Girl Scout STEM Workshop on April 21

As a volunteer and former Assistant Jr. Girl Scout Leader, I wanted to pass this information on to my fellow colleagues or those parents who know of or have children in girl scouts in the area.

N.C. A&T Society of Women Engineers (SWE) are hosting a Girl Scout Day STEM Workshop on April 21 at McNair Hall on the campus of N.C.A&T.  Please visit the following link for program and registration details:

http://www.ncat.edu/news/2012/03/girl-scout-stem-ws.html

STEM and NC A&T's Involvement

A small glimpse of how NC A&T is being a 'change agent' in the acknowledgment of STEM fields to today's young people:  


On March 23-24, 2012, North Carolina A&T State University will host a major national conference.  The Urban Education Institute will bring together scholars, practitioners, business representatives, community members, policy makers, representatives from non-profit and faith-based organizations, and students from the K-12 and postsecondary sectors to explore the theme:  AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES IN THE STEM FIELDS: STRATEGIES, PRACTICES, EXEMPLARS.  

The Urban Education Institute will take advantage of A&T’s unique ability to address two compelling national issues simultaneously:  improving the academic engagement of African American males, and increasing their participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  This program will examine specific strategies and practices that produce positive outcomes in the STEM disciplines for African American males and other members of underrepresented groups.   A special highlight will be the participation of several exemplary African American males who will serve as visual and living proof that individuals from this demographic cohort can not only enter, but can excel in these fields.  Heading this highly distinguished group is Dr. John B. Slaughter, the first African American to serve as director of the National Science Foundation, former Chancellor of the University of Maryland-College Park, and former President of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering. Other exemplars, including Dr. Louis Sullivan, former secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services,  represent the variety of the STEM fields, including biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, nursing, and physics.

The Urban Education Institute begins at 1:30 on Friday afternoon, March 23^rd and concludes on that evening with a reception at 6:00.  It starts again on Saturday morning March 24^th at 8:00 am and concludes with an awards banquet, which is scheduled from 7-9 pm that evening.  Additional details can be obtained from the website, www.urbanedinstitute.com, for registration cost and information.

Project learning

Project learning, also known as project-based learning, is a method of instruction that has been increasingly embedded within STEM-subject curriculum.  Current research shows that much STEM education is being integrated through project-based learning, and with the involvement of Internet technologies, 21st century students are provided with ‘real-world’ opportunities for demonstrating mastery of the content taught.  In these forms of project, students work collaboratively in groups to explore concepts, analyze data, and develop solutions.  The following website, Edutopia, is a great teacher resource that provides videos, blogs, lesson plans for K-12, and many more material.  Visit the site at www.edutopia.com.


The video below shows the how project-learning can be implemented into curriculum.

STEM Ed Coalition

The STEM Education Coalition advocates strengthening STEM-awareness and its critical role in education to Congress. The Coalition provides report cards for STEM Ed in each U.S. state in 2011.  Check out the site below to view and download North Carolina's 2011 K-12 STEM Ed Report Card, and many others: 

http://www.usinnovation.org/State-stem-ed-reports

The S.T.E.M Basics

Studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also known as STEM, play a critical role in the academic experiences of our youth.  Early interest in these fields, especially in the middle and high school level, can establish a foundation for students to potentially explore STEM professions in their adult life.  The following video explores how STEM involvement can be exciting for students: