STEM Workforce Development!
 at the K-12 Level 
Karissa Poszywak 
State STEM Director 
May 27, 2015 
 STUDENTS	
  	
  
 	
  EDUCATORS	
  
 CURRICULUM	
  
 STRATEGIC	
  ALLIANCES	
  
 SUSTAINABILITY	
  
  
  
  
  
	
  All	
  Virgin	
  Islands	
  learners	
  will	
  achieve	
  college	
  
and	
  career	
  readiness	
  in	
  order	
  to	
  meet	
  the	
  
workforce	
  demand	
  for	
  innovative	
  problem-­‐
solvers,	
  who	
  are	
  prepared	
  to	
  achieve	
  success	
  
with	
  the	
  STEM	
  challenges	
  of	
  our	
  global	
  society.	
  
	
  STEM	
  trained	
  learners	
  will	
  be	
  the	
  foundation	
  
of	
  a	
  workforce	
  that	
  will	
  maintain	
  and	
  attract	
  
employers	
  as	
  the	
  territory	
  competes	
  in	
  the	
  
global	
  market.	
  
  
STEM	
  literacy	
  for	
  all	
  	
  
and	
  	
  
STEM	
  majors	
  and/or	
  career	
pathways	
  	
  
  
New Content Standards – Sci/Math"
College!
Career !
&
 Citizenship"
2	
  different	
  processes:	
  
•  Understand	
  through	
  inquiry	
  
•  Apply	
  though	
  engineering	
  design	
  
Sci. Inquiry vs. Engineering Design!
This	
  a	
  major	
  shi+	
  in	
  Science	
  Educa3on	
  	
  
via	
  NGSS	
  from	
  grades	
  K-­‐12!	
  
• Mentor Teachers!
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
 Sci/Math grades 7-12 "
• Model Classrooms!
 Content!
 Strategies !
•  Inquiry-based!
•  Project-based !
 Reflection!
 Authenticity!
NGSS  & CCSS Instructional Shifts

Summer	
  Institute	
  
Mentor	
  	
  
Teachers	
  
STEM	
  Teaching	
  and	
  Learning	
  
“…focuses	
  on	
  authentic	
  content	
  and	
  
problems,	
  using	
  hands-­‐on,	
  
technological	
  tools,	
  equipment,	
  and	
procedures	
  in	
  innovative	
  ways	
  to	
  
help	
  solve	
  human	
  wants	
  and	
  needs”	
Merrill.	
  (2009)	
  
Apply Strategies & Design Curriculum 

Engage!
Explore!
Explain!
Elaborate!
Evaluate!
Model Classrooms 
•  	
  
When	
  you	
  walk	
  into	
  a	
  classroom,	
  every	
  student	
  shoul
be	
  able	
  to	
  say	
  what	
  it	
  is	
  they	
  are	
  figuring	
  out.	
  
CORE:	
  STEM	
  literacy	
  for	
  all	
  	
  
and	
  	
  
ELECTIVE:	
  STEM	
  majors	
  
and/or	
  career	
  pathways	
  	
  
School-­‐Within-­‐A-­‐School	
  
Hospitality	
  
Finance	
  
Digital	
  Media	
  
Engineering	
  
Biotechnology	
  
Information	
  
Technology	
  
STEM	
  &	
  CTE	
  
  STEM	
  Education	
  requires	
  academic	
  and	
  career/
technical	
  to	
  merge	
  
  STEM	
  education	
  must	
  incorporate	
  both	
  
simultaneously	
  for	
  all	
  students	
  
College	
  AND	
  Career	
  Readiness	
  
Partnerships	
  
STEM	
  
Academy	
  
Parent/	
  
Family	
  
Business/	
  
Industry	
  
IHEs	
  
Community	
  
Q & A