An in-depth exploration of education in the 21st century South.
Students in Alabama and throughout the South are back in school this month. However, long before the first day of school, hundreds of kids spent part of their summer in labs at UAB. The goal? Getting ahead of the curve in science class.
A recent study shows there’s good news for college graduates looking for jobs in STEM fields. Dr. Willie May, a graduate of Birmingham’s Parker High School, struck out on a path in science more than 45 years ago. Today, he’s one of nation’s chief scientists and heads the National Institute for Standards and Technology.
A recent report indicating how well states are doing in preparing K-12 students for the STEM fields rated Louisiana “far below average.” The state by state “Science Readiness Index” takes into consideration not only students’ math and science proficiency scores but also teacher qualifications.
Alabama’s State Board of Education is set to vote tomorrow on new K-12 science standards that would go into effect next school year. Most science teachers in the state say the new standards are better than the current decade-old ones. We wanted a national perspective too, so our Alabama reporter caught up with Dr. Minda Berbeco, Programs and Policy Director for the National Center for Science Education. He asks if she’s surprised there hasn’t been much controversy on standards dealing with evolution, climate change, and more.
The National Science Board reports science and engineering workers earn an average of almost 40-thousand dollars more than most U-S employees. And careers in science and technology have grown faster than other fields for decades. But even as demand booms – companies are having a hard time finding highly-qualified workers to fill these kinds of jobs.
LSU-Shreveport students are helping inner-city teens connect with science and math with a hands-on, after-school program known as ASPIRE – for After School Program for Innovation and Respect for Education.
Ever heard of “stealth learning?” That’s what its called when kids have so much fun with hands-on projects that they may not even realize it is learning. That’s exactly what a group of students in public housing in Knoxville, Tennessee, is experiencing this summer.
A program in Nashville offers a formula for getting more girls interested in science and math: mix a big dose of art with STEM. Sponsors say Art2STEM is making a difference for the girls who particpate.
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