EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Investments to improve science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education and training at all levels – pre-kindergarten through
secondary, undergraduate, graduate, and public science literacy – receive high priority at NSF. Investments in Education and Training help
ensure an adequate, well-trained workforce of scientists and engineers that can
maintain leadership in science and technology, both now and into the future, as
well as essential science and mathematics grounding for all Americans. All Education and Training programs place
great importance on developing effective strategies for increasing
participation and achievement of groups underrepresented in science and
engineering; other efforts include research that advances the understanding of
learning and instructional practices.
Evaluation and communication efforts verify the extent to which
education programs achieve their goals and ensure that program and project
outcomes reach a wide audience. In
addition, NSF supports the development of timely, relevant data and analyses on
the science and engineering enterprise.
NSF fosters the natural
connections between learning and discovery.
When research resides alongside education and training, the rewards of
discovery are shared more quickly and disseminated more widely. Support for education and training includes
most activities funded through the Education and Human Resources appropriation,
as well as those programs funded through the Research and Related Activities
appropriation that aim to accomplish education and training through the tie to
research programs. While focused on research, much of NSF’s investment in
Research Project Support is, at the same time, an investment in education and
training, particularly through support for research activities by undergraduate
and graduate students, research at undergraduate institutions, and furthering
the careers of young investigators.
Education is, in fact, an integral component of all research projects in
that the skills and training needed for the next generation of scientists,
engineers, and technologists are provided within the context of the research
experience.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING SUPPORT BY
EDUCATION LEVEL
(Millions of Dollars)
NOTE: Numbers may not add due to rounding.
1 Includes $24 million in FY 1999 and $30 million in FY 2000 for H-1B
Nonimmigrant Petitioner Fees.
NSF is continuing to increase its
emphasis on partnerships with academic institutions, based on the view that
treating whole systems is the most effective way to make improvements in
science and mathematics education.
Together, academe and NSF are developing new approaches to education
activities, involving others with a stake in the science, mathematics, engineering,
and technology education enterprise, including state and local governments, the
private sector, and other agencies.
Some partnership examples include the new National Science, Mathematics,
Engineering, and Technology Education (SMETE) Digital Library (NSDL) initiative
that will provide links with K-16 schools and academic institutions nationwide
and the NSF Graduate Teaching
Fellows in K-12 Education program, which places graduate and undergraduate
students in K-12 schools to serve as science and mathematics content resources
to teachers. Activities
in the Urban Systemic Program, networking and collaborations among former and
current Statewide Systemic Initiative sites, and undergraduate education reform
efforts will continue their strong partnership coalitions. Within NSF, partnership activities in the
education and training function include the NSF-wide Integrative Graduate
Education and Research Training program for multidisciplinary training of
graduate students in unique research settings.
PreK-12
·
The FY 2000 Request for PreK-12 programs is $365
million, an increase of nearly $23 million above FY 1999. The National SMETE
Digital Library will total $13.0 million to support internet-based PreK-12
educational resources. NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education is $7.50
million to continue the
innovative pilot effort, initiated in FY 1999, that exposes K-12
teachers, graduate and
undergraduate students to the needs of K-12 education at the same time that it
provides much needed expertise to support high-quality learning. Systemic reform funding levels
decrease by $2.25 million to total $114.20 million. The consolidation of programs will enable focused efforts on
implementation of reform in smaller educational systems, and program innovations
to strengthen the interface between the K-12 and higher education sectors.
Informal science education funding increases $900,000 to $40.0 million, with an
emphasis on increasing access to informal learning opportunities in inner
cities and rural areas.
Undergraduate
·
The FY 2000 Request for undergraduate activities will
total $155 million, a decrease of $5.0 million from FY 1999. In FY 2000, most of the decrease reflects
the planned phase out of the existing Engineering Education Coalitions; support
for one will be terminated and support to the remaining four coalitions will be
decreased as they approach the end of their NSF awards. Funding for the National SMETE Digital
Library (NSDL) at $3.0 million will contribute to the development of the
platform, protocols, and resource content that will catalyze the NSDL as a
virtual facility. A new program,
Teaching Experiences in Computer Science, will encourage undergraduate and
graduate students to work on efforts to stimulate interest and understanding in
the K-12 learning environment of computer and information science and
engineering. Other efforts that will be
maintained include: Advanced Technological Education to support programs that
prepare technicians for the high-performance workplace, Louis Stokes Alliances
for Minority Participation supporting a combination of new and existing
projects, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate
program. Other funds for undergraduate
research activities are included under Research Project Support, particularly
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) which provides opportunities for
undergraduates to gain valuable scientific research experiences, and Research
at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) which provides research support for faculty
in predominantly undergraduate institutions.
