virginia demonstration project

Connecting STEM Professions To

Our Educational Community

College of William and MaryGail HardingeJason Kremar

Virginia Demonstration Project

The Reality Behind The Gathering Storm…

U.S. students continue to perform below average on international comparisons of science and mathematics achievement.

More than 60 percent of math teachers teaching 5th through 8th graders are neither a math major nor certified in math.

Beyond the Gathering Storm…

School Reform… the challenge of change

The difference between success & failure in educational reform is tied to a host of issues.

Process of system-wide mandatesProcess & content of change process

Strong professional development = improved

teaching Better teachers make better students

The VDP – MythsIt’s A….

Robotics programCurriculumOne-size-fits-all modelFlow throughCostly

N-STAR VDP2005-2008Local focus

NDEP/VDP 2009-10

National support Developing local strength

National STEM ED

Goals:SustainableEconomicalLeverage national initiatives

From Demonstration to National Model…

Collaborative K-12 Outreach

Metrics – Tell the Story

9,000

Students

150 Teachers and S&Es

24 Schools in 7

Districts

6 Labs in 5

StatesVDP

NDEP

NAVY Labs in the Schools?Dynamic, job-embedded educational outreach

Career focused mentoring

Enhancement of classroom lessons

The ultimate career

exposure!

Development + Management + Evaluation

Customized Curriculum

& Profession

al Developme

nt

Base/Lab

Facilitation

Marketing

Quality Control

Process & Outcome Evaluatio

n

Why a University Partnership?

Connecting the Essential PlayersScientists

& Engineers

Teachers

ParentsCounselors

Administrators

Core Requirements for Best Practice Implementation

Collaborative Partnership (Base, University, &

Schools)

S&E Involvement (Co-teaching)

Inclusive Program (in classroom)

Cross-walked to National Standards

Evaluation and Metrics

Problem/Inquiry Based Learning

STEM Career Focus 

Adjusting a Local Model to a National Initiative…

Project Ownership

Designed for regional

relevance

Link to national

standards

Integrated curriculum

unitsHow does this get

done?

Module Collections Crisis at a Coral Reef

Eight different lessons sets Mathematics, Science,

Social Studies, & Language Arts

~ 27 days of lessons Landmine

Nine different lessons sets Mathematics, Science,

Social Studies ~ 28 days of lessons

Coastal Scenario Ten different lessons sets Mathematics, Science,

Social Studies ~ 28 days of lessons

Process Meshed with Content

Strands of Effective

STEM Instruction

STEM Content Areas

STEM Content Areas

STEM

Science

Technology

EngineeringMathematics

Careers

Strands of Effective STEM Instruction

Strands of Effective

STEM Instruction

Inquiry Learning

Co-Teaching

Carefully Timed

Explicit Instruction

Cooperative Learning

Big Idea Instruction

Co-Teaching

Co-Teaching:

Teacher, Special Educator, and STEM Professional

When:

Who: What: Why: How:•In a classroom with a diverse student body with language and learning needs•To support STEM career exploration and interest

•General Education Teacher•Special Education Teacher•STME Professional•All Students

5 Mode of Co-Teaching •One Teach-One Assist (least effective)•Station Teaching•Parallel Teaching•Alternative Teaching•Team Teaching (most effective)

•Contributes positivity to professional development of teachers•Increases cooperation among students•Gives additional attention for student with diverse learning and language needs•Increase instructional options

•Set aside at least 30 minutes of planning time a week•Make sure you have parity signals•Take time to align instructional beliefs•Discuss how issues of confidentiality will be handled•Talk about the noise level in the classroom•Make sure all parties have a deep content knowledge•Be on the same page with discipline and management•Talk about pet peeves•Co-teaching should be voluntary•Administration support is very important

School Climate & Ethics (Sex, Politics & Religion)

 Visitor procedures

 Discipline

 Fire Drills

 Crisis Plan

 Security

 Students with Special

Needs

Confidentiality

 Lunch procedures

 Communication

Phone, Email

  Location of bathrooms

  Professional / personal titles (What

do we call each other?)

