Few have answers as to why the gap exists and grows. Most educators recognize but cannot clearly explain a decline in interest in the sciences and mathematics toward the end of middle school and beginning of high school, especially among under-served populations and females. It may be that careers in STEM fields continue to be perceived as the domain of white males despite significant contributions by men and women of all backgrounds. A 2007 study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education shows that for every 100 9th graders enrolled in Massachusetts only 29 graduate with a degree from college within four years. Of those who do leave college with a B.A. or B.S. in a STEM related field, the majority of degrees are concentrated in the life sciences.

Most educators and advocates of STEM education believe that early and on-going engagement in STEM will provide the foundation for life-long interest and professional success in related careers.

Part III: Barriers-Funding & Communication

Part I: What is STEM Education?

2010-06-15T15:29:00.013-06:00

“STEM Education” is defined in many ways by different groups, and this causes questions to arise as K-12 educators are told that their work is key to ensuring that the United States remains competitive in the global market.

--Hallinen, Judith et al., STEM Education in Southwestern Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University, 2008.

Ultimately, STEM literacy means that a student possesses the ability to apply understanding of how the world works within and across the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM literacy is an interdisciplinary area of study that bridges the four areas; it does not simply mean achieving literacy in each of these strands or silos. A STEM-literate student also is experienced in problem-solving, analytical, communication, and technology skills.

--Promoting STEM Education: A Communications Tool Kit, National Governor’s Association, 2007.

In an ideal world, science, mathematics and technology/vocational teachers would plan and coordinate their efforts, aligning concepts and content to reinforce STEM learning and instruction. Students in a STEM classroom might graph or crunch data gather in science during their mathematics class. In social studies a discussion might center on the implications of science and technology on society and students would use discussion notes for a language arts lesson on written or verbal communication.

In fact, efforts to create this ideal environment occurred often in the 1990’s following the publication of Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 1989). Turning Points recommended teaming by teachers as a best practice for middle school students. One example, A World In Motion (AWIM), funded by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the National Science Foundation, resulted in a series of engineering design challenges for middle school students that provided lesson plans for teachers in science, mathematics, social studies, language arts, and shop. These materials have now reached over 4 million students.

Times have changed, according to Chris Ciuca, Project Manager for AWIM. Today’s emphasis on accountability and assessment has led teachers to retreat to within their domain of expertise, reducing opportunities to plan and work together on multidisciplinary projects. In response, AWIM materials were revised to demonstrate state-level standards alignment and to remove any required cross-disciplinary efforts. For example, early curricula included lesson plans on market research conducted by students and facilitated by the social studies teacher. Today, AWIM provides the science teacher with sample market research data to explain to students as they consider design concepts for toy vehicles.

Renewed interest in STEM education needs to recognize the challenges that face 21st century teachers. On the one hand “true” STEM education requires teachers to integrate and collaborate. Yet, continued emphasis on accountability and alignment to discipline specific standards handcuffs educators’ ability and motivation to innovate and explore new products and approaches.

Coming Soon, Part II, Understanding the Need for STEM Education

Keep Your Audience Awake! Interactive Game Challenges Understanding While Disseminating Research Results

2010-03-10T09:00:00.006-07:00

One reason I really enjoy my job is the opportunity to stay on top of the latest research. My fascination with how people learn and teach began in graduate school and continues today. Many of my colleagues and clients are less inclined to pour over research articles but would benefit from the knowledge. Unfortunately few researchers have the opportunity or inclination to disseminate their work in an engaging and educational manner. Not so the Science Education Department at Harvard’s Center for Astrophysics.

Factors Influencing College Science Success (FICSS) was designed by the SED “to identify measurable factors in high school science classes that predict different levels of achievement in introductory college science courses”. Chances are that the results of similar research are gathering dust on a library shelf. Not FICSS results. Rather than ensure only a few academics learned the FICSS outcomes, the SED staff developed an interactive game to engage their audience and disseminate the results of this study. Once again, SED demonstrates the ability to walk the walk.

FICSS players have their understanding and assumptions about learning and teaching science challenged by the interactive game. Players build a team of advisers from a pool of students, secondary, and post secondary instructors. Using the advice from teammates, shared via short video clips, players are challenged to answer questions about factors that influence success in college science education. Right answers win you virtual cash. The more teammates you poll for advice, the more cash you can win.

