Science and Mathematics Enterprise A Project of Higher Education Institutions in the State of Utah i

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Science and Mathematics Enterprise A Project of
Higher Education Institutions in the State of
Utah in Collaboration with Public School
Districts

• Pierre V. Sokolsky, PhD
• Dean, College of Science
• University of Utah

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Why do we need it?

• Argument from Economics
• Need for technically well-educated work force
  (BA, BS and Associate Degrees)
• Need for more scientists, mathematicians and
  engineers
• Argument from Civics
• Scientific literacy as a component of
  cultural literacy

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Brooks Education decline is the biggest issue
facing this country David Brooks The New York
Times
As Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz describe in
their book, The Race Between Education and
Technology, America's educational progress was
amazingly steady over those decades, and the
U.S. opened up a gigantic global lead.
Educational levels were rising across the
industrialized world, but the U.S. had at least
a 35-year advantage on most of Europe. In 1950,
no European country enrolled 30 percent of its
older teens in full-time secondary school. In the
U.S., 70 percent of older teens were in school.
America's edge boosted productivity and growth.
But the happy era ended around 1970 when
Americas educational progress slowed to a crawl.
Between 1975 and 1990, educational attainments
stagnated completely. Since then, progress has
been modest. America's lead over its economic
rivals has been entirely forfeited, with many
nations surging ahead in school.
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Economic Impact of Science

• Whenever someone figures out something about how
  the universe works, sooner or later someone else
  will come along and figure out how to make money
  from that knowledge Jim Trefil, Why
  Science
• This will generate new jobs, often of a technical
  nature.
• This, in turn, increases the demand for a
  scientifically educated workforce.
• In the process, new scientists are created who
  figure out something new.

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Impact on Utah

• Engineering Initiative was to double or triple
  number of Engineering grads (not).
• Labor statistics indicate we need to about double
  number of BS grads in the sciences to fill
  available jobs.
• 50 of declared science/math majors drop out
  after first two years of college.
• Introductory science/math courses are in the
  critical path for Engineering, Nursing, Business,
  Pharmacy, Medical and Dental programs.

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The argument from Scientific Literacy
Weve arranged a global civilization in which
the most crucial elementsprofoundly depend on
science and technology. Weve also arranged
things so that no one understands science and
technology. This is a prescription for
disaster. Carl Sagan
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Cultural literacy is the knowledge that
educated people, at a given time and place,
assume other people possess.
Scientific literacy is the subset that people
need to know in order to understand their
world. Without a scientifically literate
public, informed political debateon issues such
as global warming, stem cell research,
immunizations, etc, is impossible.
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Mathematical Literacy
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The graph seems to show an extraordinary set of
changes in American society

• How many Americans will know how to interpret
  this graph?
• How many will wonder if this is the right way to
  look at the data?

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Mathematical Literacy

• The U.S. economy has continued to grow in the
  last three decades
• Real (adjusted) income of bottom 90 of
  population
• 27,000 (1979)
• 25,600 (2005)

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Science and Engineering Indicators Program (Jon
Miller)
In 2005, only 28 of Americans scored as
minimally scientifically literate. Situation
not much better in Europe 10 in UK, 35 in
Sweden. Situation actually improved with
advent of science for poets types of courses.
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2006 Science and Math Education in a Global Age
(Asia Society study)
Advanced score in standard math achievement
Singapore, Taiwan, S. Korea 24 to 44 of
students U.S. 7 of students
Self-confidence in achievement score S. Korea
20 U.S 56
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So what do you expect?

• Only 23 of high school students take threeor
  more years of math and science.
• Only 10 take a physics course.
• 1/3 of U.S. students can get a Bachelors degree
  with NO science courses whatsoever.

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Relative contributions to scoring high on
scientific literacy
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Even cultural literacy is lagging
Only 40 of Americans can name five or more
of the Ten Commandments. Only 50 can name any
of the four Gospels. 12 of Americans think
Joan of Arc is Noahs wife. And we dont want to
talk about space alien visitations
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What is to be done?

• K-12 teachers and teaching
• increasing number and quality of science/math
  teachers in Utah.
• providing training/refresh for existing
  science/math teachers.
• providing new career paths and higher social
  esteem for teachers.

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Impact on Utah

• We need 200 new science/math teachers per year
  to keep a steady state.
• We need to double the number of science/math
  teachers graduating each year and staying in
  state to achieve this.
• We also need to keep new science/math teachers
  from leaving after just 3 years.

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What is to be done? (cont.)

• Undergraduate science/math courses and teaching
• - Address the students you have, not the ones
  you wish you had.
• - Create engagement
• - Provide support for disadvantaged students
• - Teach interdisciplinary science
• - Provide multiple exit points
• - Reward and value faculty teaching!

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Center for Math and Science Education

• University of Utah administration approved five
  faculty positions for this Center.
• Will hire three senior, well-respected research
  scientists with a passion for education.
• Will hire two junior faculty to assist them.
• Joint program of the College of Science and the
  College of Education.

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Statewide Enterprise

• Each State institution has its special role and
  special local relationships. These must be
  preserved and built upon.
• Coordination/cooperation between State
  institutions is vital for success.
• The impact of changing demographics and
  under-represented minorities must be factored in
  from the very beginning.

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Where do the resources come from?

• State Legislature Need clearly defined
  proposals that address known problems and have a
  quantifiable way of measuring success.
• Local institutional funding a statewide effort
  should generate better support.
• Federal, Foundation and private support.

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Thank you for your interest and support!

• This is a great and difficult challenge, but one
  we must rise to!
• On the positive side, I have (yet) to meet anyone
  who doesnt think that this enterprise is
  important.
• All the state institutions need to find and play
  their roles. All of your ideas are welcome.