  Dress expectations of staff

  Others

School Policies:

More School Basics:

Wrapping it Up….Evaluation MeasuresCausal Comparative Non-Equivalent Control Group

Student Achievemento Standards-based content assessment

Student Careero Career Awareness & Intention instrument

Course Selection Profileo School tracking data

Interviewso S&Es & Teacherso Studentso Administrators

Evaluation: Making It Happen

Make it easy & simpleMake it timelyPlan up frontTie it to funding<25 – hard copies>25 – web surveys

1

2

3

4

2.16

2.79

2.37

1.91

2.83

2.51

3.02

2.73

2.31

3.11

Pre

Post

VDP / NDEP Fall Student Questionnaire Evaluation Findings – Future Employment

Level of Agreement Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree; 4 = Strongly Agree

signifies significant difference between pre and post at the 0.05 level Total N for all completing pre and post is 462

1

2

3

4Female Pre

Female Post

Male Pre

Male Post

VDP / NDEP Fall Student Questionnaire

Future EmploymentLevel of Agreement Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree; 4 = Strongly Agree

signifies significant difference between pre and post at the 0.05 level Total N for all completing pre and post is 462

Summer Academy Metrics

Extre

mely Diss

atisfi

ed

Very Diss

atisfi

ed

Dissat

isfied

Mos

tly D

issat

isfied

Slight

ly D

issat

isfied

Slight

ly S

atisfi

ed

Mos

tly S

atisfi

ed

Satisfi

ed

Very Sat

isfied

Extre

mely Sat

isfied

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

General Satisfaction with Academy

Professionals

Students

Summer Academy Metrics

Very Unlikely Unlikely Neutral Likely Very Likely-50

0

50

100

150

200

Likelihood of Choosing a STEM Careerwith Weighted Scores

Prior to summer campNow that camp is over

-2 10-1 2Weighting factors:

STEM Ed Sustainability3-5 year PD model

Multi-media supportTeacher certificationMaster Teacher

Multi-Media Support

1. Web site … distance support2. Curriculum review team 3. Technology focus – wiki spaces, twitter

Teacher Certification

1 Achieve certification points2 Support best practice

Master Teacher

1 Support long-term professional growth2 Develop nested mentoring3 Create sustainable model

Explore! Science Magazine

Explore! – Designed for Students

Example of National Rollout

Conference First Contact Local

Steering Committee

Professional Development Site Planning Implementati

on

Post-Implementation Meeting

National Evaluation Follow-Up

Year II & III Support

Guidelines for Sustainability

Project Goals

•Shared goals – school, base, university, community support

•Shared leadership – military & educational cultures

Logistics

•Funding & Implementation calendars

•Scheduling S&Es

•Aligning curriculum

Project Fidelity

•Formative assessment

•Institutional responsibilities – Structure & flexibility

•Data collection – summative assessment

Standardizing a Plan

Develop National clearinghouse of projectsDevelop communication channel & strategic

POCsRecognize local relevance & strength, BUT

develop key principles for all programsBuild in formative assessment and recognize

the pattern of growth & change that occurs with all projects

We’ll say it again…don’t skip the steps!

Lessons LearnedIdentify and use your local resources (improves

sustainability)Develop project ownership for lasting changeDon’t skip the steps (Buy-in, Plan, Disseminate,

Implement, Evaluate)Plan early – develop a timelinePlan evaluation when you develop you program

goalsDesign for flexibility One shot PD is not best practiceAn effective program has unintended benefits

If it were so simple….Is our priority to offer an inclusive program or to

maximize return on investment?Mentoring vs coaching…what is the ideal role of

an S&E?What is your definition of “collaboration” &

“partnership”?Whose time-line matters?Funding – bureaucracy AND integrity?When is enough enough? (Do we reduce S&E

involvement over time or is it even an out-reach program without S&Es?

Awards, Presentations, and Grants VA Mathematics & Science Coalition - 2008 Programs That Work

2007 Governor’s Conference on Education – A VA Model for Integrating

STEM

NSF / NOYCE - Increasing rate of licensure for college students in STEM

teaching areas ($750K)

VA DoE - Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow - Developing undergraduate

programs to prepare college students to teach STEM content in high school

($188K)

Governor’s Grant (Stafford County Schools) – Developing STEM Academies

at two high schools ($100K)

The College of William & Mary

• Dr. Gail Hardinge Project Directorgbhard@wm.edu

• Jason Kremar Assistant Director jmkremar@wm.edu

Contact Information