Boost Non-traditional Enrollment: The Ohio STEM Equity Pipeline Project

Boost Non-traditional Enrollment: The Ohio STEM Equity Pipeline Project

If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. ~Jim Rohn

Agenda • Relevance and importance of increasing access to STEM Fields • STEM Equity Pipeline Model research-based model • Resources that can help

Relevance of this subject and project • Unprecedented growth in STEM initiatives • Urgency and opportunity for economic development in Ohio

Relevance continued • Remaining gaps in educational completion at the certificate, associates, and bachelors degree levels • Breakthrough models are those with clear career pathways and “career architecture”

Now and in the Future…. • Current shortage of 1 million construction and engineering industry personnel, • Projected shortfall of 5 million workers by 2025. • Current and near future concerns as to technical skill sets: • Life cycle costing, • Facilities, operations and management, • GPS/GIS • building integration management (BIM)

A research-based model that works!

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~Victor Frankl

Ohio STEM Equity Pipeline Project National Science Foundation (NSF) grant-funded project through the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)

Purpose of the Project • Increase access, participation, degree completion, and job placement for women in STEM fields • Particular emphasis on affecting Perkins Nontraditional measures for secondary and postsecondary students

Ohio Vision Statement Vision Statement The Ohio STEM Equity Pipeline Project will systematically increase participation of underrepresented citizens in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. http://www.stemequitypipeline.org/StateTeams/OH.aspx

Ohio Mission Statement • The mission of this project is to use a research-based model to collaboratively and systematically increase the participation, educational completion and career placement of girls and women, and other underrepresented citizens, in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields in the state of Ohio.

STEP 1 Document Performance Results STEP 2 Identify Root Causes The Five Step Process STEP 5 Implement Solutions STEP 3 Choose Best Solutions STEP 4 Pilot Test and Evaluate Best Solutions

Step #1Document Performance Results • Assess current and past student performance • By school and college • By program area • By population groups

Step #1Document Performance Results • Assist you • Documenting • Understanding performance results • Help identify areas of improvement

Step #1 WorksheetDocument Performance Results • Identify a program/area you think you would like to focus on having low enrollment, but there is a need • Identify resources you would use in order to obtain data to verify • Low enrollment • There is a need

Step 1: Document Performance Results

Step #2Identify Root Causes • Designed to address the why questions

Search for Root CausesSystematic Process • Identifies all potential causes • Determine whether causes within your control are direct or indirect • Select the most critical to target for improvement efforts

Review Research Summary • “Nontraditional Career Preparation: Root Causes and Strategies” • Authors: • Lynn Reha, ICSPS; • Mimi Lufkin, NAPE; • Laurie Harrison, Foothill Associates • www.napequity.org

Root Cause - Education • Academic proficiency • Access to and participation in Math, Science and Technology • Curriculum • Instructional strategies • School/classroom climate • Support Services

Root Cause – Career Information • Materials, practices, marketing and recruitment • Early intervention • Characteristics of an occupation/Wage potential (Careers that give back to the community can attract both females and males)

Root Cause - Family Characteristics and engagement of family of origin have a strong influence on career choice

Root Cause – Internal/Individual • Self-efficacy • Attribution • Stereotype threat

Root Cause – Societal Issues • Media (negative/positive) • Peers • Role Models/Mentoring • Collaboration (between educational and community organizations key)

Phases of Step #2 • Phase 1: Identify Potential Causes • Phase 2: Analyze and Evaluate Potential Causes • Phase 3: Organize Your Theory and Select the Most Critical Root Causes

Step #2 WorksheetIdentify Root Causes • Develop your own root cause theory • What barriers do you think the students are facing • What action research method would you use to validate this theory? • Who would you engage in your research method?

STEP 1 Document Performance Results STEP 2 Identify Root Causes The Five Step Process STEP 3 Choose Best Solutions STEP 5 Implement Solutions STEP 4 Pilot Test and Evaluate Best Solutions

Step #3Choose Best Solutions • Identify and select the solutions that seem most promising for testing and evaluation

Choose Best Solutions Don’t be too quick to adopt best practices before getting the facts straight

Questions to Ask • How do you identify possible strategies and model practices? • How do you evaluate strategies and models? • How do you compare and assess alternative solutions and make a decision?

Step #3 WorksheetSelect Best Solutions Note on worksheet sites for “best practices”

I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty. ~John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Step #4Create an Evaluation Plan

Why Evaluate? Make sure your improvement strategy works somewhere before you attempt to apply it everywhere.

Formative Evaluation • Process measures • How well was the program implemented • “The cook tasting the soup”

Summative Evaluation • Outcomes Measures • Did the program produce the desired results? • “The guests taste the soup”

Set Realistic Goals • Broad statements of what you want to accomplish • The main single aim • Not strictly measurable or tangible • Long term • The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed

Write SMART Objectives • Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Relevant • Time-limited

Ohio State Team Goals • Increase public awareness and create opportunities for girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). • Increase participation of girls and women in non-traditional STEM fields (as identified by 25% or fewer of that gender represented in the workforce). (1 & 2 of 6)

Ohio State Team Goals • Increase persistence, retention and completion of girls and women in STEM programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. • Increase job placement of females into STEM careers in Ohio. (3 & 4 of 6)

Ohio State Team Goals • Increase participation, certificate and degree completion, and job placement in STEM fields for other underrepresented groups. • Collaborate with and engage key stakeholders in improving opportunities for STEM. (5 & 6 of 6)

Step #4 WorksheetCreate an Evaluation Plan Make sure your improvement strategy works somewhere before you attempt to apply it everywhere….

Step #5 Implement Solutions • Don’t say you’ve solved the problem until you’ve fully implemented solutions and achieved results!

Boost Non-traditional Enrollment: The Ohio STEM Equity Pipeline Project