Integrative STEM through Curriculum, Assessment, Professional Development, & Research

ITEEA’S STEM±CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING (STEM±CTL)

Standards-Based Curriculum

STEM±CTL has developed the Premier Standards-based Integrative STEM Curriculum Model designed to be flexible, affordable, and accountable. The Engineering byDesign™ (EbD) curriculum was initially developed to address the need for a standards-based curriculum using Standards for Technological Literacy, and through a dynamic process, now addresses the needs for a standards-based Integrative STEM curricula. Key attributes are:

• Based on Constructivist theory, EbD™ is problem/projectbased within the context of the Grand Challenges for Engineering (NAE).

Professional Learning Communities (Professional Development):

The STEM±Center for Teaching and Learning is building a community of STEM Education Leaders through face-to-face professional development, webinars, and an online learning community that prepare educators to be Integrative STEM professionals. Professional Development Opportunities includes:

• Collaborative Learning Community: for teachers-by teachers;
• Summer Institutes on Engineering byDesign Curriculum;
• On-site workshops (school/district/state) that develop STEM pedagogy and practice through a facilitated learning opportunity;
• A broad range of options for developing the Integrative STEM professional.

Assessment

The STEM±CTL is concerned with developing high quality assessments to inform curriculum quality and fidelity, teacher effectiveness, and student growth achievement. To this end, services provide online “Dashboards” for class, school, and state assessment reports that reflect the growth of student knowledge, capabilities, and ways of thinking and acting. Highlights include:

• Innovative performance assessments that focus on what students know and are able to do;
• Flexible Teacher Assessment Dashboard provides real-time data on student learning;
• Links STEM subjects through Integrative STEM Focal Points;
• Summative Assessment reports that focus on student growth and contribute towards identifying teacher effectiveness.

Research

The STEM±CTL is engaged in validating the “T & E” of STEM through research that focuses on storytelling and data-driven discovery. We highlight great technology and engineering teachers doing great things. We aim to provide data-driven evidence of STEM learning for all students. Initiatives consist of:

• Institutional Research Agreement and Student Research Agreement to engage the research community;
• Future Leaders Scholarship to build a community of STEM±CTL future collaborators;
• Assessment Development Institute for the analysis, revision, and updating of EbD assessment items;
• Identify and publish Publications in research-oriented educational journals.

Consortium

The STEM±CTL uses a Consortium model approach to develop the Integrative STEM resources described above. Started in 1999, states join annually to leverage valuable, but declining local resources. Consortium benefits include:

• A group of National Teacher Effectiveness Coaches (TECs) provide high quality, consistent professional development opportunities for states on a cost-recovery model;
• Consortium members are provided unlimited* distribution of EbD/STEM materials within their state or district; (*as defined by the Consortium State/District)
• Professional Development opportunities at the ITEEA Annual Conference including travel funds for the Consortium Director and a lead trainer;
• Strategic Initiatives Meeting twice per year, including the Fall Leadership Forum (September) and Annual ITEEA Conference (March);
• Limited Network Schools are included with the annual membership. The Network Schools include pre-post tests and the EbD online professional learning community (Collaborate byDesign™).