Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education

Symposium Summary

On February 18-19, 2009, the National Research Council (NRC) Center for Education and the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) convened a strategic visioning meeting to address integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education through an innovation and learning network in California. The meeting was designed to guide and inform the work of leaders from the California Council on Science Technology (CCST) and the California State University (CSU) who are planning a process to establish a California STEM Innovation Network (CSIN) and framework for advocacy in the state. The meeting gave CCST a unique opportunity to distill a decade of analysis into a practical planning project.

The meeting focused on:

• Assisting the network planning team to develop a vision for truly integrated STEM education in California and explore the challenges, opportunities, and implications of doing so;
• Leveraging lessons learned from similar efforts in other states (Ohio, North Carolina, Texas); and
• Paving the way for a further convocation at a later date that would engage a broader set of stakeholders.