Articulation for STEM Educators: An Innovative Approach That

Serves Everyone with an Overview of Project SEED

Presenters:

Dr. Sarah Church, Assistant Professor, Education Department, Hostos Community College of the City University of New York, PI Project SEED

Dr. Ross Flek, Assistant Professor, Mathematics Department, Hostos Community College of the City University of New York, Co-PI Project SEED,

Engineering Degree Program Advisory Council Member

The Two Big Problems 1 - Articulation is a problem facing many community college students today. Not being able to transfer courses they have already successfully completed at their community colleges, they discover, to their dismay, that they must take courses a second time. This is an unfair and expensive burden for students who are forced to use up their financial aid grants and incur higher student loan debt. This is also an inefficient use of taxpayer resources, as additional federal grants and loans are often required for students to take courses twice.

2 - The number of qualified Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in the U.S. has reached a critical shortage. One problem identified by the National Science Foundation (NSF) is that the majority who teach STEM subjects in schools are not certified in these disciplines. These may be dedicated, hard-working teachers, but as math and science are not their specialty, they often lack the passion as well as the expertise required to inspire our children to become STEM professionals.

Inspiration for Project SEEDProject SEED (STEM Educators Expansion

Directive) for candidates in Chemistry and Environmental Science, a program funded by the Noyce Capacity Building Program at NSF, is intended to address these two national problems. Hostos Community College and Lehman College of the City University of New York (CUNY) are partnering to create a comprehensive career path for STEM college majors to become STEM teachers in high-needs school districts.Over the past eight years, Hostos Community College has successfully created several such joint-degree/dual-admission programs in partnership with several CUNY four-year colleges, including degrees in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Forensic Science. These programs offer an exciting new pathway that seamlessly transfers STEM majors to four-year colleges without requiring any duplication of credits. As a result of this innovative approach, more than 500 Hostos students have entered the STEM pipeline. Project SEED benefits students, STEM degree programs, colleges, and indeed, our nation.

Overview of the Current STEM Joint-Degrees at Hostos• Civil Engineering with City College of CUNY (CCNY)• Mechanical Engineering with CCNY• Electrical Engineering with CCNY

• Chemical Engineering with CCNY

• Forensic Science with John Jay College of CUNY

• Environmental Engineering with CCNY

In addition, Hostos, together with John Jay College, offers a joint-degree in Criminal Justice

How the CUNY Justice Academy WorksHow the Academy Works

By enrolling in a degree program of the CUNY Justice Academy, you receive dual admission into one of the six participating CUNY community colleges and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The first 60 credits are taken at a “partner” community college campus, with the final 60 credits taken at John Jay.

This means that when you successfully complete the first 60 credits, with a GPA of 2.0 or better, and you have completed at least one 3-credit college-level course in mathematics and English with a grade of "C" or better, you not only receive an associate’s degree from the partner campus but are rewarded with the option of guaranteed transfer to John Jay. Once at John Jay, you will be on track to complete your bachelor’s degree.

Joint/Dual Engineering Degree Programs with The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering (GSOE) of CUNY

Program OverviewHostos Community College offers Associate in Science (A.S.) degrees in Civil, Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. These programs are jointly registered, dual admission programs with the existing Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degrees at the City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering (GSOE) of CUNY. The programs have been designed to meet the licensure guidelines of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and will provide Hostos students with the same curriculum as the first two years of the licensure qualifying program required at The City College of New York (CCNY). Upon successful completion of the lower division at Hostos, students will have a seamless transition to the upper division of the baccalaureate program at CCNY. The students will spend two more years at CCNY’s GSOE toward completing a BE.

EUGENIO MARIA DE HOSTOS COMMUNITYCOLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKJOINT PROGRAM IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING :

Hostos Community College (HCC) and the City College of New York (CCNY) offer an Associate in Science (AS) degree in Mechanical Engineering Science as a jointly registered, dual admission program with the existing Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (B.E./M.E.) at the CCNY. The program has been designed to meet the licensure guidelines of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The program will provide HCC students with the same curriculum as the first two years of the licensure qualifying mechanical engineering program required at CCNY.

