GEORGIA TECH STEM EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND OUTREACH YEAR IN REVIEW 2020
CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
CELEBRATING OVER 30 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND OUTREACH
Message from the Executive Director Happy 30th Anniversary, CEISMC! Since 1991, you have been bringing the passion, ingenuity, and intellect of Georgia Tech’s students, staff, and faculty into classrooms, competitions, and camps throughout the state of Georgia. We have heard so many stories of young scientists and engineers becoming hooked on Georgia Tech after attending their first Saturday K.I.D.S. Club. Thirty years later, their children and grandchildren are following that same path of excitement and discovery. Thousands of classrooms have been transformed through pedagogy developed by CEISMC. Teachers have seen their students rise to exceed the highest expectations through brainstorming, discussing, designing, testing, refining, explaining, and creating the next. They have come to know Georgia Tech as a source of support, recognition, and growth. CEISMC, in one of the most challenging years of 2020, you continued your commitment of service to K-12 students and their teachers without missing a beat. Summer camps evolved into exciting STEAM kits and virtual explorations. Teachers who were weary from so much virtual instruction found the energy to refresh and revitalize in your professional development retreats. Believe it or not, in 2020, more students were served than ever before. Technology allowed participants from across Georgia, the United States, and the world to participate in CEISMC’s innovative and engaging programs. With the move from the Biltmore to the newly renovated space on campus in 2021, you begin a new era of the next 30 years of CEISMC. With its resilience and salience, there is no doubt that CEISMC will still be here in 2051, serving Georgia Tech and the state and, most likely, the galaxy.
Regards,
Lizanne DeStefano, Ph. D. Executive Director Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing Georgia Institute of Technology
Mission The Georgia Tech Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC) enhance PreK-12 and post-secondary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education by drawing upon the expertise and scholarly contributions of the Georgia Tech community. CEISMC advocates for and leads systemic changes to increase STEM interest and achievement for all students, especially those underrepresented in STEM. CEISMC’s research efforts allow for the identification and dissemination of evidence-based best practices in STEM education.
Vision CEISMC will define and exemplify effective STEM education to maximize students’ readiness to excel in a rapidly changing world. We are leaders in influencing significant curricular, pedagogical, social and policy reform efforts that will shape STEM education and workforce development.
Goals • • • • • •
Inspiring STEM Enrichment And Outreach For Students Intensive Professional Development For STEM Educators Local And Sustainable Community Partnerships Innovative STEM Education Research And Evaluation Of STEM Education Dynamic Opportunities For Georgia Tech Community Engagement
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING • 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 1
CEISMC’S REACH ACROSS THE STATE OF GEORGIA
62,800+ 1,305
Pre-College Students Engaged in CEISMC STEM Outreach and Extracurricular Programs STEM Teachers Participated in CEISMC Professional Development
5,720+ 108
Georgia School Districts Partnered With CEISMC To Inspire The Next Generation of STEM Innovators
110
75
Georgia Tech faculty and staff partnered with STEM education through CEISMC to offer STEM programs
Hours Of STEM Teacher Professional Development Provided by CEISMC
Post-Doc, graduate, and undergraduate Georgia Tech students worked with CEISMC to increase STEM learning
®
25
External organizations and businesses provided access to real-world STEM experiences
Georgia School Districts Appling County Atkinson County Atlanta Public Schools Baldwin County Barrow County Bartow County Ben Hill County Bibb County Brooks County Bryan County Bulloch County Burke County Butts County Calhoun County
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Camden County Candler County Carroll County Catoosa County Charlton County Cherokee County City Schools of Decatur Clarke County Clay County Clayton County Clinch County Cobb County Colquitt County Columbia County
Cook County Coweta County Crisp County Davis County Dawson County DeKalb County Dooly County Dougherty County Douglas County Dublin City Early County Effingham County Elbert County Evans County
Fannin County Fayette County Floyd County Forsyth County Fulton County Gainesville City Gilmer County Glascock County Glynn County Gordon County Grady County Greene County Griffin-Spalding County Gwinnett County
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
FISCAL YEAR 2020 ANNUAL BUDGET Fiscal Year 2020 Total Funding $12,914,014 58% External Sponsors
6% Excel Tuition Revenue
$7,523,989
5% Registration Fees $618,309
$742,666