The game is engaging and instructional. Not only do you learn the results of the FICSS research, you virtually engage with teammates each of who personalizes their experience of teaching and learning science. If you enjoyed watching the video, A Private Universe, you will enjoy taking the FICSS challenge.

Awarded Contract with National Library of Medicine

2010-03-04T15:34:00.007-07:00

On March 3rd Haller Education Consulting was selected to meet the education and public outreach needs for the National Library of Medicine. Haller Education Consulting will collaborate with NLM scientists and educators to design, develop, and produce instructional materials and identify innovative approaches to increase the effectiveness of the outreach program.

Initial plans include developing instructional materials for existing and future exhibitions produced and disseminated by the NLM. Two immediate topics we will address include:
• "Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature" currently on exhibit, and
• "Binding Wounds, Pushing Boundaries: African Americans in Civil War Medicine" scheduled to open in September of 2010.

This opportunity continues to reflect Doug's interest in working with subject matter experts who must demonstrate the broader impacts of their work to the general public. Past collaborations with scientists have resulted in K-12 instructional materials on climate change, astronomy, and space weather and public education materials to reduce the incidents of accidents or mortality associated with avalanches.

About the NLM
The Exhibition Program of the National Library of Medicine presents lively and informative exhibitions that enhance the public and scholarly awareness and appreciation of the National Library of Medicine's collections. The exhibitions cover a wide range of topics, reflecting the Program staff's scholarly research in science, medicine, technology, and history.

Structured Play: Creating a Stimulating Education Product

2010-02-25T15:28:00.005-07:00

Image from Lure of the Labyrinth
http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/

As a teacher, my science classrooms were always a rowdy mess. My students rarely stayed in their chairs for long and I avoid lecturing and textbooks like Yersinia pestis (a.k.a. the Plague). I never used the term with students or parents, but I thought of class and the room as a place for “structured play”. As teacher, I designed and facilitated opportunities for students to play with ideas, equipment, materials, and even their roles in an appropriate context.

By “structured play”, I mean that students engage in learning with the type and amount of energy that you see when they play. I do not think my observations or ideas are particularly unique. Most of us recognize that we learn well when we enjoy the topic, the environment, and our playmates. We also recognize the relationship between play and learning in the young of most species; who hasn’t seen this in baby mammals either on TV or in our own yards. Additionally, research on rats in laboratories demonstrates that those animals raised in a stimulating environment experience less stress.

How does this apply to developing and producing outstanding education materials? Well, some of the best educators I have worked with never forget what it is like to be a child. Not to say that they are immature, just that they recognize that children enjoy and learn from positive, stimulating, and playful environments. Therefore the products you develop, the programs you implement, or the learning environments you create should provide elements that encourage play and childlike curiosity.

Part 2: From Good to Great: Creating the Next Generation of Web-based Education Materials

2010-02-17T10:31:00.007-07:00

There is no end to on-line education materials available to the curious learner and opportunistic educator. In a previous post, I argued that quality web-based instructional materials need to meet basic standards in order for products to succeed. In this piece I explore and recommend ways to take your products from good to great, using the capacity of the Internet to inspire, engage, and educate today’s youth while meeting the needs of all education stakeholders.
To move your product from good to great, the development needs to include thought provoking interactivity, appropriate user feedback, follow through, and quality user interface, audio, and imaging. Of the many products I reviewed for clients, during the competitive analysis phase of development, few of even the best products these features. Companies have yet to combine all these and more to create an outstanding instructional products.

Inquiry and Interactivity
Several of the best examples of thought provoking interactivity available to K-12 STEM educators include Gizmos by ExploreLearning, Discovery Education Science virtual labs, and the Riverdeep product, BBC Science Simulations. All of these products are powerful interactive simulations that engage students in an inquiry approach to learning. The simulations provide students with the capacity to manipulate variables and capture results. Some products even provide opportunities to follow up the inquiry with feedback and assessment. Like all instructional products, developmentally and age appropriate concepts and contexts must be employed to ensure learning. This is where having a K-12 expertise on your team, from conception through completion, will greatly aid in the success of your product and acceptance by the K-12 STEM education community.

