Reaching the Audience

Becoming a STEM Champion

Primary Task of the Champion

• Influence educators to increase student exposure to integrated STEM education• Serving as a model• Serving as a resource• Providing professional development for colleagues• Serving as curriculum specialist• Serving as an advocate

What is Pedagogy?

• The science of education• Holistic approach of educating children• Correct use of instructional strategies• Greek “paidos” means child• Greek “ago” means lead• To lead the child

What is Andragogy?

• Greek: “Man-leading”• Malcolm Knowles: World renown. Taught at UA• Based on a humanistic conception of self-directed and

autonomous learners and teachers as facilitators of learning

Differences

Six Assumptions about Andragogy • Adults need to know the reason for learning something• Experience (including errors) provides the basis for adult

learning• Adults need to be involved planning their instruction• Adults are most interested in learning that has immediate

relevance• Adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented• Adults respond better to internal versus external motivators• Contrast between self-directed and 'taught' education.

Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence

• Raymond Cattell (psychology)• Fluid intelligence: Capacity to think logically and solve

problems in novel situations—independent of acquired knowledge (abilities decrease with age)

• Crystallized intelligence: Ability to use skills, knowledge, and experience—lifetime intellectual achievement (abilities increase with age)

So, What does this mean for the STEM Champion?

• Start where they are!• And, build from that point forward• With which content are most elementary teacher most

comfortable?

Literacy!

• Use children’s literature to promote STEM• Expand upon a book commonly shared in elementary

schools• Move from comfortable to uncomfortable/known to

unknown• Promote STEM learning• Deliver important STEM standards and content• Engage students• Content important enough to know when 30• Content central to STEM