STEM Infusion
STEM Infusion encourages and enhances learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and other subjects to ensure children receive excellent educations that open doors for them to greater career opportunities and more fulfilling, successful lives. Our innovative STEM Infusion program, featuring intensive use of computer technology under the supervision of highly trained teachers committed to this education model, offers a marked increase in the percentage of students from all demographic groups successfully completing challenging STEM courses and pursuing post-secondary STEM careers. Why is this so important? Already 65 percent of today’s jobs require STEM skills, and 16 of the 30 fastest-growing careers demand substantial math and science education. And this is only the beginning. A STEM education will essential in the work world of today’s children.
Mebane Foundation believes that it must actively engage students in STEM-related academics and enrichment experiences in order to nurture interest, enthusiasm and pursuit of STEM careers. We believe that optimum 21st Century STEM learning occurs for all students only when optimum 21st Century STEM teaching occurs in all classrooms. We believe that we have a profound responsibility to ensure learning for all students by creating, implementing and supporting innovative and top-quality professional development for all teachers, centering on inquiry-based methodologies, various technologies for student engagement, integration of STEM curricula across subjects, and the use of community STEM professionals as compelling classroom resources.
Mebane Foundation has a rich history of employing and investing in these fundamental organizing STEM principles to design and implement projects that bolster student achievement by creating 21st century classroom learning environments populated by top-quality teachers.
The STEM Infusion program will implement problem-, project-, inquiry-based teaching methodologies and learning experiences as the standard venue for delivering integrated curricula across subject areas. This approach will establish best practices for our students to acquire and enhance content knowledge, develop communication skills, collaborate, problem-solve, and self-direct their learning as they learn in simulated job contexts. Including community STEM experts and resources is a critical element in the program’s success. Teachers and program participants will be trained in these methodologies, and world-class curricular materials will be included.
At the core of the innovative STEM Infusion program are elementary, middle and high school STEM Cells that feature innovative career preparation and professional development. The cells are designed to help teachers deliver high-quality, relevant, interdisciplinary STEM instruction by integrating technology and problem solving in their classes (see related STEM Cell graphic). The research and best practices tell us that the most effective way to increase student achievement is through top-quality professional development for 21st century teachers that includes intensive coaching, mentoring, and on-going support delivered on school sites.
STEM Infusion is designed to create and implement a replicable, sustainable model for all of North Carolina school systems. We believe the program has the potential to deliver a marked increase in the percentages of students across diverse groups successfully completing challenging STEM courses, then pursuing post-secondary STEM careers and educational opportunities.
The Foundation believes a clearly defined and rigorous continuum of STEM courses will increase participation in challenging STEM education. We see such possibilities as STEM bridge enhancement courses between 5th and 6th grades and 8th and 9th grades, possibly a 6th-8th grade advanced math/pre-algebra/algebra sequence, and a 6th-7th grade sequence of robotics courses capped with 8th grade honors earth science. These and other opportunities in a partnering school system would become more obvious following a detailed needs assessment.
We see collaboration and program buy-in from business, industry and all community partners and stakeholders imperative to the success of STEM Infusion. Before launching the program in a school system, we will establish a project advisory board that meets quarterly throughout the grant period to assist in project oversight, quality control and community involvement. And to build and sustain community/stakeholder support, we will convene regular community gatherings to share information and to solicit suggestions for improving the program.
Consistent with our Guiding Principles, the Foundation requires potential partners to build in processes and procedures that will insure financial, philosophical, organizational, community sustainability. To ensure sustainability, it is critical that school systems integrating the model adopt board policies that embed the district’s STEM philosophy and goals, STEM diploma criteria, program-implementation expectations, and professional-development requirements in order to clearly align and prioritize them in district budgets.