Graduate/Postdoctoral
·
The FY 2000 Request for graduate and postdoctoral
programs will total $134 million, a decrease of $1.0 million from FY 1999. FY 2000 includes $2.0 million for a new
postdoctoral fellowship program in microbiology to encourage international
experience. NSF will continue the
Foundation-wide Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT)
program begun in FY 1998, increasing it by $1.70 million to nearly $29
million. The Grants for Vertical
Integration of Research and Education (VIGRE) in the Mathematical Sciences
program, aimed at achieving systemic reform of graduate and undergraduate
mathematical sciences, decreases $3.0 million to $16.0 million. The FY 2000
reduction in VIGRE reflects the shift from two competitions in FY 1999 to only
one in FY 2000. Other graduate support includes the Graduate Research
Fellowship program, with priority
placed on maintaining diversity of the applicant and award candidate
pools, and continued funding of the Minority Graduate Education program.
Other Support for Education and Training
·
NSF supports programs to promote public understanding
of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, including the collection,
analysis, and dissemination of data on U.S. and international resources devoted
to science, engineering, and technology.
The FY 2000 Budget Request for these activities is nearly $22 million,
an increase of approximately $400,000 over FY 1999. The increase will support
an expanded competitive research program aimed at improving indicators
of science and engineering, including indicators of education and employment in
science, engineering and technology, used in the S&E Indicators publication series. Emphasis will continue to be placed on
promoting scientific literacy and disseminating findings from NSF-supported
research.
Results Goals for
Investments in Education and Training
NSF programmatic investments in education and training
are primary enablers for a diverse globally-oriented workforce of scientists
and engineers necessary to maintain the nation’s leadership in science and
technology in the future. Education and
training investments also emphasize helping students achieve the mathematics
and science skills needed to thrive in an increasingly technological
society. In addressing these goals, the
strategy of integrating research and education is paramount. NSF emphasizes systemic approaches through
activities grounded in a sound research base, and works to build bridges
between higher education and K-12 education.
FY 2000 Areas of Emphasis for Science and Engineering
Information
NSF will
emphasize methodological research on the collection, analysis and dissemination
of information on the science and engineering enterprise, especially the use of
advanced web-based tools, to improve the quality, relevance and accessibility
of Foundation data to its key users. To make the exchange and integration of
advanced scientific data a reality, it requires careful planning at the
front-end of projects - planning that reflects a commitment to cooperative
research as well as to education, training and outreach.
Education and
Training Highlights
Examples of accomplishments
resulting from Education and Training support are discussed below.
Informal Science Education
provides rich and stimulating opportunities outside formal classroom
settings. Exhibits at museums, aquaria,
zoos, IMAX films, television, and community programs increase appreciation,
interest, and understanding of science for individuals of all ages, interests,
and backgrounds. The World Wildlife
Fund, for example, is developing Windows
on the Wild – Exploring Biodiversity.
Two 2,000 sq. ft. exhibits will travel to small and medium-sized institutions
nationwide to teach the public about the importance and decline of plant/animal
species; to demonstrate the role of research in investigating and protecting
biodiversity; and to raise understanding of the impacts of individual behavior
on biodiversity. Increased knowledge
and understanding of science motivates and empowers individuals to get involved
in biodiversity and other important social issues.
Instructional Materials Development. In the early-to-mid 1990s, NSF supported development of comprehensive
mathematics curricula at the elementary, middle, and secondary school
levels. Field tests and results from
early adoption sites are demonstrating measurable impact on student achievement
on high-stakes performance assessments.
·
For example, in Arkansas, the average gain over two
years on the Stanford Achievement Test by middle-school students using the
Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) exceeded that of all students in the State
by approximately 35 percent, across a range of schools from the affluent to
several with 76 percent of the students on free or reduced-cost lunch.
·
Similar improvement was reported for 1,093 CMP students in Texas, as measured by
results on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) examination.
Middle-School Mathematics: Four NSF-supported curricula--Connected Mathematics, Mathematics in
Context, MathScape, and Middle Grades Math Thematics--were the only
middle-school mathematics series to receive high ratings by the American
Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS rated the other
eight more traditional textbooks in middle-school mathematics as
unsatisfactory. Funded by the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, the evaluation used teams of classroom teachers and
university faculty with expertise in mathematics content, teaching, and
learning to identify materials most likely to help students achieve key
learning goals in numbers, geometry and algebra that align with AAAS Project
2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy and the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM) standards for content and instruction. This evaluation provides educators solid
information for choosing curricula that shows greatest promise for redressing
comparatively poor performance of U.S. 8th grade students as
evidenced by the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
Systemic Education Reform. Throughout the 1990s, NSF has pioneered
implementation of K-12 science and mathematics education reform in states,
large urban cities, and rural areas across the U.S., creating models that will
provide all students access to challenging and standards-based
instruction. The goal of all reform
efforts is to increase student achievement in these disciplines.
·
In Massachusetts, for example, from 1993-96, the percentage
of students demonstrating a firm grasp of factual knowledge on the
Massachusetts Education Assessment Progress (MEAP) examination increased by 8
percent in 4th grade mathematics and by 14 percent in science. In the most recent two years, students in
SSI districts outpaced the gains of their peers across the State.
