STEM Summit seeks to educate teachers

The University of Cincinnati hosted the first Science, Technology, Engineering and Math summit Wednesday, Sept. 30 to showcase new methods of instruction for local educators.

UC invited approximately 200 people to the Great Hall of Tangeman University Center to take part in the meeting, which was broken into three sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 30. Educators, community figures and university officials were in attendance to present and listen to innovative strategies to raise the general educational level of students in Southwest Ohio.

“Business and community members and educators are here,” said Carla Johnson, director of the Furthering Urban STEM Innovation, Outreach and New Research Center at UC. “We're bringing the trio together.”

The STEM program is a progressive education plan in which teachers are targeted and introduced to ways of integrating technology into their curriculum, such as allowing students more access to computers while in school. All educators were able to attend the summit, as STEM is attempting to target teachers of all grades and levels.

Tasking the educators alone is not STEM's goal. Those who attended the summit say that the approach must be well-rounded and the students must take initiative as well.

“We need businesses on board,” said Brian Lien, a Princeton High School technology education teacher. “If you're not close to a university, utilize a two-year college.”

Set up with the intent of ultimately helping students for the challenges of progressing through the educational system, STEM has programs and teachers are across the U.S.

UC officials were also on hand to offer their input on the initiative.
 
“There are two challenges,” said Valerie Hardcastle, dean of McMicken College of Arts and Sciences. “We have to get people into the pipeline and stop the pipeline from leaking.”

Information was also presented about scholarships being awarded to students with the goal of keeping talented students in the STEM areas of study in state.

The Choose Ohio First program already awarded 167 recipients of the scholarships. These scholarships make up approximately $80 million with $20 million still set aside, said Lawrence Johnson, dean of the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services at UC.

The program was scheduled to take all day so that teachers who work during the day had a chance to visit and take part in the program, Johnson said.

Hughes STEM High School in Clifton began its first year of incorporating STEM curriculum Aug. 18 and works with UC.

Incoming UC freshmen with declared majors that are included in the STEM curriculum were up 21 percent from last year. These majors, such as engineering, are known to be demanding at UC and thus approximately 30 percent of students do not make it past the first year, Hardcastle said.

In an attempt to continue the aid into the higher education realm, UC has secured a $2 million research grant to help such students stay in the program and at the university. STEM coordinators are also looking into how to attract young professionals and reinvigorate the city.

“Cincinnati may not be a swinging town,” said Kathy Wright, a teacher with the Hughes STEM High School . “But it's fun.”