2/14/20111College of Natural and Applied Sciences|| STEM: National Goals, Local Realities and A Time to Set MSU Goals Tammy Jahnke, Dean College of Natural

2/14/20111 College of Natural and Applied Sciences| |

STEM: National Goals, Local Realities and A Time to Set MSU Goals

Tammy Jahnke, Dean

College of Natural and Applied Sciences

Missouri State University


STEM

• Science• Technology• Engineering• Mathematics


National Goals

• Ensure coherence in STEM learning • Ensure an adequate supply of well-prepared and

highly effective STEM teachers• Provide opportunities for excellence• Cast a wide net• Foster a supportive ecosystem


Key Conclusions

• To improve STEM education, we must focus on both preparation and inspiration.

• The federal government has historically lacked a coherent strategy and sufficient leadership capacity for K-12 STEM education.


Where do these recommendations and conclusions come from?

• National Science Board• President’s Council of Advisors on Science and

Technology (PCAST)• White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

(OSTP)


National Science Board• Established in 1950• Two Roles

• Establishes policies of NSF• Identifies issues critical to NSF’s future

• Approves NSF’s strategic budget directions and annual budget submission

• Approves new programs and awards

• Serves as independent body of advisors to President and Congress

• 25 Members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The NSF Director is an ex officio member.


Office of Science and Technology Policy

• Established in 1976• OSTP mission

• To provide the President and his senior staff with accurate, relevant, and timely scientific and technical advice on all matters of consequence;

• To ensure that the policies of the Executive Branch are informed by sound science;

• To ensure that the scientific and technical work of the Executive Branch is properly coordinated so as to provide the greatest benefit to society.


September 2010Report to the PresidentPrepare and Inspire: K-12 Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for America’s Future

• Prepared by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

• Administered by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

• Co-Chairs – John P. Holdren, Eric Lander, Harold Varmus• Purpose of Report – “…to translate these ideas into a

coherent program of Federal action to support STEM education in the United States that responds to current opportunities.”


Professional Organizations• American Chemical Society (ACS)• American Physics Society (APS)• American Mathematical Society (AMS)• American Society of Mammologists (ASM)• American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB)• American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS)• Geological Society of America (GSA)• National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)• American Association for the Advancement of Science

(AAAS)


State of Missouri• Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Missouri DESE• Missouri Department of Higher Education – MDHE

• Program Review Summary Report• Recommendations and conclusions• 1. Improve the productivity of high-priority programs.

– Many of the programs that fell below the productivity thresholds were in fields designated as state priorities: STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), foreign language and teacher education. (See Table 1.3) The MDHE agreed with the institutions’ justifications for retaining programs in these key areas as an investment in the state’s future growth and development. As such, efforts must continue to strengthen these programs and develop appropriate and effective means of improving their productivity.

• 8. Conduct follow-up reviews in three years.

• Missouri Mathematics and Science Coalition


National Science Board

• 2007 Report - A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System

• 2010 Report - Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators: Indentifying and Developing our Nation’s Human Capital


2007 - A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System

• The Board believes that the Nation is failing to meet the STEM education needs of U.S. students, with serious implications for our scientific and engineering workforce in the 21st century. Addressing this issue is absolutely essential for the continued economic success of the Nation and its national security. All American citizens must have the basic scientific, technological, and mathematical knowledge to make informed personal choices, to be educated voters, and to thrive in the increasingly technological global marketplace.


2007 Report• The Nation faces two central challenges to

constructing a strong, coordinated STEM education system: • Ensuring coherence in STEM learning, and • Ensuring an adequate supply of well-prepared and highly

effective STEM teachers.

• Therefore, the Board makes the following two priority recommendations to the Nation. First, ensure coherence in the Nation’s STEM education system, and second, ensure that students are taught by well-prepared and highly effective teachers.


