Posted on Oct. 27, 2014 in “News”
WPI well represented at annual STEM Summit
There’s no doubt that STEM is one of the hottest topics in education right now. But one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in further integrating it into curriculum, according to WPI adjunct professor of mechanical engineering Martha Cyr, is that so many people have a different idea of what it is.
“There
is a wide variety of interpretation of what STEM means,” says Cyr,
noting that in her experience, “what STEM is, is using the science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as critical
thinking skills, to work on problem solving.”
Last
Wednesday, some of the state’s greatest minds and influencers in
STEM disciplines gathered to grapple with this and other issues at
the 11th
annual Massachusetts STEM Summit, held for the first time in
Worcester, at the DCU Center.
Featuring
numerous speakers from around the state, as well as dozens of
sessions, panels, and exhibitors, the event’s theme was “Gateway
to the Future.” Attendees included more than 1,300 educators,
business leaders and legislators, and WPI “had some amazing
representation,” says Cyr, who also serves as executive director of
the STEM Education Center at WPI, which provides licensure, degree
programs, and professional development for educators, and performs
research on teaching and learning.
For
example, dean of undergraduate studies Art Heinricher took part in a
session on scaling STEM models in gateway cities, while associate
dean Kris Wobbe participated in another session on integrative
science in higher education. Other WPI representatives discussed such
topics as cultivating a next-generation workforce, strategic planning
for STEM implementation on a district-wide scale, and fostering
student motivation and achievement based on National Science
Foundation research. Students from the Mass Academy of Math and
Science at WPI also showcased a science fair.
WIDE
RANGE OF TOPICS
Other
speakers focused on a wide range of topics, from teaching algebra
through video game programming; to employer needs and policy
implications; to developing a diverse workforce; to preparing
students for careers in advanced manufacturing.
“The
summit is really an opportunity for people to come together and
understand what is happening with STEM in the state,” says Cyr, who
not only attended, but helped by providing input for the K–12
aspects of the event. “This is one of the best STEM summits I’ve
been to in years, and I’ve been going to them since they first
started.”
One
of the biggest overall takeaways, she says, was the notion of
teaching STEM from an iterative standpoint.
For
instance, one high school technology engineering teacher discussed
how he gives students real projects to work on, then tells them to
embrace failure so that they can continue to tinker and make it
better. The approach, Cyr notes, emphasizes critical thinking and
STEM in a real-life situation.
Other
groups discussed completely changing the formats of high school and
college courses to get students immersed in real-world problems.
“It’s
to get them invested in learning, gathering the data, and analyzing
it because they’re interested in the big question. It’s a
different way of looking at education,” says Cyr, adding that
attendees are really beginning to grasp the idea that “engaging
students in projects or problems that are relevant is the way to get
them learning the material and thinking it’s an important thing to
do, versus just studying information.”
Other
ongoing issues are attracting not only more women, but more
minorities, to STEM fields. Cyr notes a lack of role models in both
areas.
Overall,
though, she lauds central Massachusetts, saying there’s “such a
great sense of community around STEM,” and also credits WPI’s
continued efforts.
Of
President Laurie Leshin, she says, “She’s a scientist who gets
that STEM matters.”
She
adds, “It’s great to have a president here at WPI who understands
the importance of learning through that integrated, hands-on method.”
-
BY TARYN PLUMB
Original story link.
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