EUGENIO MARIA DE HOSTOS COMMUNITYCOLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORKJOINT PROGRAM IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING :

Upon successful completion of the lower division at HCC, students will have a seamless transition to the upper division of the baccalaureate program at CCNY. The dual/joint program will offer increased educational opportunities for Hispanics, African Americans and other underrepresented minorities in science and engineering fields who might otherwise be denied access to higher education. The collegial nature of the program will facilitate the transition to the professional portion of the curriculum. Mechanical Engineering Science students will enroll in the existing science and mathematics courses at Hostos and will enroll in the two mechanical engineering courses at CCNY until there is sufficient enrollment to offer the courses on the Hostos campus.

Students entering the program will be granted dual admission to HCC and CCNY. CCNY guarantees admission to HCC students who complete the A.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering Science and satisfies further criteria set forth by CCNY.

Prerequisites for ePermits in Mechanical Engineering

ME 14500

2.0 CR

Computer-Aided Drafting

ME 24600

3.0 CR

Engineering Mechanics I*

*Pre-Req: PHYS 210 (min C)*Pre-/Co-Req: ME 145000

“C” Passing Grade Requirement: Math 210, Math 200, Math 220, Math 310, Math 320, Math 360, Chem 210, Chem 220, Chem 310, Phys 210, Phys 220, Engr 204, ME 246000

In order to be transferred to CCNY a minimum overall GPA of 2.7 and a minimum GPA of 2.5 in college level math and science are required. The student may not receive a grade below a “C” in any of the math and science courses at anytime that such a course is taken.

ePermits

Engineering Degrees Overview

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Total Engineering Enrollment

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Engineering Programs Enrollment

EECEMEChE

Engineering Degrees Overview

EE Graduates CE Graduates ME Graduates ChE Graduates Totals

2005 - 2006 1       1

2006 - 2007 1       1

2007 - 2008 6       6

2008 - 2009 13       13

2009 - 2010 6     1 7

2010 - 2011 14 2   5 21

2011 - 2012 9   9 3   4 25

Totals 50 11 3 10 74

Engineering Degrees Overview

Hostos Joint/Dual students at CCNY

Semester

# students at CCNY

# dropped out/switche

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% dropped out/switche

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# graduate

d

% graduat

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# attending Fall 2012

% attending Fall 2012

Fall 2007 3 1 33% 2 67% 0 0%Spring 2008

0         0  

Fall 2008 2 1 50% 1 50% 0 0%Spring 2009

2   0% 1 50% 1 50%

Fall 2009 6 5 83%   0% 1 17%Spring 2010

6 5 83%   0% 1 17%

Fall 2010 7 3 43% 1 14% 3 43%Spring 2011

8 3 38%   0% 5 63%

Fall 2011 9 8 89%   0% 1 11%Spring 2012

18 6 33%  1 6% 11 61%

Fall 2012 13 3 23%   0% 10 77%TOTAL 74 35 6 33

23% of Hostos Students Have Graduated (6 out of 26 as of Fall 2010 CCNY’s GSOE Class)

Qudus Lawal, A.S. in Chemical Engineering at Hostos, transferred to Stanford University who is now completing his B.E. in Chemical Engineering.

Joseph Wokpetah, B.E. (Chemical Engineering, CCNY's GSOE Summer 2012). He is currently a PhD student and research assistant at Penn State University.

Engineering Degrees Overview

ChallengesAnd

Interventions

Underprepared Students No science background from their previous

education Very weak math background Problems to translate math into scienceIntervention: Winter/Summer Engineering Institute

Community College Culture Against Senior

College Culture Students NEED to know what Senior

College means/demands!!! They need to get ready!!!

COMMUNICATION between the two institutions

Intervention: Conversation with Alumni

Joint Degree/Dual Admission Program Website

http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/oaa/ddp/index.htm

Under Construction; Will Be Ready Soon

Future Project SEED Website

Essex County Community College Definitions

 

What Are Dual Admission Agreements? Dual admission agreements are specialized transfer agreements which offer students who have been denied admission to the four-year college admittance to ECC. These agreements guarantee admission and transfer of credits to the four-year college after completion of ECC degree requirements. While each agreement has slightly different requirements, all agreements require that a student must officially sign up with the four-year college and complete a specific degree program at Essex. Students who are currently enrolled at ECC or who transfer in from another college are not eligible to participate in the Dual Admission Program.

What Are Joint Admission Agreements? Joint Admissions Programs provide an opportunity for ECC students to complete a two-year degree at Essex and also be guaranteed admissions to a four-year college. Students must follow a specific course of study and graduate from an eligible program of study at ECC with the required cumulative grade point average (GPA). Joint Admission Programs have very specific requirements and are not meant for every student. They are generally designed for students who are just beginning their college work and have selected one major and one specific college that they plan to attend.