24% Gift and Foundation 7% State Funding
$3,157,009
$872,041
93% of CEISMC’s Funding is From External Sources
Harris County Hart County Heard County Henrico County Henry County Houston County Jackson County Jasper County Jefferson County Jones County Lamar County Lanier County Laurens County
Lee County Liberty County Lowndes County Macon County Madison County Marion County McDuffie County Meriwether County Monroe County Muscogee County Nassau County Newton County Oconee County
Paulding County Peach County Pike County Polk County Pulaski County Randolph County Richmond County Rockdale County Santa Clara Savannah-Chatham County Screven County Stephens County Stewart County
Terrell County Thomas County Tift County Toombs County Treutlen County Troup County Union County Walker County Walton County Ware County Whitfield County Wilkes County
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 3
30 YEARS OF STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH AND OUTREACH
CEISMC’s Foundations Expanding access to post-secondary education has long been a focus of concern for the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 1975, Georgia Tech led a coalition of seven southeastern universities to increase the number of minorities pursuing engineering by founding the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering (SECME). In 1988, concerns about access for K–12 students from local schools prompted Georgia Tech to initiate SciQuest, a pipeline program for students in Atlanta Public Schools that included summer camps, tutoring, field trips, and faculty demonstrations. Georgia SECME and SciQuest were eventually brought under one umbrella when Georgia Tech established the College of Sciences (CoS) in 1990, led by Dean Robert Pierotti. The mission of the new CoS included improving Georgia Tech’s undergraduate education and increasing the quality of incoming students through programs for teachers and K–12 students. In 1991, Dean Pierotti and Director of K–12 Outreach Carolyn Thorsen created a new unit within the college
1990
Georgia Tech College of Sciences founded
CEISMC TIMELINE 4|
charged with addressing educational issues at both the K–12 and undergraduate levels and named it the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). Though generously funded by the College of Sciences, from its inception CEISMC actively sought outside sponsors to support new and innovative programming. For example, the Georgia Industrial Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program began in 1991 with eight teachers, supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) funds. GIFT, SECME, and SciQuest were subsequently expanded as part of the Georgia Initiative in Mathematics and Science (GIMS), funded by a $10 million NSF grant led by UGA. During its first five years, CEISMC began the Kids Interested in Discovering Science Club (K.I.D.S. Club), coordinated the Science Olympiad in Georgia, and designed and implemented Science of Sporting Events activities in conjunction with the 1996 Olympics.
1991 1991
CEISMC created by Dean Bob Pierotti
Georgia Industrial Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program started
1991
Georgia SECME and SciQuest pipeline programs brought to CEISMC
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
In partnership with NASA, the City of Atlanta, and the National Park Service, CEISMC also implemented summer day camps in Atlanta and multi-week residential camps in the North Georgia mountains. In 1995, CEISMC debuted Public Science Day in collaboration with the AAAS national meeting in Atlanta. That year, 8,000 3rd–8th graders participated in Public Science Day, with 3,500 on the Georgia Tech campus. Using technology to support education was another primary focus for CEISMC in the 1990s. The CEISMC Webweavers created the acclaimed Busy Teacher website and partnered with Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Peachstar to identify, curate, and disseminate online materials to support the Georgia Stories and Irasshai Virtual Japan web curriculum programs. The partnership was made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. CEISMC also developed and hosted the Georgia Learning Connections database to house educational resources for the Georgia Department of Education. Besides providing programs for teachers and K–12 students, in its first decade CEISMC spearheaded undergraduate educational innovations, collaborating with faculty to improve instruction in undergraduate science, mathematics, and computing courses. CEISMC also established a Teacher Preparation Program with Georgia State University to allow undergraduate students to earn a teaching certification and led InGEAR: Integrating Gender Equity and Reform, a 5-year multiinstitutional NSF-supported initiative to analyze and address issues related to gender equity on college campuses. In 1997, the CoS eliminated CEISMC’s focus on post-secondary education. After this time, though CEISMC continued to cultivate many partnerships across campus that impacted undergraduate and graduate education, its focus entering the second decade was more squarely on K–12 education.
