UC The US STEM Education Strategic Plan Questions
Read and analyze the US STEM education strategic plan(linked again here in the speaker notes)
–Is th- Is the strategy properly resourced?
– What evidence of nested strategies and plans can you find?
What – What gaps or areas for improvement can you identify?
Running head: SHORTENED VERSION OF TITLE
Full Title of Your Paper Here
Student Name
ITS832 – Information Systems in a Global Economy Section 52 and 53
Written Assignment #3
1
SHORTENED TITLE HERE IN ALL CAPS
2
Your Full Title of Your Paper
Introduce your paper here briefly. Every paper needs a thesis sentence. Make sure yours
has one. You’ll describe your topic in more detail below, so don’t put too much detail here.
Your thesis sentence should prepare the reader for what the paper will say. Something like “This
paper introduces the topic of multinational software engineering project management software,
describes current trends in the industry, and identifies future research opportunities
recommended by recent authors” is a good thesis sentence.
Resources to Support the STEM Education Strategy
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elementum, arcu augue dapibus arcu, quis rhoncus nunc nisi pulvinar tellus. In bibendum
pharetra ligula, et blandit purus scelerisque at. Donec malesuada eros ut lorem dignissim
molestie. Cras metus lorem, vestibulum a pharetra sit amet, consectetur sit amet nibh. Cras
Subordinate Strategies for STEM Education
Maecenas id luctus ligula. Cras condimentum eleifend nibh sit amet iaculis. Suspendisse
placerat sollicitudin mi, vel ornare augue hendrerit ac. Nulla sed suscipit sapien. Cras
pellentesque orci lectus, eu consequat enim.
Gaps and Areas for Improvement
Maecenas id luctus ligula. Cras condimentum eleifend nibh sit amet iaculis. Suspendisse
placerat sollicitudin mi, vel ornare augue hendrerit ac. Nulla sed suscipit sapien. Cras
pellentesque orci lectus, eu consequat enim.
Conclusion
Every paper should have a conclusion where you summarize what you’ve said. This is
where you can add a “so what” statement that reinforces the paper’s bottom line.
SHORTENED TITLE HERE IN ALL CAPS
3
References
Lastname, C. (2008). Title of the source without caps except Proper Nouns or: First word after
colon. The Journal or Publication Italicized and Capped, Vol#(Issue#), Page numbers.
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS:
AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM
EDUCATION
A Report by the
COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION
of the
NATIONAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
December 2018
About the National Science and Technology Council
The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means by which the Executive Branch
coordinates science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal research and
development enterprise. A primary objective of the NSTC is to ensure that science and technology policy decisions
and programs are consistent with the President’s stated goals. The NSTC prepares research and development
strategies that are coordinated across Federal agencies aimed at accomplishing multiple national goals. The work
of the NSTC is organized under committees that oversee subcommittees and working groups focused on different
aspects of science and technology. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc.
About the Office of Science and Technology Policy
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science and Technology Policy,
Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to provide the President and others within the Executive Office of the
President with advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of the economy, national security,
homeland security, health, foreign relations, the environment, and the technological recovery and use of resources,
among other topics. OSTP leads interagency science and technology policy coordination efforts, assists the Office
of Management and Budget with an annual review and analysis of Federal research and development in budgets,
and serves as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major
policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp.
About the Committee on STEM Education
The Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) was established pursuant to the requirements of Section 101 of the
America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. §6621). In accordance with the Act, the Committee
reviews science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs, investments, and
activities, and the respective assessments of each, in Federal agencies to ensure that they are effective; coordinates,
with the Office of Management and Budget, STEM education programs, investments, and activities throughout the
Federal agencies; and develops and implements through the participating agencies a STEM education strategic plan,
to be updated every five years. The Subcommittee on Federal Coordination in STEM Education (FC-STEM) advises
and assists the CoSTEM and serves as a forum to facilitate the formulation and implementation of the strategic plan.
About this Document
This document presents the Federal Government’s five-year strategic plan for STEM education, based on a vision for
a future where all Americans will have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education and the United States will be
the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment. The plan accordingly strengthens the Federal
commitment to equity and diversity, to evidence-based practice, and to engagement with the national STEM
community through a nationwide collaboration with learners, families, educators, communities, and employers.
Beyond guiding Federal activities and investments, it is intended to serve as a “North Star” for the broader
community to help achieve the goals, pathways, and objectives within this plan.
Copyright Information
This document is a work of the United States Government and is in the public domain (see 17 U.S.C. §105). Subject
to the stipulations below, it may be distributed and copied with acknowledgment to OSTP. Copyrights to graphics
included in this document are reserved by the original copyright holders or their assignees and are used here under
the Government’s license and by permission. Requests to use any images must be made to the provider identified
in the image credits or to OSTP if no provider is identified. Printed in the United States of America, 2018.
Front Cover
NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope image of a galaxy named NGC 7250. The bright object seen
in this Hubble image is a single and little-studied star named TYC 3203-450-1, located in the constellation of Lacerta
(The Lizard). See https://images.nasa.gov/details-GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000084.html.
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
NATIONAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
Chair (Acting)
Executive Director
Ted Wackler, Deputy Chief of Staff and
Assistant Director, OSTP
Chloé Kontos, NSTC
COMMITTEE ON STEM EDUCATION
Co-Chairs
OSTP Liaison
Jim Bridenstine, Administrator, NASA
Jeff Weld, Assistant Director for STEM
Education
France Córdova, Director, NSF
Michael Kratsios, Deputy Assistant to the
President, OSTP
Members
James Blew, ED
Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA
Mary Cassell, OMB
Rosemary Lahasky, DOL
Francis Collins, HHS/NIH
Mary Miller, DoD
Paul Dabbar, DOE
David Skorton, SI
Timothy Gallaudet, DOC/NOAA
SUBCOMMITTEE ON FEDERAL COORDINATION IN STEM EDUCATION
Co-Chairs
Executive Secretary
Mike Kincaid, Associate Administrator for
STEM Engagement, NASA
Susan Poland, NSF
Senior Advisor
Karen Marrongelle, Assistant Director for
Education and Human Resources, NSF
Nafeesa Owens, NSF
Jeff Weld, Assistant Director for STEM
Education, OSTP
Members
Jason Ackleson, DHS
Carol O’Donnell, SI
James Blew, ED
Jagadeesh Pamulapati, DoD
Julie Carruthers, DOE
Yi Pei, OMB
Catherine Derbes, OMB
Muquarrab Qureshi, USDA
Fred Hauchman, EPA
Craig Robinson, DOI/USGS
Grace Hu, OMB
Loren Smith, DOT
Louisa Koch, DOC/NOAA
David Weisshaar, OMB
Kay Lund, HHS/NIH
Bronte Wigen, DOL
Daniel Moore, DOS
–i–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
STRATEGIC PLAN WRITING TEAM
Bernadette Adams, ED
Heidi McAllister, USDA
Keshia Ashe, NSF
Diann McCants, DoD
John Baek, DOC/NOAA
Sarah-Kay McDonald, NSF
Andrea Cantu, DoD
Christos Michalopoulos, DOC/NOAA
Christina Chhin, ED
Jayne Michaud, EPA
Julie Carruthers, DOE
Jean Morrow, ED
Robert Ehrlich, USDA
Jorge Narvaez Leon, OSTP
LaShauna Evans, DOS
Carol O’Donnell, SI
Richard Gilmore, NASA
Nafeesa Owens, NSF
Beverly Girten, NASA
Albert Palacios, ED
James Glownia, DOE
Susan Poland, NSF
Carol van Hartesveldt, NSF
Davina Pruitt-Mentle, DOC/NIST
Johnathan Holifield, DPC
Syed Shah, DoD
Nirmala Kannankutty, NSF
Eleanour Snow, DOI
Marlene Kaplan, DOC/NOAA
Jake Steel, ED
Danielle Kittrell, DOL
Jennifer Sutton, HHS/NIH
Louisa Koch, DOC/NOAA
Jeff Weld, OSTP
Robert LaSalvia, NASA
Jon Werner-Allen, OSTP
Cheryl Martin, DOL
Lloyd Whitman, OSTP
Julie Martin, NSF
Lee Zia, NSF
– ii –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Table of Contents
Abbreviations and Acronyms ………………………………………………………………………………….. iv
Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. v
A Vision for STEM Education in America ……………………………………………………………………. 1
The State of STEM Education ……………………………………………………………………………….. 2
A Federal Strategy for the Next Five Years ………………………………………………………………. 3
Goals for American STEM Education…………………………………………………………………………. 5
Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy ……………………………………………………………. 5
Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM ……………………………………………………… 5
Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future …………………………………………………………….. 6
Administration Actions Laying a Foundation for this Plan …………………………………………… 7
Pathways to Success ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships ……………………………………………………………… 9
Foster STEM Ecosystems that Unite Communities ………………………………………………………………………. 10
Increase Work-Based Learning and Training through Educator-Employer Partnerships ………………. 11
Blend Successful Practices from Across the Learning Landscape ………………………………………………… 13
Engage Students where Disciplines Converge …………………………………………………………. 15
Advance Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education ……………………………………………………………….. 16
Make Mathematics a Magnet ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17
Encourage Transdisciplinary Learning………………………………………………………………………………………. 20
Build Computational Literacy …………………………………………………………………………….. 21
Promote Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety ………………………………………………………………………………… 22
Make Computational Thinking an Integral Element of All Education …………………………………………… 23
Expand Digital Platforms for Teaching and Learning …………………………………………………………………. 26
Operate with Transparency and Accountability ………………………………………………………. 27
Leverage and Scale Evidence-Based Practices Across STEM Communities…………………………………… 28
Report Participation Rates of Underrepresented Groups ……………………………………………………………. 30
Use Common Metrics to Measure Progress ………………………………………………………………………………… 31
Make Program Performance and Outcomes Publicly Available …………………………………………………… 32
Develop a Federal Implementation Plan and Track Progress ……………………………………………………… 33
A Strategy for National Collaboration ……………………………………………………………………… 34
Initial Stakeholder Outreach ………………………………………………………………………………. 34
Using This Plan ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
Helping Achieve the Goals………………………………………………………………………………….. 35
– iii –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Abbreviations and Acronyms
CoSTEM Committee on STEM Education
NIH
National Institutes of Health
CS
computer science
NIST
CT
computational thinking
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
CTE
career and technical education
NOAA
DOC
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
DoD
Department of Defense
NSF
National Science Foundation
DOE
Department of Energy
NSTC
National Science and Technology
Council
DHS
Department of Homeland Security
OMB
Office of Management and Budget
DOI
Department of the Interior
OSTP
DOL
Department of Labor
Office of Science and Technology
Policy
DOS
Department of State
DOT
Department of Transportation
DPC
Domestic Policy Council
ED
Department of Education
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
PreK-12 pre-kindergarten through high
school
FC-STEM Federal Coordination in STEM
Education
HBCUs
historically black colleges and
universities
HHS
Department of Health and Human
Services
HSIs
Hispanic-serving institutions
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
– iv –
R&D
research and development
S&E
science and engineering
SI
Smithsonian Institution
STEM
science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics
U.S.
