Mobilizing the NDSTEM Strategic Plan Caroline McEnnis, Cathleen Ruch, Jan Morrison

Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEMMay 23, 2012

The NDSTEM network is comprised of five regional communities, defined by geography and one Native American community

One Statewide Network - Five STEM Communities

EquitableThe ND STEM Network will make STEM literacy and economic opportunity attainable for ALL North Dakota students.

Connected and ResponsiveThe ND STEM Network will ensure STEM education is responsive to real-world opportunities and needs with business and industry as equal and key partners.

Innovative and TransformativeThe ND STEM Network will drive innovation and transformation in STEM education to create new opportunities in education, workforce training and economic development.

UbiquitousThe ND STEM Network will foster a sense of ownership in STEM education by all North Dakota citizens by forming a community of practice that leverages enlightened self-interest and represents all facets of society.

SustainableThe ND STEM Network will ensure long-term viability by developing regionally-driven structures and cultures that are connected state-wide.

InstitutionalThe ND STEM Network will support and pursue policies at all levels of government that support STEM education through appropriate resource allocation.

QuantifiableThe ND STEM Network will ensure its continued effectiveness and relevance through longitudinal knowledge capture and data-driven decision making.

NDSTEM Network Design Principles

Pursue policies and funding to support STEM education including changing the current Carnegie unit system to one based on mastery of material. Increase high school graduation rates and increase the number of those graduates who are prepared to pursue STEM degrees, certifications and careers

Use the engineering design process to build a network that:• Connects STEM assets and increases awareness of and demand for STEM

education• Eliminates demographic and geographical barriers and makes STEM truly for all• Supports educators in the following critical areas:

STEM integration Project-based learning Entrepreneurship and innovation The engineering design process and inquiry-based learning Research experiences and real-world summer work experiences in STEM

professions

NDSTEM Network Goals

The ND STEM Network aims to connect and increase cooperation amongst all North Dakota stakeholders in order to provide opportunities for students to be creative and innovative and gain 21st century skills through increased engagement in project-based learning driven by the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. These skills will allow more North Dakotans to graduate, gain additional skills and become part of a productive and competitive workforce in North Dakota. We believe this approach to education needs to become our vision for North Dakota students and is the responsibility, not only of educational institutions at all levels, but is the responsibility of all North Dakota citizens, businesses and communities.

NDSTEM Network Promise

The ND STEM network seeks to provide a collaboration for providing all students high quality experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics related experiences. The Network will be driven by:

• Promoting the need for greater advances in STEM for all students

• Creating regional communities that can better focus on local needs

• Encouraging every sector of the community to take responsibility for contributing to the education of all students by developing a community of practice

• Encouraging educational practices that increase student engagement by utilizing inquiry-based, design process to connect curriculum content to real live relevance and to active learning

NDSTEM Network Mission

• Evolve the Network Structure

• Develop a Sustainability Plan • Scale up Regional Programs

• Connect and Align Resources across the state

• Support Regional Education Associations (REA) in Grant Writing and Implementation

• Lobby for Statewide Policy Change

NDSTEM Strategic Plan Statewide Network Initiatives

• Engage the North Dakota Native American Communities

• Design and Implement Regional Fab Lab Centers

• Map and Align Regional Assets to form and launch the five Regional Communities

• Support Regional Education Associations (REA) in Grant Writing and Implementation

NDSTEM Strategic Plan Regional Initiatives

NDSTEM Strategic PlanRegional Extension of State-wide Initiatives

• Regional Virtual STEM Centers supporting Online Education

• Regionally and Locally relevant Teacher Internships

Build community connections and capacity to address STEM needs through the creation of a statewide STEM Learning Network spanning business, K-12 education, higher education, government, philanthropic and other

non-government organizations.

Policy

• Integrate STEM into standards, assessments, curriculum and certifications (project-based, experiential, interdisciplinary learning; additional focus and professional development at early grades)

• Address STEM teacher needs across dimensions of human capital management (attract, recruit, develop, retain top talent; performance-based culture; alternative certification pathways)

• Engage state policymakers and regulators in removing regulatory / legal barriers to change, incenting transformation

Platforms

• Align to STEM guiding principles

• Pursue STEM school components, models (e.g., regional STEM schools, career academies, informal education at cultural institutions)

• Integrate / expand the use of technology throughout the learning environment (open source models for access to content and expertise, “virtual worlds”, distance learning, mobile labs)

Programs and Practices

• Inventory and communicate existing, effective STEM learning programs and practices

• Leverage informal education and business to provide innovative STEM learning experiences for students, teachers, administrators and parents

• Engage students in STEM (student-centered design in transformation, project-based learning, alternative learning models)

• Build STEM awareness in the community

Partnerships

• Develop partnerships involving business, schools, higher education, policy makers, and the communities they serve to ensure education outcomes resonate with local economy and community needs

• Reprioritize available resources to support design and implementation of STEM policy, platform, program and practice changes

Network Roadmap for Action

Network collaboration platform: complete design and initial implementation

• Launch Statewide network

• Launch regional hubs in all 5 economic regions

• Develop long-term organizational strategy for the Network’s operations

• Implement technology infrastructure

Statewide Design Teams

• Asset Mapping Team

• Policy teams

• Regional Champion Identification

• Core Management Team

Network Capacity: develop resources necessary for sustained network operations

• Federal sources:

• State sources:

• Corporate and Foundation sources:

Multi-state / Inter-state Activities:

• Need to start connecting with other STEM network states

Network Start-up Priorities

Short Term and Long Term Network Management Plan

Outcomes:

A clear understanding of what the management of NDSTEM network will look like until a manager is hired

An understanding of the role of the future network manager and a general idea of NDSTEM management structure going forward

Resources:

NDSTEM Strategic Plan Working TimelineRegional Toolkit DocumentsGovernance DefinitionsNDSTEM Draft Management ChartNDSTEM Draft Constitution and By-LawsNDSTEM Manager Job DescriptionStrategic Plan One PagerSTEM Fact Sheet

Funding, Communication, and Partner Engagement

Outcomes:

Defined actions and roles that the network will undertake to attract and bring in additional funding on a statewide and regional/local level

Communication plan for the Network with specific actionable items and defined roles for Network members

Resources:

NDSTEM Strategic Plan Working TimelineRegional Toolkit DocumentsSample Network BudgetNDCEL AgendaFab Lab BrochureStrategic Plan One PagerSTEM Fact Sheet

Impact & Engagement Plan including Regional StrategiesOutcomes:

Specific network wide and regional activities that will occur over the next 7 months that will move the NDSTEM Network strategic plan forward. Focusing on the strategic items that involve impact and engagement

Define roles for network members around these action items, making sure to account activities that will drive development of regional communities

Resources:

NDSTEM Strategic Plan Working TimelineRegional Toolkit DocumentsNDCEL AgendaFab Lab BrochureStrategic Plan One PagerSTEM Fact Sheet

Short Term and Long Term Network Management PlanDon Mugan, Don Fischer, Teresa Cole, Lisa Gulland-Nelson

Funding, Communication, and Partner Engagement Strategies Cathleen Ruch, Stephen Hayton, Gary Ketterling, Alan Peterson

Impact & Engagement Plan including Regional strategiesPaul Kleidel, Tifanie Gelinski, Anita Welch, Kyle Davis, Adele Sigl