1992
NSF funds the Georgia Initiative in Mathematics and Science (GIMS), expanding CEISMC programs
1995 1995
CEISMC debuted Public Science Day in collaboration with AAAS
NSF funds Integrating Gender Equity and Reform (InGEAR)
1996 Paul Ohme hired as Director
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 5
The Middle Years: A Focus on Georgia Students and Teachers By the mid-2000s, CEISMC had developed an extensive array of programs and initiatives to increase student achievement, particularly for those underserved and underrepresented in STEM. These initiatives consisted of both direct student programs and efforts to improve teacher effectiveness. In 2006 alone, CEISMC provided engaging STEM experiences to 600 students through summer camps; intensive research experiences to 40 underrepresented students through the High School Summer Research Program; Saturday STEM enrichment to 350 students in K.I.D.S Club; and FIRST LEGO League robotic competitions for 1,000 students ages 9–13. CEISMC also played a critical role in founding the Distance Calculus Program in 2004, which provides advanced Georgia Tech mathematics courses to high school students through video. During these middle years, hundreds of K–12 students were also mentored and tutored annually in school settings by Georgia Tech graduate and undergraduate students as part of the Student and Teacher Enhancement Partnership (STEP), funded by the NSF GK–12 program, the Elementary Science Education Partnership (ESEP) program (led by Emory and funded through NSF), the Mentoring for Success program (funded by the Blank and GE Foundations), 1997
CEISMC Web Weavers begin Busy Teacher website
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the All Kids Count program, and the Pathways to SMET program. Partnering closely with school systems and working with teachers amplifies efforts to increase student engagement and achievement. During the 2000’s, CEISMC served as a central partner on the Atlanta Systemic Initiative, a 15 million dollar, 5-year NSFfunded project focused on improving math and science education in Atlanta Public Schools. CEISMC staff also partnered with the Southeastern Rural Systemic Initiative to address STEM education in rural counties in southwest Georgia and with the Board of Regents and the Professional Standards Commission on the Middle Grades Math and Science Initiative (MGMSI). In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education, CEISMC also coordinated the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) and helped provide math and science teacher professional development to hundreds of teachers from school systems throughout Georgia. Funding for these programs was often provided by the US Department of Education’s Math and Science Partnerships (MSP) and Eisenhower Teacher Quality Professional Development programs.
1998 1997
CEISMC partners with GPB/ Peachstar to create Georgia Stories website
APS and CEISMC partner on the NSF Atlanta Initiative in Mathematics and Science (AIMS)
1999
CEISMC creates the GA Dept of Ed’s Georgia Learning Connections Database
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
Other teacher development programs also continued to flourish. During the summer of 2007, 100 teachers from 33 school districts participated in the GIFT program, supported by 5 universities and 13 corporations. This turnout made GIFT one of the largest summer work experience programs for teachers in the country. Promoting teaching as a career for GT students was another continuing CEISMC focus, pursued through NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship grants, and through collaborations with GT’s Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) on the Tech to Teaching project. Tech to Teaching was funded by NSF in 2009 to recruit GT students to teaching and to provide them with pedagogical training, pre-teaching advising, and K-12 education experiences.
