# data[].attributes.body
The Maine Department of Education has created a resource that shares the guidance for how to get start planning a lesson that crosses between multiple subjects but also provides example lessons. These lessons are k12. Some lessons can be used in multiple classes, allowing students to have a more direct understanding of how the lesson is truly covering multiple subjects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You may be wondering HOW to get started with interdisciplinary instruction. The following presentation gives some practical advice to help you get started. Any planning doc mentioned in the presentation is linked below the video. We recommend you make a copy of the docs to fill out as you watch. In the Additional Resources section, you will find articles, books, podcasts, and videos if you want to learn more.
Getting Started with Interdisciplinary Instruction Video
(Time stamps are available when opened in Youtube.)

Here are some example modules:

Return to the Interdisciplinary Instruction Professional Learning page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You may be wondering HOW to get started with interdisciplinary instruction. The following presentation gives some practical advice to help you get started. Any planning doc mentioned in the presentation is linked below the video. We recommend you make a copy of the docs to fill out as you watch.

# data[].attributes.body
Resources here are designed to connect not only multiple subjects but also to aid in the connection of historical and scientific artifacts. In one of these lessons, students connect the advances of WWII to the technology advancements in our world today. As WWII allowed for new ideas and technology to be developed, it created an environment that supported education, advancement, and the engineering design process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Interdisciplinary Connections | Smithsonian: Resources for Teaching and Learning | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cultivate creativity and fresh perspectives using interdisciplinary resources with stories that only the Smithsonian could tell.

# data[].attributes.headline
Resources for dedicating a week for interdisciplinary projects

# data[].attributes.subject
Resources for dedicating a week for interdisciplinary projects

# data[].attributes.body
"Interdisciplinary projects activate student interest, more closely simulate real-world learning and offer students an opportunity to apply learning across disciplines. Constructivist learning theory suggests that people create their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiences and reflection on those experiences, a situation fostered through interdisciplinary projects when students create new connections between subject areas and the projects at hand, and have more free-choice with their learning. In some cases, it might not be feasible to integrate interdisciplinary projects in every aspect of the school curriculum, however incorporating a week of projects into the school term offers an opportunity for students to take more ownership of their learning."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources to dedicate a week for interdisciplinary projects

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Access free resources including helpful case studies, articles, and more, to dedicate a week for interdisciplinary projects.

# data[].attributes.headline
Examples of interdisciplinary practices in subjects usually ignored

# data[].attributes.subject
Examples of interdisciplinary practices in subjects usually ignored

# data[].attributes.body
This articles focuses on putting core subject materials into classes such as specials to enforce applied learning. For example, using math in gym to count or using angles when play different ball focuses games.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Typically demanding a spark of creativity coupled with experimentation, interdisciplinary teaching can be an ambitious approach to use in your classroom.

Fortunately, there are activities you can implement relatively easily that deliver research-backed benefits. These include:

Improved Critical Thinking - Students should improve their analysis abilities by using approaches from different disciplines.

Better Bias Recognition - To solve a problem that demands an interdisciplinary approach, students must typically use information rooted in a range of perspectives. This can often challenge their pre-existing ideas to help them identify bias in themselves in others.

Preparation for Future Problems - Using skills and knowledge from different disciplines is practice for solving problems outside school walls.

Framed by a definition and supplemented with unit design steps, below are 10 interdisciplinary teaching activities and examples. To choose ones that suit your schedule, they're categorized by length.

What Is the Interdisciplinary Approach?

Feel free to skip this section if you're familiar with the interdisciplinary approach.

If it's unfamiliar or you want a review, the teaching method is based on presenting issues, themes and problems that - to address or answer - require skills and knowledge from more than one subject. Depending on grade level and your area of expertise, this may involve working with a colleague in a different department to occasionally teach one another's class.

Regardless, the purpose of this pedagogy is to encourage students to make connections between academic disciplines.

For example, you could task your class with determining why a powerful historical figure made certain decisions. Completing this activity may require insights from politics, economics and sociology, as well as history.

On top of the aforementioned benefits, they will likely build informed and completer understandings of the topics they're studying.
So, how can you teach using the interdisciplinary approach?
The instruction style typically takes the form of an entire unit, but there are also class-long exercises and short activities you can run. Examples and instructions are below.

Quick and Easy Interdisciplinary Activities

1. News Analysis

Start your class with this minds-on exercise that provides real-world interdisciplinary problems.

To launch the exercise, you must play a news clip that discusses a local, national or international topic. Then, give students a related question to solve either individually or in teams. For example, the clip can be about a store shutting down. Using skills and concepts from different subjects, ask students to determine an ideal new location for it. They can volunteer to present their solutions, answering questions from classmates.

Time: 30 - 45 Minutes

Age Range: 5th Grade and Up

2. Historical Pen Pals

Personalize history class - developing creative writing skills in the process - by dedicating time to this ongoing activity.

Each student takes the role of a historical figure and writes to a classmate about events he or she faced. Drawing on resources such as videos and textbooks, the exercise allows the writer to process content from different and relevant subjects. Let's say a student takes the role of Galileo Galilei. He or she can write about the polymath 's discoveries, building knowledge of math and other subjects in the process.

Time: 45 Minutes

Age Range: 3rd Grade and Up

3. Math Gym

Combine math and science with physical education by delivering ongoing lessons that explain and explore certain motions.

Let's say it's time to practice long jumps. You can briefly delve into physics and body mechanics, using a spring to illustrate the downward application of force. Then, students can exercise their math skills by estimating and measuring how far they jumped. These demonstrations and activities can also supplement lessons about lifting, throwing and other actions - potentially interesting students who don't enjoy gym.

Time: 15 - 30 Minutes

Age Range: 3rd - 8th Grade

Class-Long Interdisciplinary Exercises

4. World Traveller

Let students plan vacations, building research skills while touching on core subjects.

You need to designate time for independent study in a library or computer room, as students work to create week-long travel itineraries to their ideal destinations. The product should, for example, include information about:

Landmarks and their historical significances

Popular foods, dishes and the predominant cuisine

Languages or dialects spoken in the area or country

Cultural events that take place in the area or country

This interdisciplinary activity lends itself to second-language classes. For example, students could write itineraries in French for a trip to Paris or Montréal. To wrap up the exercise, you can explore some destinations with your class using technology such as Google Earth.

Time: One - Three Classes

Age Range: 4th - 6th Grade

5. Leaning Tower

Bolster the last activity - delving into more subjects - by asking students to examine one of Italy's famous landmarks.

