STEM INITIATIVE ANNUAL UPDATE Superintendent Luncheon March 22, 2013

1. STEM INITIATIVE ANNUAL UPDATE Superintendent Luncheon March 22, 2013

2. Aurora University Mathematics and Science Education Center COMPONENTS • STEM in Schools: After School and Summer Programs for K-12 Students • STEM Teacher Training and Professional Development Programs • John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School

3. Aurora University Mathematics and Science Education Center AREAS OF PROGRESS • Grant Opportunities and Fundraising • Partnership Health and Expansion • Refine Vision and Establish a Structure • Increase Capacity and Improve Curriculum

4. Grants Awarded

5. Teachers Benefited By District

6. Expanding the Partnership

7. Building a Diverse Team • 18 faculty from various disciplines have contributed to advancing the AU STEM initiative • Biology • Mathematics • Physical Sciences • Communication • English • College of Education

8. Building Capacity

9. STEM in Schools After-School Programs Amazing Science Summer Program

10. STEM in Schools • Two types of programs that directly work with students • After-school programs • Amazing Science Summer Camp • Program highlights: • Involve teams of AU faculty, teachers, and undergraduate students • Directly work with students to improve STEM interest and knowledge • Implement both on the AU campus and at Aurora schools

11. STEM After-School Programs

12. Amazing ScienceSummer 2012 • Three-week summer sessions • Session 1: Energy • Session 2: Environment • 88 middle school participants • Session 1: 48 students, 10 schools • Session 2: 40 students, 10 schools • 2 faculty administrators and 6 undergraduate leaders

13. Evaluation of Amazing Science 100% of students demonstrated an increase in content knowledge between pre- and post-tests 100% of undergraduate student leaders felt more comfortable teaching science 100% of middle school students would participate in the summer camp again

14. What Students Said about Amazing Science… “The experiments were cool.” “It’s a fun place where you learn about higher levels of science.” “You never have a day where you don’t want to come back here.” “Science rocks.”

15. STEM Teacher Training and Professional Development IMSP Life Science Workshop Series IMSP Workshop Institute Programs Graduate Programs in STEM Education

16. IMSP Life Science Workshop SeriesProfessional development for teachers and administrators • Symposium: Understanding the Next Generation Science Standards (September 4, 2012) • Workshop 1: Understanding and Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (January 25, 2013) • Workshop 2: Integrating the NGSS and CCSS-ELA (April 23, 2013)

17. Evaluation of Workshop 1 93% Understand workshop purpose Aware of difference between current and proposed standards 86% Percent of participants that “Agree” or “Strongly Agree” Have sense of how curriculum needs to change with NGSS 79% Exit Survey Question 84% Have better understanding of NGSS Increased ability to incorporate NGSS into teaching 69% 0 1 3 4 5 2 Average Score (1-5 scale)

18. IMSP Program Defining Highlights • Graduate credit after completion of the program (6 credits) • Collaborative curriculum design team • Continued corporate, academic, and community support • Integrated approach to implementing new math and science standards Developing Models MS-HS Science DuPage Children’s Museum – Hooke College – Robert Crown Centers for Health Education - Waste Management WIP5 Mathematical Modeling MS-HS Math DuPage Children’s Museum – IMSA – Robert Crown Centers for Health Education – Waste Management WIP4 Engineering Now Elementary DuPage Children’s Museum – Fox Valley Park District– Robert Crown Centers for Health Education – Waste Management WIP3

19. Impact of WIP3 • SEC - Teachers spent more time conducting investigations and helping students learn actively, with less time spent on rote memorization. Student Success (p < 0.001 for all years) Teacher Success • Physical Sciences DTAMS (Pre – 10.5, Post – 15.9) • Life Sciences DTAMS (Pre – 17.2, Post – 20.9)

20. Impact of WIP4 Diversity of partnership Collaboration with STEM partners Strength of IMSP leadership Collaboration with other educators Use of STEM technologies Improved content knowledge

21. Workshop Institute Program (WIP5) • Developing Models and Carrying Out Investigations in STEM • June 10 – June 28, 2013 • Learn and implement science and engineering practices of the NGSS into science classrooms • Earn 6 graduate credits toward a masters degree in STEM education at Aurora University Use of STEM technologies Improved content knowledge

22. Graduate Programs in STEM Education • Online Master of Arts in Mathematics and Science Education for Elementary Teachers • Online Master of Arts in Mathematics Education • Online Masters of Arts in Science Education • Curriculum has been aligned to national standards • Program requirements have been updated based on feedback from participants and partners Collaboration with other educators Use of STEM technologies

23. John C. Dunham STEM Partnership School

24. Caterpillar Curriculum Design Team • Industrial, Community, and Education Partners • Two Courses for Graduate Credit

25. STEM Curriculum Development Through Manufacturing Student and Teacher Outcomes • Interpersonal Attributes • Career Awareness • Understanding the Design Process • Industry Experiences and Activities

26. Evaluation • Nationally-Normed Content Tests • Course Assessments • RTOPS Classroom Evaluations • Surveys/Focus Groups • Participant Reflections

27. Multi-Generational STEM Labs • Align lab specifications and equipment to: • Science and math core standards • Activities suitable for 3-8 grade students • Undergraduate and graduate mathematics and science courses

28. Curriculum Alignment and Lab Specifications – Example