en-us Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 ]]> http://www.mos.org/web_media/rss_logo.gif http://www.mos.org 122 21 There is a national concern that the country's preeminence in science and innovation is eroding. According to the National Science Board's 2010 Science and Engineering Indicators, only 5 percent of college graduates in the United States major in engineering, compared with 12 percent of European students and 20 percent of those in Asia. Since no national programs support K-12 engineering in core academic classrooms, the National Center for Technological Literacy® (NCTL®) at the Museum of Science, Boston drafted the Engineering Education (E2) for Innovation Act. The legislation is the first to promote K-12 engineering education specifically in core academic classrooms. The bill offers states planning, implementation, and evaluation grants to integrate engineering education, including standards, curricula, assessments, and teacher preparation, into K-12 instruction. The NCTL applauds the leadership of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) and House Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY-21) who introduced the E2 bill (S.3043, H.R.4709) on February 25 to Congress as well as the bill's many sponsors, led by Senators Edward Kaufman (D-Delaware) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine). Sen. Kristen Gillibrand said: "Job growth and the future of the American economy require our continued ability to lead the world in innovation as we tackle the grand challenges of the 21st century -- from clean water to life-saving cures for diseases and biomedical developments to green energy. Much of the answer lies in classrooms across the country. This legislation will give schools nationwide more incentive to implement science and engineering education into K-12 curricula." According to Sen. Ted Kaufman, "As a nation, our future success depends on our ability to produce a greater number of engineers." Norm Augustine, former CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation, offered his "congratulations on this fine effort (to introduce K-12 engineering legislation)... I believe it is well aimed," explaining that "one of the many reasons our nation does not seem to attract young people into engineering is that many seem to have no idea what an engineer does. Although we attempt to teach math and science in K-12, seldom do we expose students to engineering." The E2 for Innovation Act: --authorizes the Secretary of Education to award planning grants and matching implementation grants to states to integrate engineering education into kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) instruction and curricula; --requires each state that desires an implementation grant to develop quantifiable benchmarks for activities supported by such grants and submit them to the Secretary for approval; --requires states to use implementation grants to: (1) establish assessment tools and challenging academic content and achievement standards for engineering education; (2) develop or obtain effective engineering education curricula; (3) develop or improve engineering teacher training programs; (4) recruit qualified engineering teachers for needy schools; (5) facilitate distance learning and online education in engineering; and (6) invest in after-school engineering education programs; --directs the Institute of Education Sciences to support engineering education research and an evaluation of this Act's grant programs; --requires the Secretary to use the evaluation's findings to provide information to the public and technical assistance to states on best practices and promising innovations in K-12 engineering education. In effect, the E2 Act would: --integrate engineering education into K-12 classrooms by designing challenging content and curricula frameworks and assessments that include engineering; --increase engineering and technology teacher preparation programs and recruit qualified teachers to provide engineering education in high-need schools; --increase student achievement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, & mathematics) subjects and knowledge and competency in engineering design skills; --promote aspirations for a career in engineering among diverse students, in particular girls and underrepresented minorities; --promote partnerships among K-12 school administrators and teachers, and engineering member bodies and professionals. The NCTL drafted and built support for the E2 bill in only five months in response to a September 2009 report, "Engineering in K-12 Education" from the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Research Council (NRC), which said the introduction of engineering education has the potential to improve student learning and achievement in science and mathematics, increase awareness about what engineers do and of engineering as a potential career, and boost students' technological literacy. To read the E2 legislation, go to E2 legislation link below under Related Links and enter the bill numbers H.R.4709 or S.3043. If you want to get involved, encourage your members of Congress to cosponsor the legislation. Contact their DC offices and ask to speak with their education legislative assistant (LA). You may have to leave a message. Ask them to consider cosponsoring the respective bills. Be sure to provide bill numbers, your name, address, and contact information. Congressional contact information is below under Related Links. The bipartisan effort, which has involved several other cosponsors from both the House and the Senate, was endorsed by more than 100 organizations. Information@mos.org NCTL News Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 NCTL, National Center for Technological Literacy, engineering, engineering education, education, federal legislation, K-12, STEM, Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, Sen. Ted Kaufman The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $899,072 to the Museum of Science, Boston for "Bridging Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) for Elementary Educators." This program, part of the Museum's National Center for Technological Literacy®, will provide professional development for science and education faculty who prepare future elementary educators to strengthen understandings of engineering content, inquiry-based pedagogical techniques, and career pathways in technical fields. The