A mainstay interdisciplinary activity for some teachers, this exercise focuses on independent research into the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Specifically, it can involve:

Investigating the physics or structure of the tower, determining if or when it will fall

Exploring the tower's history and cultural significance to Pisa and Tuscany

Developing an itinerary for a trip to Pisa, similar to the last activity

Setting a budget for the trip

For lower grades, you can divide the activity into distinct exercises and allow students to work in groups. For higher grades, you can assign this as an in-class project for students to tackle either individually or in pairs.

Time: One - Three Classes

Age Range: 6th Grade and Up

6. Incentives

Touch on business, philosophy and social studies with this introspective activity.

The exercise starts by dividing your students into small groups and classroom into three stations. Each group has tokens totaling $1,000, which they must choose to spend at the stations. Each station has a unique category of cards you've pre-made, representing a distinct incentive. An economic incentive could be to get faster transportation to school for $150, whereas a social incentive could be to host a party for $200. A moral incentive could be to make a charity donation for $100. Once every group has spent $1,000, tally the purchases to see which station sold the most incentives.

This opens the door to two reflection exercises. First, as a class, discuss how each group spent its money. Second, ask each student to write about why he or she wanted specific incentives.

Time: One Class

Age Range: 4th Grade and Up

Interdisciplinary Unit Examples

7. Field Study

Introduce new learning environments by using an outdoor field study as the basis for a short unit.

Like any unit that uses an interdisciplinary approach, it must be rooted in an organizing centre - a defined focus or purpose, which will be further explained in this article's next section. For example, the field study can concentrate on finding local bugs and animals. Then, you can base your unit on exploring a specific theme related to wildlife. Students could:

Read and evaluate relevant poetry

Write and submit profiles about wildlife they spotted

Watch and discuss documentaries about animals, such as Planet Earth

Research and deliver presentations about how certain environments sustain wildlife

To launch the in-class part of the unit, you can hold a class-wide discussion about how the field study connected with past lessons. Perfect for gratifying outdoorsy students.

Time: One to Two Weeks

Age Range: 3rd Grade and Up

8. All About Weather

Connect science with social studies by presenting a unit that explores the impact of weather.

Many elementary science curricula have units about weather and atmosphere, which you can supplement by studying how they affect societies. For example, examine diverse regions and countries, looking into how climate influences labour, agriculture and cultural practices. Students can deliver products that depict how weather has historically shaped life and ecology in the area.

Time: One to Two Weeks

Age Range: 4th Grade and Up

9. More than a "Just" Book

Make language arts class more memorable by examining a book's underlying contexts, running engaging exercises while reading it.

Each book lends itself to unique interdisciplinary activities. Start by dissecting the setting. For example, if it takes place several centuries ago, students can recreate the era's scientific breakthroughs by making small windmills or simple telescopes. A book's theme can also draw on different subjects. Let's say you're reading George Orwell. You can set up learning stations that teach political ideologies. For a light-hearted approach, students can re-enact scenes from dialogue-heavy novels, putting themselves in characters' shoes. Who knew English class could be so versatile?

Time: Two Weeks or Longer

Age Range: 4th Grade and Up

10. Study-Free Test Preparation

Prepare your students for an upcoming exam or standardized test by exploring how to prepare aside from studying, giving them methods to use throughout their academic careers.

Regardless of specific structure, this unit's lessons and activities should be based on one guiding question or organizing centre: "As well as studying, what are the best ways to prepare oneself for an upcoming test?" You can focus on stress, sleep, nutrition, active listening and other factors that influence performance. To culminate the unit, each student can give a research-backed presentation about a study-free preparation tactic.

Time: One Week or Longer

Age Range: 5th Grade and Up

How to Design Interdisciplinary Units in 5 Steps

There's more to creating an original interdisciplinary unit than running activities like the ones listed above.
Here are five steps to ensure you effectively plan, and smoothly run, the unit:
1. Assess Your Students and Setting

Analyzing your environment and students' diverse learning styles will help you customize a unit to meet their needs and interests.

For example, you could determine the bulk of your class struggles to contextualize many math skills. This insight can encourage you to make interdisciplinary lessons about applying math to social and political issues.
To learn more about your students, look into or reflect upon their:

Engagement levels during different lessons

Abilities to work by themselves and in groups

Progression throughout the year or past years

To evaluate the classroom environment, consider if:

Involving other teachers is needed or possible

Dedicating enough time and resources to the unit is feasible

Expanding learning locations by pursuing field trips or outdoor studies is needed

A proper assessment will reveal what you can and should do.

2. Create an Organizing Centre

Running an interdisciplinary unit without an organizing centre is like assigning a project without instructions.

The organizing centre is the overarching focus. All of your activities and lessons must relate to it. And all the approaches and subjects students use will connect with it.

Let's use the War of 1812 as an example. Organizing centres can take the form of:

Topics - Upper Canadian activity throughout the war.

Issues - Are lessons from the war relevant today?

Themes - Strife between communities.

Works - Primary documents about the Surrender of Detroit.

Problems - What can we do to prevent future conflicts between North American countries?

With an organizing centre decided, you'll have an easier time focusing throughout the next step.

3. Develop Essential Questions

Like a mind map to a writer, students need help applying ideas and subjects to an organizing centre. That's where essential questions come in.

When facing a new activity, students should be able to reference its underlying essential question and - after giving some thought - understand how it applies to the organizing centre. Let's return to the War of 1812 as an example. An essential question may involve determining five long-term causes of conflict.
Each essential question should be:

Somewhat complicated, encouraging students to divide it into simpler problems

Rooted in concepts that are clearly applicable across subjects

Completable within the allotted time frame

Relevant and interesting to students

By framing and contextualizing your organizing centre with essential essentials, students should make natural connections between skills and disciplines.

4. Plan and Run Activities

Here's the fun part. It's time to make and deliver exercises that tie into specific essential questions.

Each exercise or lesson should introduce or reinforce ideas and skills, borrowing from different subjects to indicate the importance of combining disciplines.

To address the aforementioned essential question about conflict causes, you could set up learning stations. Each one could teach students about issues - political, economic, sociological and more - that amount to tension between groups.

Like any lesson or unit plan, vary activity types to raise engagement levels and give students chances to reflect on content and their work.

5. Review Student Performance and the Unit Itself

As you use the interdisciplinary approach and the unit concludes, assess students and activities.

