MAS & Higher Ed
On June 7, 2011, the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences (MAS) and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (DHE) co-sponsored a forum on the role of higher education (HE) science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) faculty in achieving excellence in STEM education outcomes for all Massachusetts students. The forum began a conversation that focused on actions that the community of STEM faculty can and should take which will have the most immediate and lasting impact on students and STEM educators. The following three topics were the focus of the discussion:
- Students, as well as many PreK-16 educators and guidance counselors, are often unaware of the breadth and richness of career opportunities afforded through STEM education. How can higher education STEM faculty, personally and through the resources of their institutions, contribute to increasing awareness and interest in STEM careers and illuminate pathways to post-secondary success for a more diverse population of students?
- The retention and graduation rates of STEM major programs, while tracking closely to the rates for all majors, is unacceptably low. We must minimize this leakage from the higher education pipeline, particularly from groups underrepresented in STEM professions, through research-based strategies to improve student success. What actions, based on current research, can faculty lead to improve retention and graduation rates in their institutions? What new research should be undertaken to further address this challenge?
- Educators at all levels (PreK-16) must continually assess the focus of their curriculum to ensure alignment with student learning needs, current education research findings and industry expectations and practices. Higher education faculty engaged in STEM research and education research must be active contributors in this process. What mechanisms and actions can STEM faculty promote in their institutions to improve communication and collaboration with STEM PreK-12 educators, as well as within their own community of research and education faculty?
The HE STEM faculty forum was stimulated by the publication of “A Foundation for the Future: Massachusetts’ Plan for Excellence in STEM education (version 1.0)” in September 2010 by Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray and the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. This plan articulates quantifiable outcomes in five cornerstone goals:
- Increase student interest in STEM,
- Increase STEM achievement of PreK-12 students,
- Increase the percentage of students who demonstrate readiness for college level study in STEM fields,
- Increase the number of students who graduate from a post-secondary institution with a degree in a STEM field, and
- Increase the number/percentage of PreK-16 STEM classes led by effective educators.
Following several plenary presentations, working groups tackled each of the aforementioned topics and produced a draft set of initiative and policy recommendations, which were considered in plenary at the end of the forum. The working groups included PreK-16 educators and out-of-school educators; graduate and undergraduate students, school district and higher education administrators; policy makers; industrial and academic scientists; and representatives of STEM education organizations.
To read the full report, click on its full title at the top of the page or click here.
