Communications of the ACM
Report Recommends Ways to Improve K-12 STEM Education
Adam Gamoran, chair of the NRC committee that wrote the STEM report and professor of sociology and educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Photo courtesy of Adam Gamoran
The U.S. National Research Council recently released a report that calls on policymakers at all levels of government to elevate science education in grades K-12 to the same level of importance as reading and mathematics.
"We need to help all students become scientifically literate because citizens are increasingly facing decisions related to science and technology--whether it's understanding a medical diagnosis or weighing competing claims about the environment," says University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Adam Gamoran.
The report identifies key elements of high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, such as a coherent set of standards and curriculum, teachers with a high capacity to teach their discipline, and a supportive system of assessment. The report also recommends adequate instructional time, equal access to high-quality STEM learning opportunities, and school conditions that support learning. Those districts that want to improve STEM fields also could consider selective STEM schools, inclusive STEM schools, and a STEM-focused career and technical education program, according to the report.
From National Academy of Sciences
View Full Article
Abstracts Copyright © 2011 Information Inc. 
, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
No entries found