This is not only an exercise in giving feedback to your class, but informing future interdisciplinary lessons.
To review student performance, consider evaluating: To review the interdisciplinary unit itself, consider reflecting upon:

Student engagement

Connections with different subjects

Effectiveness of the organizing centre

Relevancy and applicability of essential questions

If the reviews are positive, you can start planning your next interdisciplinary unit.

Final Thoughts About the Interdisciplinary Approach

Your students may appreciate subjects they disliked after participating in interdisciplinary units, lessons or activities.

That's because they learned how skills and concepts relate to disciplines they enjoy. Coupled with time to practice those skills and use those concepts, you should see positive results across classes.

Engaged students, happy teacher.

Interdisciplinary teaching strategies have some significant overlap with a number of other pedagogical approaches. Consider learning about more teaching strategies to get inspiration and enrich your pedagogical toolkit!

Active learning strategies position students at the center of the learning process, enriching the classroom experience and boosting engagement.

As opposed to traditional learning activities, experiential learning activities build knowledge and skills through direct experience.

Project-based learning uses an open-ended approach in which students work alone or collectively to produce an engaging, intricate curriculum-related questions or challenges.

Inquiry-based learning is subdivided into four categories, all of which promote the importance of your students' development questions, ideas and analyses.

Adaptive learning focuses on changing - or "adapting" - learning content for students on an individual basis, particularly with the help of technology.

Create or log into your teacher account on Prodigy - an adaptive math game that adjusts content to accommodate player trouble spots and learning speeds. Aligned to a growing list of curricula, Prodigy Math Game is used by more than 500,000 teachers and 16 million students across the globe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Interdisciplinary Teaching Activities and Examples [+ Unit Design Steps]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Typically demanding a spark of creativity coupled with experimentation, interdisciplinary teaching can be an ambitious approach to use in your classroom. Fortunately, there are activities you can implement relatively easily that deliver research-backed benefits. These include: Improved Critical Thinking - Students should improve their analysis abilities by using approaches from different disciplines.

# data[].attributes.body
This link provides multiple sites that house engineering lesson plans tips, tools, and resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Engineering Classroom Resources | NSF - National Science Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This collection of lessons and web resources is aimed at classroom teachers, their students, and students’ families.

# data[].attributes.headline
How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.subject
How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.body
This article provides ideas such as in school work to use more technology in the classroom. It also provides ideas to increase technology at different age levels that can help build as the student ages.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Drexel University School of Education
Technology provides instant accessibility to information, which is why its presence in the classroom is so vital. Smart phones, computers, and tablets are already an omnipresent element of everyday life for students and teachers alike. It's only natural that the use of technological devices in the classroom are explored to create meaningful learning experiences for students of all ages.

Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom, including a virtual classroom, creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate.

What Does Technology Integration Mean in Education?

Integration of technology in education simply refers to the use of technology to enhance the student learning experience. Utilizing different types of technology in the classroom, including a virtual classroom, creates learners who are actively engaged with learning objectives. The implementation of technology also creates pathways for differentiated instruction to meet the unique needs of students as individual learners within a broader classroom climate.

How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

There is a common misconception that the integration of technology in the classroom can be a financial burden for school districts, but students do not necessarily need their own tablets or laptops to succeed with technology. The use of technology during whole-class instruction can foster student engagement for auditory and visual learners. Integrating simple technologies Power Points, games, internet homework assignments, or online grading systems can be difference makers in students' growth in the classroom.

Power Points and Games

Powerpoint presentations can be used to introduce a classroom concept while providing the opportunity for engagement. Along with the use of graphics and bulleted information, links to videos that accompany the ideas presented in the Powerpoint can be embedded within the slides.

Educational apps in the classroom like Kahoot can be used to review information after a lesson or unit. Teachers can create and share Kahoots with one another while students can create anonymous user names to participate in the game. This allows for whole-class participation from students who may usually be reluctant to participate in class. Kahoot is accessible to play on phones or computers and teachers can determine if they want students to work independently or be assigned to teams.

Internet Homework Assignments

Posting homework assignments online (via learning platforms like Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle) is one way many teachers can begin to integrate technology in the classroom. Assignments are easily accessible, which can increase student engagement and help students become more organized.

Online grading Systems

Communication is a key element in education that helps teachers, administrators, parents, and students recognize a student's strengths and areas for improvement. Online grading systems such as PowerSchool open and facilitate lines of communication where teachers can post grades, analyze student attendance patterns, and manage transcript data.

Classroom Tablets

For classrooms that are fortunate enough to have tablets for students, technology can allow teachers to implement differentiation throughout instruction. Students can work at their own pace during assignments and teachers have the opportunity for one-on-one instruction.

Listserv

Software such as Listserv allows parents to manage and organize their emails. Parents can receive updates from teachers about important announcements, newsletters, and discussions that keep frequent lines of communication open.

Strategies of Implementation for Age Groups

The benefits of technology can enhance any contemporary classroom. However, the way technology is implemented and used in classrooms of various grade levels and content areas will differ.

Ways to Incorporate Technology in the Elementary Classroom

For younger students, technology can be used to build fundamental skills to prepare them for future independent learning. Students can use interactive games to reinforce math, spelling, phonetic, and reading skills. Sites like Spelling Training permit students or teachers to upload their own word lists to practice word pronunciation and create interactive games. Parents can also use these sites to exercise fundamental skills beyond the walls of the classroom.

Using Technology in the Middle School Classroom

As students begin to take steps to transform into independent thinkers, they can use technology to develop basic life skills. Students at the middle school level will gain independence by having different teachers for each subject. Using technology to acquire skills such as conducting research can be applied to any content area. Websites like Easy Bib guide students to find credible sources through a variety of search engines and teach students to correctly cite those sources to avoid plagiarism.

Technology in High School Classrooms

Once students reach their secondary education, they can discover ways to use technology that can be beneficial for college and career development. Familiarization with Microsoft Office and Google Drive teach students to make spreadsheets, slide show presentations, and share documents where they can receive fluid feedback on their work. Many careers use these elements of Microsoft and Google to organize information and collaborate between colleagues or clients.

Why is it Important to Integrate Technology in the Classroom

Teachers often find success when they present the opportunity to use technology in the classroom. There are various benefits and effects when technology is used for educational instruction and some may argue that not all of the effects are positive. Having an infinite flow of information and entertainment available at any given time could be seen as a distraction, but if technology is integrated into the classroom with routines in place that are monitored or assessed, the pros of using technology in the classroom outweigh the cons.

Keeping students engaged

Active engagement is a key part of any lesson plan. Whether students are working independently or collaboratively, technology engages students because it is interactive.

