Engaging Higher Education Faculty in K-16 STEM Education Reform

The U. S. is losing its competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Thomas Friedman warns that America is not producing enough young people in STEM fields that are essential for entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century (The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005). Blue ribbon commissions and influential business and national leaders have issued reports on the seriousness of the situation but little collective effort has been made to advance solutions to the STEM crisis. Increasing the Competitive Edge in Math and Science lays out actions that can be taken by K-12 teachers and administrators, by higher education faculty and administrators, and by policy makers working collaboratively in school through college (K-16) partnerships to prepare American youth for meaningful participation in the twenty-first century science and technologically-based economy. If the steps described in this book are followed in states all across the Country, the resulting actions can help America to regain its competitive edge in science and mathematics.

Contents include: (1) A Call to Action (Janet S. Kettlewell and Ronald J. Henry); (2) Partnerships Needed to Increase the Competitive Edge in Math and Science (Nancy Vandergrift and Sheila Jones); (3) Connecting K-16 STEM Initiative to State Science and Mathematics Curriculum (Amy S. Mast); (4) Student Interest: Choice and Achievement in Science and Mathematics (Rosalind Barnes Fowler); (5) Building Capacity for Improving Teaching Quality (Dava C. Coleman); (6) Professional Learning Communities (Sabrina A. Hessinger); (7) Engaging Higher Education Faculty in K-16 STEM Education Reform (Charles Kutal, Frederick Rich, Sabrina A. Hessinger, and H. Richard Miller); (8) Evaluating a Comprehensive Systemic Initiative to Improve K-16 Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning (Judith A. Monsaas and Mary Jo McGee-Brown); (9) Bringing a K-16 STEM Initiative to Scale (Ronald J. Henry); and (10) Summary of Steps Necessary for Success (Sheila Jones, Janet S. Kettlewell, and Ronald J. Henry).