Forum to Highlight National Goals for STEM Education

WALTHAM, MA | EDC is working with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to coordinate Next Generation STEM Learning for All, a daylong forum on STEM education. Topics for the forum include broadening participation in and expanding time devoted to STEM learning and designing research experiences for teachers. EDC is coordinating the invitation only event with SRI Education. It takes place November 9 in Washington D.C.

Invited participants include researchers and practitioners in K–12 and higher education, informal learning, workforce development, policy, business, and industry. Many educators working on NSF-supported projects and programs will also share what they are learning. The first-ever White House Summit on Next Generation High Schools will follow the forum on November 10.

“It has been exciting to work with so many partners to stage this forum which will actually kick off a week of events by the Obama administration to focus on STEM education,” said EDC’s Sarita Pillai, a lead organizer of the forum with colleague Carrie Parker. “We look forward to showcasing so many NSF-funded research and development projects and discussing national goals for STEM in schools.”

Several EDC researchers representing various STEM fields will be part of the forum. Among them is Joyce Malyn-Smith, who will be a featured panelist for “Advancing STEM + Computing in K-12 Education,” a discussion that will explore new approaches for integrating computing and STEM, building the teacher workforce for computer science, and teaching and learning of computing for diverse learners.

“EDC’s work in STEM is broad and deep, and we are proud to have been asked by NSF to help conceptualize and host this forum,” said EDC Senior Vice President Joanne Brady. “Our work in cutting-edge STEM fields—including computer science, data literacy, technology, and early learning—positions EDC to take a leading role in continuing the conversation.”

EDC has a long history of developing innovative STEM curricula and products and is instrumental to several NSF national resources and initiatives supporting STEM and cyberlearning research and development, including:

• STEM Learning and Research Center (STELAR: Supports the ITEST program
• Community for Advancing Discovery Research in Education (CADRE): Supports the DRK-12 program
• Center for Innovative Research in Cyberlearning (CIRCL): Supports NSF’s cross-directorate Cyberlearning initiative
• Successful STEM Education: Shares findings from the National Research Council report Successful K–12 STEM Education
• Research+Practice Collaboratory: Strengthens connections between research and practice in formal and informal K–12 STEM education settings

Learn more about the Next Generation STEM Learning for All forum.

EDC designs, implements, and evaluates programs to improve education, health, and economic opportunity worldwide. Visit www.edc.org.