United States
USDA
Department of Agriculture
USGS
United States Geological Survey
WBL
work-based learning
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Executive Summary
Since the founding of the Nation, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been
a source of inspirational discoveries and transformative technological advances, helping the United
States develop the world’s most competitive economy and preserving peace through strength. The
pace of innovation is accelerating globally, and with it the competition for scientific and technical
talent. Now more than ever the innovation capacity of the United States—and its prosperity and
security—depends on an effective and inclusive STEM education ecosystem. Individual success in the
21st century economy is also increasingly dependent on STEM literacy; simply to function as an informed
consumer and citizen in a world of increasingly sophisticated technology requires the ability to use
digital devices and STEM skills such as evidence-based reasoning.
The character of STEM education itself has been evolving from a set of overlapping disciplines into a
more integrated and interdisciplinary approach to learning and skill development. This new approach
includes the teaching of academic concepts through real-world applications and combines formal and
informal learning in schools, the community, and the workplace. It seeks to impart skills such as critical
thinking and problem solving along with soft skills such as cooperation and adaptability. Basic STEM
concepts are best learned at an early age—in elementary and secondary school—because they are the
essential prerequisites to career technical training, to advanced college-level and graduate study, and
to increasing one’s technical skills in the workplace. Increasing the overall digital literacy of Americans
and enhancing the STEM workforce will necessarily involve the entire U.S. STEM enterprise.
The Federal Government has a key role to play in furthering STEM education by working in partnership
with stakeholders at all levels and seeking to remove barriers to participation in STEM careers,
especially for women and other underrepresented groups. Accordingly, this report sets out a Federal
strategy for the next five years based on a Vision for a future where all Americans will have lifelong
access to high-quality STEM education and the United States will be the global leader in STEM
literacy, innovation, and employment. It represents an urgent call to action for a nationwide
collaboration with learners, families, educators, communities, and employers—a “North Star” for the
STEM community as it collectively charts a course for the Nation’s success.
This vision will be achieved by pursuing three aspirational goals:
Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy by ensuring that every American has the
opportunity to master basic STEM concepts, including computational thinking, and to become
digitally literate. A STEM-literate public will be better equipped to handle rapid technological
change and will be better prepared to participate in civil society.
Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM and provide all Americans with lifelong access
to high-quality STEM education, especially those historically underserved and underrepresented
in STEM fields and employment. The full benefits of the Nation’s STEM enterprise will not be
realized until this goal is achieved.
Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future—both college-educated STEM practitioners and
those working in skilled trades that do not require a four-year degree—by creating authentic
learning experiences that encourage and prepare learners to pursue STEM careers. A diverse talent
pool of STEM-literate Americans prepared for the jobs of the future will be essential for maintaining
the national innovation base that supports key sectors of the economy and for making the
scientific discoveries and creating the technologies of the future.
–v–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
The Federal strategy is built on four pathways representing a cross-cutting set of approaches, each with
a specific set of objectives and priority Federal actions for achieving these goals.
Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships. This pathway focuses on strengthening existing
relationships and developing new connections between educational institutions, employers, and their
communities. That means bringing together schools, colleges and universities, libraries, museums, and
other community resources to build STEM ecosystems that broaden and enrich each learner’s
educational and career journey. It also means engaging learners in work-based learning experiences
with local employers, internships, apprenticeships, and research experiences. Having strategic
partnerships also means exploring opportunities within the education community to blend formal and
informal learning, and to blend curricula to enable students to complete both core academic and
applied technical curricula in preparation for higher education. Together the objectives under this
pathway can help retain learners interested in STEM fields and develop high-quality talent for both
public and private sector employers.
Engage Students where Disciplines Converge. This pathway seeks to make STEM learning more
meaningful and inspiring to students by focusing on complex real-world problems and challenges that
require initiative and creativity. It promotes innovation and entrepreneurship by engaging learners in
transdisciplinary activities such as project-based learning, science fairs, robotics clubs, invention
challenges, or gaming workshops that require participants to identify and solve problems using
knowledge and methods from across disciplines. It seeks to help students challenged in mathematics—
frequently a barrier to STEM careers—by using innovative, tailored instructional methods. Another
objective is teaching learners to tackle problems using multiple disciplines; for example, learning data
science by combining basic mathematics, statistics, and computer science to study a societal problem.
Such activities help to create a STEM-literate population and prepare Americans for the rapidly evolving
workplace.
Build Computational Literacy. This pathway recognizes how thoroughly digital devices and the
internet have transformed society and adopts strategies that empower learners to take maximum
advantage of this change. It recognizes that digital literacy empowers people with the tools to find
information, answer questions, and share ideas, and that they need to understand how to use these
tools responsibly and safely. This pathway seeks to advance computational thinking as a critical skill
for today’s world. Computational thinking, including computer science, is not just about using
computing devices effectively; more broadly, it means solving complex problems with data, a skill that
can be learned at an early age. It seeks to expand the use of digital platforms for teaching and learning,
because they enable anywhere/anytime learning; make possible individualized instruction customized
to the way each person learns most effectively; and can offer more active and engaging learning
through simulation-based activities or virtual reality experiences. These tools have the potential to
decrease achievement gaps in formal educational settings and to offer rapid reskilling or upskilling
opportunities in the workplace.
Operate with Transparency and Accountability. This pathway commits the Federal Government to
open, evidence-based practices and decision-making in STEM programs, investments, and activities.
Complementary practices by other STEM stakeholders will facilitate the entire ecosystem to collectively
monitor progress towards achieving the shared national goals of this strategic plan.
These four pathways have the potential to catalyze and empower educators, employers, and
communities to the benefit of learners at all levels and to society as a whole and to ensure the
realization of a shared vision for American leadership in STEM literacy, innovation, and employment.
– vi –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
GOALS FOR AMERICAN STEM EDUCATION
* Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy *
ED
EPA
HHS
NASA
NSF
SI
USDA
DOS
DOL
DOI
DHS
Build
Computational
Literacy
DOE
Engage
Students
where
Disciplines
Converge
DoD
Develop and
Enrich
Strategic
Partnerships
DOC
Pathways
DOT
* Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM *
* Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future *
Foster STEM Ecosystems
that Unite Communities
Increase Work-Based
Learning and Training
through EducatorEmployer Partnerships
Blend Successful Practices
from Across the Learning
Landscape
Advance Innovation and
Entrepreneurship
Education
Make Mathematics a
Magnet
Encourage
Transdisciplinary Learning
Promote Digital Literacy
and Cyber Safety
Make Computational
Thinking An Integral
Element of All Education
Expand Digital Platforms
for Teaching and Learning
Objectives
The table above lists the educational pathways and objectives under this strategic plan and the Federal
departments and independent agencies that have STEM education programs, investments, and
activities. The dots indicate the objectives each agency currently plans to contribute to through
mission-specific actions, subject to budgetary constraints and other approvals.