Helps students with different learning styles

Not all students learn and retain information in the same way or at the same speed. Technology is an opportunity for teachers to differentiate instruction to modify information for the appropriate learning capabilities of their students. The use of technology can also allow students to work at their own paces.

Prepare students with life skills

Technology has become its own form of literacy because of how often it is used in everyday life. Many careers use at least one aspect of Microsoft Office or Google Drive on a daily basis: balancing budgets on spreadsheets, creating decks or slide shows to be presented, or attaching documents to emails to communicate important information. Allowing students to learn and refine these skills prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

For additional information about programs or certifications associated with technology in the classroom, visit Drexel University's School of Education Instructional Technology Specialist Certification program.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Integrate Technology in the Classroom - School of Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check out our list of tips for the best ways on how to use technology in the classroom. Learn the benefits & effects of technology with Drexel University.

# data[].attributes.body
FINDING THE RIGHT TECH FOR YOUR CLASS IS A PROCESS
Construct... Collaborate... Create
"I learned that when we design an activity that unites the 3Cs, it’s a gateway to invite student engagement."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting Student Engagement With Technology

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students engage deeply in class when tech tools encourage them to construct ideas, collaborate with peers, and create unique work.

# data[].attributes.body
"Four ways to tackle fear in engineering teams:
-1. Reduce danger through small, iterative releases
-2. Increase identifiability through automated deployments
-3. Reduce inescapability through gradual rollouts
-4. Reduce hiding by practicing incidents (and celebrating the learnings)"

Applying to the classroom can provide new skills that teacher students to overcome new challenges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
But the more ambitious the goal, the bigger the potential for failure, and therefore anxiety and fear as we go after it.

That's why, as leaders, one of the greatest investments we can make in our team is to help engineers overcome their fear of failure.

In this article, we'll explore how engineering leaders can create an environment that reduces fear of failure so teams can safely work towards ambitious delivery goals with passion and focus. We'll look at what fear is, why it matters to engineering teams, and what tools we can use to combat it, from small releases and iterative deployments to automation and incident practice.

What is fear?

Fear is one of the seven universal human emotions. It arises with the threat of harm, either physical, emotional, or psychological.

Often fear is a forecast. We feel it because there's something about the future that's uncertain or worrying. And our bodies and brains have a defense mechanism that makes us want to act when that feeling arises - often without putting real thought into it.

The classical example when talking about irrational behavior in connection to fear is the fear of flying. It is statistically one of the safest modes of transport, but still many people have a disproportionate reaction.

Fear can exert itself in varying degrees of intensity, from nervousness, anxiety, and dread to panic and horror. It's not just about life-threatening scenarios; it also impacts everyday tasks and behaviors.

Take a look at this paper by Ralph Adolphs. It builds on a study that shows that we as humans, just as rodents, respond drastically differently depending on certain variables of what we fear, for example, if the threat is far away in time, if it is definite or not, and if there's an opportunity to hide.

Let's go through a couple of examples:

The study shows that if what we fear is very dangerous, we're inclined to respond forcefully with screaming and running being the most likely response, closely followed by attacking the threat.

If we add to it that what we fear is an inescapable fact, then attacking the threat head on ends up being the most likely response.

However, if what we fear is distant in time or place, we're actually likely to respond by trying to hide from it.

Most interestingly, the study shows that actually stopping and doing a risk analysis of the situation is inversely correlated with all threatening scenarios. Meaning, when we feel fear we are always unlikely to respond in a calculated, measured manner.

And this is why it's so important to invest in reducing fear from work.

Why does fear matter for engineering teams?

When we set ambitious goals for our teams, we need to be aware that the chance of failure increases, and in that, so does fear. And depending on how the teams perceive the threat (how certain it is, how remote it is, etc), it may trigger a few different behaviors.

For engineering teams, ambitious goals are often tied to the delivery of software, for example launching a new feature, deploying code, or changing the architecture. We know that software is complex, meaning we can never fully know what will happen. But to make good progress we often need teams to take risks and go the extra mile. For example:

Propose an innovative architecture to scale beyond today and patiently work through all the criticism

Refactor a hot spot in the code despite the business criticality of said function, to set us up for scale

Deploy code to production on a Friday to be able to get data and feedback over the weekend

Give feedback to another person to help them learn so that they can make more significant contributions

All of these have social, technical, and professional risks attached, and therefore might trigger reactions to fear including hiding, freezing, or, yes, screaming. But this is not the response we want. So, the question becomes, how do we create an environment where engineers can attack goals fearlessly?

Four ways to tackle fear in engineering teams

Reducing negative responses to fear such as hiding, running, or outright panicking is a challenge but not impossible, especially if we have the right structures in place. Here are a few methods we can use to tackle fear among our teams:

1. Reduce danger through small, iterative releases

Big bang releases can trigger fear due to the sheer size of the change, not only to a specific part of the code but to the overall environment and team responsibilities. Since there are so many variables at play, outcomes are very uncertain. When teams are allowed to build up large changes from the start, the pattern often becomes pushing releases into the future, which continuously adds to fear.

Smaller releases that update production code in increments are intuitively much safer as everyone can see how the code is gradually evolving. Also, since a lot of the work will be practiced every day, the whole process of releasing becomes familiar.

2. Increase identifiability through automated deployments

If there are a lot of moving parts and custom tasks involved with deploying code, that act itself can raise anxiety. The perception could simply be that there are too many random things that can happen. And if there would be a problem we wouldn't even know where to start...

By automating the tasks involved with deploying code, teams can feel confident of what deployments look like. This means that a problematic deployment will have less unknown variables to be considered. We can be more assured that it is code that's at fault and not something else.

Similarly, investing in good monitoring can also help teams increase their understanding of what success and failure looks like. Having an information radiator that shows errors, performance statistics, API calls, and deployments allows team members to update their own mental models of how the system works.

3. Reduce inescapability through gradual rollouts

It's natural to fear a deployment if there are uncertainties around how to address a potential problem if there were one. If deployments are hit or miss, we're more likely to want to take extra steps to ensure they're safe.

For example, if there's no known way of rolling back a change to the previous state, then it stresses that the change is perfect, which is a recipe for fear.

By investing in canary releases, for example, where code gets gradually rolled for customers as metrics are being closely monitored, teams can become more confident in their new code and know that there's a safety net and limited blast radius in case something happens.

4. Reduce hiding by practicing incidents (and celebrating the learnings)

The good thing about incidents is that they're relatively rare. But this can actually be a problem because when they do occur, teams may feel ill-equipped to handle them. And it's easy to hide from the fact we don't know how to handle an incident until it's too late.

