California STEM ServiceLearning Initiative Supported by a grant from the Corporation for National an

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California STEM Service-Learning Initiative
Supported by a grant from the Corporation for
National and Community Service, Learn and Serve
America
CalServe Service-Learning Initiative
California Department of Education
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Workshop Agenda
Background Overview Engineering Projects In
Community Service ( EPICS) CA STEM S-L
Initiative Sharing from the group What is
already happening in your region? Next steps
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STEM S-L Background
Who goes into STEM Careers?
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Who will become an Engineer???

• A decline in student interest in taking STEM-
  related course work.
• Young women and minority students continue to be
  under-represented compared to the overall
  population
• 85 of students see engineering as boring or
  nerdy (NEA 2008)

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Changing the Perception
From
To
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Changing the Perception
From
To
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Changing the Perception

• We must change the perceptions of STEM careers,
  in order to bring more people into STEM careers.

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High Schools Improving Lives with
Engineering Projects in Community
Service-Learning
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• EPICS High will
• integrate engineering design concepts with
  service-learning
• enable participants to develop valuable
  partnerships to address the educational needs of
  the students, and the technical needs of their
  communities
• engage and motivate high school students in the
  fields of engineering and computer sciences
• effectively teach students the professional
  skills needed to succeed in todays workforce

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The EPICS Consortium

• EPICS programs at 19 universities
• 34 High schools in five states
• California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New
  York

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Motivation Connecting engineering with people
and local communities

• While interest in engineering is declining, civic
  engagement among teenagers is high
• 83 of high school seniors entering college
  participated in community service or
  service-learning
• Female and minority students more inclined to
  continue service
• Many honors diplomas require service
• Service-learning in high schools rarely connected
  with engineering/science/math
• EPICS provides an opportunity to tap into this
  wave of volunteerism

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EPICS Projects Fall Into 4 Broad Areas of
Interest

• Human Services
• Examples Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, Local Food
  Banks
• Access Abilities
• Examples Special Needs Students in Schools,
  Local Organizations for Handicap or Disabled
  Residents
• Environmental
• Examples State Environmental Depts., Recycling
  groups
• Education Outreach
• Examples Feeder Elem. Or Middle Schools, Local
  Childrens Museums

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Impact Changing the Equation
Included in the mission of the EPICS High program
is outreach to underrepresented populations.
Reports from schools in October 2008 show the
following impact

• 34 Schools Participating
• 1100 Student Participants
• 42 Female Participants
• 40 Underrepresented Participants
• Over 50 in Free Reduced Lunch Programs

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Impact Varied Program Models
EPICS High is creating a variety of models to
replicate throughout the nation. Of the 34
existing schools, current models are

• 10 Rural Schools
• 7 Suburban Schools
• 17 Urban Schools
• 30 In-school Programs
• 4 After-schools Programs

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Project Example McCutcheon High
SchoolTippecanoe County, Indiana

• Guidance Department ESL Assistant Software
• Computers give welcome message and common task
  menu for Hispanic speakers entering McCutcheon
• Main menu allows parent/student to select from
  options enrollment, withdrawal, questions
  commonly asked
• Completed computerized
• forms then revert to
• English for
• counselors/school use

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Project Example High Tech High San Diego,
California

• 114 Seniors participating in semester long
  program
• List of Project Underway
• Recyclable materials storage unit
• Modular back drop system
• Custom stage stairs for animals
• Light writer pendulum
• Ball return system for a gravity well
• Mobil art cart
• Fish pin cover system
• Sign storage and transportation cart
• Custom sports equipment rack
• Climbing tree structure

Raptor Cage
15 projects have already been delivered by High
Tech High affecting an estimated 1650 people
Motorized Copy Holder
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Project Example Fredrick Douglass Academy
Harlem, New York

• Projects Underway in 3 Areas
• Bioengineering
• Aquaponics Tank in Harlem Senior Center
• Robotics
• High school students are using their robotics
  program to work with middle and elementary age
  students in a mentoring program
• In Addition Developing a system for students
  to partner with elementary school teachers and
  create projects to help them teach science

The Frederick Douglass Academy
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Project Example Pacific Ridge School Carlsbad,
California

• Pacific Ridge School Campus Stewardship Project
• Recycling auditing/setup/maintenance
• Worm bin setup/maintenance (food composting)
• Designed and constructed athletic equipment
  storage box, garden equipment storage shed, and
  field-side benches
• Designed and planted PRS garden (using worm
  compost)
• Elementary School Outreach Project
• Formed partnership with local elementary school
• Performed recycling/trash audit
• Educating students on basics of recycling
• Implementing school-wide recycling plan
• Project Green
• Partner with regional restaurant chain for the
  purpose of helping them go green
• Analyzing customer survey data

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Project Example Harbor Beach HS Michigan

