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STEM Education News

February 2, 2012

In This Issue:

Survey Uncovers Inventive Perception Among Young Americans Revealing Potential Innovation Gap

Invention and innovation are essential to remaining globally competitive, and a new survey shows an untapped group of potential inventors in the U.S. The 2011 Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, released January 19, indicates that American women ages 16 – 25 possess many characteristics necessary to become inventors, such as creativity, interest in science and math, desire to develop altruistic inventions, and preference for working in groups or with mentors – yet they still do not see themselves as inventive. Young men in the same age group echo these characteristics, highlighting the need to cultivate young adults’ interest in science and math, while educating and inspiring them about the impact they can have on others through invention.

The annual Lemelson-MIT Invention Index, which gauges Americans’ perceptions about invention and innovation, surveyed 1,000 Americans ages 16 – 25.Nearly three quarters of the young women and men indicate they are creative, the characteristic they most associate with inventors; however, fewer than 27 percent of women and 39 percent of men describe themselves as inventive.

Further demonstrating inventive traits, young women show a strong affinity for math and science with 42 percent rating these as their favorite subjects; over half of male respondents agree. Thirty-five percent of young women also say they have a family member working in a field related to science, technology, math, or engineering. While the results reveal young women’s innate interest in inventive fields, recent statistics show while more women are entering college and obtaining degrees, less than ten percent earn them in technical majors such as computer and information sciences, engineering, or math. This proportionately small group indicates a need to educate women about translating their skills and academic interests into inventive careers.

Chad Mirkin, a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and 2009 recipient of the $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize, remarked, “This country needs innovative new programs to stimulate the interest of young men and women in STEM and to challenge them to use their intellect and creativity to invent solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems. Women have an enormous amount to offer in this regard, but aren’t currently pursuing science or technology fields at a high enough rate.”

The Lemelson-MIT Invention Index also reveals that young women and men do not see the U.S. as leading the way in invention; as the majority view Japan as the leader and rank the U.S. as  second.

To improve the U.S. standing, young women cite access to governmental funding and including invention projects during school as the best ways to encourage aspiring inventors. Men agree, noting that providing places to develop inventions is another way to encourage hopeful inventors. The availability of invention tools and education has the potential to boost the quantity of inventive professionals, according to survey respondents. To learn more, visit http://mit.edu/invent/index.html.

Department of Education Seeks Teacher Ambassador Fellows

Applications for the Department’s fifth cohort of Teaching Ambassador Fellows recently opened and are scheduled to close on February 22.  Since 2008, this highly competitive program has enabled a total of 69 outstanding teachers, each with a record of leadership, strong communications skills, and insights into education policy based in classroom expertise to work with the agency on either a full- or part-time basis.  The program offers three separate paid positions.

The Washington Fellowship is a full-time appointment based at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.  The Classroom Fellowship enables teachers to participate on a part-time basis with the Department, working with the agency’s regional offices, in addition to their regular school responsibilities.  The Regional Fellowship, offered for the first time this year, is a full-time appointment based at one of the Department’s regional offices.  All fellows spend a year learning about federal programs and policies, sharing their expertise with federal staff members and providing communication and outreach about federal initiatives to other educators on behalf of the agency in order to help teachers understand and implement these efforts at the federal, state, and local levels.  For more information, please go to http://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/applicant.html.

Massachusetts Students Performance Compares to International Peers in Math and Science

Massachusetts was one of two states (Minnesota being the other) that participated in the most recently released Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2007. The analysis from the NCES International Data Explorer web page compares the TIMSS performance of Massachusetts students in grades 4 and 8 with the performance of the United States as a whole, other countries and sub-national or non-national education systems that participated in TIMSS 2007, and the TIMSS Scale Average.

Overall, the study reveals that the math and science scores of students in Massachusetts either equaled or exceeded those of their peers in nearly all of the other education systems that participated. Findings include:

• In grade 4 mathematics, only two education systems (of 43 participating) averaged higher scores than Massachusetts;
• In grade 4 science, Massachusetts scored higher than all education systems except for Singapore, which scored the highest;
• In grade 8 mathematics, five education systems (of 56 participating) had higher average scores than Massachusetts; and
• In grade 8 science, no other education systems scored higher than Massachusetts. Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and the Republic of Korea had average scores which were measurably similar to that of Massachusetts.

