ERIC ED518040: Confronting the STEM Challenge: A New Modeling Tool for U.S. Education Policymakers

2010·0.97 MB·English

by  ERIC

®
®
Confronting the STEM Challenge:
A New Modeling Tool for
U.S. Education Policymakers
Questions and Answers About
the BHEF U.S. STEM Education Model
Q: Why Should People model that incorporates census data aim to foster the development of a
Care About STEM? and standardized test scores to track knowledge base that allows the diverse
the flow of students through the K-16 community of stakeholders, including
A: Science, technology, engineering,
education system and into careers in policymakers, funders and educators,
and mathematics (STEM) are
STEM teaching or STEM industries. to examine a range of issues and
vital to American innovation and
The Model is free and available in potential solutions that focus on
competitiveness, yet relatively
few U.S. students obtain STEM open source for use by the public increasing interest and proficiency
through www.stemnetwork.org,
bachelor’s degrees. While the number among students in STEM majors and
and is managed by a partnership
of degrees awarded in the STEM careers, as well as meet the dynamic
among BHEF, Raytheon and The
fields has increased modestly over needs of the STEM workforce.
Ohio State University’s (OSU)
the last decade, only 15.6 percent of
Battelle Center for Mathematics and Q: What Are the Next Steps?
bachelor’s degrees were awarded in
Science Education Policy. BHEF has
these fields in 2007, and the overall
A: As a result of the development and
released a new report on the Model
share of degrees awarded in STEM
testing of the Model, BHEF plans to
called, “Increasing the Number of
fields actually decreased during the
adapt it and extend the approach to
STEM Graduates: Insights from the
past five years.
examine other contexts and related
U.S. STEM Education & Modeling
Meanwhile, our major competitors issues. For example, BHEF and its
Project.” To read the report, go to
are ramping up their education www.bhef.com/publications. partners, including Raytheon and
systems, and focusing on STEM Ohio State, are launching a State
education as a means to bolster Q: What is Significant STEM Education Modeling Project
their economic competitiveness.
About the Model? that will adapt the existing national
This relative dearth of U.S. STEM
Model for use by states. In addition,
A: The BHEF U.S. STEM Education
graduates led BHEF in 2005 to
BHEF is applying the modeling
Model is the first simulation model
launch its Securing America’s
approach to examine issues related
to examine the U.S. education system
Leadership in Science, Technology,
to changing STEM industry and
using system dynamics principles
Engineering, and Mathematics
workforce demands, the role of
and tools. Specifically, the Model
Initiative, with the goal of doubling
community colleges, and challenges
allows users to test various scenarios
the number of U.S. STEM graduates.
to determine whether they have the related to STEM graduate education.
Q: What is the BHEF potential to increase the number
Q: How Can I Access the
U.S. STEM Education Model? of students choosing to major and
Model and Join the Effort?
graduate in STEM disciplines.
A: The BHEF U.S. STEM Education
A: Visit www.STEMnetwork.org
Model, developed by Raytheon As the report “Increasing the Number
Company and gifted to BHEF in STEM Graduates: Insights from the to download the Model or access
2009, is the centerpiece of BHEF’s U.S. STEM Education & Modeling the Web–based interface on the
STEM Education & Modeling Project” suggests, the Model has Forio platform. You also may log
Project, which is designed to help provided a number of powerful onto this site to join the STEM
increase the number of students who insights, several of which are captured Research and Modeling Network,
pursue majors and careers in STEM on the following page. Both the receive updates about the modeling
fields. The Model is a simulation Model and the overall approach work, and participate in Webinars.
Solutions to the STEM Challenge:
Insights from the BHEF U.S. STEM Education Model
Increasing the number of STEM college graduates will require:
1 | Improving STEM Undergraduate Education 2 | Increasing the Number of STEM Capable Teachers
1.0M
300K
750K
225K
Students150K Students 520500KK
75K
0.0
0.0
2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031
2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031
Year
Year
The Model highlights the importance of strengthening The Model shows that increasing the number of teachers
STEM undergraduate education as the highest leverage who are “STEM-capable” can result in increased
strategy to meet employers’ immediate STEM workforce numbers of high school students prepared to go into
needs. This simulation result points to the potential STEM fields. Nevertheless, the gains take many years to
increase in STEM college graduates from scaling up realize.
cohort programs, which build strong social
networks among students by grouping them through
courses and other activities.
3 | Increasing Student Interest in STEM 4 | A Strategy That Integrates These Approaches into a
Mutually Reinforcing P-16 STEM Education
Interest
High Improvement Agenda
300K
15.2% of all students 17.3% of all students
225K
Prof iciency Low High udents150K
St
42.1% of all students 25.4% of all students 75K
0.0
2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025 2027 2029 2031
Low Source: ACT, Inc. Year
Data from ACT indicate that fewer than one in This result shows how simultaneously combining the
five students are both interested and proficient first two approaches above results in greater numbers of
(17.3%) in STEM subjects. A focus on increasing the college graduates than when either strategy is pursued
pool of students who demonstrate high proficiency in in isolation. This is due to the additive effects of the
math but low interest in STEM (25.4%) provides fertile increased number of K-12 students who are proficient in
opportunity to enlarge the pool of students who STEM when entering college.
may choose and succeed in STEM majors.
For additional information on these results, contained in the new report,
“Increasing the Number of STEM Graduates: Insights from the U.S. STEM Education & Modeling Project,”
please visit www.bhef.com/publications.
The Business-Higher Education Forum
BHEF is an organization of Fortune 500 CEOs, prominent college and university presidents, and foundation leaders working
to advance innovative solutions to our nation’s education challenges in order to enhance U.S. competitiveness. BHEF
addresses education issues fundamental to our nation’s ability to compete globally with two major initiatives:
» The Securing America’s Leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative,
promoting America’s leadership in STEM.
» The College Readiness, Access, and Success Initiative (CRI), addressing college/work readiness and success.
BHEF and its members work to influence public policy and inspire other corporate, academic, and foundation leaders to
act. BHEF also conducts research to create solutions and to identify strategies and policy reforms that the organization and
its members advance directly and with partner organizations.
For information on:
» The Model, see: Increasing the Number of STEM » Research and BHEF publications, including,
Graduates: Insights from the U.S. STEM Education “An American Imperative: Transforming the
& Modeling Project at www.bhef.com/publications Recruitment, Renewal, and Retention of our Nation’s
Mathematics and Science Teaching Workforce,”
» The STEM and CRI Initiatives,
go to www.bhef.com/publications
go to www.bhef.com/solutions
» How to make a positive impact on, and invest
wisely in, the pre-school through graduate school
pipeline, go to www.strategicedsolutions.org®
®
®
Business-Higher Education Forum | 2025 M Street NW, Suite 800 | Washington, DC 20036
Tel: [phone] | Fax: [phone] | www.bhef.com