award is effective June I, 2010, to May 31, 2013. This project builds on the successful NSF-funded ATLAS project enriching teacher education courses with engineering and technology. The BEST project expands this approach to include community college science courses, modified to incorporate engineering design activities. The goals are to: provide teacher education materials using hands-on technology and engineering approaches, while integrating science and math; strengthen knowledge and ability to teach technology, engineering, and science; develop articulation pathways in elementary education between community and four-year colleges; create a cadre of faculty to spread knowledge regionally and nationally; and increase awareness of technology and engineering elementary education programs. Partners include Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massasoit Community College, Bridgewater State College, Middlesex Community College, Fitchburg State College, North Shore Community College, and Salem State College. The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, The Engineering Center, and the Boston Society of Civil Engineers are educational and industry partners. BEST is designed to reach 62 community college and 25 four-year college faculty, 800 pre-service educators, and 7,000 elementary students. This program will document how technology and engineering can be integrated into science and education courses for pre-service teachers. As more states include technology and engineering in their standards, this project can guide community college and pre-service efforts nationwide. Information@mos.org NCTL News Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Museum of Science, National Science Foundation, grant, Bridging Engineering, Science and Technology (BEST) for Elementary Educators, elementary educators, professional development, BEST, National Center for Technological Literacy, engineering education, STEM In May 2010, four years after his first appearance, Museum of Science president and director Ioannis Miaoulis was invited back by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) to testify May 6 before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee at a hearing entitled, "America Wins When America COMPETES: Building a High-Tech Workforce." Congress passed the America COMPETES Act in 2007 to increase the nation's investment in R&D and in STEM education. The landmark legislation was driven by the National Academies report, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm." "K-12 engineering education will catalyze the development of a highly skilled STEM workforce necessary to insure our global competitiveness and national security," stated Miaoulis. "Unfortunately, the requisite funding did not materialize to make all these valiant programs and promises come true. My concern is that very little was done in the K-12 STEM education space and even less was done for informal science education." He also noted that four years ago, the conversation was only about math and science and he was pleased to hear many senators emphasize the importance of engineering education in schools. Miaoulis shared a number of positive developments in this area with the committee. Miaoulis thanked committee members Senators Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar and Olympia Snowe for cosponsoring S. 3043, the Engineering Education for Innovation Act, and encouraged the panel to consider incorporating this bill in the America COMPETES reauthorization. He also emphasized the important role of science museums in STEM education and made a number of other agency specific recommendations. Information@mos.org NCTL News Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Miaoulis, Yannis Miaoulis, Miaoulis congress, Miaoulis testimony, STEM, America COMPETES, S 3043, educational legislation, education legislation, engineering education, engineering legislation, informal education, K-12 education, engineering, STEM education The Museum of Science's National Center for Technological Literacy® (NCTL®) in Boston won the 2010 Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE) Innovation Award. The Museum was one of two non-profits and six companies recognized May 13 by SBANE for their innovation, growth, stability, and impact. The Museum of Science established the NCTL in 2004 to introduce engineering and technology to schools, science centers, and informal education organizations in every state by 2015. The NCTL advances technological literacy by helping state governments modify their educational standards and assessments, designing K-12 engineering materials, offering professional development for educators, and creating museum exhibits and programs. The Museum of Science is the country's only science museum with a comprehensive strategy and infrastructure designed to foster technological literacy in both science museums and schools nationwide. "It's deeply gratifying to me that the Smaller Business Association of New England has decided to honor the Museum's NCTL for its innovation and impact in engineering education," says Ioannis Miaoulis, Museum president and director, NCTL founding director, and former dean of Tufts University's School of Engineering. "I'm struck that so many of the finalists' innovations involve engineering. Our mission is to inspire the next generation of innovators and to enhance knowledge of engineering and technology for people of all ages." He recalls, "In 1995, people said we were crazy to try introducing a new discipline in schools nationwide." But in 2004, the Museum began to bring elementary engineering to eight teachers and 200 students in Massachusetts. Today the NCTL has reached over 20,000 teachers and 1.3 million students in 50 states. "I believe that engaging students in engineering will spark them to use their math and science knowledge to solve problems and fuel innovation. Equally important, we hope to inspire young adults to pursue careers in these fields," says Miaoulis. The Museum faced impressive competition from the other finalists -- companies innovating patented compression technologies for serious vascular conditions to nonprofits transforming at-risk youth's lives. The other non-profit winner, Seeding Labs, distributes reclaimed lab equipment to scientists in 14 countries. The NCTL was the only example of innovation and dramatic growth in education. The 45 judges, representing companies