Check out this week's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) news. 

New Institute Helps Teachers Get on Fast Track to Teach STEM

The creation of the National Institute for STEM Education by Accelerate Learning in partnership with the American College of Education will help interested teachers earn STEM certifications at an accelerated rate.

"Using an online learning platform and unique digital portfolio, NISE offers a STEM certification program for campuses and districts, as well as teachers. Through the self-paced, competency-based programs, participants can learn and apply their proficiency in the key domains of STEM teaching that are essential to creating effective classrooms that increase student achievement,” said Accelerate Learning in a press release.

"For campuses and districts, the program leading to the National Certificate for STEM Excellence helps participants develop an in-depth understanding of what it takes to transform into a STEM campus or district of excellence. The process includes building leadership capacity, certifying teachers, validating authenticity through observation and learning through data-driven professional development.”

The effort is the latest attempt by an organization to address the country’s need for quality STEM teachers for K-12 schools.

Read the full release here.

Students Assess Earth’s Condition in Ecology Lesson

Biology teacher and NCSE member Brendan Casey in a post for NCSE’s blog discussed a recent ecology lesson he taught where his students assessed how well “patient Earth” is doing these days.

"I started our analysis of Earth’s condition by asking the students what we would need to know to confirm Earth should be rushed to the emergency room. Carbon cycling, the water cycle, biodiversity, solar exposure, all came up as we brainstormed how to measure the health of the Earth,” he said.

He than sent his students on a research project, “the patient's history, environmental factors, and current symptoms to assign a prognosis.”

"As we talked about how to measure the Earth’s health, my students were already discussing ‘treatments' for the Earth, and I knew that patient Earth was in good hands.

Read the full post.

Organization Teaches Record Number of Girls Computer Science

Girls Who Code recently released its 2015 Annual Report and found that it is increasingly educating more and more girls in computer science.

”the organization has taught over 10,000 girls across 42 states to-date, with 90% of junior and senior alumnae planning to major or minor in computer science or a closely related field in college,” according to the report.

Read the full details here. 

Do America’s Grade School Children Need to Learn Advanced Algebra?

According to a seasoned political scientist in his new book, math education in America needs serious reform to better reflect the current needs of society.

This could mean doing away with teaching advanced math until students are studying specialized fields, says Andrew Hacker in his book The Math Myth.

He goes as far as to call America’s math curriculum as “morally misguided” and “deeply flawed.”

Read the full story.

Traveling Truck Helps Low-Income Students Create in Mobile Makerspace

Low-income students in Atlanta, Georgia are receiving access to a traveling makerspace thanks to the efforts of elementary school teacher Jason Martin.

The truck provides STEM instruction to students along with tools like 3D printers, laptops, saws and the like.

A side note- the project encourages female participation as it requires 50 percent of all participants to be girls.

Read the full story. 

Compiled by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor