STEM: National
Goals, Local Realities
and A Time to Set
MSU Goals
Tammy Jahnke, Dean
College of Natural and Applied Sciences
Missouri State University
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STEM
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Science
Technology
Engineering
Mathematics
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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
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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.
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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)
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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.
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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.
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September 2010
Report to the President
Prepare 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.”
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Professional Organizations
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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)
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State of Missouri
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Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Missouri DESE
Missouri Department of Higher Education – MDHE
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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September 2010
Report to the President
Prepare 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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)
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Alignment of Goals
Coherence of STEM Education
• Curriculum Alignment Initiative
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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
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Calendar Year
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Instructional
Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment Enrollment
Format
Department Course Number
Value
Value
Value
Value
Value
Dual Credit
1203.0
1189.0
1226.0
1253.0
1187.0
Biology
150.0
142.0
133.0
124.0
157.0
BIO 102 Biological Concepts
143.0
139.0
123.0
113.0
153.0
BIO 197 Selected Topics in Biology
7.0
3.0
10.0
11.0
4.0
Chemistry
386.0
365.0
343.0
385.0
307.0
CHM 105 Fundamentals of Chemistry
281.0
232.0
262.0
250.0
189.0
CHM 160 General Chemistry I
87.0
91.0
75.0
125.0
108.0
CHM 170 General Chemistry II
9.0
21.0
3.0
5.0
5.0
CHM 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
13.0
GRY 142 Intro Physical Geography
104.0
135.0
99.0
104.0
95.0
Mathematics
456.0
428.0
493.0
473.0
451.0
MTH 135 College Algebra
423.0
415.0
455.0
434.0
423.0
MTH 181 Trogonometry
18.0
7.0
31.0
26.0
21.0
MTH 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
12.0
AST 115 Basic Astronomy
5.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
PHY 123 Intro to Physics I
97.0
117.0
148.0
126.0
152.0
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Alignment of Goals
Well-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.
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CNAS Education Graduates
Year
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Biology
BSED
3
7
9
7
7
8
Chemistry
BSED
4
3
2
2
2
2
Earth Science
BSED
0
6
1
0
0
2
Physics
BSED
0
0
1
2
1
0
Mathematics
BSED
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.
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Alignment of Goals
General Education Program
Importance of Science and Mathematics
• Course Transformation Projects in CNAS
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Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry
Computer Science
Physics
Astronomy
Geography
• Honors sections of general education science courses.
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Alignment of Goals
Innovators of the Future
• Recruitment
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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
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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.
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Alignment of Goals
Innovators 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
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Alignment of Goals
Public Affairs Intensive Experiences
• Missouri State University students in CNAS have the
opportunity to actively participate in the following:
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Undergraduate Research
Internships
Service Learning
Problem Solving Groups
Regional/National/International Competitions
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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.
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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
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Building Excellence
• What would you add to the list?
• What would you take away from the list?
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