One way we can reduce the temptation to hide is to encourage engineers to practice how they'll respond when things go wrong. Teams can practice so-called chaos engineering by forcing incidents and outages to happen, allowing them to experience failure and optimize on the experience.

Encourage your devs to spend time on ops-related tasks while on the job. Use on-call weeks as a way to involve them in tasks associated with incident management and operations. This might include tuning alerts, adding metrics, or improving the incident reporting templates. Involving operations engineers early in the development process can also increase awareness of common operations pitfalls and give folks a chance to mitigate problems.

Whenever a learning surfaces from your incident practice, help the team to make the changes needed, especially around soft things like skills and processes which may be overlooked.

Reflections

No team has ever won due to the greatness of their goals; it's how the players behave that influences the outcome. As leaders, we have a responsibility to create a safe environment before we set ambitious goals. By using the approaches listed here, we can reduce fear and set our teams up for success, making it safer for them to propose solutions, deploy software, and manage the consequences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Is fear stopping your engineering team from achieving its goals?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How to help engineers overcome their fear of failure

# data[].attributes.headline
Editing Math Class for better application

# data[].attributes.subject
Editing Math Class for better application

# data[].attributes.body
"Math learning is fundamental to all STEM fields, but the opposite also appears to be true: the STEM fields may be central to making math learning effective for more students. Involving other STEM disciplines in redesigning math classes is a key way to ensure those classes offer engaging and inclusive on-ramps to STEM."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All routes to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees run through calculus classes. Each year, hundreds of thousands of college students take introductory calculus. But only a fraction ultimately complete a STEM degree, and research about why students abandon such degrees suggests that traditional calculus courses are one of the reasons. With scientific understanding and innovation increasingly central to solving 21st-century problems, this loss of talent is something society can ill afford.

Math departments alone are unlikely to solve this dilemma. Several of the promising calculus reforms highlighted in our report Charting a New Course: Investigating Barriers on the Calculus Pathway to STEM, published with the California Education Learning Lab, were spearheaded by professors outside of math departments. It's time for STEM faculty to prioritize collaboration across disciplines to transform math classes from weed-out mechanisms to fertile terrain for cultivating a diverse generation of STEM researchers and professionals.

This is not uncharted territory.

In 2013, life sciences faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles, developed a two-course sequence that covers classic calculus topics such as the derivative and the integral, but emphasizes their application in a biological context. The professors used modeling of complex systems such as biological and physiological processes as a framework for teaching linear algebra and a starting point for teaching the basics of computer programming to support students' use of systems of differential equations.

Creating this course, Mathematics for Life Scientists, wasn't easy. The life sciences faculty involved, none of whom had a joint appointment with the math department, said they resorted to designing the course themselves after math faculty rebuffed their overture. The math faculty feared creating a "watered-down" course with no textbook (though after the course was developed, one math instructor taught some sections of the class). Besides math, the life sciences faculty said they experienced "significant pushback" from the chemistry and physics departments over concerns that the course wouldn't adequately prepare students for required courses in those disciplines.

But the UCLA course seems to be successful, and a textbook based on it now exists.

According to recently published research led by UCLA education researchers, students in the new classes ended up with " significantly higher grades " in subsequent physics, chemistry and life sciences courses than students in the traditional calculus course, even when controlling for factors such as demographics, prior preparation and math grades. Students' interest in the subject doubled, according to surveys.

The UCLA example highlights longstanding concerns about the relevance of traditional calculus for biology students. Traditionally, college math departments have overseen general education math courses for students in other majors. A little over two decades ago, biology faculty convened by the Mathematics Association of America advocated that, for biology majors, "statistics, modeling, and graphical representation should take priority" over calculus. But change has been slow, until life sciences departments got involved.

Math education researchers consider more relevant and engaging curriculum to be an important strategy for increasing persistence rates, particularly among students traditionally excluded from STEM fields, such as Black, Latinx and Indigenous students, as well as women.

Engineering departments also worry about calculus sequences driving attrition. In Ohio, Wright State University's solution also involved revising math offerings. But rather than changing the content of the calculus course, they focused on preparing students for calculus by emphasizing "engineering motivation for math." In lieu of traditional calculus prerequisites such as precalculus or college algebra, the engineering faculty launched a contextualized math course in 2004. Emphasizing problem-based learning, the course covers topics students need in sophomore engineering classes, including linear equations, quadratic equations, 2-D vectors and complex numbers. A modest redesign of the engineering curriculum allows students to delay taking a traditional calculus sequence until later in their programs.

The approach enhanced opportunities for students with weaker math backgrounds to succeed in engineering and doubled the average graduation rate of engineering students without reducing the average grade of graduates. Students from groups historically underrepresented in STEM (female, Black, and Latinx), experienced the greatest gains, with those in the new problem-based course completing engineering degrees at three times the rate of engineering majors who did not take it. At least 15 other universities are replicating the strategy.

Increasingly leading math and science organizations are recognizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration; the MAA has a history of convening faculty from partner disciplines, and a National Academies' 2013 publication called for reassessing math education in a cross-disciplinary context. The National Science Foundation, which funded both the UCLA and Wright State innovations, recognizes the value of cross-disciplinary or " convergence" research, which is driven by a compelling scientific or societal problem. Low persistence in STEM majors and lack of diversity in the STEM fields are themselves pressing societal problems.

Yet, math departments without jointly-appointed professors seem to be less interested in evidence-based contributions from other disciplines to enhance the effectiveness of math instruction-or even aware of successes to date. The shift toward more practical applications of calculus is missing one key academic endorsement: publication in widely-read journals, if the success of the courses is examined academically at all.

The UCLA research appears in a life sciences education journal, and presentations on Wright State's innovation reach an American Society for Engineering Education audience. Faculty responsible for undergraduate math education are not likely to see these journals.

Ten years ago, at the University of California Berkeley, Lior Pachter used his joint appointments in math and biology to create a new course with the help of his fellow mathematicians and biologists. Methods of Mathematics: Calculus, Statistics, and Combinatorics ( Math 10A and 10B), expands on the standard calculus curriculum to reflect how data and technology have transformed the field of biology. Today, most Berkeley life sciences majors take the sequence, and the campus is offering 15 sections of 10B beginning this spring. (Pachter now teaches at the California Institute of Technology, and says Berkeley's math department has yet to publish any research on the calculus sequence, despite having institutionalized it.)

