Mass. Governor's STEM Advisory Council Meets In Pittsfield
A report on WAMC- Northeast Public Radio covered a meeting of the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, where a large research project completed by the Applied Research and Program Evaluation group at the UMass Donahue Institute was cited.
The 2013 STEM Dashboard project collects statewide education data in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields with six goals in mind: expanding student interest, increasing student achievement, enhancing student readiness for higher education, improving graduation rates, educator effectiveness and workforce development across these fields. The project also measures the progress that’s been made in relation to the state’s goals and compares Massachusetts to the overall US performance in STEM interest and achievement.
Jean Supel, Research Manager at the Donahue Institute, is quoted in the story, explaining how the collected data is used to by schools, the state and the private sector. "Whether it's girls in computer science in the Berkshires or boys in health in Lowell, that somebody can find a link, that link ties them to this bigger mission of the state, and allows the state to communicate down with them, and for them to communicate their best practices upward," said Supel.
The project is an important tool used by the Department of Higher Education to align STEM-related programs and investments with statewide goals, and for monitoring the impacts of state policy on STEM interest and achievement .The findings of Dashboard project will be released in the coming weeks through the Department of Higher Education.
Read article: Mass. Governor's STEM Advisory Council Meets In Pittsfield
May 23, 2013