Age Appropriate Contexts
Age appropriate characters and topics help capture student attention. The use of animation to create stories and relate content helps capture student interest and attention. BrainPOP Junior does a nice job of relating content and concepts to students using characters that they can relate to. One weakness of the product is that it relies on passive learning rather than interactivity. This makes BrainPOP useful for reinforcing topics or activities addressed by a primary curriculum program and teacher instruction. Aha!Science, created by Learning.com, takes animated storylines a step further incorporating games, simulations, and assessments other opportunities to compel student interaction. I am partial to this product having worked with the team early on to align the product to state and national standards, create a scope and sequence, and map out individual instructional items for grades K-5.

Valuable Feedback
One very useful and challenging feature to incorporate into web-based instruction is engaging and appropriate user feedback. Several online products respond to students with simple feedback such as, “Correct answer. Great job!” or “Sorry, try again”. While most products include encouraging feedback few really engage students in thought about their responses. These statements lack the opportunity for students to explore or expand their understanding whether they correctly or incorrectly answered the question. A response to a correct answer might better serve the student by restating the answer in an affirmative and then offering an opportunity to explore beyond the content of the existing lesson. For example, “Correct. Diamond is the hardest substance on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. To learn more about this scale, click this link.” Incorrect answers should encourage students to return to the problem and supply them with more information required to make a correct response. For example, “Your answer, topaz, is the 8th hardest mineral on Mohs scale of hardness. Click the hint button to review the hardness scale.”

Research being conducted by Boulder Language Technologies, and others, should help move forward the ability for students to receive more advanced prompts and engage in more valuable feedback with the computer-based products. Hopefully advances in technology and computer activity will provide future generations with opportunities for simulating feedback that better mimics responses and interactions students would encounter when working with peers or teachers.

Follow Through

Few products engage users in higher order thing skills and fewer still require that the user follow through to completion on a particular concept or train of thought. For your product to outstrip the competition, design opportunities that allow students to extend and enhance their learning, following their own interests to conclusion. One of my clients, Creative Learning Systems, makes use of the Internet, encouraging students to explore beyond the concepts and content at the core of the lesson. CLS lessons not only recommend that students leave the lesson, but encourage students to perform their own research and report findings to their peers and teachers. More products should follow this model harnessing the Internet to inspire and educate self-paced and self-directed learning.

Quality Interface Experiences
The quality of the interface, audio, and images cannot be understated. Today’s youth expect high quality audio and image. Moreover, the user interface should take into account the age and developmental level of the audience. Developers should observe students use and interact with their products as part of the design process. A female friend, expecting twins, once explained to me that she bought a specific brand and model SUV because it was the only vehicle she felt she could enter and drive, safely. Other models were too tall to enter or once in, she could not reach the brake and gas pedals. Likewise, young children encounter challenges when interacting with computer-based games and activities. If you observe first-time computer users, you will notice that using a mouse and following the cursor on screen present numerous challenges.

Web-based STEM Instruction: Opportunities for Improved Products Abound

2010-02-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

The proliferation of on-line instructional materials parallels the rapid growth in school and individual access to the Internet. Several clients have hired me to research and analyze existing products and programs. Not surprisingly, the quality and characteristics vary extensively. In this two-part article, I offer recommendations for product development that I believe will position your products to inspire, engage, and educate students while meeting the needs of all stakeholders in the education community.

Background

In June of 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau released the results of a 2007 study indicating that household Internet use tripled between 1997 and 2007, 62% up from 18%. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that as of 2005, 94% of U.S. schools have Internet access with an average of one computer for every 3.8 students. In 1999, while a middle school science teacher, I applied for and received a 21^st Century grant. The grant provided my students and me with six iMacs, a scanner, and a printer. My classroom, defined as the science room because it contained a sink, was wired to access the Internet. In a school of 900 students, we became one of three classrooms with an Internet connection. Clearly, opportunities for capitalizing on the Internet as an integral tool in STEM education will continue to grow and expand.

Part I: The Fundamentals

Excellent products and programs for K-12 educators exist. Many states require an adoption process winnowing the competition down to a recommended few. Yet, few web-based products available meet all the needs or incorporate the necessary characteristics to excel in such highly a competitive environment. Many of the products I reviewed for clients lacked some fundamental quality or perquisite that, if included, would result in a stellar product. Fundamental mistakes I encountered included inaccurate science, inappropriate concepts or content for a stated age or grade range, lack of assessment opportunities, and no teacher support materials.

