Learn more about STEM education research opportunities.
STEM Education Research Opportunities
CADRE, the National Science Foundation's DRK-12 Resource Network, connects STEM education researchers to each other and to opportunities in the field. This email is part of an effort to share STEM Education research opportunities more broadly.
Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) NSF INCLUDES National Summit

The Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) NSF INCLUDES National Summit will be held March 7-8, 2019. The purpose of the summit is to survey and stimulate broadening participation research at Historically Black and Tribal Colleges/Universities. 

If you would like to participate, the registration deadline is Friday, January 18.  Learn more.
Government Shutdown Information 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has provided information for NSF proposers, panelists, and grantees regarding policies and procedures in place or on hold during a government shutdown. Learn more.
National Mentoring Month

Since 2002,  National Mentoring Month has worked to raise awareness, increase involvement, and promote rapid growth of mentoring relationships that promote positive outcomes for youth. To celebrate, and in honor of International Mentoring Day (tomorrow!), we are featuring our Spotlight on Mentoring, which includes:

In addition, you may also be interested in the CADRE Early Career Guide. 
If you had a mentor that made a difference in your life, January 31 is #ThankYourMentor Day.
Highlights from the Report of the NSSME+

The 2018 National Survey is the sixth in a series of surveys dating back to 1977. The study was designed to provide up-to-date information and to identify trends in the areas of teacher background and experience, curriculum and instruction, and the availability and use of instructional resources. The 2018 iteration includes an emphasis on computer science, particularly at the high school level, which is increasingly prominent in discussions about K-12 STEM education. (To reflect this change, the 2018 study is called the NSSME+.) Horizon Research, Inc. has just released the first report from the study. 
 
The NSSME+ covers more topics than can be described here, but some highlights follow. In elementary schools, mathematics is taught on most or all school days in most classes, but science is taught on most or all school days in only 35 percent of grades 4-6 classes and 17 percent of grades K-3 classes. Further, the typical elementary class spends about 20 minutes per day on science instruction compared with 60 minutes on mathematics and 90 minutes on reading/language arts. At the high school level, almost all schools offer courses in biology and chemistry, and most offer at least one type of physics course; fewer than half offer an engineering course. Although female students are just as likely as male students to take advanced science and mathematics courses, students from race/ethnicity groups historically underrepresented in STEM are more likely to take lower-level courses than advanced courses. Females and students from these race/ethnicity groups are substantively underrepresented in high school computer science courses.
 
Lecture and whole-class discussion are the most common modes of instruction in science and mathematics classes. In contrast, high school computer science classes tend to involve students in computer-based programming activities most frequently, though lecture is still fairly common. Teachers were also asked how often they engage students in the practices of their discipline. In science, students are most often engaged in science practices related to conducting investigations and analyzing data, and less often engaged in aspects of science related to evaluating the strengths/limitations of evidence and argumentation. In mathematics, students are engaged in many aspects of mathematical practice on a weekly basis, though having students critique different approaches to solving problems occurs less frequently. In high school computer science, students are most often engaged in practices related to testing and refining computational artifacts, and less often engaged in considering end users.
Share with Colleagues
 
We hope you found the above information useful. Stay tuned for additional resources and opportunities in our next email! Please share this email with colleagues and friends who work in STEM Education research.
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