The Federal agencies collectively plan to Operate with Transparency and Accountability with the
following five objectives:
• Leverage and Scale Evidence-Based Practices Across STEM Communities
• Report Participation Rates of Underrepresented Groups
• Use Common Metrics to Measure Progress
• Make Program Performance and Outcomes Publicly Available
• Develop a Federal Implementation Plan and Track Progress
– vii –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
– viii –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
All Americans will have lifelong access to high-quality STEM education
and the United States will be the global leader in STEM literacy,
innovation, and employment.
A Vision for STEM Education in America
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have been the foundation for discovery and
technological innovation throughout American history. Americans with a strong foundation in STEM
have electrified the Nation, harnessed the power of the atom, put men on the Moon and rovers on Mars,
developed the internet, designed computers that fit in your pocket, created imaging machines that
reveal the inner workings of the body, and decoded the human genome. These stunning achievements
have transformed the human experience, inspired generations, and fostered the strong public support
for STEM education and research.
The pace of global innovation is accelerating along with the competition for scientific and technical
talent. Today, the economic prosperity and national security of the United States rests increasingly on
its capacity for continued scientific and technological innovation. America’s national innovation base
depends more than ever on a strong, cross-sector collaboration around common STEM education
interests and goals—a STEM ecosystem—that can provide all Americans with access to high-quality
STEM education throughout their lifetimes. Establishing a path to basic STEM literacy for everyone is
vital to preparing a diverse workforce needed for the United States to lead and prosper in an
increasingly competitive world driven by advanced technology.
Over the past 25 years, STEM education has been evolving from a convenient clustering of four
overlapping disciplines toward a more cohesive knowledge base and skill set critical for the economy
of the 21st century. The best STEM education provides an interdisciplinary approach to learning, where
rigorous academic concepts are coupled with real-world applications and students use STEM in
contexts that make connections between school, community, work, and the wider world. Leaders in
STEM education continue to broaden and deepen its scope and further transcend the fields of study
beyond just a combination of the four disciplines to include the arts and humanities. Modern STEM
education imparts not only skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, higher order thinking,
design, and inference, but also behavioral competencies such as perseverance, adaptability,
cooperation, organization, and responsibility.
The American STEM enterprise is composed of a constellation of public and private sector organizations
providing education and training in myriad ways and conducting research and development (R&D)
across all sectors of the economy. STEM education and training occurs from pre-kindergarten to high
school (preK-12); both in school and after school; from undergraduate to postdoctoral studies; and
through technical education, internships, apprenticeships, community colleges, and retraining
programs. Although preK-12 education in the United States is primarily a State, local, and Tribal
responsibility, the Federal Government plays an important role in fostering educational excellence,
including supporting and disseminating the latest discoveries on what works in teaching and learning
and facilitating equal access. Federal agencies support education and workforce development
programs and sustain the national R&D enterprise through ongoing support of post-secondary
education and R&D, including R&D that captures the imagination of the public and inspires the next
generation of STEM learners.
–1–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
The State of STEM Education
The United States has a higher education system that is the envy of the world, providing undergraduate
and graduate degrees in STEM and conducting research that is an engine for American prosperity and
security. That engine depends upon a diverse pool of well-prepared students. Even for those not
headed for higher education, STEM skills are increasingly important for all career paths and for all
people to succeed throughout their lives. STEM skills such as computational thinking, problem-finding
and solving, and innovation are crucial for people working to manufacture smarter products, improve
healthcare, and safeguard the Nation, and these skills are valuable assets across many other fields and
job categories. The success of the Nation demands a STEM-literate modern workforce and Americans
adept at navigating an increasingly high-tech, digital, and connected world.
Recognizing that a quality STEM education should be accessible to Americans of all ages, backgrounds,
communities, and career paths, organizations from across the entire STEM ecosystem have been
working to improve STEM education and training, with many examples of success. STEM-focused
schools and informal learning programs have been established across the country. Federal investments
are supporting a wide spectrum of STEM education activities spanning all age groups and learning
environments. Businesses, nonprofits, and professional societies have built programs to support STEM
learners, both locally and nationally. These successes form a foundation upon which to build muchneeded improvements in STEM education and keep the United States globally competitive.
According to the National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators 2018, 1 Americans’ basic
STEM skills have modestly improved over the past two decades but continue to lag behind many other
countries. According to the Indicators, from 2006–2015, American 15-year-olds still tended to score
below the international average in mathematics skills, and at or slightly above the international average
in science skills. Recent data from a test commonly taken by college-bound high school students found
that only 20% are ready for courses typically required for a STEM major. 2 Other countries are doing a
better job preparing their students: the Indicators show that in the past 15 years, India and China have
outpaced the United States in the number of science and engineering (S&E) bachelor’s degrees
conferred. Together, these two countries have produced almost half of the total degrees, with India at
25% and China at 22% of the global total. By comparison, American S&E bachelor’s degrees comprised
only 10% of the global total, while the demand from U.S. employers for graduates with STEM degrees
continues to grow.3
STEM employment in the United States continues to grow at a faster pace than employment in other
occupations, and STEM workers command higher wages than their non-STEM counterparts. STEM
degree holders enjoy higher earnings, regardless of whether they work in STEM or non-STEM
occupations. 4 Despite the value and importance of STEM skills, not all Americans have equal access to
STEM education or are equally represented in STEM fields. Women, persons with disabilities, and three
racial and ethnic groups—Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and American Indians or
1
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report
2
http://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/cccr2018/National-CCCR-2018.pdf
3
https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupationspast-present-and-future/home.htm
4
https://www.commerce.gov/news/reports/2017/03/stem-jobs-2017-update
–2–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Alaska Natives—are significantly underrepresented in S&E education and employment. 5 As also
reported in the Indicators, although women make up half the population, they comprise less than 30%
of the STEM workforce. Similarly, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups make up 27% of the
population but comprise only 11% of the STEM workforce. People with disabilities and veterans also
face barriers to participating in STEM education and occupations. Americans from all backgrounds may
experience geographic disparities that affect access; for example, of the 24 million Americans who lack
access to basic broadband services, 83% live in rural or Tribal communities. 6 Although improved access
to STEM education on its own will not create equal representation within STEM fields, equitable access
is an essential priority for the Nation.
More than a decade of studies by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
document the need to prepare learners for the jobs of the future and identify a host of challenges and
opportunities within the U.S. STEM education ecosystem. 7 In the past year alone, Federal strategic
plans and reports have called out the importance of STEM education to achieving national goals in
areas including national security, 8 artificial intelligence, 9 cybersecurity, 10 quantum information
science, 11 and advanced manufacturing. 12 There can be no doubt that STEM education continues to be
a significant priority for the United States.
A Federal Strategy for the Next Five Years
This document presents the Federal Government’s five-year strategic plan for STEM education and is
responsive to the requirements of Section 101 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010.
This plan strengthens the Federal commitment to equity and diversity, to evidence-based practices,
and to engagement with the national STEM community through a nationwide collaboration with
learners, families, educators, community leaders, and employers. Beyond guiding the Federal agency
actions over the next five years, 13 it is intended to serve as a “North Star” for the STEM community as it
charts a course for collective success. The Federal Government encourages STEM education
stakeholders from across the Nation to support the goals of this plan through their own actions, as
summarized in the final section of this document (A Strategy for National Collaboration).
This strategic plan is a product of extensive input from stakeholders representing the broad STEM
education ecosystem—Federal, State, Territorial, Tribal, and local; public and private; formal and
5
https://nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/digest/introduction/
6
https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-reports/2018-broadband-deploymentreport
7
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/pga/pga_041693
8
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf
9
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Summary-Report-of-White-House-AI-Summit.pdf
10
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/National-Cyber-Strategy.pdf
11
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/National-Strategic-Overview-for-QuantumInformation-Science.pdf
12
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Advanced-Manufacturing-Strategic-Plan2018.pdf
13
Within this document Federal departments, independent agencies, and commissions are referred to
collectively as “agencies.”
–3–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
informal—including the STEM Education Advisory Panel. 14 The strategy realigns the focus of Federal
agency STEM education programs, investments, and activities with the priorities and needs of both the
Administration and the national STEM community. Accordingly, the plan reflects multiple new and
renewed areas of emphasis, such as education-employer partnerships leading to work-based learning
and the development of America’s skilled technical workforce. It emphasizes the importance of building
connections across disciplines of study, across formal and informal education, and across
communities. It highlights the need for innovation and entrepreneurship education, the value of
universal competencies in computational thinking, the power of digital educational tools, and the need
for digital literacy. Finally, this plan emphasizes the commitment of Federal agencies to transparency
and accountability in their implementation of this strategy and in reporting progress and outcomes.
