This ITEST strategies project is providing high school students with experiences in robotics to galvanize their interest in STEM and prepare them for STEM programs at the college level. The project is delivering a pre-engineering experience, advanced math coursework, and project-based instruction. High school teachers receive technical training to build their STEM teaching competencies. 112 underrepresented students are being recruited from 5 high schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The project plan includes dual-enrollment, tutoring, mentoring and other support mechanisms.
This proposal builds on the successes of a previous project (ATE-0603427) and addresses the lessons learned from that project. That project successfully stimulated STEM interest in about 200 high school students from Cleveland. It is remarkable that 100% of the students who completed the project graduated from high school and 87% enrolled in higher education, 70% at Cuyahoga CC. However, a follow-up study revealed that only 6 students completed a 2-year degree in a STEM field, because most of the rest were unable to overcome barriers, particularly the remedial mathematics courses. This proposal addresses the need to better prepare students for college, especially mathematics, and provide better supports while continuing with the activities that were successful at generating student interest in STEM. The project team includes Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland MSD, and Cleveland State University.
The evaluation will addresses the following goals: 1) Encourage students' readiness for and interest in STEM careers and increase the number of students pursuing technical/engineering degrees; 2) Decrease the need for remedial math coursework in post-secondary education; 3) Equip teachers with the resources to ensure that their students consider and are prepared for the STEM workforce of the future; and 4) Develop a new robotics competition based on the Arduino platform, and measure its efficacy to engage youth.