The Third Decade: Promoting Innovation and Research at the National Level By 2010, CEISMC’s programs for K–12 students and teachers were well established, though they continued to evolve with the times. Summer camps were consolidated and became selfsustaining through fees under the title Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEAM (PEAKS). K.I.D.S. Club continued to provide Saturday programs for hundreds of students. The FIRST LEGO League expanded to serve more than 5,000 students annually and CEISMC initiated a new invention and entrepreneurship competition called the K–12 InVenture Prize. CEISMC also continued to offer rigorous STEM teacher professional development for Georgia teachers through the GIFT, MSP and Teacher Quality programs. New professional learning initiatives also focused on computer science, in collaboration with Code.org, and on software engineering, with funding from Honeywell. And, in collaboration with Georgia Tech’s Distance Learning and Professional Education, CEISMC expanded professional development into the online space in 2009, funded by a $3 million Electronic Professional Development Network (ePDN) grant from NASA.
2000
K.I.D.S. Club membership exceeds 550. 440 students attended CEISMC summer camps
For many years Georgia Tech has sought to strengthen its connections to the surrounding community. These efforts have continued, with CEISMC working across campus to develop partnerships with schools on Atlanta’s Westside, including bringing the national Horizons program to Atlanta Public Schools in 2013. In 2016, CEISMC partnered with the westside’s M.R. Hollis Innovation Academy, with funding from the Blank Foundation, to develop and implement a highquality STEM elementary school curriculum that takes advantage of the many human resources available at Georgia Tech. The Georgia Department of Education’s Race to the Top (RT3) grant, awarded in 2010, provided support for an array of CEISMC’s core programs in the form of a multimillion-dollar sub-award. It also provided support for developing engineering-focused middleschool courses, launching CEISMC’s new focus on developing educational innovations for national dissemination and conducting educational research and evaluation.
2002 2001
NSF funds the Student and Teacher Enhancement Partnership (STEP) GK-12 Program
FIRST LEGO League Competition begins
2003
CEISMC creates the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) platform
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 7
Building upon curriculum development conducted as part of RT3, CEISMC and GT partners were awarded a series of engineering-focused NSF Design and Development projects. The first was CEISMC’s $3.5 million Science Learning Integrating Design, Engineering and Robotics (SLIDER) DRK–12 project, funded in 2009. Next came the $7.3 million Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Integrated to Unlock Potential (AMP-IT-UP) NSF MSP project in 2012, in collaboration with GT’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. In 2019 the GT School of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with CEISMC, was awarded the $3 million Bio-Inspired Design in High School Engineering Education (BIRDEE) DRK-12 project. During this same time CEISMC initiated parallel projects in computer science education, beginning with the $3 million EarSketch DRK–12 project in 2014. This collaboration with the GT School of Music was extended in 2016 as part of the $2.5 million Culturally Authentic Practice to Advance Computational Thinking in Youth (CAPACiTY) STEM+C project. Most recently, in 2020 Georgia Tech and the University of Puerto Rico–Rio Piedras were awarded REMEZCLA, a $3 million NSF AISL grant to broaden participation of LatinX students in computer science through the use of culturally relevant computational music practices. The goal of all these NSF projects have been to create innovative educational materials, pilot them in diverse public schools and communities, and assess the educational effects on students and teachers. CEISMC’s decade-long focus on research and evaluation extends beyond curriculum projects and is
now an integral part of all grant proposals. Evaluation of outcomes was a central part of GoSTEM, a $5 million foundation gift awarded in 2011 to improve Latinx STEM academic achievement. Success in evaluation also helped convince this foundation to award CEISMC a second $5 million gift in 2018, for a project called GoSTEAM. This project is designed to promote and evaluate the effects of art and music integration in K-12 engineering and computer science. CEISMC now also leads basic educational research projects, such as The Role of Social Networks and Self-Efficacy in the Retention of Noyce Teachers ($488K NSF award), and provides evaluation services to a multitude of projects sponsored by NSF, the Department of Education, and independent foundations. In 2017 CEISMC began a collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education (GADOE) to evaluate a statewide Literacy initiative titled Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading (L4GA) program. The L4GA Program is a 7-year project serving 58 school districts throughout Georgia. CEISMC remains committed to amplifying the creative work and talent at Georgia Tech by promoting academic achievement and authentic engagement for pre-college students. In 2019 CEISMC officially moved from the College of Sciences to the Office of the Provost. The move is a testament to the centrality of its continuing mission to expand educational access, empower all students, and develop the next generation of STEM leaders.