This strategic plan is based on a Vision for a future where all Americans have lifelong access to highquality STEM education and the United States is the global leader in STEM literacy, innovation,
and employment. This vision will be achieved by pursuing the following three goals representing
aspirational intentions to be strived for as a Nation:
Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy
Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM
Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future
In formulating how these goals could be fulfilled, it became clear that many of the same approaches
and objectives were needed to address multiple goals. For example, all three goals would benefit from
increasing the involvement of communities in STEM education. Making computational thinking an
integral element of all educational activities will have a similarly broad impact if done inclusively.
Therefore, the strategy is built on the following four pathways representing a cross-cutting set of
approaches:
• Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships
• Engage Students where Disciplines Converge
• Build Computational Literacy
• Operate with Transparency and Accountability
Each pathway includes a set of objectives that represent the priorities that the Administration has
identified for the success of this plan. Each objective includes a discussion of why it is of central
importance, a summary of how the Federal Government plans to reach the objective, and an initial set
of key actions that will move each objective forward. A table identifying which Federal agencies will
contribute to each of the educational objectives is included in the Executive Summary. Agencies will
identify additional specific and measurable actions through an implementation plan to be developed
following the release of this strategy. 15
Finally, throughout the document are vignettes illustrating recent Federal programs, investments, or
activities that align with the objectives. Through these examples, Federal agencies may learn about
opportunities they might join or replicate with other partners, and others in the STEM education
community may find inspiration for local or regional programming.
14
See the final section of this document and https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=295999.
15
All Federal activities listed in this strategic plan are subject to budgetary constraints and other approvals,
including the weighing of priorities and available resources by the Administration in formulating its annual
budget and by Congress in legislating appropriations.
–4–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Goals for American STEM Education
The Plan’s three goals provide overarching guidance for Federal agencies in prioritizing their
investments and interagency coordination and collaboration activities, and can serve as a framework
for the national stakeholder community to contribute to this strategy’s success.
Build Strong Foundations for STEM Literacy
The Nation is stronger when all Americans benefit from an education that provides a strong STEM
foundation for fully engaging in and contributing to their communities, and for succeeding in STEMrelated careers, if they choose. STEM literacy depends on access to high-quality, lifelong STEM learning
for all Americans. Even for those who may never be employed in a STEM-related job, a basic
understanding and comfort with STEM and STEM-enabled technology has become a prerequisite for
full participation in modern society. STEM education teaches thinking and problem-solving skills that
are transferrable to many other endeavors. STEM literacy gives individuals a better capacity to make
informed choices on personal health and nutrition, entertainment, transportation, cybersecurity,
financial management, and parenting. A STEM-literate public will be better equipped to conduct
thoughtful analysis and to sort through problems, propose innovative solutions, and handle rapid
technological change, and will be better prepared to participate in civil society as jurors, voters, and
consumers.
Increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM
The national benefits of a strong STEM foundation cannot be fully realized until all members of society
have equitable access to STEM education and there is much broader participation by those historically
underserved and underrepresented in STEM fields and employment. A wide body of research has
established that organizations that are diverse in terms of gender, race, socioeconomic status,
ethnicity, ability, geography, religion, etc., and provide an inclusive environment that values diversity
better retain talent, are more engaged and productive, are more innovative, and generally are higherperforming organizations. 16
Presently, high-quality STEM opportunities are not available to all learners. Implicit bias is one factor
that inhibits the realization of this goal. Disparity in the distribution of human, material, and financial
resources across rural, urban, and suburban America also inhibits this goal. An effect is that Blacks or
African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and American Indians or Alaska Natives are underrepresented
in STEM fields as compared with their overall participation in the workforce. 17 Women in occupations
such as computing and engineering are dramatically underrepresented given their participation in the
U.S. workforce as a whole. 18 One analysis found that many additional inventions and patents, business
start-ups, educational innovations, and other stunning achievements could be realized if the underserved had more equitable exposure to innovation. 19 Even in cases where they are not underrepresented in a community, women and minorities face barriers to success in STEM. For example, one
16
For example, see https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/why-diversity-and-inclusion-matter.
17
https://nsf.gov/statistics/2017/nsf17310/digest/introduction/
18
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/higher-education-in-science-andengineering/undergraduate-education-enrollment-and-degrees-in-the-united-states
19
http://www.nber.org/papers/w24062
–5–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
business analysis found that although women lead 45% of all U.S. businesses, just 17 of the 225 new
biotech companies launched in the last 4 years were led by women CEOs, and only four were women of
color. 20
Regardless of geography, race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, veteran status, parental
education attainment, disability status, learning challenges, and other social identities, all Americans
deserve the chance to master STEM skills and methods, both for their own success and for America’s
competitiveness. This plan sets clear expectations that STEM education practices and policies at all
levels should embed the values of inclusion and equity while prohibiting discrimination.
Prepare the STEM Workforce for the Future
A diverse talent pool of Americans with strong STEM knowledge and skills prepared for the jobs of the
future is essential to maintaining the national innovation base that supports key sectors of the
economy, including agriculture, energy, healthcare, information and communications technologies,
manufacturing, transportation, and defense, along with emerging areas like artificial intelligence and
quantum information science. Since 2000, the number of degrees awarded in STEM fields has
increased, 21 but labor shortages persist in certain fields requiring STEM degrees, such as computer
science, data science, electrical engineering, and software development. 22 Labor shortages also exist in
skilled trade fields, and many of these open positions do not require a bachelor’s degree for entry into
the labor market but still benefit from STEM training. 23 More opportunities for learners to acquire STEM
skills and approaches would expand their career options, including careers in the Federal Government,
where one in seven of the 2.1 million Federal employees occupies a STEM position. 24
Only when Americans have strong STEM foundations, and when diversity and inclusion in STEM are
achieved, will the goal of a robust STEM workforce for the future be attainable. Tomorrow’s workers are
today’s learners, and the learning experiences provided to them will directly impact how many decide
to pursue STEM careers as well as how ready they will be to do so. Many pursuing STEM careers will
benefit from Federal and other investments in STEM R&D and training that support undergraduate and
graduate students, technicians, early career researchers, and others who ultimately comprise a large
share of the Nation’s STEM workforce.
20
https://magazine.awis.org/publication/?i=491204#{%22issue_id%22:491204,%22page%22:0}
21
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/higher-education-in-science-andengineering/undergraduate-education-enrollment-and-degrees-in-the-united-states
22
https://www.commerce.gov/news/reports/2017/03/stem-jobs-2017-update
23
https://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2017/science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-occupationspast-present-and-future/home.htm
24
https://www.fedscope.opm.gov/employment.asp
–6–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Administration Actions Laying a Foundation for this Plan
The Trump Administration has already taken multiple actions that will serve as a foundation for this
plan. Notably, it has:
• Re-chartered the Committee on STEM Education under the National Science and Technology
Council (NSTC) to provide leadership for the Nation in achieving the plan’s goals; 25
• Directed agencies to prioritize STEM workforce education and training in their fiscal year 2020
budget requests; 26
• Established the President’s National Council for the American Worker, which will raise awareness
of the STEM skills gap, help expand apprenticeships, and encourage investment in worker
education; 27
• Championed and signed into law the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st
Century Act (reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act) to increase
student access across secondary and postsecondary levels to high-quality technical education
and credentialing; 28
• Issued an Executive Order to expand apprenticeships and improve job-training programs; 29
• Directed the Department of Education (ED) to expand access to high-quality STEM and computer
science education to K-12 students; 30
• Issued an Executive Order to protect and preserve State and local control over the curriculum
and administration at educational institutions; 31 and
• Established a White House Initiative to promote excellence and innovation at historically black
colleges and universities (HBCUs). 32
These actions reflect the Administration’s recognition of the importance of STEM education and
training as a driver of American job creation and economic prosperity. This plan builds on these actions
with a comprehensive strategy for the next five years.
25
https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc/
26
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/M-18-22.pdf
27
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-establishing-presidents-national-councilamerican-worker/
28
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-committed-preparingamericas-workers-jobs-today-tomorrow/
29
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/3245/
30
https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/president-trump-signs-memorandum-stem-education-funding/
31
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-enforcing-statutoryprohibitions-federal-control-education/
32
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-white-house-initiativepromote-excellence-innovation-historically-black-colleges-universities/
–7–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
–8–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Pathways to Success
This Federal strategy for STEM education is built on the following four pathways representing a crosscutting set of approaches to achieving the three goals (each supported by a set of priority objectives):
• Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships to cultivate new or strengthen existing connections
between educational entities and the broader communities they serve.
• Engage Students where Disciplines Converge using STEM as an interwoven and complex
pursuit that blends disciplines and makes STEM learning meaningful and inspiring.
• Build Computational Literacy through STEM education heavily imbued with computational
skills and accessed through digital means.