2010 Report

• Preparing the Next Generation of STEM Innovators: Indentifying and Developing our Nation’s Human Capital

• STEM “innovators” are defined in the report as those individuals who have developed the expertise to become leading STEM professionals and perhaps the creators of significant breakthroughs or advances in scientific or technological understanding.

• Key Recommendations - • Provide opportunities for excellence.• Cast a wide net.• Foster a supportive ecosystem.


September 2010Report to the PresidentPrepare and Inspire: K-12 Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for America’s Future• Key Conclusions

• To improve STEM education, we must focus on both preparation and inspiration.

• The federal government has historically lacked a coherent strategy and sufficient leadership capacity for K-12 STEM education.


September 2010 Report• Key Recommendations

• Standards – Support the current state-led movement for shared standards in math and science.

• Teachers – Recruit and train 100,000 great STEM teachers over the next decade who are able to prepare and inspire students.

• Teachers – Recognize and reward the top 5 percent of the nation’s STEM teachers, by creating a STEM master teachers corps.


September 2010 Report• More Key Recommendations

• Educational Technology – Use technology to drive innovation, by creating an advanced research projects agency for education.

• Students – Create opportunities for inspiration through individual and group experiences outside the classroom.

• Schools – Create 1,000 new STEM-focused schools over the next decade.

• Ensure strong and strategic national leadership.


STEM Education Coalition

• The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition works to support STEM programs for teachers and students at the U. S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies that offer STEM related programs.


America COMPETES Act

• White House Blog – January 2011• Signed by President Bush August 9, 2007 and

reauthorized in January 2011 by President Obama• Funds NSF, NIST, OSTP and STEM education at

NASA and NOAA through 2013


Initial Thoughts

• General Education Program – Natural World and Mathematics requirements• The importance of science and math in our general education

curriculum.• “All American citizens must have the basic scientific,

technological, and mathematical knowledge to make informed personal choices, to be educated voters, and to thrive in the increasingly technological global marketplace.” NSB 2007 Report

• Teacher Education Programs• The importance of our science and math education programs.


Continued thoughts• Science and mathematics majors (BS and MS programs)

• The innovators of the future.

• Outreach Activities to Inspire new Innovators• K-12 Student Opportunities

• Regional Science Olympiad and Science Fair

• Pummill Relays

• State Mathematics Competitions (MSU hosts Middle/Elementary)

• JETS competition

• Missouri State opportunities• Undergraduate Research – Including presentations at conferences

• Programming Competitions

• Problem Solving Group in Mathematics (results have been published)


Alignment of GoalsCoherence of STEM Education

• Curriculum Alignment Initiative• CNAS Faculty served on state-wide committees to set learning

outcomes for incoming science and mathematics courses at colleges and universities. These state-wide committees began to articulate learning outcomes for these college courses.

• Missouri State University Dual Credit Program• Common finals, syllabi and textbooks approved annually, course

instructor credentials reviewed

• Discipline/Program• Discipline specific nationally normed exams are used for some courses.

• MFAT exams and other nationally normed program exams


2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment

Value Value Value Value ValueDual Credit 1203.0 1189.0 1226.0 1253.0 1187.0

Biology 150.0 142.0 133.0 124.0 157.0BIO 102 Biological Concepts 143.0 139.0 123.0 113.0 153.0BIO 197 Selected Topics in Biology 7.0 3.0 10.0 11.0 4.0

Chemistry 386.0 365.0 343.0 385.0 307.0CHM 105 Fundamentals of Chemistry 281.0 232.0 262.0 250.0 189.0CHM 160 General Chemistry I 87.0 91.0 75.0 125.0 108.0CHM 170 General Chemistry II 9.0 21.0 3.0 5.0 5.0CHM 175 General Chemistry Lab 9.0 21.0 3.0 5.0 5.0

Geography, Geology, & Planning 109.0 137.0 108.0 125.0 108.0

GRY 135 Atmospheric Science 5.0 2.0 9.0 21.0 13.0GRY 142 Intro Physical Geography 104.0 135.0 99.0 104.0 95.0

