By Sally Slovenski, Executive Director, Maine Campus Compact
Maine Campus Compact (MCC), with support from Maine Experiential Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), conducted a statewide landscape analysis to assess science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in Maine. These surveys (one for secondary schools and the other for higher education) identified current STEM education practices and challenges while investigating ways to advance STEM education through collaborative opportunities between higher education and K-12 schools in Maine.
Among key survey findings: eighty-eight percent (88%) of secondary school respondents stated that they consider a lack of good professional development to be a key challenge facing STEM education in Maine; and 90% of secondary school respondents and 91% of higher education survey respondents believe that collaboration between K-12 schools and higher education would help strengthen STEM education.
The results of the surveys have provided a valuable road map to address gaps in STEM education culminating in the development of a menu of achievable, easily replicated models, titled STEM Engaging Initiatives. The SENCER model was identified as one of the valuable Initiatives that will be offered. With support from Maine EPSCoR, MCC will run a series of tailored SENCER trainings in 2016 for K-20 educators and education students in Maine to enhance professional development for teaching STEM. For more information, please contact Sally Slovenski at 207-786-8216 or sally@mainecompact.org or Laurie Bragg at 207-581-2295 or laurie.bragg@maine.edu
You can access the full reports here.