• Operate with Transparency and Accountability within Federal agencies implementing this
plan, using evidence-based practices and assessments that can be emulated by other STEM
stakeholders.
Develop and Enrich Strategic Partnerships
America will benefit from strategic partnerships that align what is taught and learned with what is
needed at work and in the community. Cross-sector strategic partnerships are needed that better
connect educational entities, employers, and the broader communities they serve in order to foster
communication and better align workforce needs with educational preparation.
Federal agencies should encourage the collaboration of stakeholders in STEM ecosystems that unite a
broad range of non-Federal partners: preK-12 schools, families, informal educators, community
colleges and universities—including HBCUs and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs)—employers,
nonprofit organizations, social services, faith-based entities, economic and workforce development
organizations, and museums, libraries, credentialing services, and other lifelong learning organizations. Community-connected STEM ecosystems that engage individuals and organizations can more
effectively leverage resources and expertise from strategic partners to provide seamless wrap-around
support to prepare the workforce of the future. It is also important to increase work-based learning and
training through educator-employer partnerships. The work world has grown increasingly reliant on
schools, colleges, and other credentialing sources for job-ready graduates possessing technological,
collaborative, and problem finding and solving skills. By working together to adjust to rapidly changing
career readiness standards and expectations and shape curriculum and instruction, educatoremployer partnerships have the potential to achieve more than can be accomplished by these players
working independently. Finally, different elements of the STEM education ecosystem often develop
approaches that may seem specific to the learning environment (e.g., informal versus formal), but in
fact may prove effective in others. Partnerships can be an effective means for blending best practices
so that STEM education is consistently high quality across education experiences.
There are three objectives under this pathway:
• Foster STEM Ecosystems that Unite Communities
• Increase Work-Based Learning and Training through Educator-Employer Partnerships
• Blend Successful Practices from Across the Learning Landscape
–9–
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Foster STEM Ecosystems that Unite Communities
STEM ecosystems engage educators and individuals within and outside a formal educational setting,
and include, among others, families; school districts; State, local, and Tribal governments; the Federal
Government and Federal facilities; libraries; museums and science centers; community colleges,
technical schools, and universities; community groups and clubs; foundations and nonprofits; faithbased organizations; and businesses. STEM ecosystems focus on long-term, shared, sustainable, and
flexible STEM missions that bridge, integrate, and strengthen the learning opportunities offered by
organizations across sectors compared with isolated, independent entities. Ecosystem partners are not
bound by geographic boundaries and can broadly involve individuals and organizations in both
physical and virtual engagement to create STEM communities that expand from local to global.
Every stakeholder addressed in this document would be a natural contributor to a STEM ecosystem.
Elected officials, school and college administrators, nonprofit directors, faith leaders, and business
executives are often ideally situated to organize and foster ecosystems where none yet exist. In and outof-school educators communicating with employers and families through ecosystems can build wraparound support systems beneficial to learners.
The broad and inclusive engagement that develops through partnerships within a healthy STEM
ecosystem builds stronger, more informed communities, producing a more diverse workforce with the
skills needed by local employers. Such communities provide a more supportive network for learners to
pursue varied pathways in STEM education and training throughout their lives, making technical
careers more accessible to a broader and more varied group of people. STEM ecosystems foster
partnerships between educators and employers for co-developing curricula that incorporate real-world
challenges and thereby pique more learners’ interests in STEM careers and better prepare them for
success in the future workforce. Effective STEM ecosystems incorporate STEM learning seamlessly,
delivering it to a wide, varied group of learners where they are.
STEM ecosystems also foster inclusive environments by bringing together professionals who interact
with learners at critical transition points in their preparatory pathways, including educators across
preK-12, informal education (such as 4-H youth development programs), community college and
university faculty (including at HBCUs and HSIs), employers, and community advocates. Effective STEM
ecosystems can dramatically expand the network of diverse adult educators and professionals
available to mentor and interact with learners, helping learners see themselves as future STEM
practitioners and experience with the mentor how diverse groups tackle challenges.
The Federal Government advances the development of STEM education ecosystems through its
programs, investments, and activities that leverage partnership commitments across business and
other organizations with educational institutions. As more STEM ecosystems are cultivated, research
regarding effective practices will inform the Federal Government’s promotion of evidence-based
strategies. Federal grant-making agencies can accelerate the expansion of community STEM
ecosystems by incorporating the creation of, or connection to, an ecosystem as part of funded projects
and support efforts aimed at building capacity and equipping educators and researchers with the
knowledge and skills necessary to lead STEM ecosystems.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Establish additional connections between Federal STEM professionals and Federal facilities and
local and regional STEM ecosystems to provide additional opportunities for mentorship,
educator professional development, curriculum material development, and other community
engagement activities.
– 10 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
• Establish a single, searchable, user-friendly online resource for finding STEM education-related
Federal activities and funding opportunities (using a new or enhanced platform).
• Increase the number of Federal funding opportunities that include STEM ecosystem engagement
or development as an award selection criterion.
• Support intramural and extramural research on factors that influence the success of STEM
ecosystems and disseminate successful practices.
Increase Work-Based Learning and Training through Educator-Employer Partnerships
Strategic partnerships that promote work-based learning (WBL) experiences offer powerful, relevant
ways to ensure that STEM learning is authentic and engaging, and that learners are prepared to succeed
in the modern workforce. Learners who have access to WBL opportunities—ranging from elementary
school workplace visits, to secondary pre-apprenticeships, to skilled trade apprenticeships, to research
experiences and internships for undergraduates and graduate students—are better prepared to
transition into the skilled workforce. Although WBL policies and practices vary widely across the
country, communities can consider adopting components and promising practices that include a
consensus definition of WBL, a strategic plan, a coordination entity, outreach strategies, and clear
communication.
Employers can also benefit by partnering with educators to provide authentic, real-world job
challenges to a broad community of learners. As collaborative partners, educators and students from
different backgrounds and with different experiences bring fresh perspectives and collective
knowledge to the task at hand, helping employers to develop an idea, create a prototype, or solve a
vexing problem. Internships for students and externships for educators can bring varied perspectives
to the workplace; and research shows that diverse groups outperform more homogeneous groups,
especially when it comes to creativity and innovation. 33 Employers who partner with educators are also
Fostering Partnerships to Ensure Broader Participation in STEM
Through initiatives such as the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Inclusion
across the Nation of Communities of Learners of Underrepresented
Discoverers in Engineering and Science (INCLUDES) program, Federal agencies
are supporting the development and growth of STEM ecosystems that bring
together school systems, colleges, and businesses to broaden participation in
STEM careers. In one such program, computer science faculty members at San
Francisco State University have partnered with the San Francisco Unified
School District to design K-12 computer science curriculum and provide
professional development for teachers. For those students who go on to
pursue computer science-related majors at San Francisco State University,
particularly at-risk undergraduates receive intensive mentoring during their
first two semesters and have access to supplemental instructional workshops
designed to help retain students through difficult “bottleneck” computer
science courses. As students are preparing to enter the workforce, partnerships with the San Francisco
Chamber of Commerce and other local groups provide job coaching and internships.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/nsfincludes/index.jsp
33
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/19007/enhancing-the-effectiveness-of-team-science
– 11 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Naval Research Laboratory Partnerships with Colleges and
Universities
For more than 25 years, the Naval
Research Laboratory (NRL) has
partnered with colleges and
universities to provide summer
internships to undergraduate students, including students attending
HBCUs.
Working
with
NRL
investigators, students participate
in hands-on research and development. Through this partnership, interns have the opportunity to explore
future educational and employment opportunities while undertaking
projects spanning the wide variety of fields related to defense, including
materials science and engineering, chemical and biochemical engineering,
aerospace engineering, physics, synthetic chemistry, biochemistry,
molecular biology, computer science, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering.
more effective at reducing STEM skills
gaps. 34 Finally, employers benefit
from better-prepared employees if
they collaborate as a sector to
develop career pathways where the
training required to obtain needed
credentials is integrated into secondary and post-secondary coursework;
support cutting-edge curriculum development; and provide apprenticeships, mentorships, internships, and
other WBL opportunities.
Federal agencies invest significantly
in WBL for students and educators
across the Nation in the form of
internships, apprenticeships, on-thejob training, externships, and other
cooperative employer-educator parthttps://www.nrl.navy.mil/careers/students/nreip/
nerships. Agencies also provide both
Image: https://www.nrl.navy.mil/hbcu/
human and financial resources that
leverage Federal laboratories, equipment, research projects, expertise, and data to provide high-quality workforce training experiences.
Federal agencies can expand their work with educators and employers to facilitate partnerships that
leverage physical and virtual resources across programs, including those focused on two- and four-year
HBCUs and HSIs and other higher education institutions, as well as preK-12 informal and formal
education.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Expand the availability of high-quality, paid internships and apprenticeships within Federal
agencies and ensure that mentors are trained to provide effective educational experiences.
