Alice Seagren, Commissioner

1
The World is FlatMinnesota Responds

• Alice Seagren, Commissioner
• Minnesota Department of Education
• Kate Rubin, President, Minnesota High Tech
  Association
• January 24, 2007
• Engineering Minnesotas Future -
• A Critical Partnership Opportunity
• Industrys Role as a Catalyst for STEM Education

2
STEM FORUMS THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA13 Forums Held
In October/November 2006

• North St. Paul
• Mpls Patrick Henry
• Brooklyn Center
• Bemidji
• Moorhead
• Alexandria
• St. Paul Harding

• Duluth
• Brainerd
• Marshall
• St. Cloud
• Rochester
• Mankato

• 1100 Participants (40-250 at each Forum)

• K12 Educators
• Business
• Higher Education
• Parents
• Students

3
Purpose of the Forums

• Inform attendees about Minnesotas Plan for High
  School Redesign
• Hear from local community leaders to learn about
  STEM higher ed/workforce opportunities
• Engage in conversations to heighten awareness of
  current programs
• Create new partnerships to establish a pipeline
  of STEM activities to prepare Minnesota high
  school students to succeed in the global
  marketplace

4

• Fueling the Pipeline
• A Regional Forum on STEM Education
• Harding Senior High
• November 17, 2006
• Sample Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions 830- 835
• Kate Rubin, Minnesota High Tech Association
• Minnesota Plan for High School Redesign 835-905
• Commissioner Alice Seagren
• Local Community Perspectives 905- 930
• Peter Hudleston, Associate Dean for Student
  Affairs, University of Minnesota Institute of
  Technology
• Yvonne Ng, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
  and Engineering, College of St. Catherine
• Anita Jean Hall, Contract Operations, General
  Mills
• Mike Anders, President and COO, Systems
  Consulting Group

5
Forum Feedback

• Pre Post survey feedback measured
• Awareness objectives accomplished
• Educators supportive, cautious
• Business/Community Partners Key
• Forum Messages need to be reinforced

6
Opinions on STEM Education
Pre-Post Comparisons
(Somewhat / Strongly Agree)
Rate your level of agreement with each of the
following statements
7
Knowledge of STEM Education
Pre-Post Comparisons
(Somewhat / Very Knowledgeable)
How knowledgeable do you consider yourself about
each of the following?
8
Knowledge of National Trends
Pre-Post Comparisons
(Somewhat / Very Informed)
How well informed are you about each of the
following national trends?
9
Encouragement to Pursue STEM
Pre-Post Comparisons
How much encouragement have you given / do you
plan to give your students/children to pursue
STEM education and careers?
10
Expect to Learn/Most Valuable Thing Learned
Pre-Post Comparisons
What do you expect to learn or take away from the
STEM forum? What was the best or most valuable
thing you learned from attending the STEM forum?
11
Greatest Opportunity to Improve STEM Education
Post-survey Only
What do you see as the greatest opportunity to
improve STEM education?
12
Moving Forward
Business Support Through

• Lobbying legislative agenda
• Mentoring (MentorNet, LSAMP)
• Teacher Internships with Business (3M TWIST)
• Awareness of Business Programs web links
• Reinforce links between STEM disciplines, jobs
• - Awareness events, e.g. 9/06 Science Museum
• - MHTA Spring Conference 4/10/07
• - 100 educators attending
• - www.MN-STEM.com website links
• - STEM toolkits distributed, on website
• - Possible Lynx /or Timberwolves Support

13
The World Is Flat Minnesota Responds

• Thank you!