The College of New Jersey has received $100,000 from Edison Ventures to begin implementation of a three-year K-12 integrative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education project. The generous grant will support a team of expert STEM educators who will work with teachers and administrators by providing free access to integrative STEM curriculum, as well as in-depth and ongoing professional development. Outreach conducted by the grant will be complimented by two research components: (1) contributing student achievement data to an ongoing national study of K-12 Technology and Engineering Literacy and (2) methods of improving best practices for professional development in integrative STEM Education via Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
The project, titled “Engineering byDesign™-New Jersey Initiative,” will be housed in the School of Engineering (Dean, Steven Schreiner, Ph.D., P.E.) in conjunction with the Department of Technological Studies (Chair, John Karsnitz, Ph.D.) and The Center For Excellence in STEM Education (Center Director, Steve O’Brien, Ph.D.)
“Compared to Mathematics and Science, far less effort has been made nationally to implement standardized curriculum, assessment and professional development in the field of Technology and Engineering Education,” says the project’s director, Chris Anderson. “This project will help New Jersey schools prepare for the new Common Core Standards (a national standards adoption which includes K-12 Technology and Engineering Literacy, 21 st Century problem-solving skills, multidisciplinary activities and career education/skills), as well as the 8 th and 12 th grade Technology and Engineering Literacy Assessment being conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in 2014.”
The grant will allow New Jersey to become the 23 rd member of the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association’s (ITEEA) Engineering byDesign™ Consortium of States. ITEEA’s STEM Center for Teaching and Learning™ developed Engineering byDesign™ (EbD™), which is a highly accessible and flexible standards-based integrative STEM curriculum. “For many years, TCNJ’s School of Engineering has supported highly successful integrative STEM teacher preparation programs at the K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 levels, however, this funding enables us to support a unique and potential National model for professional development in integrative STEM content and methods,” says Steve O’Brien.
Edison Ventures has a long history of supporting promoting the scientific and technological literacy of students in New Jersey – laying the groundwork for the state’s continuing prosperity. Founder and managing partner, John Martinson, and son, John Martinson Jr., support education initiatives that encourage collaboration between universities and K-12 STEM educators through The Martinson Family Foundation.
For more information on the Engineering byDesign™-New Jersey Initiative , please contact Chris Anderson 609-771-3479 or canderso@tcnj.edu