By 2018, an estimated 81,000 STEM jobs will need to be filled in South Carolina. Despite an increase in STEM majors, however, students are not choosing STEM fields. Instead, they are selecting more “transdisciplinary” fields that include the arts. An innovative educational practice called STEAM (where “A” represents the arts) is helping students see the creative and imaginative parts of STEM and increasing their engagement in STEM. The development of an interdisciplinary STEAM ecosystem—including schools, families, businesses, and community members—is being led by a team of Clemson University faculty. The effort aims to increase the participation of South Carolinians in STEM, beginning in elementary school.
“Capacity Building: STEM to STEAM in South Carolina” will focus on:
- the importance of deepening the content knowledge of teachers, parents, caregivers, and business partners, and why they are all invested in the success of building the STEAM Ecosystem;
- how underserved and high-needs school districts will be incorporated into STEAM to ensure that the workforce reflects the state’s changing demographics; and
- how the initiative will create the nation’s first STEAM Teaching Endorsement.
Tweet about this broadcast using #STEAM or at @NDPCn, @CUScienceEdProf, @daniherro.
Resources
http://www.edutopia.org/stem-to-steam-resources
Whether you are looking for resources on integrating science, technology, engineering, and math or on infusing the arts to transform STEM into STEAM, this curated compilation will help you strategize around different approaches to integrated studies.
http://www.npr.org/series/4111499/where-science-meets-art
This South Carolina NPR special series explores the unexpected intersections of art and science.
http://www.shodor.org/master/
Interactive tools and simulation environments that enable and encourage exploration and discovery through observation, conjecture, and modeling activities.
http://www.engineeryourlife.org/
This guide introduces girls in grades 9-12 to young women engineers and highlights careers.
http://eie.org/sites/default/files/bayer_compendium.pdf
All 38 K-12 STEM programs included in this report provide challenging content/curriculum, an inquiry-learning environment, defined outcomes/assessment, and sustained commitment/community support.
http://stem.firstbook.org/materials
Downloadable posters, educator guides with activities and age-appropriate career information for your students. All activities meet national education standards of learning for math, science and technical literacy.
http://www.stemfinity.com/Free-STEM-Education-Resources
A host of free STEM resources for students and teachers from Pre-K to high school.
Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America. (2015). Telling our story through data: ASTRA’s STEM on the Hill state STEM & innovation report cards 2015. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from www.usinnovation.org/state-innovation-vital-signs
Bidwell, A. (2014). Report: STEM job market much larger than previously reported. US News and World Report, pp. 1. Retrieved from www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/02/05/report-stem-job-market-much-larger-than-previously-reported
Cross, N. (2001). Designerly ways of knowing: Design discipline versus design science. Design Issues, 17(3), 49-55. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/074793601750357196
Dede, C., & Richards, J. (Eds.). (2012). Digital teaching platforms: Customizing classroom learning for each student. New York, New York: Teachers College Press.
Delaney, M. (2014, April). Schools shift from STEM to STEAM. EdTech. Retrieved from
Diamond, B. S., Maerten‐Rivera, J., Rohrer, R. E., & Lee, O. (2014). Effectiveness of a curricular and professional development intervention at improving elementary teachers’ science content knowledge and student achievement outcomes: Year 1 results. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 51(5), 635-658. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/tea.21148/abstract
Ertmer, P. A., & Simons, K. D. (2006). Jumping the PBL implementation hurdle: Supporting the efforts of K–12 teachers. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 1(1), 5. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1005
Friedman, L. N. (2013, December 11). How a learning gap grows. Education Week.
Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/12/11/14friedman.h33.html
Hew, K. F., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into K-12 teaching and learning: Current knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 55(3), 223-252.Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11423-006-9022-5
Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (2004). Problem-based learning: What and how do students learn? Educational Psychology Review, 16(3), 235-266. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:EDPR.0000034022.16470.f3
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). Standards for students. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards/standards-for-students
Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V., and Freeman, A. (2015). NMC horizon report: 2015 K-12 edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium. Retrieved from http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2015-nmc-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf 
King, H. (2011). Connecting in-school and out-of-school learning experiences (ISE Research Brief). Retrieved from http://www.relatingresearchtopractice.org/article/229
Krajcik, J. (2015). Project-based science. The Science Teacher, 82(1), 25. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2505/4/tst15_082_01_25
Lee, K. T., & Nason, R. A. (2013). The recruitment of STEM-talented students into teacher education programs. International Journal of Engineering Education, 29(4), 833-838. Retrieved from http://www.ijee.ie/latestissues/Vol29-4/06_ijee2734ns.pdf
National Science Board. (2014). Science and engineering indicators 2014. Arlington VA: National Science Foundation (NSB 14-01). Retrieved from http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14/
Traphagen, K., & Traill, S. (2014). Report from the field: How cross-sector collaborations are advancing STEM learning. Los Altos, CA: NOYCE Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.samueli.org/stemconference/documents/stem%20learning%20ecosystems.pdf
Zucker, A. (2015). Regional education report: A baseline report on public education in the Tri-County Region. Charleston, SC: Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative. Retrieved from www.tricountycradletocareer.org