The Future of TE Master Degrees: STEM

1. The STEM Education & Leadership Program Illinois State University The Future of TE Master Degrees: STEM

2. ISU’s Program • A Mathematics Science Partnership Program (DoE/ISBE funded) that integrates multiple disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). • Only one other university in the U.S. (Virginia Tech) has developed an integrative STEM program at the graduate level. • Prepares teachers for endorsement requirements associated with the following disciplinary areas: technology education, physics, and teacher leadership. • Almost entirely online

3. Funding • Title II, Part B, Sections 2201-2203, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) authorizes the Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) program as a means to improve teacher quality in mathematics and science. • The intent of the program is to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of classroom teachers.

4. Overarching IMSP Goals • Improve teachers’ subject matter knowledge, strengthen the quality of their instruction, and promote student academic achievement. • Promote strong teaching skills through access to experts, and their technologies and resources. • Increase the understanding and application of scientifically based educational research pertinent to mathematics and science teaching and learning.

5. Major Outcomes • Provide quality professional development for middle and high school STEM teachers; • Increase teacher content knowledge in the STEM disciplines; • Improve instructional practices and/or curriculum; • Increase student achievement; and • Improve the organizational support at the school level.

6. Teacher Leadership • The federal legislation emphasizes that the programs should prepare teachers to effectively and sequentially integrate their experiences from their MSP activities and mentor other mathematics or science teachers. • The development of applicable leadership skills and talents should be interwoven throughout the term of the professional development sequence.

7. Involved Colleges @ ISU • College of Applied Science and Technology • PI • College of Arts and Sciences • Co-PI • One mathematics education consultant • One science education consultant • College of Education • Co-PI • Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology • Managing Director

8. Selected Cohort • State-wide application • Nearly 70 teachers applied • Accepted 30 (27 remain in cohort 21 HS & 6 MS) • Need to hold Illinois teaching certificate • 1 LEA partner required • Mix of science, technology, and mathematics teachers

9. LEA • Norm-referenced tests, and/or criterion-referenced tests show that achievement in mathematics and/or science is falling below 60 percent of students meeting or exceeding the Illinois Learning Standards, as disaggregated by factors such as socio-economic, gender, ethnicity, etc. • 15% of the children served by the LEA are from low-income families or 6,500 children served by the LEA are from low-income families. • Teacher quality issues, such that not all teachers of mathematics and science hold full or appropriate endorsement, or they are placed in teaching assignments that are beyond their expertise and experience levels.

10. STEM Program Development Teacher Cohort PI & Planning Team Strategic Implementation Plan • Lit reviews & research • Teacher leadership • Administrative involvement • Guidance counselor • STEM-related professional development • Core course development • Research core • STEM Education & Leadership sequence • Content courses & electives • Program presentation and open discussion. • Obtained feedback on program features • Adjusted program to meet concerns LEA Needs Assessment Collaboration with LEA Partner (PeoriaSchools) STEM Ed & Leadership Program Internal/External Evaluators STEM Learning Community Team Evaluation Plan • Online survey • Random sample of teachers and matched principals • Asked background and interest/support levels for program features • Will be used to adjust program features Statewide Needs Assessment ISU Faculty & Resources • SEC • APR • Content exam • Student data • Qualitative data • MOSART Comprehensive Evaluation Plan Planning Phase Logic Model (FY 08) Inputs Processes Outputs

11. STEM Program Teachers STEM Program • Goal 1: • Engineering Design course • Medical, Agricultural, & Bio Technologies course • Transportation, Energy, & Power course • Research Methodology & Statistics course • STEM PCK course • STEM Interdisciplinary Curriculum & Teaching course • STEM Learning Theories course • Goal 2: • STEM Leadership course • Manufacturing lab at ISU • U of I resources (nanotechnology) • Goal 3: • Research Methodology & Statistics course • Professional Research course • Action Research projects Improved subject matter knowledge Students Baseline data Change in culture of school Strong teaching skills PeoriaSchool District Partner Administrative programmatic support Increased understanding and application of research Increase in student achievement • Endorsements • Technology education and/or physics, and/or teacher leadership ISU Faculty & Resources STEM Experts & Technologies Implementation Phase Logic Model (FY 09) Inputs Processes Outputs

12. STEM Education & Leadership Program • The program is completely integrated/ interdisciplinary and is thoroughly grounded in the research literature. • Each class and assignment completed is focused on STEM education in the classroom. • Action research will be conducted throughout the degree program for teachers to implement, analyze, and reflect on new approaches to teaching and learning.

13. STEM Education Defined • A standards-based, meta-discipline residing at the school level where all teachers, especially STEM teachers, teach an integrated approach to teaching and learning, where discipline specific content is not divided, but addressed and treated as one dynamic, fluid study (Merrill, 2009). • An approach to teaching that removes the traditional barriers between the four disciplines by integrating them into one cohesivemeans of learning. • Enables students to explore math and science in the context of technological problem solving and engineering design.

14. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics In the real world, these disciplines are closely connected. Scientists often use technologies created by engineers to conduct their research. In turn, engineersoften use knowledge developed by scientiststo inform the design of the technologiesthey create.

15. Master’s Degree Coursework • Summer 2008 • Curriculum Development, Technological Design, and Problem Solving • Medical, Agricultural, and Bio-Related Technologies • Fall 2008 • STEM Pedagogical Content Knowledge • Spring 2009 • STEM Interdisciplinary Curriculum and Teaching • Summer 2009 • Research Methodology and Statistics in Education • Engineering Design • Fall 2009 • STEM Learning Theories • Professional Research • Spring 2010 • STEM Leadership • Summer 2010 • Transportation, Energy and Power • Evaluating Student Performance 33 Semester Hours

16. Evidence of Program Effectiveness • The following data gathering instruments and research periods have been established for this program: • SEC (Fall 2008 and Spring 2010) • Inside the Classroom Observation and Analytic Protocol (Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, & Spring 2010) • MOSART (Spring 2009 and Spring 2010) • Illinois Content Examination (Summer 2010)

17. Lessons Learned • STEM is a buzzword, often misunderstood • Teachers are hungry for this approach, even if they (at first) do not readily understand it • Mathematics and science teachers are struggling to find the time for context in their classrooms given high stakes testing • Teachers and graduate students (and now most universities) expect a graduate program to be delivered online • Cohort model seems to be very effective • STEM offers a richer, more rigorous, and extra applicable approach to teachers, than does an MS degree in a single discipline