Math learning is fundamental to all STEM fields, but the opposite also appears to be true: the STEM fields may be central to making math learning effective for more students. Involving other STEM disciplines in redesigning math classes is a key way to ensure those classes offer engaging and inclusive on-ramps to STEM.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
To Keep Students in STEM fields, Let’s Weed Out the Weed-Out Math Classes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reimagining calculus has changed several schools’ success rates. Here’s how

# data[].attributes.body
"In a STEM program, mathematics and science play a different role from technology and engineering, in that mathematics and science are school subjects that must be taught well for both a comprehensive education and as a foundation for any STEM initiative. When incorporating mathematics as part of a STEM activity, it is important to ensure that the mathematics is consistent with standards for the targeted grade level(s) in terms of content as well as the level and kind of thinking called for (Larson, 2017)"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Building STEM Education on a Sound Mathematical Foundation - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students need a strong mathematics foundation to succeed in STEM fields and to make sense of STEM-related topics in their daily lives.

# data[].attributes.body
Simulations of different kinds of math applications in math. Can range in ages but also have a graphing calculator- This is a great cost effective choice instead of the $90 calculators not ever kid can always afford.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By converting our sims to HTML5, we make them seamlessly available across platforms and devices. Whether you have laptops, iPads, chromebooks, or BYOD, your favorite PhET sims are always right at your fingertips.Become part of our mission today, and transform the learning experiences of students everywhere!

# data[].attributes.headline
Becoming a STEM-Focused School District: Administrators’ Roles and Experiences

# data[].attributes.subject
Becoming a STEM-Focused School District: Administrators’ Roles and Experiences

# data[].attributes.body
"These components included elements related to leadership, reform-based instructional strategies, and teachers’ professional learning. By focusing on different elements at different times and prioritizing several key components throughout, this district was able to achieve its goal of providing STEM instruction to all of the elementary and middle school students.” Page 1

# data[].attributes.body
1. Share Success- if you’re doing something great, admin might want to look in and find value on the lessons.  This will be easier to gain support.
2. Resources and Research- back your info up! There are tons of free resources especially for STEM that relate to the standards.  Be willing and open to sharing these resources.
3. Students are already engaged through STEM education, but invite the staff and parens to join too!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 Ways for Teachers to Get Admin Support for STEM Learning - Carly and Adam

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The following is a guest post from Dr. Jacie Maslyk . So you finally got your dream job! You are teaching a STEM course and taking the lead in your building for all things STEAM, STEM, and maker education.

# data[].attributes.body
TinkerCAD allows the students to create models. This hands on learning tools allows students to see their work as it made while also considering the mathematical facts that surround what they make. It is fun and easy to use, engaging students more than typical grid paper and pencil.

# data[].attributes.body
Week 1: White
Week 2 : Red
Week 3: Yellow
Week 4: Green
Week 5: Blue
Week 6: Purple
Week 7: Also White

# data[].attributes.body
"BUDi” is an acronym for 4 ways EU’s serve as filters for helping educators select and articulate the most relevant and intellectually rich content when designing their learning programs: Big Idea, Uncoverage, Disciplines, and Ideal Citizen." (page 4)

Big Idea: What is the main idea or goal? this can be related to what the standards are stating needs to be taught but can also include student complete understanding and consideration for differently abled students.

Uncoverage: What does the student need to "see" they couldn't see before?

Disciplines: What do different people of different view points, such as careers or religion, think about this topic, what does students think?

Ideal Citizen: How does this info help make the student a better person? Is this ethical? Is it worth the process of learning?

# data[].attributes.body
Page 3: Charts the help guide backwards design.
1- Identify desire outcomes (What are the goals)
2- Determine acceptable outcomes (How do student show proficiency)
3- Plan learning experiences and instruction. (Write an engaging lesson plan based on the first two answers)

# data[].attributes.body
Key Points:
-Imagine the world without the impact of one visionary.
-Preserving show be rewards (think about late assignment after multiple times)
-Project based
-Redesign and collaborate ideas
-Engaging long term due to high interest
-Don’t want to stop thinking about the project means career interest
-Foster desire to discover
-Innovate through challenges
-Try to make a table 16 inches table newspaper and tape, hold 10 pounds of books- ask a child for helps.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
STEM Education: Developing 21st century problem solvers

# data[].attributes.body
This report is meant to create a vision for the decade following the Obama Administrations’ increased emphasis on STEM Education. Educators need to embrace STEM to address the extrapolation of STEM careers that continues to grow. This STEM education focuses on more than just core subject but also skills like teamwork and communication that are job skills. This approach to education is meant to help close gaps that nation has faced in education before such as race and poverty. This publication aims to light the fire of creativity and allow teachers to have an idea of how to begin with STEM.
STEM education

# data[].attributes.headline
VR in STEM- Advance Conceptual Understandings

# data[].attributes.subject
VR in STEM- Advance Conceptual Understandings

# data[].attributes.body
"The ever-increasing digitalisation of societies has a number of potential and profound impacts. As part of this predicted change, students may need to effectively navigate a number of virtual (or mixed reality) environments in the future. Preparing students to effectively navigate, contribute to and participate in virtual environments appears to be an important future set of STEM-related skills and knowledge. VR platforms also act as a potentially transformative educational tool. This chapter describes the VR Education Model (VEM), describing elements of this technology and its possible application in the classroom. The authors consider four elements of VR in its application as an educational tool including experiencing, engagement, equitability and everywhere. While future trends in education can be difficult to predict, the authors have described a number of possible scenarios that include but are not limited to the possibilities described in this chapter. The implementation of VR is discussed in terms of a broader STEM vision that meets the unique needs and priorities of each school. There are complex considerations about the integration of VR that educators may need to respond to if future predictions of how the technology will evolve are accurate.

STEM Education: An Emerging Field of Inquiry.
Grant Cooper & Li Ping Thong

(Page 90- Page 91).

# data[].attributes.headline
"Research studies show that specialized STEM schools can make a difference. Their graduates pursue STEM fields in college at a rate nearly 50% higher than other students. Compared with the national average, nearly 20% more selective STEM school graduates earn a STEM-related postsecondary degree within four years of high school graduation."

# data[].attributes.subject
"Research studies show that specialized STEM schools can make a difference. Their graduates pursue STEM fields in college at a rate nearly 50% higher than other students. Compared with the national average, nearly 20% more selective STEM school graduates earn a STEM-related postsecondary degree within four years of high school graduation."

