Webinar 4 - Dayton Regional STEM Center Model

Margy Stevens - Executive Director

Sandi Preiss - STEM Center Coordinator

© 2012 Dayton Regional STEM Center

Dayton Region Economic Crisis

• Thousands of available jobs

• Thousands of unemployed workers who do not have the skills to fill these available jobs

• K-12 Educators are a powerful part of the solution

• 6 million minutes that change a life, a community, a country


Building Teacher Capacity

• PreK - Grade 12

• All Schools: Public, Private, Parochial and Charter

• Curriculum Developed Around Dayton Region Economic Clusters with Emphasis on the Work of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

• Advanced Manufacturing Advanced Materials, Agricultural Engineering, Air Vehicles Air Systems, Environmental Engineering, Human Performance Medicine, Power Propulsion Energy, Sensors


STEM Center Organization Chart

Advisory Council

Director

Coordinator

Power Propulsion

Energy

Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced Materials

Air VehiclesAir Systems

Environmental Engineering

Human Performance

Medicine

Pre-K-12 Educators

Higher Ed Professors

Industry S & E

SensorsAgricultural Engineering

Curriculum is mapped to these STEM professions.


Small Group Organization


STEM Fellows participate in a one year contract. This professional development experience builds on the individual expertise of the educator.

Each participant brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that substantially contributes to the work product of the STEM Center.

After 5 year’s work, the Dayton region can boast over 250 STEM professionals who:

Deeply understand STEM teaching and learning;

Work together to bridge industry skill needs with academic content standards in the classroom;

Create engaging, bold – and, frankly, cool – learning experiences for students;

Model inquiry-based STEM teaching and learning in their own environments, while opening their classrooms, labs and companies to teachers and/or students for STEM learning experiences;

Are champions for STEM teaching and learning throughout the region; and

Can serve to assist others in regions across Ohio and across the country in replicating the STEM Fellow Model.

STEM Educator Fellows share the value of this

experience:


Curriculum Development Tools

• Dayton Regional STEM Center Curriculum Template

• STEM Education Quality Rubric

• Rubric for the Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol


Professional Development Training

Leadership AcademyPrincipals

Central Office

Building Teacher CapacityEngineering Intensive ExperiencesInternships

Summer Training Institutes

Inquiry Training

Engineering is Elementary

STEM Center Curriculum

STEM Quality Rubric Training


The Fellows’ Tasks

• Collaborate with Industry, Higher Ed, and Educator Fellows.

• Develop curriculum specific to their team’s grade band.

• Map curriculum to identified economic clusters.

• Debut curriculum to peers.

• Pilot a DRSC unit of instruction providing piloting feedback, quantitative assessment data, and implementation edits.

• Advocate for STEM education through community outreach events.


The Fellows’ Meetings

• Meetings scheduled every other week on Wednesday evenings from4:30pm – 6:30pm.

• Individual writing groups meet approximately 20 times throughout the writing season.

• Teams will create 2 unique units of instruction and have allotted meeting to revise archived curriculum or piloted curriculum.

• Teams début each lesson to their peers at designated meetings to advertise curriculum ready for piloting.

• Meetings held at Montgomery County Educational Services Center.


Curriculum Essentials

Creation of Curriculum that reflects:

• Inquiry Instruction

• Problem-Based Learning

• STEM Quality Rubric

• Common Core and Ohio Academic Standards

• Career Connections


Curriculum Training

Industry and Educators STEM Fellows serving

community Educators.


Examples of Curriculum

• Students study acoustical engineering to design ear protection.

• Students study chemical and physical changes to engineer a slime with maximum bounce.

• Students use anthropometry and population statistics to design a driver’s seat.

• Students design and engineer a mechanical arm that mimics the strength and the maneuverability of a human arm.

• Students use reverse engineering to determine the factors that affect the efficiency of an electric motor.

• Students design and construct a battery.

• Modeling and Simulation High School course(s).


Modeling and Simulation High School Semester Course

• Designed to inspire students as well as provide an overview of Modeling and Simulation concepts and careers.

• This course is designed as an elective; however, districts may choose to enhance the math and science content of this curriculum to offer it as a course choice under the new state Core requirements.

• Reflects Dayton Regional STEM Center’s focus on problem based curricula that engage students in scientific inquiry and the engineering design process while making real world connections.

• The course outline includes modules that will address: introduction to modeling and simulation; applied graphing and visualization; software and applications; 2D image tools; 3D basics and manipulation; introduction to virtual worlds and game programming; and a capstone project.


Lessons Learned

• STEM literacy does NOT begin in high school; it needs to be nurtured from a child’s earliest days and throughout his or her educational experience.

• Effective STEM initiatives are not just products; they are processes.

• Linking education to economic development gets everyone in the game – educators, employers, higher education, government, students and families.


Lessons Learned

• ALL MEANS ALL! STEM learning is not just for students who are gifted. Appropriately designed and carried out it is for all students.

• Teachers must be engaged from the beginning and must have early opportunities to work in STEM environments.

• When teachers have industry-based experiences, lesson content is improved and better reflects application to STEM industry fields.


Lessons Learned

• School districts throughout the region must feel a sense of ownership for STEM initiatives.

• Good communication is necessary for success. Communities and stakeholders all need to be involved.

• Businesses are concerned about their employee pipeline and they are willing to contribute resources and share information.


Not every child will choose to become an engineer or a rocket scientist…But children can become pioneers of their own learning through rich STEM experiences.

Innovation, problem solving, critical thinking, and creativity starts early and can apply to any career!

We must develop it every step of the way.

The Dayton Region’s Approach…

Catalyze – Leverage – Innovate – Coordinate – Advocate – Resource


Three National Areas of Concern

Quality STEM Education Addresses:

• Economic Development

• Social Justice

• National Security


Impact Statement

250 STEM Fellows in 5 years

950+ Teachers trained in STEM Curriculum

100 School Districts (public, private & charter)

102 STEM / National Defense Education Program Curriculum Units

Est. 100,000 STUDENTS IMPACTED!


Community literacy of STEM promotes…

Teachers who are comfortable and knowledgeable in STEM industry which leads to…

Teachers who provide students engineering challenges, promote divergent thinking and innovation. This fosters…

Students who seek “outside the box” answers and students who are aware, intrigued and excited about STEM careers this inspires…

Students to seek STEM degrees…

They are successful because teacher and higher education relationships have focused on closing the gap between K-12 and University expectations allowing for…

Students to successfully complete STEM Degrees and populate our workforce.

Promote a World Class STEM workforce


What does all of this mean?

With Ohio Leading the WayWith Ohio Leading the Way


Finishing the Job

K-12 Education addresses both short term and long term workforce development.

STEM Centers are low cost, high impact assets that make a difference for Ohio’s next generation

workforce.

Webinar 4 - Dayton Regional STEM Center Model

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