NEWTON, MA | October 14, 2007
Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) has been awarded a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to continue and expand its work as a national resource center for over 100 programs designed to produce more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) savvy kids to fill the looming shortage of qualified U.S. workers.
The resource center supports the national effort known as ITEST (Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers). ITEST reaches more than 120,000 students and over 4,000 teachers in grades 6-12, through projects in schools, universities, museums, and afterschool programs.
Under the 4-year grant agreement, EDC will continue to bring students and teachers from each of the projects together—both in person and virtually—to share promising practices, address challenges, and offer recommendations that can be shared with educators and policymakers across the U.S. This information and the lessons learned are shared through a Web site, publications, conference presentations, and public symposia and webcasts.
“We all want to ensure that students have the necessary science, technology and engineering skills to keep the U.S. globally competitive,” said EDC’s Joyce Malyn-Smith who directs the ITEST Learning Resource Center. “The 100 projects supported by EDC are finding successful ways to spark student interest and build skills—both by working directly with young people and providing professional development for teachers.”
The ITEST initiative, including the Learning Resource Center, are funded by the National Science Foundation.