• Increase the use of the flexible hiring authorities provided by the Federal Pathways employment
program, expedite the conversion of Pathways employees to competitive service positions, and
quickly begin to use the recently expanded direct and expedited hiring authorities, 35,36 with a
focus on creating a more diverse Federal STEM workforce.
• Increase the number of Federal funding opportunities that explicitly include the use of WBL
partnerships as an award selection criterion, including opportunities for educators to broaden
their skills through WBL outside the classroom.
• Develop new hiring authorities to convert apprentices, interns, postdoctoral fellows, and others
participating in WBL programs to full-time, permanent Federal employment.
34
For example, see https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Addressing-Americas-ReskillingChallenge.pdf.
35
https://chcoc.gov/content/announcing-government-wide-direct-hire-appointing-authorities
36
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text/enr; see Title XI—Civilian Personnel
Matters.
– 12 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Learning Through Doing: Applying Agricultural Science on the Dairy Farm
To bolster rural economies and communities and help ensure that the Nation has
enough dairy farmers to replace those retiring, in 2010 the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) supported the development of a three-year Dairy Grazing
Apprenticeship to pair aspiring dairy farmers with experienced ones. Now
recognized as a formal apprenticeship by the Department of Labor (DOL), the
program allows participants to combine paid, hands-on experience on dairy farms
that practice environmentally-friendly managed grazing with formal and informal
education in areas such as soil and pasture management and sustainable
agriculture practices.
https://www.dga-national.org/
Image: https://www.dga-national.org/files/outreachmaterials/DGA_GeneralProgramBrochure_trifold.pdf
Blend Successful Practices from Across the Learning Landscape
Creative, blended educational opportunities that combine elements from traditionally separate
approaches to learning—e.g., formal-plus-informal, career and technical education-plus-college
preparatory—and are aligned across the scope of learning partners—result in learners gaining and
building their skills in ways that work best. The future, more diverse, pool of work-ready, STEM-literate
Americans will come through many pathways. 37 About half of the students who pursue higher education
are likely to start at a community college, with the other half entering a four-year college or university.
Virtually all of them will have enjoyed informal STEM educational experiences through local clubs,
Scouts, or other out-of-school providers, or by visiting science centers, museums, zoos, nature centers,
aquariums, libraries, and other community informal educational assets across the Nation. Each of these
contributors will better prepare their learners if they connect and coordinate with others. One example
of a partnership creating and disseminating blended practices is between the National Science
Teachers Association and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (in this case funded by a
philanthropic organization, not the Federal Government). Their “Connected Science Learning” is an
online community sharing effective practices and research for bridging the gap between in-school and
out-of-school settings. 38
Education systems that combine high-quality career and technical training with college preparatory
curriculum are particularly effective at preparing students for both employment and post-secondary
study, especially when training required to obtain industry-recognized credentials is embedded in the
coursework. Such systems blend the successful practice of experiential “ah-ha” moments that
characterize informal education, applied learning that characterizes career and technical education
(CTE), and interdisciplinary connections made through formal (typically college preparatory)
coursework. Regardless of approach, the STEM technical workforce of the future depends on
collaboration across the missions of preparatory organizations and others to identify ways to blend
practices, programs, and resources to better meet the needs of the STEM education stakeholders.
37
https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees
38
http://csl.nsta.org/
– 13 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
High School Apprenticeships: Making A Difference
By supporting apprenticeship programs in STEM-related fields, DOL and
other Federal agencies are connecting students, educators, and
employers in mutually beneficial collaborations. Students have a chance
to explore career pathways, schools find a new way to engage students
and connect post-secondary education with careers, and businesses are
provided with a population of skilled workers to meet their needs. In
Charleston, SC, for example, Shannon Brennan was part of the first group
of high school students to undertake an apprenticeship in industrial
mechanics. Through this Registered Apprenticeship program with DOL,
Shannon took relevant courses at Trident Technical College and worked
part-time at Cummins Turbo Technologies. After graduating from high school and taking a full-time position at
Cummins, she continued taking classes at Trident Technical College, receiving tuition assistance from the
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. At just 19, Shannon was able to buy her first house, and at 20 she was
promoted to Manufacturing Engineering Technician at Cummins.
https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/high-school/
Image: https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/high-school/pdf/Charleston_SC_Youth_Case_StudyFINAL_20180830.pdf
Federal agencies should continue to support collaborations among core academic and technical
educators in both formal and informal learning environments and endeavor to further unite
stakeholders from across the learning landscape. Federal agencies can help post-secondary
institutions better align their programs with secondary school STEM and CTE curricula through
meetings and workshops, studies, and grant funding. For example, programs could be better aligned
for students to earn more dual or concurrent course credits through secondary and CTE curricula and
avoid having to retake similar courses at post-secondary institutions. Education policy leaders should
lower the barriers that keep educators from working across subject matter disciplines and from shifting
between formal and informal settings.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Prioritize Federal support for STEM educator “upskilling” and professional development,
including CTE and college preparatory teachers and educators working in both formal and
informal settings.
• Prioritize research on the most effective approaches for blending successful learning practices
across formal and informal and college preparatory and CTE settings.
• Convene stakeholders through webinars, workshops, and other mechanisms to share effective
approaches for blending successful learning practices, and to develop guidance for educators on
scaling and replicating best practices.
– 14 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
STEM Educators Behind the Scenes at the Smithsonian
Every summer, the Smithsonian Science Education
Academies for Teachers offer hands-on, tuition-based
professional development experiences for STEM
educators. Over a week-long period, educators from
both formal and informal educational settings go
behind the scenes at Smithsonian museums and
research centers, Federal agencies, and other sites in
the Washington, DC, area and engage in authentic
STEM experiences focused on a particular topic.
Recent Academy sessions developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center have focused on
biodiversity, innovations in energy, and the Earth’s
fossil history. Following their Smithsonian experience,
the majority of participating teachers reported that
they learned better ways to present science concepts
to their students and gained confidence in integrating
new activities into their teaching; nearly three-quarters noted an increase in student engagement during
science class.
https://ssec.si.edu/tags/sseats
Image: https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/smithsonian-science-education-academy-teachers-sseat-earthshistory-and-global
Engage Students where Disciplines Converge
The most transformative discoveries and innovations take place at the junctures where disciplines
converge. Discovery and innovation will be catalyzed by an education system that integrates
knowledge and methods across STEM, the arts, and the humanities and requires students to ask and
answer questions crossing traditional disciplinary boundary lines. Moreover, the modern workplace
itself is convergent; people with different perspectives, life experiences, knowledge, and
understandings innovate and drive work forward in ways that monolithic groups often cannot. America
stands to benefit from education systems that produce STEM-literate talent capable of asking and
answering meaningful local or global questions that blur disciplinary boundaries. STEM education that
fosters a culture of convergence encourages the integration of knowledge and the creation of
innovative solutions to intriguing and naturally complex challenges—a learning approach that is more
inclusive and can draw a broader range of talent into STEM fields.
This pathway highlights convergent approaches that include innovation and entrepreneurship
education to develop broad thinkers better able to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Additionally,
an effective education in this new landscape rests on learners’ ability to apply logic and mathematical
principles to societal questions. Furthermore, the convergence and application of knowledge across
disciplinary boundaries, both within and beyond traditional STEM fields, is a powerful way to address
complex, real-world problems.
There are three objectives under this pathway:
• Advance Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education
• Make Mathematics a Magnet
• Encourage Transdisciplinary Learning
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CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Advance Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education
Innovation generally depends on a convergence of ideas at the intersection of different fields and
sectors to produce new products or processes. It often derives from and/or leads to scientific discovery.
Entrepreneurship leverages and applies innovation to introduce new processes, services, and products
into the marketplace and society. In an increasingly competitive global economy, STEM education that
emphasizes convergent processes and promotes problem-finding and creativity is needed to accelerate
innovation and entrepreneurship. Education in these critical skills should play a larger role in STEM
courses for learners from all demographics and communities to provide a pathway for more Americans
to contribute to the Nation’s dynamic economy.
Innovation and entrepreneurship are critically important to U.S. competitiveness and security. To keep
pace with our competitors, U.S. companies must remain on the forefront of new discoveries and be able
to efficiently transfer new technologies into products and services. The U.S. STEM community has a
leadership opportunity in strengthening learners’ abilities to create and compete in the future economy
through inclusive strategies in preK-12, higher education, and informal learning environments that
nurture and support innovation and entrepreneurship skills.
Competitions such as science fairs, cybersecurity contests, robotics and invention challenges, and
mathematical gaming, including some supported by Federal agencies, are another way to engage
students at all levels in real-world, applied, experiential learning, and have been catalysts for the
careers of some our Nation’s most well-respected scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs. However,
sponsors and supporters must make a greater effort to make such competitions appeal to and be
accessible to all members of the community.