2004
Distance Calculus Program begins
2007 2006
CEISMC provides engaging STEM experiences directly to over 600 K-12 students
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100 teachers from 33 school districts participate in the GIFT program
2008 Richard Millman becomes Director
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
ON-CAMPUS AND EXTERNAL COLLABORATIONS Georgia Tech Colleges and Schools
External Colleges and Universities
College of Computing School of Interactive Computing College of Design School of Architecture School of Music College of Engineering School of Aerospace Engineering School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering School of Civil & Environmental Engineering School of Electrical & Computer Engineering School of Industrial & Systems Engineering School of Mechanical Engineering College of Sciences School of Biological Sciences School of Chemistry & Biochemistry School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences School of Physics Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts School of Literature, Media, and Communication
Cornell University Georgia State University Georgia State Welch School of Art and Design South Georgia Technical College University of Georgia University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras (UPR-RP) Valdosta State University
Other Georgia Tech Entities Campus Recreational Center Center for Music Technology Office of Hispanic Initiatives Office of Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office of the Provost Office of Undergraduate Admissions Youth Programs
2009
CEISMC partners with 14 school districts on GA Math and Science Partnership proposals
Sponsors AGAPE Amazon Future Engineers Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation ArtsNOW Blessings in A Backpack Georgia Department of Education Georgia Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Consortium (GAIPSEC) Georgia Power Gwinnett County Afterschool Programs Horizons Atlanta Horizons National Mighty Mente The Latin American Association UPS Voya Westside Future Fund YELLOW Foundation
2009 2009
NSF funds the Tech to Teaching project
GT expands teacher professional development online via the ePDN NASA grant
2009
The Science Learning: Integrating Design, Engineering and Robotics (SLIDER) NSF DRK-12 project begins
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 9
FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS
Summer Program Focus on Remote Learning For many years, K-12 students discovered Georgia Tech’s campus through exciting science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) based learning programs hosted in the summer. Following the shift to online learning, the new STEAM Whistle Workshops and the 2020 Horizons Virtual Programs were finetuned to provide scholars with the chance to stay engaged online over the summer. Both of these programs were adjusted to reflect the necessary COVID-19 protocols. The programs offered online instruction for students in a format that reflected past programs familiar to them. The STEAM Whistle Workshops are new week long programs implemented over the summer for middle and high school students. Past programs such as the CEISMC Summer PEAKS Program and the Savannah Summer Programs inspired the new workshops. In this program, instructors met with students, provided time for independent project work, and led hands-on, interactive activities completed at home. A new training process provided instructors the necessary tools to deliver quality education.
2010
The U.S. Dept of Education funds Georgia’s Race to the Top grant
The Horizons program is designed to encourage students from under-served communities to realize their full potential. The program partnered with Centennial Academy, Drew Charter, and Hollis Innovation Academy. Scholars begin the program as rising 1st graders and stay with the program every summer until 9th grade. This year, Horizons provided scholars with a reduced, three-week virtual program that provided asynchronous and synchronous instruction through google classroom, distributed over 120 supply kits, and devices were given out as needed. A two-weeklong pre-planning Teacher Professional Development (PD) and a meal service were provided in addition to virtual instruction. Over 470 meals were distributed to families. Meals were given out at Hollis once a week and included enough meals for the entire week.
2012 2011
GoSTEM is created to promote academic achievement for Latinx students
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“It was important for us to continue to provide these high quality and engaging programs,” said Sirocus Barnes, Director of Student Programs, “With the virtual programming this summer, we can now have connections with youth across our entire state and beyond.”
NSF funds GT’s $7.2 million AMP-IT-UP Math and Science Partnership
2012
CEISMC expands programming to the Georgia Tech Savannah campus
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
Excel Joins CEISMC On January 1, Expanding Career, Education, and Leadership for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Excel at Georgia Tech) became a unit within the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC). This shift brought the program out of the Scheller College of Business and into a centralized unit within the Office of the Provost.