Accurate Science

In order for instructional products to succeed, all STEM concepts and content must be correct. Teachers reviewing your product, whether for district or classroom use, will summarily discount it if the science, mathematics, or engineering is wrong. One inaccuracy implies a poor foundation upon which the whole product is based and undermines credibility of the entire curriculum. As a subject matter expert for one client, I returned scripts and storyboards to developers pointing out flaws in the concepts or context requiring correction. For example, I returned a script with a comment that explained that most of our mineral resources were not the result of the cooling of magma as implied by the writer. Including a subject matter expert from the start as well as hiring developers with content specific experience will improve the quality of your product from the start.

Standards Alignment

Products not aligned to state or national standards inevitably fail the review process. Even if you do not intend the product for state adoption, products aligned with standards will receive the first review. The standards provide developmentally appropriate guidelines for teaching and learning STEM concepts and should guide product development. My work with offshore developers underscores problems that occur when developers or subject matter experts lack K-12 experience. Little knowledge of U.S. STEM standards and different life experiences makes it difficult for developers to address concepts and content in a context appropriate for U.S. students. Simple issues I have encountered include addressing topics in inappropriate (too advanced or too basic) contexts or writing in a dialect of English not commonly used in the U.S. Therefore, create a production team with strong knowledge and experience of STEM education concepts, content, and contexts.

Tools for Teachers & Administrators

Today, all instructional materials should include tools for assessment and materials to support teacher implementation. Most of the web-delivered products I analyzed lacked any form of assessment. Teachers and administrators are required to gather and analyze data about student performance. Therefore, if your product provides a solution to this need, you will be way ahead of the competition. Web-based products that build in assessment tools, capture student data, and provide the data to teachers and administrators in a useful format will stand head and shoulders above the rest. Like all curricula, the purchase of the product is the first step. The second step is to provide teachers with the support necessary to implement it. In every classroom or school storage room lie great ideas and products gathering dust because no one showed the teacher how to use it to the best advantage. Therefore, build professional development for teachers and administrators into your product package. Identify ways to decrease the learning curve for teachers to implement the product. Anything less and your doomed to the gather dust.

Part 2: From Good to Great...creating the next generation of web-based education materials...coming soon.

Is There an App for That?: Emerging Technologies & Hands-On Experiences

2010-02-11T13:36:00.004-07:00

In my grandmother’s lifetime, she experienced innovations such as vaccinations, the telephone, television, and human spaceflight. She died just about the time of widespread Internet access and never sent an email, used video conferencing, or joined a social n

etwork. Up until her death, she cross-country skied, hiked or biked, and generally engaged in activity that required manipulating equipment over keyboards and computer mice. Most of her generation understood how to design and build things. Today, the activities and skills of children appear to lean more toward sourcing, organizing, and manipulating information. Are emerging technologies pushing hands-on experiences out of the classroom? And if so, what might be the impact on understanding fundamental STEM concepts?

I contrast my grandparents’ generation with today’s youth because I feel betwixt and between a revolution/evolution and because their generations are 100 years apart. I am as likely to

be found on the computer, corresponding internationally as to be tinkering with my bike.

In the mid 1990’s I joined a team tasked with developing interdisciplinary middle sch

ool engineering curricula. We tackled fundamental science, engineering, and mathematics in the context of gear driven vehicles and gliding toys. My experiences developing,

evaluating, and teaching engineering at the middle school level reinforces my feelings about the importance of the interactions between students and hands-on materials. I observed that students engaged in the manipulation of physical materials receive immediate feedback when the objects of their attention, such as a gliding toy, failed or succeed. They learn to diagnose and problem solve quickly. My students gained confidence in their abilities to engage in their surroundings. Their creativity, motivation, and comfort taking risks appeared to increase throughout the year.

Today, the line, “There’s an app for that” suggests that someone has thought about and solved the same challenge you face. That may be true, but I have yet to find the app to fix my flat tire. Do emerging educational technologies, such as interactive simulations, provide the same quality experience? Do they instill the confidence in us required to engage with our environment?