Secrets to Successfully Implementing a STEM Program

Google Forms

Collecting data and feedback from students regarding what they are looking for in a STEM program or what they believe needs to be improved is vital aspect of a successful STEM program. Nipmuc used Google Forms to conduct senior exit interviews. With Google Forms, you can create surveys with that allow for numerous forms of responses, such as multiple choice, short answer or paragraph. Responses to your surveys are automatically collected in Forms, with real time response info and charts. Having the ability to analyze how your students feel about what they are learning in your STEM program will help you make improvements and enhance your program each year.

SignUpGenius

Reaching out to your local business and colleges to support your STEM program is extremely helpful when planning your college and career fairs as well as creating career shadowing opportunities for students. SignUpGenius is a a free online software tool for volunteer management and event planning. Schools can use SignUPGenius to communicate your STEM needs to your community, such as career shadowing opportunities, college tours and other resources. With SignUPGenius, community members can sign up to provide those resources to your school.

Padlet

Having access to tools that will allow you to collaborate with your fellow STEM network community members and colleagues regarding ideas for your STEM program is extremely helpful. When teachers, administrators, and members of the community can share their goals and needs with one another, ideas and solutions are formed and programs are enhanced. Padlet is a digital whiteboard and blank collaboration space that allows users to contribute thoughts and ideas from their own devices onto the blank space for everyone to see. Using Padlet during your STEM program meetings may be helpful in ensuring everyone’s thoughts and ideas are being heard in regards to building your STEM program.

Poll Everywhere

Poll Everywhere is another digital tool schools can use to collect data from students and teachers regarding what they are looking for in a STEM program. With Poll Everywhere, users can respond to questions submitted to the Poll Everywhere app and answer via their mobile phones, Twitter or the web. Users can response by multiple choice or free response, and all responses can be viewed in real time.

5. Develop a community STEM network.

Community support is extremely helpful in creating a successful STEM program. Connecting with local universities and colleges, local businesses, as well as other school districts that are implementing a similar program provides schools guidance, support and resources.

Moran explained that starting small is key to building a community STEM network. A few years after its initial implementation, Nipmuc has built its network from a few connections with colleges to now having 60-70 partners in the community supporting its STEM program.

6. Focus on workplace readiness.

There’s no doubt students tend to change their minds in regards to what they to do after high school, from what college they want to attend to what career field they’re interested in. A STEM program should provide students with hands-on opportunities that allow them to not only build STEM skills but also give them perspective of what a STEM career truly requires.

This is where a school’s STEM network can be helpful. Local businesses can provide students experience in the workforce and help them grasp an understanding of what it’s really like to be a computer engineer or web developer.

Moran advised that it’s important for schools to get buy-in from employers. “You don’t want to burn bridges.” Whether business are willing to take on students for a few hours or an entire day, if they are invested in helping to provide students valuable STEM experiences, their relationship with your school is worth maintaining.

7. Career shadowing, not internships.

One of the biggest challenges a school faces when trying to provide its students’ workplace experience is giving every student an opportunity to participate in an internship.

“As a district, you need to be willing to cater to what businesses are willing to offer you.”— Mary Anne Moran, assistant principal of Nipmuc Regional High School.

“How do you put 100 students out into internships? Drop the term internships,” said Moran. “There is so much legal stuff that comes along with internships. Call them career shadow opportunities instead.”

Without legal issues to delay or eliminate opportunities for students to shadow employees in STEM-related fields, schools can more easily provide students hands-on, realistic learning opportunities that relate to the STEM skills they learn in class.

Schools also need to be willing to accept any and all career-shadowing opportunities provided to them by local businesses or colleges.

“Some companies are willing to take one student for two hours; some are willing to take 25 kids for a full day. As a district, you need to be willing to cater to what those businesses are willing to offer you,” says Moran.

When students have the opportunity to exercise their STEM skills in workplace environments, they not only enhance their skills but also develop a better understanding of the reality of STEM careers and which type of STEM career they may be interested in pursuing.