GoSTEM Latinos/Hispanics in STEM: A Career Path Series As part of its mission, one of the GoSTEM program’s essential goals is to inspire Latino/Hispanic students at all levels of their academic careers to become the next generation of STEM scientists and experts. GoSTEM collaborated with the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the Latino Organization of Graduate Students (LOGRAS) to present a new seminar series titled, “GoSTEM Latinos/ Hispanics in STEM: A Career Path Series.” The series provides a platform for successful Latino/ Hispanic heritage professionals to share their experience in various fields, including academia, private industry, and government. The new online series hosted its first guest speaker, Rafael Bras, former provost at Georgia Tech. The program was also honored to have Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera participate as a guest speaker. “At about 900,000 people, Georgia has the 10th largest Hispanic and Latino population among U.S. states, and more than 60% of them live in metro Atlanta,” said Cabrera. “At Georgia Tech, we are committed to keeping our doors open to this rich, talented community — engaging them, increasing their representation, and helping them reach their potential. “As a native of Spain who studied at Tech as an international student, I was pleased to share my story with this next generation of Hispanic and Latino STEM professionals, and I will continue to support programs that connect students from underrepresented groups with STEM fields.” 2013
Horizons Atlanta begins at Georgia Tech
Excel at Georgia Tech was founded in 2014 by Cyrus Aidun, a professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Terry Blum, Tedd Munchak Chair in Entrepreneurship and faculty director for the Institute for Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ILE) in the Scheller College of Business. Excel is a four-year college program leading to two separate certificates. The first is a Certificate in Social Academic Enrichment, Social Fluency and Career Exploration, and the second is a Certificate in Social Growth, Leadership and Career Development. The Excel program embraces the principles of access to all opportunities in society and provides a structured and supportive postsecondary educational opportunity and addresses the full scope of the needs of this population from fundamental academics to social activities and vocational training. The program activities are categorized under one or more categories: academics, social growth, independent living, and career development. Excel received the designation of a Certified Transition Program (CTP) from the U.S. Department of Education in 2016. Excel is one of nine Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs in Georgia. It represents one of more than 270 IPSE programs at colleges and universities across the United States.. To date Excel has had two cohorts of graduates totaling 14 students. Thirty-five students are currently enrolled.
2014 2013
CEISMC initiates the K-12 InVenture Prize competition
NSF funds EarSketch: An authentic STEAM approach to High School Computer Science
2015
Lizanne DeStefano becomes Director
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 11
REMEZCLA The Collaborative Research Broadening Participation of LatinX Students in Computer Science by Integrating Culturally Relevant Computational Music Practices, called “REMEZCLA,” directly addresses the lack of representation of LatinX and Spanish-speaking students in computer science. The NSF-funded
Students will learn how to code and reprogram music using culturally inclusive technology and create musical compositions connected to their community and heritage stories.
project expands middle and high school students’ STEM engagement and opportunities within both the continental United States and Puerto Rico. The creative approach teaches code and music composition by designing, implementing, and assessing a new informal learning curriculum.
The EarSketch Remix Competition uses Georgia Tech’s EarSketch platform to help students learn to code in Python or JavaScript through music. For the competition, students use music samples from select artists to create a new original song. Students have access to samples by Grammy-award winning artists Ciara and Common and additional tracks from the EarSketch library.
This inclusive computer science curriculum encourages students to establish connections to their own cultures, communities, and lived experiences. The lessons use culturally relevant instruction for meaningful engagement and allow students to gain valuable computational thinking skills. Another significant aspect of this project will be adapting the Georgia Tech-developed music platform, EarSketch, making it culturally and linguistically accessible to LatinX students. The redesign of the EarSketch music platform will include the ability to switch between Spanish and English easily.
Using Music to Teach Music and More
In 2020, CEISMC announced four grand-prize winners of our national EarSketch remix competition using tracks from R&B artist Ciara. In 2021, the competition will feature code, music, and social justice themes in collaboration with Amazon Future Engineer and Pharrell’s foundation, YELLOW. Students will analyze Pharrell’s song “Entrepreneur” and explore how music, computer science, and entrepreneurship are pathways to racial equity.
