Common Core and STEM Opportunities

Abstract

STEM Education in the United StatesThe United States economy is becoming increasingly dependent upon mathematics, science, technology, and engineering (STEM), (Vilorio, 2014). Educators are being called upon to find new and effective ways to prepare students to develop skills related to STEM (Partnership, 2015). As Nathan, Tran, Atwood, Prevost, and Phelps (2010) pointed out, if K-12 schools are to increase the number of graduates who enter engineering-related fields they must integrate technical and academic preparation. Traditionally, math classes have been fairly compartmentalized, as opposed to being integrated with science, largely because math curricula tend to be topic-dense. Common Core State Standards for mathematics (CCSS-M) were adopted by the majority of states in the US, in part to shift the focus in mathematics instruction from dense mile-wide, inch deep curricula heavily dependent upon memorization toward development of problem-solving skills. That shift would better prepare students to enter our technological workforce (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2015). Change in content focus could make instructional time available for students to explore some physics- and other sciencetechnologyand engineering-related tasks within the context of learning traditional Algebra I skills.Building Bridges to STEM SuccessA recent research report observes a relationship between exposure to a physics class and whether or not a student declares a STEM major in college (Bottia et al., 2015). Success in physics is highly dependent upon algebra skills (Awodun, 2013). Therefore, it could be beneficial to students for Algebra I teachers to help build a bridge between Algebra I and STEM careers. Introducing Algebra students to cognitively engaging tasks that, like physics problems, can be related to and create interest in STEM careers could enhance and strengthen students' progress throughout the curriculum. There is evidence that Common Core mathematics standards, just as physics courses reportedly do, open opportunities for students to explore ageappropriate, cognitively engaging science, technology, engineering math (STEM) problems while developing and refining traditional procedural skills in Algebra I.Studies Relating Common Core Mathematics Standards to STEMAchieve, Inc., in an independent, non-profit advocate for improving academic standards and college readiness for American students. Achieve's recent survey among states noted that few career technical education (CTE) and STEM tasks have found their way into academic classrooms. Career technical education courses combine technical skills with academics. For example, aspiring nurses learn mathematics in the context of medicine and future computer programmers write mathematical algorithms into their code (State of Washington, 2016). Just as few classrooms have integrated CTE, few CTE classrooms have aligned with Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (Meeder & Suddreth, 2012).The dearth of cohesiveness could explain the lack of published research directly connecting STEM with CCSS-M (Common Core State Standards- Mathematics) The Oregon Vo-Tech Math Project (Swearingen, 1975), explained that mathematics booklets were written in the 1970's to provide vocational education students in high schools and community colleges with math problems that fit the course contexts. The math was obviously useful to those students, and surveys at the end of the semester confirmed the anticipated positive reception to those problems. The vocational education students learned the math they needed for the field they were pursuing. According to the authors, the problems were samples of what they would "encounter on the job in various career fields." Colorado State University produced a similar set of problems for grades seven to nine so that students in those grades could see some of the ways the math they were learning was used in employment contexts (Colorado, 1975). …