This analysis is a product of the National Center for Education Statistics at the Institute of Education Sciences, part of the U.S. Department of Education. Find more information about the Massachusetts student performance relative to international peers here.

2nd White House Science Fair Next Week

On Tuesday, February 7th, President Obama will host the second White House Science Fair celebrating the student winners of a broad range of science,

technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions from across the country. The President will also announce key steps that the Administration and its partners are taking to help more students excel in math and science, and earn degrees in these subjects.

At the fair, the President will view exhibits of student work, ranging from breakthrough research to new inventions, followed by remarks to an audience of students, science educators, and business leaders on the importance of STEM education to the country’s economic future.

First White House Science Fair, October 18, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

The President hosted the first-ever White House Science Fair in late 2010, fulfilling a commitment he made at the launch of his Educate to Innovate campaign to inspire students to excel in math and science.  As the President noted then, “If you win the NCAA championship, you come to the White House. Well, if you’re a young person and you produce the best experiment or design, the best hardware or software, you ought to be recognized for that achievement, too.” In addition, over the past year, the President met with the three young women who won the Google Science Fair, met a student robotics team on his bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia, and made a surprise appearance at the New York City Science Fair. More information on the White House Science Fair can be found at whitehouse.gov.

Science Teaching Standards Open for Public Comment

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced its public review period for Science Standards, Third Edition for teachers of students ages 11-18+. The nine standards in the draft document each describe a facet of accomplished teaching and serve as a basis for the National Board Certification in Science.

NBPTS standards are developed to reflect the Five Core Propositions; identify specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that support accomplished practice, while emphasizing the holistic nature of teaching; illustrate how a teacher’s professional judgment is reflected in action; and describe how the standards come to life in different settings. Practicing teachers fill a majority of seats on standards committees with other members representing districts, states, and higher education.

The professional science teaching standards are available online for public review through February 5th. Please visit nbpts.org for information on standards development.

Motorola Invests $4.9 Million in Science and Engineering Education

The Motorola Solutions Foundation invites non-profit organizations to apply for Innovation Generation grants to support science, technology, engineering, and math education. Last week, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. announced that it will provide nearly $5 million in STEM education funding during 2012. The grant program is designed to inspire students to learn about science and generate interest in science-related careers.

Motorola will award both local and national level grants. Local Impact Grants target innovative, hands-on STEM education programs for K-16 students and teachers and range from $15,000-60,000. National Partnership Grants support large-scale, multi-regional STEM education programs and range from $50,000-$250,000.

Motorola seeks applications from measurable programs that encourage girls and underrepresented minorities; teach innovative thinking and creative problem-solving skills; and demonstrate the ability to lead students to more advanced STEM education or careers. Programs that collaborate with other STEM education providers or institutions, and those that can provide volunteer mentorship opportunities for Motorola employees will also be given priority. Motorola Solutions especially seeks those projects which serve communities surrounding its company sites in the areas of:  Columbia, MD; Holtsville, NY; McAllen, TX; Plantation, FL; San Jose, CA; and Schaumburg, IL.

Interested organizations are invited to apply before March 23, 2012 by visiting the Motorola Solutions Foundation Innovation Generation website.

 

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Sponsors:

This week’s STEM Education News is sponsored by 3M.

3M and the 3M Foundation are committed to supporting innovative and practical initiatives which enhance the quality of life in 3M communities around the world. With the goal of helping to develop productive, educated and involved citizens, 3M targets programs that address related education, family, and community issues. Science and math education and youth development are top priorities. In addition to education, 3M also supports health and human services, the arts, and environmental efforts. 3M and the 3M Foundation donate millions to education, arts and cultural, health and human services, and environmental organizations.

To find out how your organization can sponsor the News or support the Triangle Coalition in other ways, click here. ___________________________________________________________