Communications of the ACM
California Public Schools to Incorporate More STEM Education
A task force has given State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson its recommendations regarding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education in California schools.
Credit: New Schools Venture Fund
A task force was formed two years ago to investigate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in California schools, and its recommendations recently were presented by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The recommendations were based on input from teachers, school administrators, business leaders, and lawmakers.
Torlakson wants to increase the number of computers in the classroom and improve Internet capability, and he notes one change would be students would no longer have to obtain instruction in robotics as an extracurricular activity outside of the classroom. Torlakson also says classrooms would operate more like a college, making greater use of software applications.
One of the report's key points is to engage businesses with the intention of having them eventually recruit students. "Then, if we reach out to schools and develop relationships with them, we bridge that gap and make it more robust," says the Bay Area Council's Linda Galliher. Torlakson believes most of the ideas could be implemented within the next five years.
From ABC7News.com (CA)
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