PLTW KY Summit and Counselors Conference 2009 Sponsored by E-ON US

October 27, 2009, Marriott Griffin Gate, Lexington, KY

 

Keynote Speaker: Dennis Bega, US Department of Education

Purpose:
Change the conversation about K-12 STEM education in Kentucky; train school staff regarding PLTW successful implementation

Brief Description:
For many years the conversation regarding economic improvements in Kentucky has focused on bringing new businesses to the state. Improvements in STEM education, in conjunction with bringing new businesses, leads to more economic opportunities for Kentucky residents and improves the lives of Kentuckians.

The overarching purposes of the Summit & Conference include:
• Changing the conversation regarding STEM education in Kentucky so that we all are moving together in unison toward improving education for our children, and ultimately the opportunities for all Kentucky residents.
• Bringing STEM education, and specifically the opportunities demonstrated by PLTW, to the forefront in Kentucky.
• Educating school administrators, principals and counselors regarding the PLTW benefits and classroom best practices.
• Discussing creative ways to close the implementation gap statewide so that PLTW can provide the options and opportunities to children who might overlook STEM career choices.

PLTW (http://www.pltw.org/index.cfm) is a nationally-recognized middle and high school curriculum focused on projects and problem-based contextual learning. PLTW aims toward cultivating student interest in pursuing careers in engineering, advanced manufacturing, biomedical sciences and energy. PLTW makes science, math, engineering and technology fun for students, and encourages those who may have overlooked a STEM career by opening the door of options and opportunity in STEM areas. PLTW focuses on the development of logical, problem-solving skills, thereby preparing students for STEM-related postsecondary education or the technology workforce. The success of PLTW depends on integrated partnerships between elementary, middle and high schools, colleges and universities, and the business and government sectors.

Kentucky STEM I & II workgroups have determined that Project Lead the Way™ (PLTW), when implemented statewide, will increase engineering, biomedical, manufacturing, and energy talent pipelines in Kentucky and therefore deliver the quantity and quality of students graduating from high school prepared for high-tech fields. PLTW has been praised by numerous professional organizations, including the Aerospace Industry Association and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and was the subject of a recent segment on National Public Radio entitled, “Can Science Reasoning Be Taught?” PLTW is the only K-12 STEM curriculum identified in the 2005 report, “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” published by the National Academies of Engineering, Science and Health as the path to improving the STEM workforce in this country.