2016
NSF funds the Culturally Authentic Practice to Advance Computational Thinking in Youth (CAPACiTY) project
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2017 2016
The WestsideTurnaround Plan is approved for M.R. Hollis Innovation Academy
NSF funds The Role of Social Networks and Self-Efficacy in the Retention of Noyce Teachers grant
2017
Evaluation of GA DoE Statewide Literacy Initiative: Literacy for Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) Project initiated
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
SELECTED PROGRAMS An Exploratory Study: The Role of Social Networks and Self-Efficacy in the Retention of Noyce Teachers This National Science Foundation-funded Robert Noyce Scholarship Track IV research grant aims to explore Noyce teachers’ social network relationships, self-efficacy, and retention in high-needs schools.
2020 STEAM Leadership Conference at Georgia Tech This conference provides leaders and researchers in K-12 education with engaging, challenging, and interactive sessions centered around STEM education innovation. This year’s conference highlighted projects, curriculum, and tools centered around the profound impact created when humanity lives at the center of STEAM education.
Fulton STEM School Development Project CEISMC staff is working with Fulton County Schools to design the new Innovation Academy High Schools curriculum. The curriculum will be implemented when the schools open in the Fall of 2021.
Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) This program provides Georgia K-12 teachers with STEM and STEAM internships in university research labs, industry, and informal science education institutions. Teachers gain real-world context and experiences to build innovative, relevant curricula to promote career awareness. This year, GIFT fellows participated virtually.
GoSTEAM The GoSTEAM program is an educational collaborative to create sustainable, school-based initiatives that integrate the arts and music into Computer Science, Engineering, and Invention and Entrepreneurship education in authentic and compelling ways. STEM and art/music teachers are paired throughout the year with Innovators in Residence. GoSTEAM coaches to engage students in creative STEAM-focused experiences and promote vertical teaming between schools, universities, and the community. 2018
GoSTEAM funded to promote art and music integration in engineering and computer science
2020 2019
CEISMC moves from the College of Sciences to the Office of the Provost
Excel joins CEISMC
2021
CEISMC moves to new offices at 505 10th Street
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 13
STAFF AND FACULTY RECOGNITIONS Meltem Alemdar Promoted to Principal Research Scientist Elected to Georgia Tech Faculty Executive Board Blair Banks Promoted to Educational Outreach Manager Sirous Barnes Promoted to Senior Program Director Katie Boise Promoted to Research Associate II Nina Climes Named GT 2000 2020 Instructor of the Year Timothy Cone Appointed to Effingham College and Career Academy Board of Directors; HV Jenkins School of Engineering - Business Education Advisory Council Lizanne DeStefano Appointed Committee Vice-Chair of STEM Education Advisory Panel for the National Science Foundation in consultation with the US Department of Education, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Doug Edwards Promoted to Senior Research Associate Emily Beck Frobos Earned Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering
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Marilyn Goodson Retired after 16 years of service at CEISMC Mike Helms Promoted to Senior Research Scientist James-Addis Hill Promoted to Web Developer Communications Specialist Justina Jackson Earned Ph.D. from GSU, Educational Policy Studies Nichole Morales Promoted to Educational Outreach Manager Analía Rao 2020 Faces of Inclusive Excellence. Georgia Tech’s Institute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, 12th Annual Diversity Symposium Honoree Lorna Rivera Elected General Co-Chair for the 2022 Practice and Experience in Advanced Research Computing (PEARC) Conference Series Amanda Smith Promoted to Educational Outreach Manager Chris Thompson Retired after 20 years of service at CEISMC Justin Turner Promoted to Senior IT Support Professional
GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
CEISMC and Excel staff continued to provide high-quality programming and research despite Covid-19 restrictions
2020 YEAR IN REVIEW | 15
