EAST LANSING, Mich. — A Michigan State University scholar will use a $1 million federal grant to create a program designed to better prepare high-schoolers for technical careers by spurring interest in science, technology, engineering and math courses, or STEM.
It's not unusual today to find students aspiring to become forensic scientists and other high-profile professionals based on what they learn from TV shows and movies, said Barbara Schneider, MSU's John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Education.
The challenge, Schneider said, is redirecting their interest to realistic careers such as microbiology where they learn what microbiologists do and what types of education and extracurricular experiences are needed to pursue such an occupation.
With the National Science Foundation grant, Schneider will develop a school-wide model to improve students' understanding of the educational requirements for a given career path and help them develop the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors to achieve that objective. The program also has a research component.
While other university-run programs have focused on increasing college-attendance rates of students from underrepresented groups, Schneider's is likely the first to encompass all students in a school.
"The whole-school design allows for the inclusion of students who may not have identified with a career in STEM due to lack of information and exposure," she said. "Research shows that low-income and underrepresented groups tend to be unfamiliar with STEM job opportunities and the educational requirements needed to attain that goal."
The National Science Board recently identified a key challenge facing the development of a qualified STEM work force as a lack of consensus among schools, parents, students and the community regarding the importance of STEM.
Schneider and colleagues will develop the program at a rural school and an urban school. Both mid-Michigan schools are classified as economically disadvantaged and have lower-than-expected rates of students going to college.
Specifically, the three-year program involves: