TIES was founded in 1999 to support STEM education and innovative schools for underserved communities. It has since expanded to be a national consulting group focusing on STEM education. TIES works to develop STEM networks and programs in states to fuel economic development. STEM education is important for developing problem-solvers and innovators needed for a global economy. It engages students in understanding the world through design-based learning and applying STEM concepts. STEM education prepares students with skills like critical thinking needed for the 21st century.

1. Putting the World into World-Class Education Asia Society Creating a Focus on Global Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) Education Dr. Anne McClellan, Senior Consultant Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM

2. TIES The Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM TIES was founded in 1999 as a consulting firm devoted to support the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the creation of innovative schools to serve low income and underserved communities. Through work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the National Science Foundation, Johns Hopkins University and others, TIES evolved into a national consulting group focusing on STEM education throughout the country.

3. TIES The Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM…Today TIES understands the importance of developing a national imperative in STEM education. TIES is driving the design and construction of networks in all STEM communities in states throughout the country. TIES works with regional and state economic development organizations to fuel STEM education and instructional program development for the benefit of all.

4. “Why is science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education so important and what must we do…locally, nationally and globally?”

5. “It is impossible to make wise personal decisions or to exercise good citizenship or compete in an increasingly global economy or to begin to address the enormous challenges we face in exercising our stewardship of our environment without knowledge of STEM and the ability to apply that knowledge thoughtfully and appropriately."

6. Traditional Responses The global economy has "flattened" the world in terms of skills and technology. A new workforce of problem-solvers, innovators, and inventors who are self-reliant and able to think logically is one of the critical foundations that drive a state economy's innovation capacity. State K-12 (kindergarten through grade 12) education systems, with the support of postsecondary education, the business sector, foundations, and governments, must ensure that all students graduate from high school with the necessary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competencies to become this workforce; and 2) a greater number of students graduate from high school as potential professionals in STEM fields.“ National Governors’ Association

7. -Global competition, market instabilities and changing trends in immigration are placing increasing pressures on the world economy. With identified shortages across the engineering, science and medical professions, there is also a growing need for a highly trained pool of experts who specialize in STEM disciplines. Developing an individual’s interest and skills in STEM and related areas must start at the earliest stages of the individual’s learning and needs to be nurtured throughout their schooling, training and working life. To meet these challenges, we need to continue to encourage the emergence of new high-value, high-growth industries of the future and apply strategies to value add to traditional industries. International experience demonstrates that high-growth economies are those that build upon strong foundations to move towards a knowledge-based economy. A workforce of scientifically and technologically literate people is key.

9. “I'm calling on our nation's governors and state education chiefs to develop standards and assessments that don't simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test, but whether they possess 21st century skills like problem-solving and critical thinking and entrepreneurship and creativity” -President Barack Obama, March 2009

10. In our current system, creativity is an elective and innovation is a vocabulary word.

11. 21st Century Skills “…an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can’t think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad, or speak a language other than English.” -How to Build a Student for the 21st Century, TIME Magazine, December 18, 2006

12. How do these five skills manifest in the your classrooms? Adaptability Complex communication/social skills Non-routine problem solving Self-management/self development Systems Thinking

14. STEM education enables students through the design process to understand STEM-based concepts and then make use of them in novel situations.Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education engages our children in making sense of the world.

15. What are the attributes of the STEM educated student? Problem-solvers Innovators Inventors Design-minded Self-reliant Logical thinkers Technologically literate Able

16. What is STEM Education? The Design Process

17. How does STEM happenin a Standards Environment? Project, Problem and Process-based Learning Shift from content silos to trans-disciplinary approach Crafting and measuring performance expectations through a variety of assessments: knowing and doing loop

18. Consider MC2 STEM High School’s Response…. How is student progress measured in a project-based environment? Student progress is assessed in a mastery system. Mastery means that the student has articulated in multiple ways that they are confident and qualified to move on to the next level of work. Students are given consistent feedback about their growth and are assigned grades according to their performance against the benchmarks and standards appropriate for a college bound student. Upon successful demonstration of the benchmark mastery, the student will receive their grade..

19. What are the global competencies of STEM Education to prepare our students to be global workers and at best… good citizens of the world?

20. What is STEM in a Global Classroom? Globalization has various aspects which affect the world in several different ways such as: Since many factories are built in developing countries with less environmental regulation, globalism and free trade may increase pollution. On the other hand, economic development historically required a "dirty" industrial stage, and it is argued that developing countries should not, via regulation, be prohibited from increasing their standard of living. Ecological - the advent of global environmental challenges that might be solved with international cooperation, such as: climate change, cross-boundary water and air pollution, over-fishing of the ocean, and the spread of invasive species.

21. Interdependence As worldwide financial structures grow more quickly than any transnational regulatory regime, the instability of the global financial infrastructure is dramatically increased, as evidenced by the financial crises of late 2008. The interconnectedness of our world financial markets, mean that an economic collapse in any one given country could not be contained. Financial - emergence of worldwide financial markets and better access to external financing for borrowers. Economic - realization of a global common market, based on the freedom of exchange of goods and capital.

22. Informational - increase in information flows between geographically remote locations. Arguably this is a technological change with the advent of fiber optic communications, satellites, and increased Technical Development of a global telecommunications infrastructure and greater transborder data flow, using such technologies as the Internet, communication satellites, submarine fiber optic cable, and wireless telephones Increase in the number of standards applied globally; e.g. copyright laws, patents and world trade agreements.

23. Political - could the creation of a world government regulate the relationships among governments and guarantees the rights arising from social and economic globalization? Politically, the United States has enjoyed a position of power among the world powers; in part because of its strong and wealthy economy. With the influence of globalization and with the help of The United States’ own economy, the People's Republic of China has experienced some tremendous growth within the past decade. If China continues to grow at the rate projected by the trends, then it is very likely that in the next twenty years, there will be a major reallocation of power among the world leaders. China will have enough wealth, industry, and technology to rival the United States for the position of leading world power.

24. So what can we do about it?

27. Examine and resolve regional capacity to do shift the STEM culture: teaching workforce, school leadership, continuous professional development

28. Identify emerging and best practices in STEM education and bring them to scale (NGA Innovation America: Building a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Agenda, 2006)

29. Asia Society Conference Global Science, Technology, Education and Mathematics (STEM) Education Dr. Anne McClellan Senior Consultant, Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM anne.mcclellan@tiesteach.org