Mathematics 456.0 428.0 493.0 473.0 451.0MTH 135 College Algebra 423.0 415.0 455.0 434.0 423.0MTH 181 Trogonometry 18.0 7.0 31.0 26.0 21.0MTH 261 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I 15.0 6.0 7.0 13.0 7.0

Physics, Astronomy, & Mat Sci 102.0 117.0 149.0 146.0 164.0

PHY 100 Survey Physics with Lab .0 .0 1.0 20.0 12.0AST 115 Basic Astronomy 5.0 .0 .0 .0 .0PHY 123 Intro to Physics I 97.0 117.0 148.0 126.0 152.0

Calendar YearInstructionalFormat Department Course Number


Alignment of GoalsWell-prepared and highly effective STEM

teachers• Secondary Education Programs in mathematics and science

(categorical and unified science) • Evidence of Excellence

• Mathematics – SPA report accepted by NCTM. DESE reports now in progress.

– Professional Development for current math teachers through funded projects (Campbell, Plymate, Killion – PI’s)

– Faculty stay in touch with teachers through math competitions and other informal mentoring.

• Science – DESE report in progress.– Professional Development for current science teachers – chemistry

and physics now offering programs.– Faculty stay in touch with teachers through science competitions

and other informal mentoring.


CNAS Education Graduates

Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

BiologyBSED

3 7 9 7 7 8

ChemistryBSED

4 3 2 2 2 2

Earth Science BSED

0 6 1 0 0 2

Physics BSED

0 0 1 2 1 0

MathematicsBSED

5 14 7 9 8 18

130 BSED graduates from 2005-2010. 19 Total MSED graduates from 2005-2010.Some MS students choose the MNAS degree or discipline specific degrees rather than the MSED.


Alignment of GoalsGeneral Education Program

Importance of Science and Mathematics

• Course Transformation Projects in CNAS• Mathematics• Biology• Chemistry• Computer Science• Physics• Astronomy• Geography

• Honors sections of general education science courses.


Alignment of GoalsInnovators of the Future

• Recruitment• April 16 Showcase Event• CNAS Public Science Lecture Series• Hosting K-12 science and mathematics competitions• Department specific recruiting efforts

• Retention• Concern for students – student success, academic advising

• Opportunities for Excellence• Undergraduate Research• Internships• Service Learning


Regional Science Olympiad

Year # of middle school teams

# of high school teams

2011 30 24

2010 30 28

2009 26 21

2008 30 23

We host one of the largest regional Science Olympiad competitions. This year we were able to send five middle school teams and five high school teams on to the state competition which will be held in April.


Alignment of GoalsInnovators of the Future

• High Quality Enrichment Activities for HS students• Missouri Innovation Academy• SPS Summer school – JVIC/CNAS – partnership• Physics Department has recruited six HS students to work in

research labs.• CNAS faculty have helped to mentor Science Fair projects.• CNAS Public Lecture Series


Alignment of GoalsPublic Affairs Intensive Experiences

• Missouri State University students in CNAS have the opportunity to actively participate in the following:• Undergraduate Research• Internships• Service Learning• Problem Solving Groups• Regional/National/International Competitions


Undergraduate Research

• Typically 100 undergraduate students/year are involved in undergraduate research projects in CNAS• Recent data indicates that 10% of these students will have their

name listed on a peer-reviewed publication and 30% of these students will present their research at a professional conference

• We are currently collecting more detailed data on undergraduate research and internships.


Building Excellence

• Coherence of STEM education• STEM Teacher Education Programs• General Education – Science and Mathematics for the

masses• Outreach• High Quality Activities• Cast a wide net• Foster a supportive ecosystem


Building Excellence

• What would you add to the list?• What would you take away from the list?

Documents

2/14/20111College of Natural and Applied Sciences|| STEM: National Goals, Local Realities and A Time to Set MSU Goals Tammy Jahnke, Dean College of Natural