such as Raytheon IDS, Sovereign Bank, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, narrowed the field from 162 applicants to 20 finalists to the eight winners. Past Awardees include Genzyme, iRobot, E Ink, NeuroLogica, Staples, PictureTel, Nantucket Nectars, Ben & Jerry's, and Partners in Health. SBANE is a private non-profit association of 800 companies located throughout the six state region. For more information, see Related Link below. Information@mos.org NCTL News Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0000 SBANE, award, NCTL, engineering education, engineering, K-12, innovation, National Center for Technological Literacy, Ioannis Miaoulis Erik Russell, a fourth-grade teacher at Odyssey Elementary School, in Colorado Springs, has been named an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow. He coordinates Falcon School District 49's Engineering is Elementary (EiE) program and K-12 science, technology, engineering and math initiative. He has worked for five years to form partnerships between the district and science-related corporations and institutions such as the Museum of Science. He is one of 20 educators nationwide who will spend September through July, 2011, working in public policy with the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Virginia. Cheryl Sanderson, third-grade teacher at Summer Street Elementary School in Lynnfield, Mass., has received a $10,000 Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence. She explains, "I hated science as a child and wanted to change that as a teacher." In 2007, she discovered how while teaching students an EiE lesson, created by the NCTL: "When I involve my kids in engineering activities that apply their science knowledge to hands-on challenges, I bring science to life." Sanderson is one of four Massachusetts teachers and 30 others across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada to receive $5,000 for her school and $5,000 for her own use from Amgen, a California-based biotechnology company. Sanderson plans to use the school award to buy more Engineering is Elementary units so all her school's 480-plus fourth graders and teachers can experience the curriculum. "I wish I'd had Engineering is Elementary as a kid," says Sanderson. "My students love it." She uses the Museum's curriculum as the real-world application of science kits developed by the National Science Resource Center. EiE integrates engineering with science, language arts, social studies, and math via engaging storybooks about children from different countries and hands-on design activities. After reading about a child who uses engineering to solve a problem, students work in teams using their own science knowledge, problem-solving skills, and creativity to solve a similar challenge. The Museum's curriculum "has made me a better teacher," says Sanderson, who's taught and tested four EiE lessons and will test another soon. Students "discover it's okay to fail and try again, using what they've learned like real engineers." Assessments reveal that her students understand science and technology applications they will carry and build upon throughout their educational endeavors. Sanderson earned her B.S. in elementary education from Salem State and her master's from Cambridge College, "There's nothing better than seeing a student really excited about learning and hearing from parents, 'I don't know what you did but my kid loves engineering.'" Information@mos.org NCTL News Mon, 31 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Erik Russell, Odyssey Elementary School in Colorado Springs, Cheryl Sanderson, Summer Street Elementary School in Lynnfield, engineering K-12, NCTL, National Center for Technological Literacy, award, Engineering is Elementary, Distinguished Educator Fellow, Falcon School District 49, engineering education The Maine Math & Science Alliance (MMSA) partnership with the Museum's NCTL through the Science Curricula Integrating Technology and Engineering Connections (SCITEC) Network was extended recently. The network is supported through the Maine Department of Education by U.S. Department of Education funds. Since Maine changed their standards to address technological literacy through technological design, MMSA is replicating the Gateway to Technology and Engineering Education model, originally designed by the National Center for Technological Literacy® (NCTL®) to help Massachusetts educational leaders implement state educational standards in technology and engineering at all levels K-12. Funding will continue to support expansion of Gateway activities throughout Maine. To date, the Gateway project has reached 341,560 Mass. students and some 250 educational leaders, including lead teachers, science and technology coordinators, principals, and other administrators, representing 58 of the state's 200-plus school districts. Gateway has also reached districts in southern and Central Maine. The Gardiner public schools, for example, have implemented the NCTL's Engineering the Future curriculum for all 9th graders. "We are excited to continue this partnership," says Yvonne Spicer, NCTL vice president, advocacy and educational partnerships. "Extending the SCITEC project will support further integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in Maine, which is key to our students' and the nation's future." SCITEC helps high school students meet Maine's Learning Results related to technological design by bringing faculty and students from high schools, Career and Technical Education centers, and the University of Maine together with MMSA and NCTL staff. SCITEC programs build teacher knowledge of the targeted science and technology standards and increase their understanding about connections between science and engineering. Partner schools work to integrate SCITEC's targeted technology and engineering content into the science curricula. SCITEC programs aim to increase opportunities for students to engage in designing projects in areas such as alternative energy solutions and to learn about educational and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Information@mos.org NCTL News Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0000 Maine, NCTL, National Center for Technological Literacy, Yvonne Spicer, engineering education, teacher professional development, learning model, teacher knowledge, K-12 education, technology, Gateway, SCITEC Maine Math & Science Alliance, MMSA