Increasing the Competitive Edge in Math and Science

The U. S. is losing its competitive edge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Thomas Friedman warns that America is not producing enough young people in STEM fields that are essential for entrepreneurship and innovation in the 21st century (The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, 2005). Blue ribbon commissions and influential business and national leaders have issued reports on the seriousness of the situation but little collective effort has been made to advance solutions to the STEM crisis. Increasing the Competitive Edge in Math and Science lays out actions that can be taken by K-12 teachers and administrators, by higher education faculty and administrators, and by policy makers working collaboratively in school through college (K-16) partnerships to prepare American youth for meaningful participation in the twenty-first century science and technologically-based economy. If the steps described in this book are followed in states all across the Country, the resulting actions can help America to regain its competitive edge in science and mathematics.

About the Author :
Janet S. Kettlewell, vice chancellor for PreschoolDCollege (PD16) Initiatives for the University System of Georgia, serves as principal investigator of the Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics. Ronald J. Henry physicist, provost, and senior vice president for academic affairs at Georgia State University, serves as co-principal investigator of the Partnership for Reform In Science and Mathematics.

Review :
The strategies discussed here would change science and math education at every level, providing the tools to allow the U.S. to prepare its youth for the coming century. Professionals looking for ways to improve science and math education at the local level and in the larger community will find this book to be a useful tool. It will help them to take action in a meaningful way. The strength of this work is its comprehensive look at reform through the interactions with the various classes of stakeholders in the PRISM project. . . . Recommended. Increasing the Competitive Edge in Math and Science moves the conversation about U.S. competitiveness beyond rhetoric and recommendations to practical suggestions for what K-12 teachers and administrators and higher education faculty and administrators can do to address the problem. Based on experience and grounded in theory, the authors discuss how to form local, regional and statewide partnerships between K-12 schools and colleges and universities so that education reform efforts can be scaled. From theperspective of the business community, the book's most important contribution is to articulate the actions that K-16 leaders and state policymakers must take so that efforts by individual teachers, schools, faculty, or higher education institutions can make a lasting difference on preparation of our youth for meaningful participation in the twenty-first century knowledge-based economy..--Susan Traiman Increasingly, education reform is becoming a function of partnerships between the K 12 schools and college and universities partnerships that are notoriously simpler in concept than in reality. Increasing the Competitive Edge in Math and Science offerstheoretically grounded, hands-on guidance for partners in education reform efforts. Like the helpful GPS systems that navigate drivers through unfamiliar territory, the book lays out maps and directions that will help the partners make the most of their collaborations, and improve math and science education. Universities and colleges will find this book an excellent resource for initiating productive, collaborative partnerships with K 12 schools...--Nancy Shapiro Certainly there is no one way and a clear prescription for improving science and mathematics education in the United States. However, this valuable publication builds a strong case that the pathway to substantive change can best - and maybe only - be accomplished with strong partnerships between public schools and universities. This is a valuable handbook for those seeking the wisdom of experienced and documented success of one of the nation's shining success stories in systemic change. I applaud Jan Kettlewell, Ron Henry and the chapter authors for their devotion to sharing the PRISM story...--Charles R. Coble This book details the State of Georgia's efforts in developing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) initiative; the book offers a framework and some concrete steps for developing a a robust K - 16 initiative. -- "Mathematics Teacher"