This report on a webcast hosted by the ITEST Learning Resource Center identifies resources and key success strategies for engaging girls in STEM, offered by an expert panel of speakers from the ITEST community, private sector and research and policy fields.

The ITEST Small Working Group on Computational Thinking (CT) has completed its White Paper titled: Computational Thinking for Youth. The paper aims to describe what computational thinking looks like when practiced by youth in ITEST and other NSF funded programs and how educators can support growth in computational thinking. It shares examples of CT as observed in middle school projects. It also shares observations in the form of a model that describes three stages that youth appear to progress through as their computational thinking skills evolve.

This Idea Brief from the ITEST LRC provides a concise, information-rich reference that reveals what inclusive programs can look like and offers some practical tips for getting there.

Geospatial technologies have emerged over the last 15 years as one of the key tools used by environmental scientists (NRC 2006). In fact, educators have recognized that coupling geospatial technologies with environmental science topics and scientific datasets opens the door to local and regional scientific investigations (McInerney 2006). Over the last three years, we have been working to provide tools, curriculum, and resources that allow students to learn science through authentic inquiries using their own scientific data. In this article, we describe the use of geographic information system

Spatial literacy is a new frontier in K-12 education. This article describes a place-based introductory GIS/GPS middle school curriculum unit in which students used measuring tools, GPS units, and My World GIS software to collect physical and spatial data of trees to create a schoolyard tree inventory. Maine students completed "memory maps" of their schoolyards as a pre/post exercise assessment. A statistically significant increase in students' spatial awareness was documented. A technology-based curriculum can significantly increase students' spatial awareness especially in a place and

On Tuesday, September 8, 2009, The National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council released a new report calling for improvements and expansion of K-12 Engineering Education. The report indicates that K-12 engineering education has the potential to improve student learning and achievement in science and mathematics, increase awareness about what engineers do and of engineering as a potential career, and boost students' technological literacy. The report also examines the current status of engineering education in the United States and the nature of efforts being taken to

The report, written by Janice Cuny (U. of Oregon) and William Aspray (CRA), is the result of a workshop that was held in June, 2000. Workshop participants included long-time members of the CSE academic and research communities, social scientists engaged in relevant research, and directors of successful retention efforts. The report's goal is to provide departments with practical advice on recruitment and retention in the form of a set of specific recommendations.

The report includes examples drawn from projects in the national ITEST program which seeks to ensure the breadth and depth of the U.S. STEM workforce.