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS Alemdar, M. & Cappeli, C.J. (2020, November 4). Program Evaluation Frameworks: Why do they matter? NSF Advancing Research&Innovation in the STEM Education of Preservice Teachers in High-Need School Districts (ARISE) Gale, J., Alemdar, M., Lingle, J., & Newton, S. (2020). Exploring critical components of an integrated STEM curriculum: an application of the innovation implementation framework. International Journal of STEM Education, 7(1), 5. Boice, K., Cappelli, C., Alemdar, M., Patel, J., & Moore, R. (2020). “Reinventing the InVenture Prize: Transforming a Year-Long Invention Program into a Week-Long, University-Based Summer Program (Evaluation).” Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education annual conference. Pucha, R., Dosa, K., Newton, S., Alemdar, M., Yow, R. and Hirsch, J. (2020), “Integrating Sustainability into a Freshman-Engineering Course through an InstituteLevel Initiative: A Teaching–Learning Model with Authentic Activity and Context”, Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P. and Yamin, T.S. (Ed.) Integrating Sustainable Development into the Curriculum (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 18), Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 125-143. https://doi. org/10.1108/S2055-364120200000018026 Harris, B. and Turcotte, H. (2020) Research and Public Engagement Experiences…Oh My! Presented at the 8th Annual Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) Summit. Virtual Pucha, R., Newton, S.H., Alemdar, M., Hull, R.W., & Bhagat, A. (2020, June). Contextualized design projects in graphics and visualization course: Student perceptions and sustainability systemsthinking knowledge. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education annual conference, Virtual Conference.
Cappelli, C.J., Leroux, A. J. & Masyn, K. E. (2020). The Impact of Ignoring Individual Mobility Across Clusters in Multilevel Discrete-Time Survival Analysis [Paper Session]. American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. (Conference Canceled) Gale, J., Alemdar, M., Cappelli, C. & Morris, D. B. (2020) An Exploration of the Sources of Self-Efficacy Identified by Early Career Noyce Teachers [Roundtable Session]. AERA Annual Meeting San Francisco, CA http://tinyurl.com/tne6sms (Conference Canceled) Alemdar, M., Cappelli, C.J., Gale, J. (2020). Exploring the Impact of a Teacher Preparation Program on Early Career Teacher Support Networks [Poster Session]. Sunbelt Conference of the International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA), Paris, France. (Conference Canceled) Alemdar, M., Cappelli, C. , Gale, J. (2020, March). Impact of Beginning Career Teachers’ Social Network and SelfEfficacy on Retention. Paper accepted at the Annual International Conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST), Portland, OR. Koval, J, Gale, J., Alemdar, M., Grossman, S., Usselman, M. (2020, March). “We Get to See What Works: Teacher Commitment to Curriculum within a Research Practice Partnership.” Presented at the Annual International Conference of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Portland, OR. 2020 Rivera, L. (2020, November). “Navigating Change in Work and Personal Life.” Presented at the SC20 Women in HPC Annual Workshop. Atlanta, GA Boyce, A., Carter, D., Hall, J., Rios, A., Rivera, L., Tatum, T., & Taylor, E. (2020, October). “Anti-Racism and Evaluation Panel.” Presented at Atlanta Area Evaluation Association Meeting. Atlanta, GA
Newton, S.H., Moore, R.A., Alemdar, M., & Cone, T. (2020, June). Delivering K-12 invention and entrepreneurship to rural areas: programming, teacher experiences, and student outcomes in a partner hub. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education annual conference, Virtual Conference.
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GEORGIA TECH CENTER FOR EDUCATION INTEGRATING SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND COMPUTING
CEISMC would like to thank Marion Usselman for compiling and authoring the 30 Years of STEM Education Research and Outreach historical piece. This publication was produced by Shannon Malone and Steven Taylor with the cooperation and assistance from CEISMC faculty and staff.
Georgia Institute of Technology Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing 505 10th Street NW Atlanta, GA 30332-0282 ceismc.gatech.edu COPYRIGHT 2021 • GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY