Research/Articles:

Vision 2020, A Model Wisconsin Economy
Wisconsin Technology Council

To build a 21st century economy, Wisconsin must make the most of its people, resources and opportunities, and meet the challenges posed by the rise of the Knowledge Economy. To address these challenges, the "Tech Council" has developed a detailed set of recommendations that make up Vision 2020: A Model Wisconsin Economy.

Download the full article (PDF): http://wistem.org/PDF/VIsion_2020.pdf

*Note: This article is also on the Wisconsin Technology Council website at this address: http://www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com/publications/vision_2020

State gets cash to boost kids' STEM skills
Miller II, Stanley A. "State gets cash to boost kids' STEM skills." JSOnline November 2009

Time Warner recently revealed details on a five-year effort to encourage children to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math, and Wisconsin is among the first to get in on the action. As part of a nationwide, $100 million project to promote STEM skills among America's youth, Wisconsin will get $3.5 million in cash and other resources to support and promote local programs. For example, the local Time Warner office plans to sponsor a series of youth camps next year at the Milwaukee Area Technical College on topics including fresh water sciences, solar energy and video production. The company also will create scholarships or sponsor programs with several partners, including Milwaukee Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club, 4H, FIRST Robotics and Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. more...

Read Full Article: http://www.jsonline.com/features/technology/70650677.html

Challenges and Opportunities in Math Education Reform
Meyer, Meg. "Challenges and Opportunities in Math Education Reform." WCER August 2009

"Mathematics for all" is a goal that has not been realized, despite the attention and efforts of many mathematics educators. The 2008 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that mathematics learning opportunities for students in the U.S. are often shallow, compared to many other countries. The curriculum, particularly with the middle grades, is repetitive and lacks depth. And too often assessments do not align with district frameworks and classroom curriculum materials. That means students are either tested on mathematical content they have not had the opportunity to learn, or they are tested on only a small part of what they have learned.

The development of richer, more challenging mathematics classroom environments and learning opportunities requires simultaneous renewal of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The Show-Me Center Project (1997-2007) promoted the dissemination and implementation of four comprehensive NSF-funded middle school mathematics curriculum programs and related professional development for teachers: Connected Mathematics, Mathematics in Context, MathScape, and MathThematics. Lessons learned from the Show-Me Project are documented in the book, A Decade of Middle School Mathematics Curriculum Implementation (Information Age Publishing, 2008). Despite the success of these reform mathematics curricula, and of the Show-Me Project, challenges remain, says WCER researcher Meg Meyer. These challenges face mathematics teachers, district leaders, teacher educators, and future mathematics curriculum developers over the next decade.

Read More: http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/news/coverStories/2009/challenges_and_opportunities.php

Public Policy Forum Report
Dickman, Anneliese; Schwabe, Amy; Schmidt, Jeff; Henken, Rob. "Preparing the Future Workforce." Public Policy Forum June 2009

This report was undertaken to provide citizens and policymakers with a comprehensive
understanding of the relationship between future workforce needs and current K‐12 education
policy with regard to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Read the Full Report: http://www.publicpolicyforum.org/pdfs/2009STEM.pdf

Value Added Engineering Education
Phelps, Allen; Camburn, Eric; Durham, Julie. "Value Added Engineering Education." University of Wisconsin, The Center on Education and Work June 2009

This research brief discusses the challenge of productively engaging middle school and high school youth in STEM education initiatives. One of the end results of incorporation STEM into both middle and high school curriculum is to decrease the number of students who don't finish high school.

Read More: http://wistem.org/PDF/Value_Added_Engineering_Education.pdf

Engineering the Math Performance Gap
Phelps, Allen; Camburn, Eric; Durham, Julie. "Engineering the Math Performance Gap." University of Wisconsin, The Center on Education and Work June 2009

The next generation of engineers, technicians, and community-engaged citizens will need a deep understanding of science and engineering processes to solve global challenges. Recently introduced high school engineering courses are providing students with opportunities to learn how real-world problems are solved using mathematic and scientific principles, and to examine various careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields directly.

Read More: http://wistem.org/PDF/Engineering_the_Math_Performance_Gap.pdf

Changing STEM Cultural Environments
Hora, Matthew T. and Millar, Susan B. "WCER Working Paper No. 2009-5." WCER June 2009

A Final Case Study of SCALE Activities at California State University, Northridge: How Institutional Context Influenced a K-20 STEM Education Change Initiative Matthew T. Hora and Susan B. Millar

Efforts to change the culture of teaching and learning in STEM departments should focus on illuminating and then shifting faculty's cultural schema for teaching and learning. A recent analysis by Matthew Hora and Susan Millar suggests that reshaping organizational culture may require comprehensive efforts to change the structural, social, and symbolic milieu in which individuals operate. Cultural change also requires addressing individuals’ habits of mind. To accomplish this, leaders are encouraged to (a) conduct regular institutional assessments prior to program planning, (b) design neutral spaces in which different groups may interact, (c) recruit a skilled culture-broker when working with interdisciplinary groups, (d) marshal existing resources and reform projects to collectively target key leverage points, and (e) focus on developing cohorts of STEM educators in specific departments.

Read the Working Paper : http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/publications/workingPapers/Working_Paper_No_2009_05.php

Tech Councils STEM Whitepaper
Wisconsin Technology Council. Educating a Tech-Savvy Workforce for Wisconsin. April 2009 <www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com>

The threat of an ill-prepared workforce is real. It is as tangible for Wisconsin as it is any state. Wisconsin's potential for economic growth will be diminished unless the state produces more graduates in science, technology, engineering and math; retains those graduates; and supports related initiatives for job creation and business growth. Wisconsin needs to invest in STEM education. STEM is a commonly used acronym used to abbreviate the keys that will unlock growth in the 21st century: science, technology, engineering and math. Solutions to complex issues are rarely simple, but invigorated STEM education will replenish and enhance Wisconsin's human capital.

Downlaod the Whitepaper (PDF)