Looking to expand the technical work force, President Barack Obama has focused his goals for primary education on enriching science and math curricula, which the administration is referring to as STEM—science, technology, engineering and math.
Although N.C . State may benefit from more science savvy students in the future, Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School has been implementing this science-fortified curriculum since 2000.
With the University connections of being located right on Centennial Campus and the community support, the Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School has been able to partake in a multitude of programs that are able to engage and educate their students in the sciences.
The goal is to integrate the STEM objective into the curriculum in a way to have the students “learn the way they live,” according to school outreach coordinator Peter Elwood.
The students so often use technology in recreation that by bringing it into a learning environment it makes the curriculum more engaging, according to Elwood.
One of the school’s recent programs called Crystal Island: Outbreak demonstrates this approach to education. This program is a narrative-centered virtual learning environment, which features a science mystery of an unidentified disease that the students play a role in uncovering. Throughout the game, students are exposed to microbiology content and scenarios that match up to their science curriculum. According to Elwood, this and similar programs enables students to take part in 21st century technology that is key to the progress of learning.
The Friday Institute is a large contributor to incorporating the STEM program into the curriculum at the middle school level. Dr. Hiller Spires, a senior research fellow and professor at the Friday Institute, discussed a new project that engages students in a research inquiry process.
The program expects students to create and research a compelling question and requires them to redesign their observations into a multimedia presentation.
“[It] helps the content be more engaging and enables the students to think differently,” Spires said.
According to Elwood, STEM education centers on the benefits for the student. Elwood said this approach to learning doesn’t just focus on a “particular type of student” but is able to reach a diverse population.
According to Elwood, the expectations of a STEM curriculum require that teachers and administrators try to create an environment where every type of student is able to succeed.
Ada Lopez, a seventh grade science teacher, stressed the importance of her students working on projects as research teams.
“[The goal is to] have the kids work in meaningful groups,” Lopez said.
When dividing the students, Lopez compared data achievement scores in order to group students together so that they could feed off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. By using this method of group work, Lopez said it “maximized each child’s strength and helped them to grow.”
The STEM integration throughout the Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School curriculum is beneficial to all students with different talents, according to Elwood.
“[The curriculum is] relevant and rigorous and at this age both of these are crucial.”
With as many as thirty collaborations with different community resources the staff is able to provide many opportunities for students and create as Elwood said, “STEM experiences that are effective and scalable.”
The importance of math, science, engineering and technology are crucial for further success in global society, according to Elwood. The Obama administration is trying to promote STEM jobs over non-STEM fields. With STEM occupations are expected to grow by 17 percent over the next decade, it seems apparent why these subjects are stressed in today’s education.
Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School is only one out of many institutions that have integrated these elements into their curriculum. STEM has become a critical part of education and continues to make an impact in schools.