·
One of the 21 Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI)
projects, Detroit Public Schools have nearly doubled their 4th grade
mathematics and 5th grade science proficiency on state assessments
over the 1993-98 period. Detroit's
successful reform strategy is characterized by (1) adoption of State science
and mathematics curricula frameworks; (2) a District resolution requiring K-12
science and mathematics teaching; (3) standards-aligned performance assessments
in 5th and 8th grade science and 4th and 7th
grade mathematics; (4) context-bound teacher education programs coordinated by
a Professional Development Council; and (5) increased school-day release time
for teachers enabling requisite training and planning.
Teacher
Enhancement. NSF is strengthening an inadequately
prepared K-12 instructional workforce, facilitating implementation of
standards-based curricula and building a cadre of leaders for delivering
professional development.
·
At the University of
Illinois, for example, the project – All
Learn Mathematics (UIC-ALM) – is improving mathematics instruction in
grades 4-9 in 36 Chicago public schools.
Thirty-three of these schools are reporting increased numbers of
students at, or above, national norms in mathematics. At Chicago’s Armstrong school, performance on the Iowa Test of
Basic Skills (ITBS) rose from 33 percent in April 1995 (before the start of the
project) to 57 percent in April 1998; at the Stockton school, comparable
performance rose impressively from 19 percent
to 54 percent.
·
The Woodrow Wilson
National Fellowship Program, on the other hand, is training middle- and
high-school teachers to lead quality environmental science education. By project end, nearly 400 teacher leaders
will guide 1,440 of their peers in summer and academic year activities through
more than 100 contact hours of supervised work. Teachers will engage in laboratory and fieldwork; learn how to
use student learning and assessment techniques; and explore the use of
technology for professional, classroom, and instructional purposes.
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program. NSF is developing a comprehensive set of
programs targeted on increasing racial and ethnic diversity of students
receiving baccalaureate and doctoral degrees in science, mathematics, and
engineering. A cornerstone of this
strategy is the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
program, established in 1991, that currently supports 27 alliances of two- and
four-year colleges and universities.
·
In 1998, LSAMP projects had graduated more than 18,000
students with baccalaureate science and engineering degrees.
·
The Florida project, for example, consisting of 12
institutional partners, set a goal in 1991 to double the number of
baccalaureate degrees in science and engineering by 1996. By 1997, the Project more than tripled the
number of degrees produced in 1991 -- from 416 to 1,380. This particular Alliance also receives
support from the Florida legislature, thereby increasing the prospect of
institutionalizing the project.
·
LSAMP projects have demonstrated the effectiveness of a
number of intervention strategies to enhance the academic performance of
students including summer bridge programs, peer study groups, faculty-directed
undergraduate research projects, and institutes for graduate school
preparation.
Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. The ATE program, initiated in 1994,
strengthens science and mathematics preparation of technicians entering
high-tech industries. Forging
partnerships among 2- and 4-year colleges, secondary schools, and industry,
ATE's 11 Centers and 150 active projects are helping meet the nation's demands
for workers in biotechnology, telecommunications, environmental technology,
manufacturing, etc.
·
At the NorthWest Center for Emerging Technologies
(Bellevue, WA), for example, information technology (IT) skill standards were
developed in collaboration with Boeing, Microsoft, and over 50 small- and
medium-sized software development firms.
These standards, validated by industrial and education leaders, have
been endorsed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Over 6,000 students have enrolled in the
Center's IT courses, including non-traditional students, such as a 53-year old
grandmother of five who now has a second career designing multimedia computer
packages.
Graduate Education.
Graduate and postdoctoral education programs at NSF prepare science,
mathematics, and engineering leaders of the future.
·
Since 1952, for example, the Graduate Research
Fellowship program has supported 34,000 outstanding science, mathematics, and
engineering students, with special emphasis on promoting women and minorities
in these disciplines.
·
In 1997, three Nobel Prizes were awarded to past
Fellows: Dr. Steven Chu (Stanford University, Physics); Dr. Robert C. Merton
(Harvard University, Economics); and Dr. William D. Phillips (National
Institute of Standards and Technology, Physics).
Science Resources
Studies (SRS). To make accurate information on topics of current interest
to the science and technology (S&T) policy community available quickly, SRS
has been emphasizing brief analytic reports on important individual
topics. In response to the national
focus on human resources for S&T, SRS produced a set of publications based
on survey and administrative data, made available quickly on the World Wide Web
(www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs). These dealt with all aspects of advanced
S&T training in the U.S.: sources and magnitude of financial support to
graduate students; the impact of financial support on employment choices;
funding trends in academic R&D by field of science and engineering;
postdoctoral training and employment patterns; the employment market for recent
S&T graduates; and detailed analysis of unemployment among those trained in
science and engineering.