Obama Administration Expands STEM "Educate To Innovate" Goals

January 15, 2010

On January 6, 2010, President Obama indicated his Administration would expand its "Educate to Innovate" campaign. Goals include greatly increasing the number of teachers in the STEM fields alongside retaining and retraining teachers of mathematics and science.

The campaign was first announced last November (See Math in the News article,
More than $250 million in financial and in-kind support will supplement the more than$260 million the Administration committed last year.

Partnerships, group efforts, and programs will support the professional development of 100,000 teachers already involved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This includes Intel's Science and Math Teachers Initiative; enlarging the National Math and Science Initiative's UTeach Program; a commitment by public university presidents to train 10,000 mathematics and science teachers annually by 2015; and more Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships in Mathematics and Science.

In addition, NASA will organize a "Summer of Innovation" enrichment program whereby NASA scientists and engineers will work with instructors and students on STEM-related learning projects.

"The quality of math and science teachers is the most important single factor influencing whether students will succeed or fail in science, technology, engineering and math," said President Obama.

"Passionate educators with issue expertise can make all the difference, enabling hands-on learning that truly engages students, including girls and underrepresented minorities, and preparing them to tackle the grand challenges of the 21st century such as increasing energy independence, improving people's health, protecting the environment, and strengthening national security," said the President.

Source: White House Official ReportAPLU (pdf)

Id:
759
Start Date:
Friday, January 15, 2010