Action Group #1 – Improving STEM Teaching and Learning in K-12 Schools

Teaching is truly a highly-skilled profession. Like any other profession – without a supportive working environment with resources, high expectations, supportive and knowledgeable leaders, teachers are not as effective in their job performance. In the 21^st Century learning environment, teachers must utilize strategies that enable students to experience STEM. Many teachers are not prepared to take on this challenge. This action group will develop a plan to support STEM teachers to enhance their instructional strategies and learning environments. Some areas for discussion include:

·         Providing teachers with support (professional development) to transform instruction to more inquiry/problem-based delivery so that students are better prepared in STEM disciplines

·         Infusing technology into students’ everyday experiences

·         Partnering with community, business, and higher education to realize changes in learning environments to a real-world approach

·         Providing other supports teachers and schools will need to implement a stronger STEM program focus

Action Group #2 – Recruiting Southwest Ohio STEM Talent to Stay Here

Incentives and support are needed to attract students into pursing STEM career pathways and to place graduates in these fields. This action group will determine what strategies are needed to support students in the regional pipeline (K-20) so that they are successful in completing their program of study. Additionally, this group will discuss strategies for retention of graduates in the regional workforce. Specifically, this action group will target:

·         Getting more highly qualified STEM teachers for regional schools

·         Keeping more STEM graduates in SW Ohio

·         Proving more support during K-20 programs of study for students to decrease high school and higher education dropout

·         Providing more programs such as scholarships and/or support available for students to pursue post-secondary study

Action Group #3 – STEM Advocacy and Policy

As the economy of Ohio has gone through a transformation from industrial to knowledge-based, a gap exists between the changing needs of the future workforce and the present status quo. There is a huge need to embark upon a public awareness strategy to bring the area up to speed in order to be competitive and ensure that the future talent pool is ready for the changes inherently on the way. This action group will delve into constructing an action plan which will provide resources, generate awareness, and impact policy to ensure our area is ready and has the means necessary to continue to progress. Specifically, this group will focus on:

·         Student STEM career programs starting in elementary school

·         Parent awareness classes to learn about skills needed for future workforce

·         Community/regional campaigns emphasizing the importance of STEM

·         Connecting resources available in the community to teachers, schools, parents, and students

·         Local and state policy for K-12, higher education, & community

Action Group #4 – Improving the Preparation of STEM Teachers

There continues to be a shortage of highly-qualified STEM teachers, specifically in the mathematics and science disciplines. Ohio has invested millions of dollars to support the development of a more productive pipeline of future STEM teachers. The integrated approach of STEM is not necessarily reflected in the compartmentalized study of content and pedagogy in higher education. This group will discuss potential ideas for regional institutions to transform the preparation of STEM teachers such as:

• Integrated study of STEM disciplines
• Co-taught coursework including content and pedagogy in the context of the real-world
• Leveraging STEM schools as placements for pre-service teachers
• Opportunities to engage in scientific research

  Action Group #5 – Engaging Higher Education STEM Faculty in Collaboration On and Off Campus

Southwest Ohio has many existing collaborations involving regional institutions of higher education. Many of these collaborations blossom when new grant opportunities are presented. There is a growing need to establish more formal collaborations across colleges of Arts & Science, Education, and other STEM units. Barriers exist to collaboration with K-12 schools, including the criteria for tenure and reappointment that often do not place a great deal of value on K-12 school engagement. This group will discuss potential strategies for transforming higher education collaborations such as:

·         Formalized collaborations across colleges

·         Institutional policies providing credit for K-12 engagement

·         Credit systems for co-teaching, cross-college degree programs

·         Formalized K-12 collaborations

Action Group #6 – Moving the Cincinnati STEM Partnership Forward – Partnerships and Progress

Over the past year we have made significant progress with the Cincinnati STEM Partnership. We have opened two STEM schools and are growing our partnership to include other STEM themed schools across the region. The FUSION Laboratory- Powered by Duke Energy will open in October, 2009 and will begin providing professional development support to STEM teachers across the region. Our challenge is to develop short and long term plans for sustaining the effort through our partnership. This group will discuss and develop:

·         Short and Long Term Strategic Plan for the Partnership

·         Revisit Partnership Goals and Objectives and Revise as Needed

·         Reflect on Progress to Date and Lessons Learned

·         Develop a Plan to Grow Partnership Representation