# data[].attributes.body
While little evidence shows STEM increases standardized tests scores but students graduation rat4es and career placement is higher than it has been in past years.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Download the full brief
THE PROBLEM

STEM is not just for scientists anymore. In today's economy, almost any job with decent pay requires STEM skills, and many jobs require advanced STEM abilities. But far too many U.S. residents are unprepared for the occupational demands of the 21st century. Formerly a world leader in math and science achievement, the United States now can't keep up. Fewer students enroll in STEM courses and master STEM content than young people in other countries. The problem is no mere point of pride; the lack of knowledge undermines the nation's economic productivity and global competitiveness.

Striking Statistics: Poor STEM Performance in U.S. Schools
Math¹

About 75% of U.S. students fail to become proficient in math by grade 8.

More than 75% of U.S. students are behind in math by grade 12.

Science²

Only 10% of U.S. 8th graders reach the advanced science level on the international TIMSS exam.

By contrast, 25% of 8th graders in China and 32% of 8th graders in Singapore reach the advanced science level on the TIMSS.

The vast majority of U.S. students receive STEM education in traditional public high schools. Some do an excellent job, but the overall quality of STEM secondary education is mixed. Educators everywhere are struggling with how to improve STEM literacy and how to encourage more students to pursue college and careers in STEM fields.

A growing number of states and districts are responding to this challenge with the creation of specialized STEM high schools and secondary programs. Such schools typically offer more rigorous curricula, more qualified teachers, more instructional time, and more resources than traditional high schools. Specialized schools still represent a tiny fraction of U.S. public education. However, they may not only produce better results than traditional programs; they also can serve as models for schools seeking to improve.

KEY RESEARCH

Research funded by the National Science Foundation has identified three categories of STEM-focused schools that possess the potential to meet U.S. educational goals in STEM areas:

Selective schools, which enroll small numbers of highly motivated students with demonstrated talent and interest in STEM areas.

Inclusive schools, which serve students from all backgrounds, focusing on low-income, minority, and other traditionally underrepresented youth.

Career and technical education programs, which help a broad range of students explore the practical applications of STEM subjects and prepare for STEM-related jobs.

Selective Schools

These small, elite public schools are known for selecting-and producing-the cream of the STEM crop. Admission usually requires a written exam, and only top performers get in. A prominent, longstanding example is Stuyvesant High School, the New York City powerhouse whose graduates include four Nobel Prize winners and countless other STEM leaders.

Today, the United States has an estimated 90 selective public STEM high schools, many created in the wake of the 1983 warnings of A Nation at Risk. ³ Focusing on one or more STEM disciplines, selective schools aim to prepare gifted students to earn ambitious postsecondary STEM degrees and succeed in STEM careers. They typically provide expert teachers, advanced curricula, sophisticated lab equipment, and apprenticeships with scientists.

Most selective public STEM schools are self-contained programs in urban areas, drawing top students from across a district. Fifteen states offer residential schools attracting accomplished youth statewide. Virginia and Michigan bus students from low-income rural areas to regional half-day centers.

Example: Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA)
The state pays tuition and most student expenses at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, an internationally acclaimed three-year residential program near Chicago, in Aurora, Illinois. A rigorous admissions process requires math, science, and world language testing, consistently high grades, stellar recommendations, intense demonstrated interest in STEM, and potential for significant contributions in STEM fields.
IMSA offers more than 100 advanced courses in mathematics, science, the arts, and the humanities. Its 650 students all have personalized learning plans, geared to their individual interests and future goals and designed to help maximize their academic experiences. High-level research is a cornerstone of the program, and students routinely collaborate with other students, scholars, and scientists throughout the world. Many publish studies and present at professional conferences.

More than 99% of IMSA's 4,350 graduates since 1985 have enrolled in college.⁴ Nearly two-thirds earn degrees in math or science-significantly more than the general population and more than four times higher than average for women. Alumni include leading researchers, engineers, teachers, and entrepreneurs, with accomplishments ranging from improving cancer detection devices to helping to start YouTube.
Results

Research studies show that specialized STEM schools can make a difference. Their graduates pursue STEM fields in college at a rate nearly 50% higher than that of other students. ⁵ Compared with the national average, nearly 20% more selective STEM school graduates earn a STEM-related postsecondary degree within four years of graduating from high school. ⁶

Studies identify these key factors: Talented high schoolers interested in math and science are more likely to pursue STEM college study when provided with challenging curricula, expert instruction, and peer stimulation. Participating in original research is perhaps the most powerful tool, particularly for young women. Internships and mentors also are critical. While no single factor may have a profound impact, programs combining these features can open up postsecondary STEM pathways for students.

However, teens who attend STEM specialty programs not because of a deep STEM interest, but for the general academic challenge, do not earn STEM degrees in greater numbers. ⁷ Other studies have emphasized the importance of early interest in earning STEM degrees. In fact, students who indicated an interest in biology in the 8th grade were 1.9 times as likely to major in biology than those who did not express early interest; students who expressed an interest in physical sciences and engineering in the 8th grade were 3.4 times as likely to eventually major in these areas. ⁸ This shows the importance of developing early interest and ability in STEM subjects.

Inclusive Schools

While selective STEM schools play an important role in cultivating top talent, interest is growing rapidly in expanding intensive STEM education to a much broader population. This is the role of inclusive STEM schools, which are open to all. They aim to provide similar educational experiences as selective schools, but focus on youth from low-income families and racial/ethnic groups historically underrepresented in STEM fields.

Based on the idea that math and science talent can be developed-rather than being an innate ability people simply have or do not have-inclusive schools typically select students by lottery and build in supports for those with weaker academic backgrounds. Tutoring, advisories, and other services help prepare students for STEM majors in college.

Several states are developing networks to spur the creation of inclusive STEM schools and to share best practices with each other and with traditional public schools. The T-STEM initiative in Texas, for example, has opened more than 50 secondary schools since 2006 following the same guiding blueprint. The Ohio STEM Learning Network-which originated with Columbus-based Battelle, a national laboratory manager, the Ohio Business Roundtable, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-has opened 10 inclusive STEM schools geared to various economic regions of the state. With assistance from Battelle and the Gates Foundation, states including California, New York, and North Carolina are replicating Ohio's work.