Delaware County Community College DefinitionsDual Admission Agreements

A Dual Admission agreement guarantees admission to the partner college or university and can also guarantee admission to a particular bachelor's degree if specified. Students must complete an Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), or Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree pursuant to the articulation specifications. All Dual Admission agreements offer merit based scholarships and an application fee waiver. Guaranteed Admission Agreements

Students completing certain degrees at Delaware County Community College may qualify for guaranteed admissions to similar programs at colleges or universities where a Guaranteed Admission Agreement has been established.

The Larger PictureProject SEED ultimately aims:

to increase the number of minority STEM teachers in New York City Public Schools, New York State schools, and nationally, by creating a detailed and comprehensive joint-degree/dual-admission program that involves not only new pedagogical approaches but also a full support system for participants;

to increase the general quality of current K-12 STEM education by producing teachers that have obtained degrees in chemistry and environmental science (earth science) and to promote their continued engagement in current research in their respective disciplines;

to design adaptable and dynamic joint-degree opportunities with the purpose of increasing the number of participants in STEM disciplines and corresponding graduation rates by better integrating respective curricula. These designs will then serve as models to expand the number of joint-degree programs offered at Hostos, CUNY, and nationwide.

The Objectives of Project SEED(1) align the curricula of Hostos STEM courses and programs of study with those required for Lehman chemistry and environmental science majors, with a minor in education, to create two joint-degree/dual-admission programs to enable students to attend Hostos and then transition seamlessly to Lehman to complete their bachelor’s degree;

(2) leverage existing partnerships with the American Museum of Natural History and the Black Rock Forest station to design summer internships and semester workshops to provide field experiences, teacher preparation, and other research opportunities introducing Hostos students to chemistry and environmental science;

(3) create a bridge program, incorporating an intensive screening process to identify the students most likely to succeed in a Noyce Scholarship program and offering extensive mentoring and advisement to ensure that the selected Hostos students successfully transition to Lehman; and

(4) devise an effective public relations and recruitment plan to inform potential students about SEED at Hostos, so that STEM majors are made aware of the opportunities for careers in education.

The Objectives of Project SEED

The Objectives of Project SEED:The Correct Choice of a PartnerWhy Lehman College?• Lehman College is about 10-15 minutes away on the subway• Lehman College was onboard immediately• Lehman has is Master’s granting institution with a great School of Education (with several STEM concentrations within)• Lehman College has a Noyce program for their Bachelor Graduates to pursue their Masters in Education Degrees already

The Ideal Vision for Secondary STEM Education

In our (perhaps, far reaching and ever hopeful) minds, the ultimate goal is to create a STEM teacher atmosphere at the high school level that is very akin to that of a community college, where continued further inquiry into one’s field is welcomed and rewarded, where the teachers themselves see the necessity of and have the interest in keeping current with the developments within their fields. These STEM teachers should consider themselves as much scientists or mathematicians as they do teachers and pass on this enthusiasm onto their own students.

Group Discussions: Joint-Degree/Dual-Admission Program Implementation PlanIn your local school districts, identify those

STEM disciplines that you know have shortages in licensed/certified K-12 teachers

• If you are uncertain, nationally, there are severe shortages in chemistry, earth science and physics

Plan Discussions Continued• Now that you have identified a particular STEM discipline, does your community college offer a degree in that field?

• If your institution does not offer the required degree, can you identify fellow faculty members who teach the relevant courses at your college?• If your institution does not offer enough courses in the selected STEM discipline, there are several options to consider.

Plan Discussions ContinuedOPTIONS:

• Choose a different STEM discipline

• Create and add new courses in the subject to enable the college to create a new degree

• Partner with a local senior college to temporarily offer the required courses at their location and support your fellow faculty in creating the courses within your own institution until the enrollment reaches the desired number. (Or, you could have those senior college members teach the courses on your campus)

Plan Discussions Continued• Now that you have identified a potential joint-degree field, create a group of members of the education faculty, science and math faculty, and the administration at your college.

• List potential four-year colleges that have education programs and with which you would like to partner.• Reach out to those senior colleges that seem the most optimistic and invested in creating a joint program that includes a STEM teacher education component and create your own Project SEED! (see previous slides)

Thank you!

Time for Questions and Answers.