why technology/engineering for swampscott school district?

Why Technology/Engineering

for Swampscott School District?

© 2013, National Center for Technological Literacy, Museum of Science, Boston. All rights reserved

Why Teach Engineering?

Children are born engineers – they like solving problems and we can build on this natural instinct.

We use most of our lives interacting or using technology –from a phone, to a pen, to medicine, clothing, computer, all of which are technologies.

Allows for project-based instruction and learning in the classroom which boosts student engagement while honing critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Brings math and science to life because children can see how it is used and it opens up wonderful career opportunities


STEM Demand is HighAmerica faces an acute STEM job gap, and what makes the crisis worse is that we aren’t producing enough students trained in those fields to fill those jobs in the future. The nation is expected to have more than 8.6 million STEM-related jobs available in 2018, the National Math and Science initiative warns as many as three million of those jobs could go unfilled at the current rate the U.S. produces workers trained in STEM.


STEM Demand is High In the next 10 years, STEM jobs will grow by

17%, compared to 9.8% for all other occupations.

Across the US, when you look at all types of occupations, there are 3.6 people for every 1 job. In STEM, there is 1 person for every 1.9 jobs


The Powerful Link between STEM, Early Childhood, and Global Competitiveness, JD Chesloff

So What Has Changed?

The demand for knowledgeable workers vs. skilled labor

Population growth in this country Demographic change in America The focus on global competitiveness and

innovation


“NCTL’s goal is to foster appreciation and understanding of the human-made world by infusing technology and engineering into K-12 schools and museums nationwide. By applying science and mathematics as well as engineering processes, children and adults can solve real world problems and learn about the creation and implications of technologies. We aim to inspire our nation’s next generation of innovators, inventors, and engineers.”

National Center for Technological Literacy® Vision


The Gateway Project

Mission

The goal of the Gateway Project is for all students to become scientifically and technologically literate so that they can fully participate in our increasingly technological society, as citizens, workers, and consumers.


History of the Gateway Project

Phase I (2005 – 2007) 50 K-12 district teams attend

Gateway District Institute

Gateway website and discussion board goes live

Phase II (2008 – 2012) First cohort of five Regional Gateway

Leaders formed

33 new districts participate in the Gateway District Institute


Gateway Summer Institute:

The Gateway Summer Institute provides all the tools needed by school districts to work together as a team in order to create a “Plan of Action” that will guide their district in implementing K-12 standards-based technology/engineering education strategies that work.

Cornerstone of the Gateway Project


Massachusetts Gateway School Districts 2005-2012AbingtonAgawamAmesburyAndoverArlingtonAshburnham-Westminster RegionalAshlandAttleboroAuburnBerkleyBostonBourneBraintreeBrocktonBurlingtonCambridgeCantonCarlisleCarverChathamChrista McAuliffle Regional Charter

ConcordDanversDennis-Yarmouth RegionalDighton-Rehoboth RegionalDover-SherbornDuxburyEverettFall RiverFalmouthFoxboroughFramingham Freetown-LakevilleGateway RegionalGill-Montague RegionalHanoverHarwichHolbrookHopedale LowellLynnLynnfieldManchester Essex RegionalMethuenMiddleborough

MillisMiltonMonsonMystic Valley RegionalNatickNausetNeedhamNew BedfordNewtonNorth ReadingNorthampton and Northampton-Smith VocationalNorwellOld Rochester RegionalPeabodyQuincyRandolphRevereSalemSaugusSharonSouthwick-Tolland RegionalSpringfield

SudburySwanseaTewksburyTriton Regional Tri-Town School Union TyngsboroughWachusett Regional WalpoleWalthamWarehamWellesleyWestboroughWestwoodWhitman-Hansen RegionalWinchendonWinchesterWinthropWorcester


Develop an “Action Plan” that is crafted around an individual school district’s vision for implementing K-12 standards-based technology/engineering education strategies.

Develop effective and feasible ways of “steering the ship” and generating “contingency plans”.

If YOUR team can’t make it work - no one else can!

District STEM Leadership Teams Responsibilities


Short Term - create a “Plan of Action” that provides a practical framework in which to begin implementing systemic changes to technology/engineering education within the district (Summer Institute)

Long Term – use of the “Plan of Action” as a flexible guide with which to build and sustain engineering/technology programs that will serve all their district students, K-12 (year 1 and beyond…..)

Expected Outcomes for Gateway District STEM Leadership Teams


Many participating schools have seen measurable increases in their 5th and 8th grade Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS scores.

*District results will vary

Additional Benefits



2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

59

6770 70

7469

7376

ACTUAL GATEWAY PARTICIPANT 8th Grade MCAS Scores

Advanced/Proficient

YEAR

PERCENT

Gateway

why technology/engineering for swampscott school district?

Documents