Federal agencies advance innovation and entrepreneurship education through various means
including financial support, coordination, and facilitation of programs. They develop and conduct
professional development programs for educators to incorporate innovation and entrepreneurship
into curricula. The Federal Government also promotes innovation and entrepreneurship at the postNational Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM, and Intellectual Property
To foster innovation and entrepreneurship in STEM fields, the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office offers an immersive, multi-day
interdisciplinary professional development experience to help K12 educators become more knowledgeable about how the
invention process works and the important role that intellectual
property—patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets—
plays in innovation and entrepreneurship. Following his
experience in one of these summer institutes, Massachusetts
engineering and robotics teacher Doug Scott modified his
approach to teaching and was better able to guide a group of his
students as they filed for and received a U.S. patent for their ice
search and rescue underwater robotic vehicle. Today, when
students in his classes work to identify solutions to engineering
problems, their assignments routinely include researching existing patents and considering how to protect and
market their intellectual property.
https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/outreach-and-education/national-summer-teacher-institute
Image: http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=09511833
– 16 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
DEBUT Challenge at NIH
To spur teams of undergraduate students to focus on solving real-world problems in healthcare, the National
Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) partnered with
VentureWell to launch the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge. In the course of the
annual competition, teams develop working prototypes of their solutions, which are evaluated on their market
potential, economic feasibility, and patentability. Judges also consider whether the team demonstrated
analytical, design, and technical communication skills. Over the past few years, prize-winning teams have
developed new tools for diagnosing tuberculosis and Alzheimer’s disease (shown
in the image) and a specialized retractor to protect healthy tissue during brain
surgery. Two participants in the 2012 Challenge, who developed a smartphone tool
to help patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease monitor
their lung function, have since founded a company to produce their device, and
were named to the Forbes “30 Under 30” list.
https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduate-graduate/designbiomedical-undergraduate-teams-debut-challenge
Image: https://www.nibib.nih.gov/training-careers/undergraduategraduate/design-biomedical-undergraduate-teams-debut-challenge/2017-debutchallenge-winners
secondary level through programs such as NSF’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™). 39 Across all of their
programs, investments, and activities, agencies should ensure that partners and grantees make
equitable access to these opportunities a priority.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Review participation rates in federally funded competitions, challenges, and citizen science
projects and apply best practices to attract a more diverse and inclusive community of
participants where needed.
• Within Federal education and entrepreneurship investments, include support for activities that
teach educators effective methods for making entrepreneurship education more inclusive and
increasing the participation of underrepresented groups.
• Within Federal education and entrepreneurship investments, include support for activities that
teach educators about the creation as well as the protection of intellectual property.
Make Mathematics a Magnet
Mathematics and statistics are foundational to success across all STEM fields of study, providing a
universal language to describe and reason about models of real-world phenomena. Despite efforts to
close the gap, U.S. students continue to lag behind international students in mathematics literacy.40
One promising practice to improving mathematics literacy is the integration of mathematics across
disciplines, teaching mathematics through experiential, meaningful, and applied contexts. Students
who learn mathematics and statistics in context, with emphasis on logic, reasoning, and critical
thinking, are more adept mathematical thinkers, and more able to apply mathematics to solve
39
https://www.nsf.gov/i-corps
40
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/report/sections/elementary-and-secondary-mathematics-andscience-education/student-learning-in-mathematics-and-science#international-comparisons-ofmathematics-and-science-performance
– 17 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
problems during their everyday lives. Data science, modeling, and problem-based learning can be
particularly powerful mechanisms for integrating mathematics contextually.
Mathematics continues to serve as a gateway to STEM majors that leads to higher-paying jobs and
economic mobility. However, those jobs are more accessible to some learners than others. For
underrepresented learners especially, mathematics courses are a significant barrier to STEM degree
completion. Therefore, it is imperative that innovative and tailored approaches be developed for
teaching mathematics at all levels. For the United States to produce a vibrant, diverse wave of talent
for the future of STEM, mathematics must foster interest in and enthusiasm for science, technology,
and engineering, drawing learners more deeply into these subjects—serving as a magnet, not a barrier,
to further study. Contextual mathematics and statistics teaching will help achieve this objective.
Federal agencies and departments have a number of tools at their disposal for advancing contextual,
applied, meaningful mathematics education. Those that conduct and support R&D fund vital work in
mathematics, informing today’s most promising practices. Federal agencies and departments that
support STEM R&D have an opportunity to advance this objective by sharing expertise, content, or
experiences that demonstrate the contextual application of mathematics with learners and teachers.
Weather Prediction: It’s Math!
Every day the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects and organizes billions of Earth
observations such as temperature, air pressure, moisture, wind speed, and water levels. All these observations
are represented by numbers. Supercomputers plug these observations into a series of mathematical
algorithms that represent the physical properties of the atmosphere and allow meteorologists to predict the
weather up to 16 days into the future. The American Meteorological Society (AMS) and NOAA have teamed up
to help educators and students across the country understand how weather prediction happens through
teacher professional development courses. Weather affects everyone, so it is a great way to make learning
relevant to students. One of the teacher participants observed, “I believe that when students have access to
relevant data, news, and imagery they will be more interested and that as a result their science/math skills will
dramatically improve.”
Teachers taking these courses apply interpolation skills by analyzing their own weather maps, gaining an
understanding of numerical modeling and learning how numerical models are related to statistical tools. They
learn to explain how descriptive statistics are used in scientific investigations and how to assess which
graphical descriptions are most useful for displaying data. The teachers also use skills including probability
analysis, estimation, and spatial analysis to understand what the weather impacts will be. More than 21,000
educators have taken AMS professional development courses to date, earning graduate credits and becoming
more confident Earth science educators.
https://www.noaa.gov/opportunities/educator-opportunities
https://www.ametsoc.org/ams/index.cfm/education-careers/education-program/k-12-teachers/
Image: https://www.calu.edu/academics/graduate/certificates/american-meteorological-societydatastreme/index.aspx
– 18 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Math Pathways to Success
At community colleges, an overwhelming majority of entering students enroll in developmental mathematics
classes. Historically, 80% of these students never go on to complete a college-level mathematics course, thus
putting their graduation, career, and life goals at risk.
To foster student success in mathematics, NSF and other
Federal agencies are partnering with educational organizations and institutions to support new ways of learning
mathematics. For example, with funding from NSF, the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching was
able to more than double the number of institutions
participating in its “Math Pathways” program. Now in place at
more than 70 institutions, the Math Pathways program aims to
shorten the mathematics course sequence and reduce
transition points for students placed in remedial mathematics;
offer a curriculum relevant to students’ lives and areas of study; and provide support to encourage persistence
in mathematics. One branch of the program, Statway, focuses on statistics, data analysis, and causal reasoning,
combining college-level statistics with developmental mathematics. The other branch, Quantway, focuses on
quantitative reasoning that fulfills developmental requirements with the aim of preparing students for success
in college-level mathematics. Both are taught using a research-based approach focused on collaboration that
fosters deeper learning and community building in the classroom. Research on the impact of Statway and
Quantway shows that over the last six years participating students have been earning college-level
mathematics credit at triple the previous rates and in half the time as in the years preceding the program.
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1820830
Image: https://carnegiemathpathways.org/fostering-learning-community-suny-math-pathways-springforum/
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Make Federal data more accessible for use in mathematics, statistics, and other STEM education
courses, in user-friendly formats and accompanied by suggestions on how such data could be
used in lessons.
• Prioritize support for programs and partnerships that integrate mathematics and statistics
education in meaningful and applied contexts, including for educator upskilling.
• Identify and share mathematics and statistics education practices shown to retain diverse
learners.
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CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Connecting the People and Tools for Transdisciplinary Learning
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) National Space Grant College and Fellowship
Program (Space Grant) has connected the people and tools to conduct innovative, transdisciplinary learning
for almost 30 years. Space Grant brings together academia, industry, Federal, State, and local governments,
museums, and nonprofit organizations within 50 states and 2 territories through direct student awards and
support for higher educational programs tailored to each State’s specific workforce development challenges.
Space Grant has over 850 partnering affiliate institutions across the Nation,
including HBCUs, HSIs, and community colleges, and also engages with K-12
schools to encourage participation in STEM careers. Space Grant programs
encourage transdisciplinary learning through hands-on activities, challenges,
and fellowships that are educating the next generation of aerospace-trained
workers.
For example, Louisiana Space Grant manages the High Altitude Student
Platform (HASP), where undergraduate and graduate student teams use highaltitude balloons to develop real-world science and engineering project
development skills across multiple disciplines. Programs like HASP not only
provide direct hands-on activities, but also develop the soft skills necessary to
succeed in the workforce, such as effective team dynamics and
communications.
https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/spacegrant/about/index.html
Image: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/education/students/opportunities/hasp/index.html
Encourage Transdisciplinary Learning
Problems that are relevant to people’s lives, communities, or society as a whole often cross disciplinary
boundaries, making them inherently engaging and interesting. The transdisciplinary integration of
STEM teaching and learning across STEM fields and with other fields such as the humanities and the
arts enriches all fields and draws learners to authentic challenges from local to global in scale.