Example: Delta High School, Tri-Cities area, Washington State
Among the new crop of inclusive public STEM schools is Delta High School in southeastern Washington State. The idea of local business leaders, the school opened in 2009 with about 100 freshmen-chosen by lottery-reflecting the demographics of the Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco School Districts it serves. By the fall of 2012, there will be 400 students in grades 9-12. Delta is one of the first STEM-focused schools in the state and is a pilot project of the Washington State STEM Education Foundation. Funding comes from each of the three home school districts, supplemented with grants from the foundation and numerous other partners, including Battelle, Washington State University Tri-Cities, and Columbia Basin College, which provides campus space. The core of Delta's program weaves together science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and humanities concepts through hands-on, problem-based instruction. The design features 90-minute classes, advisories to support academics and postsecondary transitions, career mentoring from STEM professionals, as well as internships, job shadows, and senior seminars. The school is highly personalized, emphasizing individual student-faculty interaction and building on student strengths and interests, with close monitoring of student progress. The inaugural class graduates in 2013, but early outcomes look promising. Delta students outperformed Washington averages in reading and writing, scored 20% higher in math, and 30% higher in science in its first round of state-mandated testing in spring 2011. ⁹
Results

There is still little broad evidence about the effectiveness of inclusive STEM schools, though early test scores in several states show some positive effects. T-STEM students, for example, score slightly higher on state math and science tests, are less likely to be absent, and take more advanced courses than their peers in comparison Texas schools. ¹⁰

Clearly, more research is crucial to evaluation efforts as these schools mature. A key question is whether students retain interest in STEM fields to pursue STEM college work and careers-a subject under exploration with funding from the National Science Foundation.

Meanwhile, descriptive research reveals other useful information: Inclusive STEM schools are more likely than selective schools to serve large proportions of African American, Hispanic, and low-income students. Moreover, inclusive schools offer a greater level of personalization through strategies such as "looping" a teacher with the same students for multiple years and connecting students with professional mentors who mirror their racial and ethnic backgrounds. While inclusive schools are less likely than selective schools to offer a broad range of AP courses, they are just as likely to provide students with opportunities to take college courses while in high school. ¹¹

STEM-Focused CTE Schools

The purpose of career and technical education (CTE) is to motivate student learning through real-life applications related to jobs and to develop technologically proficient workers. It can be difficult to distinguish between STEM-focused CTE schools and other STEM programs. The reality today is that all CTE is related in some way to STEM fields.

STEM subjects can be incorporated into any CTE delivery model, including regional career technical centers, CTE high schools, or career academies in comprehensive high schools. Most address STEM-related work, ranging from auto-technology to nursing to financial management. Fewer focus specifically on engineering.
A model for other STEM-focused CTE programs, Sussex Technical High School is a national-award-winning school for the rural county of Sussex, in southern Delaware. Founded in 1961 as a part-time school, Sussex now serves about 1,300 full-time students chosen by lottery. Almost one-third come from low-income families. Among its achievements, the school has the state's highest rating-"superior"-based on test scores in math, reading, science, and social studies. Another important data point: approximately 98% of students graduate. ¹²
Example: Sussex Technical High School, Georgetown, Delaware

The school provides a comprehensive educational program integrating technical education with core academic courses, referred to as "techademics."¹³ Each student receives training in one of 15 technical areas aligned with local business needs in automotive technologies, health/human services technologies, communications/information technologies, and industrial/engineering technologies.

During freshman year, students take core academic courses and explore a variety of technical fields to help choose a career path. Students then select one program of study for grades 10-12. Senior year culminates with a STEM "exhibition of mastery," where each student creates a significant technical product, prepares a research paper, and makes a formal presentation for administrators, teachers, and business/industry representatives to evaluate. Seniors also have many opportunities for work-based learning in their trade.

Results

There are many examples of highly regarded CTE schools and programs, but little research to support broad conclusions about their effectiveness, particularly in comparison with alternatives. As with other expanding STEM models, the few studies show some positive findings, though preliminary and qualified, about each type of CTE program.

For example, a rigorous study of mathematics content found positive effects: "There is evidence that integrating math in CTE courses can increase the STEM knowledge of CTE participants. Using a contextual approach, students who learn to use math to solve authentic work-based problems improve their understanding of mathematics." ¹⁴ The study found no loss in occupational knowledge, suggesting that CTE need not conflict with academic achievement.

RECOMMENDATIONS

It is clear that there are many more interesting models of specialized STEM secondary education than just a decade ago. While the field awaits the results of effectiveness research underway, it would be worthwhile for educators to visit a variety of STEM programs and seek to replicate in their own schools what appears to be working best so far. These include:

Grounding STEM education in "real-life" practical problems, especially related to the workplace

Student participation in original research projects

Student internships and mentorships with STEM professionals

Tutoring, advisories, and other individualized supports for students with weaker academic preparation

¹ National Mathematics Advisory Panel. (2008). Foundations for success: The final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
² Gonzales, P. et al. (2008). Highlights from TIMMS 2007: Mathematics and science achievement of U.S. fourth- and eighth-grade students in an international context. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
³ National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Education Reform. U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. Retrieved March 29, 2012 from: http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html
⁴ See www3.imsa.edu/about.
⁵ National Research Council. (2011). Successful STEM education: A workshop summary. Alexandra Beatty, Rapporteur. Committee on Highly Successful Schools or Programs for K-12 STEM Education, Board on Science Education and Board on Testing and Assessment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
⁶ Rena Subotnik et al. (2001). Study of the impact of selective SMT high schools: Reflections on learners gifted and motivated in science and mathematics. Paper presented at the National Research Council's Workshop on Successful STEM Education in K-12 Schools, Washington, DC, May 10-12, 2011.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ Test results available at http://washingtonstemeducation.org/organization/our_projects/. For more information on Delta High School, see http://www.thedeltahighschool.com.
¹⁰ Young, V. et al. (2011). Inclusive STEM schools: Early promise in Texas and unanswered questions. Paper presented at the National Research Council's Workshop on Successful STEM Education in K-12 Schools, Washington, DC, May 10-12, 2011.
¹¹ Means, B. et al. (2008). STEM High schools: Specialized science technology engineering and mathematics secondary schools in the U.S. Menlo Park, California: SRI International.
¹² Delaware Department of Education, Sussex Technical High School Profile: http://profiles.doe.k12.de.us/SchoolProfiles/District/Default.aspx?checkSchool=0&districtCode=40&district=Sussex%20Technical
¹³ See http://www.sussexvt.k12.de.us/hs/.
¹⁴ Stone III, J. R., et al. (2008). Rigor and relevance: Testing a model of enhanced math learning in career and technical education. American Education Research Journal, 45, 767-795.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Download the full brief STEM is not just for scientists anymore. In today's economy, almost any job with decent pay requires STEM skills, and many jobs require advanced STEM abilities. But far too many U.S. residents are unprepared for the occupational demands of the 21st century.