Ensuring the Next Generation of
Engineers
John W. Steadman
2004 IEEE-USA President
Dean of Engineering
University of South Alabama
K-12 in the “Gathering Storm”
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Background for the NAE report
Key recommendations for K-12
education
The American Competitiveness
Initiative and K-12 actions
Implementation status
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Rising Above the Gathering Storm
Charge to the Committee
Senators Alexander and Bingaman with
endorsement of House Science committee
requested National Academies to:
• Identify top actions federal policy makers
could take so US can successfully compete,
prosper, and be secure in the 21st Century
• Determine an implementation strategy with
several concrete steps
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Committee
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Norman Augustine (chair)
Craig Barrett
Gail Cassell
Steven Chu
Robert Gates
Nancy Grasmick
Charles Holliday
Shirley Ann Jackson
Anita Jones
Joshua Lederberg
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Richard Levin
Dan Mote
Cherry Murray
Peter O’Donnell
Lee Raymond
Robert Richardson
Roy Vagelos
Charles Vest
George Whitesides
Richard Zare
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Some Context
• Growing national concern about the
economy
– Globalization
– Out-sourcing & off-shoring
– Rise of other nations
• Friedman: The World is Flat
– 58+ weeks on the list of top selling books
– Communicated the “message”
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
4 Major Recommendations, 20
Implementation Actions
1.
Ten Thousand Teachers, Ten Million Minds, and K12 Science and Mathematics Education
2.
Sowing the Seeds – Research, Researchers and
Research Infrastructure
3.
Best and Brightest in Science and Engineering
Education – U.S. and Foreign S&T Students
4.
Incentives for Innovation
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Ten Thousand Teachers,
Ten Million Minds
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Recruit 10,000 teachers, Educate 10 million minds:
Attract bright students through competitive 4-yr. meritbased scholarships for BS in sciences, engineering, or
math with concurrent K-12 science & math teacher
certification in exchange for 5 years public service
teaching in K-12 public schools
Strengthen 250,000 current teachers’ skills: Summer
institutes, Master’s program, AP/IB (Advanced
Placement/International Baccalaureate) training
Enlarge the Pipeline: Create opportunities and
financial incentives for pre-AP/IB and AP/IB science &
math courses
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Initial White House Action
• President's State of The Union and FY2007
Budget
– American Competitiveness Initiative
• AP/IB
• Research Funding for NSF, NIST, and DOE Office of Science
• R&D Tax Credit
– Advanced Energy Initiative
• President’s FY 2008 Continued Support for ACI
• Administration actions on Deemed Exports;
International Students
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
Congressional Action
• America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully
Promote Excellence in Technology, Education,
and Science (COMPETES) Act of 2007 (S. 761,
passed Senate 88-8)
• 21st Century Competitiveness Act of 2007 (HR,
2272, passed House, voice vote)
• Conference report passed by both houses August
2, 2007.
• America COMPETES Act signed by President
Bush on August 9, 2007.
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
America COMPETES
(Overview)
• Authorizes $33.6 billion over fiscal 20082010 for science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics research and education
across the federal government
• Includes provisions throughout to broaden
participation in science and engineering
fields at all levels
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
America COMPETES
(Education)
• Authorizes competitive grants for new courses of
study in mathematics, science, engineering,
technology or critical foreign languages leading to
a baccalaureate degree with concurrent teacher
certification
• Helps to prepare thousands of new teachers and
provide current teachers with content and
pedagogical expertise in their area of teaching
through NSF’s Noyce Teacher Scholarship
Program and Math and Science Partnerships
Program
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
America COMPETES
(Education, continued)
• Expands programs at NSF to enhance the
undergraduate education of the future
science and engineering workforce,
including at 2-year colleges
• Authorizes competitive grants to expand
access to AP and IB classes and to increase
the number of qualified AP and IB teachers
in high-need schools
National Academy of Engineering
of the National Academies
For more information
www.nationalacademies.org/gatheringstorm
PDF of executive summary and full report are
available at no cost
K-12 The U.S. IS Falling Behind
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Fourth Grade Academic Performance
15-year-old Academic Performance
Fourth Grade - Low
Percent Passing - Low Benchmark
United States
Scotland
Russia
Science
Math
Japan
Italy
England
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Fourth Grade – Advanced
Percent Passing - Advanced
United States
Scotland
Russia
Science
Math
Japan
Italy
England
0
5
10
15
20
25
Math Achievement of 15 year olds
Percent at Level 5
United States
Russia
Japan
Italy
France
Canada
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Other Indicators
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ACT 2007 Results
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15% of those who had completed
required math courses met “college
readiness” benchmark
40% of those with trigonometry
20% of those who completed core
science were ready for college biology
Conclusions
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“…students are not learning the
skills they need to succeed in college
by taking core curriculum in H.S.”
“…these courses lack the proper
level of rigor.”
“While scores improved, more than
half of takers fell short of college
readiness benchmarks.”
Changing K-12 STEM Performance
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In the U.S., K-12 is state or local
Compete America is federal – limited
Engaging Youth in Engineering
Boston Museum of Science
IEEE-EAB Tryengineering.org
NSPE Mathcounts
Engineering Academies
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Five math and science courses
above minimum required for
graduation
AP Calculus and Physics
“Engineering” course each year
Supported by College of Engineering
Becoming state-wide program
K-12 Education Must Be Improved
John Steadman
j.steadman@ieee.org