Engagement in transdisciplinary study also
Combining Scientific Information and Data
promotes a fuller appreciation of the intrinsic
Collection with Traditional Knowledge
value of STEM. Learning by solving personally
engaging problems in teams is effective at every
Across the Department of the Interior, programs offering STEM
level of education and in every venue, from
education for Native American children and college students
classroom to community.
foster transdisciplinary learning by blending traditional
In order to conduct transdisciplinary or
convergence research, scientists and engineers
require a varied toolset that includes deep
disciplinary knowledge, an acquaintance with
the language and culture of the disciplines of
their potential collaborators, and collaboration
skills such as communication, ability to work
with other people, critical thinking, analysis,
and initiative. Early exposure to transdisciplinary problem-finding and problemsolving gives learners these tools. Transdisciplinary research itself also benefits when
knowledge with modern science and engaging Native youth in
the stewardship of their lands.
On Cape Cod, for example, middle school students from the
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe considered the traditional story of
how their lands were shaped by the ancient figure of Maushop,
in conjunction with details about the glacial origins of the
region provided by geologists from the U.S. Geological Survey.
In the course of this summer program, students were urged to
compare the two accounts and look for commonalities
between their traditional understanding and scientific
findings on the geology and ecology of the Cape Cod region.
https://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/12/outreach.html
– 20 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
people with different kinds of expertise and backgrounds work together in teams, with greater team
diversity enhancing its effectiveness.
Federal agencies’ support for transdisciplinary STEM education is an outgrowth or component of
mission research. Many Federal agencies conduct research specific to their missions, the results of
which can be translated into innovations and educational resources at many levels, including preK-12.
Agencies also support STEM learners studying transdisciplinary problems through fellowships,
scholarships, grants, and training. Undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows
partaking in these opportunities gain first-hand insight into how transdisciplinary science and
engineering is conducted, and learn about intellectual flexibility, communication, and teamwork.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Support research, development, and dissemination of effective transdisciplinary STEM education
practices, programs, and policies.
• Expand support for STEM learners studying transdisciplinary problems through internships,
fellowships, scholarships, and other training opportunities.
• Ensure that Federal activities in support of the recruitment, preparation, retention, and upskilling of STEM educators incorporate or reflect transdisciplinary approaches featuring teaching
that focuses on local and global community questions.
Build Computational Literacy
Society has been wholly transformed by digital devices and the internet. Fully and safely benefiting
from this pervasive technology requires at least a basic level of understanding, or “digital literacy.”
Effectively using computers or computational tools for activities such as website creation, video
editing, three-dimensional printing, or operating manufacturing control systems requires a somewhat
higher level of skill, or “computational literacy.” Beyond these key literacies, familiarity with the power
and limitations of computation and communication technology is an important facet of both STEM
literacy, generally, and preparation for advanced employment. Indeed, a command of this technology
is a key pathway to high-demand jobs. Today’s students are tomorrow’s data analysts, artificial
intelligence and machine learning specialists, software and applications developers, automation
technicians, quantum information scientists, and cybersecurity experts. For these reasons and more, a
particularly strong area of emphasis within STEM education is computer science education. To meet
the demand for these and other yet-to-be-imagined cyber-enabled jobs, our Nation will need
undergraduates trained in computer science to become tomorrow’s preK-12 educators, and graduate
students in computer science to become researchers making discoveries that can be leveraged for the
betterment of society.
In STEM education, as in other areas of our lives, computation and communication technologies are
constantly evolving and creating challenges to the traditional when, where, and what of learning. In
both formal and informal settings, and across multiple learning levels, educational technology can
improve learning. All Americans need access to educational technology, to computer science, to
computational thinking, to the jobs that await, and to a foundational understanding of the role and use
of technology. The commitment to equitable access, including sufficient broadband for all, should
transcend geography, race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, veteran status, parental education
attainment, disability status, learning challenges, and other social identities so that all Americans may
enjoy the benefits of, if not contribute to, further development of these advanced cyber-technologies.
– 21 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
This pathway includes strategies for connecting people, accessing knowledge, and building highdemand job skills. It also highlights the important research and development challenge of how to both
harness the benefits of digital technology and equip Americans of all ages and backgrounds to be
critical and ethical consumers and producers of data and digital communication. There are three
objectives under this pathway:
• Promote Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety
• Make Computational Thinking an Integral Element of All Education
• Expand Digital Platforms for Teaching and Learning
Promote Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety
Just as literacy was a critical skill that led to better opportunities in previous centuries, digital literacy
is critical for people to be successful in today’s society. Digital literacy empowers people with the tools
to find and discern valid information, to use data for answering questions, and to share ideas and
promote collaboration. Cyber safety, a component of digital literacy involving the responsible use of
information and communication technologies, including new technologies like cryptocurrency,
promotes practices that all learners, workers, and members of the public should know when using
digital tools. Such practices rest on core ethical and human values that honor digital data protection
and respect for individual privacy. Strong digital literacy and cyber safety skills complement all levels
of STEM education, contributing to the attainment of universal STEM literacy, as well as laying a strong
foundation for the STEM workforce of the future.
Of particular importance for workforce development is the need to train future STEM workers in digital
ethics and digital privacy around the use of data. For example, NIH, as part of its 2018 Strategic Plan for
Data Science, called for enhancing quantitative and computational training for undergraduates and
graduate students, including their education in secure and ethical data use, and for enabling the
development of curricula and other resources toward enhancing rigor and reproducibility of data
science-based approaches. 41 Moreover, careers in cybersecurity will be in high demand to ensure that
the United States maintains a long-term cybersecurity advantage, 42 and the Federal Government has
identified the need for enhanced direct Federal action—as well as convening new public-private
partnerships—to expand and diversify the Nation’s cybersecurity workforce. 43
The Federal Government has a critical role in promoting digital literacy and cyber safety for all, although
no single Federal agency—nor even the Federal Government acting alone—can reach the full breadth
of the Nation’s learners, workers, and citizens. However, interagency coordination and public-private
partnerships offer mechanisms for Federal agencies to work together and with other government,
industry, and nonprofit organizations to better understand the social science of cyber safety, including
special attention to vulnerable populations, and thereby reach all communities across the Nation.
Private and public sector employers, through work-based learning partnerships, can provide authentic
lessons in digital ethics, online information analysis, and cyber safety. State, local, and Tribal
governments along with community nonprofits and professional organizations can also heighten the
urgency of this objective among their constituencies and members.
41
https://datascience.nih.gov/sites/default/files/NIH_Strategic_Plan_for_Data_Science_Final_508.pdf
42
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-strengthening-cybersecurityfederal-networks-critical-infrastructure/
43
https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2018/07/24/eo_wf_report_to_potus.pdf
– 22 –
CHARTING A COURSE FOR SUCCESS: AMERICA’S STRATEGY FOR STEM EDUCATION
Training Medical Researchers in Responsible Data Management
Big data is transforming biomedical research. Across the
spectrum of medical research, federally funded
investigators are increasingly expected to have the skills
to effectively and responsibly manage, use, and protect
large and complex sets of data. The sources and nature of these data vary from electronic health records and
wearable devices, to medical images, to DNA sequences. Just in the area of genomics, for example, the
magnitude of this data is such that by 2025, the volume of genomics data is projected to reach or exceed that
seen among the three highest current sources of data: the field of astronomy, YouTube, and Twitter.
Since the adoption of its Strategic Plan for Data Science in 2018, NIH has been working to ensure that the next
generation of researchers is prepared to take advantage of the promise of data science for advancing human
health, by making plans to routinely incorporate the teaching of computational skills and the principles of
responsible data use into all of its programs for undergraduate and graduate students.
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-releases-strategic-plan-data-science
https://datascience.nih.gov/sites/default/files/NIH_Strategic_Plan_for_Data_Science_Final_508.pdf
In addition to research, coordination, and partnerships, Federal support for creating STEM content for
educational purposes is critical across the entire learning landscape, including within the home. For
example, the Federal Trade Commission, in support of the First Lady’s Be Best campaign, is providing a
guide to help parents, guardians, and other adults have thoughtful conversations with children about
being safe and responsible online. 44 Finally, the rapid expansion of data science, in particular as a digital
literacy-related discipline, suggests that the Federal Government should play a leading role in helping
the Nation’s future research workforce acquire skills related to ethical research data use. Effective
training and skill-building methods remain to be developed across STEM disciplines.
Key Federal actions needed to achieve this objective include:
• Partner across Federal agencies and between Federal agencies and other stakeholders to
promote digital fluency and cyber safety practices at all levels, including professional
development programs for educators.
• Conduct and support…
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