Monday, February 20, 2023
With a projected 10.8% increase in STEM-related jobs from 2021 to 2031, the United States needs to accelerate and augment its current approach to science, technology, engineering and math education — especially as we continue addressing learning loss from the pandemic.
Quantifying Learning Loss
The National Assessment of Educational Progress tests illustrated the pandemic’s impact on students, with the performance of 9-year-olds in math and reading dropping to levels from two decades ago.
“The declines spanned almost all races and income levels and were markedly worse for the lowest-performing students,” the New York Times reported. “While top performers in the 90th percentile showed a modest drop — three points in math — students in the bottom 10th percentile dropped by 12 points in math, four times the impact.”
Equipping Educators for STEM Teaching
The long-term solution starts with high-quality, inclusive STEM learning in elementary and high school, ultimately leading to college graduates who will fill the career pipeline with a well-prepared STEM workforce.
That’s why it’s critical to provide K-12 teachers with evidence-based professional development that is relevant and engaging — especially in the STEM disciplines. Quality evidence-based PD provides educators (and ultimately, their students) with the tools they need to optimize the learning experience.
Free guide: How to Find Evidence-Based PD
Finding Evidence-Based Professional Development
As you look at different professional development options, here are some questions you can ask to determine if the PD is high-quality and evidence-based:
What credentials and experience do the instructors have?
Are the instructors engaging and interactive?
Do they have deep subject knowledge?
Is the content relevant and timely?
Does the program use models and pedagogies that have been proven effective?
Is there feedback and support?
We’ve put together a free guide that digs deeper into this subject and includes the following sections:
Factors Driving the Need
Elements to Look For
Key Questions to Ask
Programs to Consider
Find the Support Your Educators Need Today
Teacher burnout is still apparent in today's landscape. Educators are constantly balancing the demands of instruction and addressing the social-emotional health of their students. In fact, “at least 300,000 public-school teachers and staff left the field between February 2020 and May 2022,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
But when teachers and staff are supported by dedicated administrators — and have access to high-quality, evidence-based professional development — it can re-energize them. Not just from newly learned content and pedagogies, but also from the relationships formed with fellow educators.
We encourage you to download our free Buyer’s Guide: How to Find Evidence-Based STEM Professional Development. We are proud to be your partner in advancing STEM learning and supporting educators.
Free guide: How to Find Evidence-Based PD