May 2009
NEWS FROM THE STEM EQUITY PIPELINE PROJECT
NAPE Education Foundation Issues RFA for Three New State Teams
The NAPE Education Foundation is seeking three additional states to participate
in the STEM Equity Pipeline Project starting October 1, 2009. The Project will be
work with 13 states over 5 years to increase the capacity of individuals in the
state who conduct STEM professional development to integrate research-based best
practices on increasing the participation of women and girls in STEM into their
existing training work. Application deadline is July 15, 2009.
Learn More and Access Application
Minnesota Announces Participating Consortia
This past fall, Minnesota was accepted into the STEM Equity Pipeline Project. The
project is led by a State Leadership Team with staff from both the Minnesota DOE
and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. A larger State Team, consisting of
STEM faculty, curriculum coordinators, professional development experts, administrators,
and representatives from STEM outreach organizations, will be working with local
teams during the process.
Minnesota has an established network of Perkins consortia linking secondary and
post-secondary CTE programs. Consortia were invited to apply to become a site for
the Minnesota STEM Equity Pipeline Project. Participating consortia will receive
training, materials, technical assistance, and professional development, including
training in the Five-Step Program Improvement Process. They will also receive guidance
in research and data gathering. The sites will be asked to identify an implementation
strategy designed to increase the participation and completion of women in nontraditional
STEM-related career cluster programs of study and to incorporate this work with
their Perkins plans.
Perkins Consortia were invited to apply for participation based on their commitment
to increase the participation rate of females in nontraditional programs. Four sites
were accepted for participation:
- Hennepin West (North Hennepin Community College, Hopkins, Wayzata, and Eden Prairie
schools), with a focus on engineering
- Mid-Minnesota (Ridgewater College, Hutchinson and Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop schools),
with a focus on engineering and drafting
- Southwest Metro (Normandale College, Kennedy and Jefferson schools), with a focus
on engineering and manufacturing
- St. Paul (St. Paul College, St. Paul Public Schools), with a focus on computer programming,
construction, and engineering
Each consortia site is hosting an orientation meeting for their local team and representatives
of the state team.
For more information, contact the co-leaders, Brenda Lyseng, STEM Project Specialist,
Office of the Chancellor, Brenda.lyseng@so.mnscu.edu
or Dan Smith, Supervisor of Career and Technical Education Programs, Minnesota Department
of Education, dan.smith@state.mn.us.
ARTICLES
Educators, Corporations Aim to Heighten Students' Interest in Mathematics
(Michael Alison Chandler, The Washington Post)
To counter the notion that mathematics ability is inscribed in DNA, school officials
and corporate executives are waging a public relations campaign for the hearts and
minds of the average math student. Their goal is to immerse more middle school students
in algebra and toughen high school math requirements so graduates can compete for
increasingly technical jobs. Their message: Advanced math is not only for rocket
scientists.
Read More
New Insight on Females and Math Phobia: Overcoming Stereotype Threat
(Rydell et al., Indiana University)
A new study shows that when women are aware of both negative and positive stereotypes
related to performance, they identify more closely with the positive stereotype,
according to Science Daily.
Read More
PUBLICATIONS
Sex and Science: How Professor Gender Perpetuates the Gender Gap
(S.E. Carrell, M.E. Page, J.E. West)
The authors of this paper provide evidence to support their theory that a professor's
gender affects the performance of female students in math and science classes.
Read
More
RESOURCES
Paradise Valley High School's technology resources for video production, business,
IT and other courses are presented as an engaging sci-fi adventure.
This fact sheet is a colorful one-page document with startling statistics about
women in IT careers and majors.
This searchable website provides assessment tools for informal science learning.
Voice of America reported on women's role in science, noting that women have been
making scientific discoveries since ancient times.
SAVE THE DATE
"Center Stage: Effective Strategies for Recruitment and Talent Development"
Austin, TX
June 17-19, 2009
Orlando, FL
July 10-13, 2009
"Center Stage: Effective Strategies for Recruitment and Talent Development"
Oakland, CA
August 3-5, 2009