Fostering STEM Institute
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Strengthening STEM leaders
Now recruiting for a third year, the Fostering STEM Institute helps instructional specialists, instructional leaders, and teacher leaders foster STEM culture and instructional practices in their schools. The institute is designed around essential tenets of effective instructional coaching, transformational professional learning, and quality STEM education.
The Fostering STEM Institute supports the outcomes of other Ohio STEM Learning Network programs, including the Innovative Leaders Institute and STEM/STEAM school designation. However, past participation in these programs is not a requirement.
Intended participants come from schools with an established STEM focus but not necessarily from STEM/STEAM designated schools. Participants will leverage and strengthen their existing knowledge of STEM pedagogy to gain expertise in effective coaching practices.
Core topics
During the Fostering STEM Institute, the cohort participants will engage in multiple workshops, coaching supports, and leverage their collaborative teams.Â
The core topics addressed throughout the institute include the following:
- Characteristics of high-quality STEM education
- STEM culture of the school community and its stakeholders
- Coaching strategies to enhance and foster:
- STEM pedagogy
- STEM culture and STEM identity
- Habits of mind
- Core attributes of STEM instructional approaches
- Onboarding new faculty
- Setting, implementing, and assessing coaching goals related to STEM practices
Residency
The Fostering STEM Institute includes both workshops and a residency opportunity. Over this year-long professional learning program, participants learn and share coaching approaches that advance instruction, and build strong STEM culture and identity. Workshops over the 2024-2025 school year will detail various facets of STEM education and coaching approaches.
Additionally, participants will be offered a 1-3 day residency opportunity. During the residency, participants visit and immerse themselves in a model STEM/STEAM school, observing and learning. The insights they gain will strengthen STEM-based approaches in their own schools.
Residency host schools are purposefully selected to meet the needs of every participant.
Residency schools for the upcoming 2024-2025 cohort will be selected based on the needs of this cohort.
Residency travel costs for the upcoming year are covered by the Ohio STEM Learning Network, thanks to generous support from the State of Ohio.
Residency schools for the current cohort (2023-2024):
Program details
Priority application deadline: April 1, 2024
Eligibility
Applicants must:Â
- Provide instructional support to teachers on a regular basis (instructional coach, lead teacher, etc.)
- Work in a STEM or STEAM designated school, or a school with an established STEM focus
- Upon acceptance, the school principal submits the commitment form supporting the applicant’s participation in the Fostering STEM Institute
Expectations
Thanks to Ohio’s generous support of the Ohio STEM Learning Network, the $1,250.00 program fee for the 2024-2025 Fostering STEM Institute is waived.
The program expectations include:
- Attending program meetings (virtual and in-person)
- In-person meeting in Columbus: September 11 and 12, 2024
- Virtual booster call: October 15, 2024
- In-person meeting in Columbus: December 4 and 5, 2024
- Virtual meeting: February 18, 2025
- In-person meeting in Columbus: May 1, 2025
- Completing program tasks and activities
- Implementing the strategies learned in the cohort during the 2024-2025 school year
Deadline
The in-person workshops will be held in Columbus. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for all participants during the in-person workshops.
Applications are currently open.
Priority applications close April 1, 2024
All applications will close May 1, 2024
Applicants will be notified by June 1, 2024.