• Computerized Food Pantry Inventory Project
• Students are working with all food pantries in
  county to sep up a computerized inventory system
  for tracking food items and customer information

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EPICS High Curriculum

• Still in draft format
• Designed for flexibility
• Great deal of input from EPICS High teachers
• Consists of the following 5 modules that address
  1 central topic per week
• Design
• Service Learning
• Cultural Context and Ethics
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Listed in the curriculum are 3 sections with each
  module that state learning objectives, national
  academic standards, and 45 lesson plans
• See Module 3 on Cultural Context and Ethics

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The High School EPICS Model Evaluation and
Assessment

• Assessment of the EPICS High program currently
  consists of
• Site Visits
• Bi-Annual Progress Reports
• Student Surveys Pre, Post and Senior
• Survey by Community Partners
• More Detailed Research Component Coming Soon!
• Evaluation of the summer teacher trainings by
  participants

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EPICS High Potential for Impact

• EPICS has the potential to play a role in
  addressing many current issues including
• Declining interest in Engineering/Computing
• Continued underrepresentation of women and
  minorities
• Drop out rates
• Improving STEM education
• Global competitiveness
• Building capacity in communities and schools
• Compelling needs of underserved populations

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What have we learned?

• Challenges/Best Practices
• Working EPICS into the school day and making it
  count
• Motivating students
• Starting small
• Goes against conventional learning
• Sustaining and administrative buy-in
• Building the resources to support growth

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Summer Trainings for High School Teachers and
Administrators

• EPICS High held its 2nd summer training session
  in 2008. 60 individuals representing
  approximately 40 schools attended. In 2009
  trainings 150 individuals are expected to attend.
  Training will include both existing and new
  schools with sessions on the following topics
• Partnerships
• Project Management
• Teaming
• Assessment
• Engineering Content
• Design
• Social Context and Culture
• The EPICS Model Service-Learning
• Training is designed to give teachers and
  administrators the tools and resources needed to
  implement and maintain EPICS High programs

I knew very little prior to this training and
now feel confident to start EPICS at my
school. 2007 Teacher Training Participant
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EPICS High Moving Forward

• EPICS High continues to bring together the
  resources for a large-scale national roll-out.
  Due to the success and overwhelming interest in
  the program, long-term plans have been
  accelerated.
• Plans for growth include
• Securing funding to set up regional training
  centers
• Formal partnerships with professional societies
• Engaging state Service-Learning representatives
• Training of regional trainers
• 2009 Learn and Serve America follow-on grant
  (Submission due 4/14/09)
• Establishing Teacher Fellows program

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California STEM Service-Learning Initiative

• A partnership between the
• CalServe Initiative and the
• Yolo County Office of Education

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CA STEM S-L InitiativeMission and Goals

• The California STEM Service-Learning Initiative
  will work regionally and statewide to increase
  the number of women and minorities becoming the
  engineers, scientist and technologists of
  tomorrow
• Implement STEM-based service-learning projects
  through the California Regional Service-Learning
  Infrastructure
• Identify like minded partners whose
  organizational needs will be met through
  collaboration in implementing these projects.
• Develop a cadre of STEM service-learning trainers
  that can support the project sites

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STEM Service-Learning Project Design

• Creates a Partnership Among
• Higher education students and faculty
• Secondary school(s) students and faculty
• Community-based organizations
• Industry partners
• STEM mentors

Water Quality Monitoring
Every fourth grade student in the district has a
computer and knows how to use it.
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Energy Project Examples
Drop-off box for CFL lighting
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STEM 2009 Summer Institute

• CSU Sacramento, August 5-7
• Teams of Sites will come to gather to learn
• Prospective STEM S-L Trainers attend
• Develop a STEM S-L Training Manual
• Follow-up meetings in 09-10

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STEM 2009 Summer Institute

• CSU Sacramento, August 5-7
• Teams of Sites will come to gather to learn
• Prospective STEM S-L Trainers attend
• Develop a STEM S-L Training Manual
• Follow-up meetings in 09-10

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Learn Serve America STEM Grant Opportunity

• Learn and Serve America STEM grant 09-12
• Replication of pilot model in other CA Regions
• Identify additional STEM S-L Trainers
• Identify additional state and regional partners

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Sharing from the Group
What is already happening in your region? Who
are the possible local, regional, and state
partners?
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Next Steps Issues
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Contact Us

• Michael Brugh
• California Department of Education
• CalServe Initiative
• 916-319-0543
• mbrugh_at_cde.ca.gov
• www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/sl
• Deborah Bruns
• Yolo County Office of Education1280 Santa Anita
  Court, Suite 100Woodland, CA 95776530-668-3781F
  ax 530-668-3850bruns_at_ycoe.org

Virtually every first grade household in our
school is now using energy-saving light bulbs.
There are 477,519 1st graders in CA