Symposium Introduction: STEM Education Policy and Opportunity Structures

• In Event: Understanding Emerging Opportunity Structures in STEM Education: Research Efforts to Explore School-Level Innovations

Abstract

This symposium aims at the 2012 AERA conference theme: To know is not enough. Although there is much to celebrate in advances in knowledge about how people learn science and mathematics (NRC’s How People Learn and Taking Science to School), resulting in goals to improve STEM curriculum and instruction (NRC’s National Science Education Framework), glaring, interconnected education problems affecting students’ lives remain unsolved. First, the STEM components the US K-12 education system has remained relatively stagnant for decades, and assessed student outcomes (international tests and NAEP) are similarly sluggish (NRC, 2011). Second, this stagnant system isn’t producing enough STEM-prepared students for a changing, healthy economy. A US Department of Commerce report found that in 2010, 7.6 million people (5.5%) of the labor force worked in STEM occupations. Over the past 10 years, growth in STEM jobs was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. STEM jobs are expected to grow at a faster rate than other jobs in the coming decade. STEM workers are also less likely to experience joblessness, command higher wages (26% more than their non-STEM counterparts). STEM degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of whether they work in STEM or non-STEM occupations. However, some of the fastest growing populations in the US are not able to contribute to the STEM-workforce, nor reap its economic benefits because they do not get access to high quality instruction (Lynch, 2011), and are not well prepared (NRC, 2011). Because of these problems, local and state governments; the business/industry community; non-profits such as Carnegie Institute, National Governors Association and Achieve; private foundations; and, the federal government all are seeking ways to stimulate improved STEM education and close STEM achievement and participation gaps.

There is a growing recognition that such improvements are dependent on the school climate more than any other factors (NRC, 2011). Consequently, “the school” is increasingly the focus of attention in state and federal policy, and the unit of analysis for STEM researchers. New types of schools and innovations within schools are providing opportunity structures (Carnegie Institute, 2009; Roberts, 1968) to support STEM learning and improve students’ chances in STEM jobs and careers. Innovations include integrated STEM instruction; problem-based curricula; early college experiences; and, student experiences in STEM fields through mentorships and internships. It seems likely that the integration of these innovations into supportive opportunity structures at the school level (but not restricted to it) could result in substantial educational change.

In 2008, SRI conducted a national survey of STEM-focused schools (Means et al., 2008). By 2011, NSF, stimulated by a request from US Congressman Frank Wolf (VA), funded a NRC Committee on Highly Successful Schools or Programs for K-12 STEM Education. This resulted in Successful STEM Education 9NRC, 2011). A close reading of the document shows that the actual research base on STEM-focused schools is extremely thin. This symposium provides five state-of-the art papers (three are newly funded) that study school-level innovations in STEM education; each focusing on new opportunity structures under construction.

Authors

• Sharon J. Lynch, The George Washington University

• Barbara M. Means, SRI International