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NNPS Model

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Newport News Public Schools (NNPS) “is building a comprehensive STEM culture in our school division and community” (Newport News Public Schools, 2015a). “STEM education is key to a prosperous community and quality careers for upcoming generations. Newport News Public Schools has embarked on an aggressive STEM education initiative that prepares students to take full advantage of STEM opportunities in higher education and career fields” (Newport News Public Schools, 2014). Newport News Public Schools has designated nine schools as STEM focused and has opened a STEM Discovery Academy for grades K-2. STEM Lab is also a resource for elementary students. Each quarter a district wide, elementary STEM challenge is convened at Newsome Park Elementary …show more content…

The first skill identified by NGSS is asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) (Next Generation Science Standards, 2013). The NNPS model addresses this skill in the Ask step of the process. ). The second skill identified by NGSS is developing and using models (Next Generation Science Standards, 2013). The imagine step requires NNPS students to develop ideas and solutions and create a plan to implement the solution. During the build step of the process, NNPS students are required to implement the plan using models. The third skill identified by NGSS is planning and carrying out investigations (Next Generation Science Standards, 2013). This skill is developed in NNPS students during both the imagine and build steps of the design process. The fourth skill identified by NGSS is analyzing and interpreting data (Next Generation Science Standards, 2013). NNPS students practice this skill as they participate in the evaluate and improve step of the design process. The fourth skill identified by NGSS is using mathematics and computational thinking. NNPS students’ engagement in mathematics and computational thinking correlates to the development of the design brief. The constraints …show more content…

Effective development of the design briefs and preparing teachers to employ STEM in the classroom are supported by the districts STEM professional development courses offered through the iSTEM Innovation Institute. In 2015, the iSTEM Innovation Institute won a Programs That Work Award from the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition (Newport News Public Schools, 2015b). However, the noncompulsory quality of STEM education and limitations placed upon science instruction limits the capacity for equitable development of the STEM skills identified by

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