STE(A)M Hub

Inspire, Educate, Employ.

SOESD provides innovative STE(A)M Hub learning opportunities in collaboration with business and industry partners that motivate students through project-based learning in the classroom, after-school programs, and summer camps.

The STE(A)M Hub initiative leverages, coordinates, and supports relationships with stakeholders in K-12, higher education, business, industry, and community to bring rigor, relevance, and authentic learning experiences to students in pre-school through post-secondary education.

Efforts to coordinate college and career related learning experiences for educators, community partners, students and their families are supported by STE(A)M Hub. Examples include developing advanced and dual credit opportunities at various high schools, supporting Career Technical Education (CTE) programs of study, and facilitating high quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) activities such as summer camps, robotics or innovation competitions, and after-school programs. STE(A)M Hub leverages substantial grant funding, volunteer involvement, and other in-kind resources to provide these service offerings.

Read the Southern Oregon Regional Needs Assessment (English)
Read the Southern Oregon Regional Needs Assessment (Spanish)
Read the STEM Shared Impact Report

CONTACT

541-776-8590 ext.1128
CC4A@soesd.k12.or.us

Karla Clark
STE(A)M Hub Program Manager
Karla_clark@soesd.k12.or.us
541-776-8590 ext.1128
Southern Oregon Education Service District
101 N. Grape St, Medford, OR 97501

Morgan Cottle
Dual Credit Coordinator
Southern Oregon Education Service District
502 W. Main, Medford, OR 97501
541-776-8590 ext. 1199
Morgan_cottle@soesd.k12.or.us

The Southern Oregon STE(A)M Hub has the overall purpose of using a collective impact approach to help all Oregonians graduate from high school and attain some level of post-secondary education that will prepare them for success in college or on a career path leading to high wage, high demand jobs.

Southern Oregon STE(A)M Hub’s mission is to infuse STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) into every classroom and beyond. STEAM is not so much a reference to courses or an academic discipline as it is a “way of thinking” or a “way of being” in the classroom. Scientific inquiry, creativity and innovation, computational thinking, project-based learning, and collaborative problem solving are the hallmarks of the 21^st century workplace and SOESD schools. These skills, along with core relationship competencies and mindsets, will drive the outcomes necessary for our region to thrive and bring economic prosperity to all!

Mission

Southern Oregon STEM Hub’s mission is to create a learner-focused ecosystem of STEM/CTE/Career-Related learning experiences and pathways that will benefit students, teachers, families, and industries in our regional community.

Goals

The Southern Oregon STEM Hub has the overall purpose of using a collective impact approach that will help southern Oregon attain the 40-40-20 goals. In order to accomplish this overall purpose, the Southern Oregon STEM Hub has the following goals:

1) Students – Provide the full range of students (PK – 20) with STEM/CTE/Career-related learning pathways and experiences that will enhance their STEM knowledge and skills plus their positive attitudes about STEM

2) Educators – Provide pre-service and in-service educators with STEM/CTE/Career-related learning experiences that will improve their STEM content knowledge and their abilities to teach STEM plus their positive attitudes about STEM

3) Equity – Increase the diversity (racial, ethnic, gender, socio-economic, geographic) of students and teachers involved in STEM/CTE/Career-related pathways and activities

4) Economy – Use a collaborative network of formal and informal education organizations, community groups, and business and industry partners in order to build STEM/CTE/Career-related learning experiences and skills that will build and bolster STEM-related businesses and industries in the southern Oregon region.

Outcomes

Student Outcomes

Increase creativity in student approaches to problems and solutions by establishing innovation and creativity as an integral part of STEM.
Increase the number of students who graduate high school and enter, persist in, and complete post-secondary training and education in STEM/CTE fields
Increase the prevalence of inquiry-based activities in early learning and elementary environments
Increase student interest and motivation in STEM
Increase positive STEM identity, especially in grades 4-8
Increase participation in out-of-school STEM experiences and programs
Increase access to computer science instruction and activities
Increase early college credit in STEM subjects (AP/IB/Dual-credit)
Increase students taking STEM-related elective courses
Increase STEM career awareness
Increase investment, identity, and engagement related to STEM in traditionally underrepresented populations (girls, lower socio-economic, rural, etc.)

Educators (including teachers, administrators, informal educators, and faculty) Outcomes

Increase educator pedagogical content knowledge in STEM subjects
Increase relationships among formal, informal educators and institutions in order to leverage existing resources and expertise.
Increase educator understanding of, and experience with, ways in which STEM content is applied in STEM fields
Increase educator use of inquiry-based/problem-based learning approaches
Increase educator access to high-quality STEM professional development (CCSS, NGSS, CTE, applied) and resources
Increase interactions between educators and STEM professionals in classrooms, workplaces, and the community
Increase the pool of qualified STEM/CTE educators with experience in STEM/CTE careers
Increase availability of high-quality instructional materials and resources that support and promote effective STEM education
Increase creativity in teacher approach to problems and solutions by establishing innovation, aesthetics, and creativity as integral parts of STEM.

Community Outcomes

Increase parental and community awareness of the value of STEM learning, outside of school learning experiences and career opportunities.
Increase access to multi-generational STEM learning experiences.
Increase parental and community support for STEM education programs
Increase partnerships between schools, the informal STEM community, and local stakeholders/businesses
Increase availability and access to community informal STEM providers and STEM programs

Workforce/Economic Outcomes

Increase regional businesses’ access to a highly skilled workforce in STEM fields by using a demand-driven approach to the design of STEM programs, activities, and initiatives, guided by the real-world needs of the region’s high-tech and STEM-related sectors.
Increase alignment of dual-credit programs, degrees, and certificates with high-wage, high-demand occupations (i.e., decrease STEM/CTE employment gaps), using business input and labor market projections.
Increase connections between students and local industries and employers, in order for students to experience the real-world applications of STEM learning in the workforce, and for businesses to connect in meaningful ways with the future STEM workforce they require to thrive and grow within our region.
Increase public and private STEM research outputs
Aspire to increase the number of Oregonians filling STEM-related jobs in Oregon (i.e., decrease proportion of STEM jobs filled by imported talent.)
Provide inspiration, knowledge, and incentives to increase small-business startups in STEM fields

STEM Hub Infrastructure

Engage stakeholders from multiple sectors and across the P-20 education continuum to ensure a common vision, integration of resources and expertise, and outcomes.