Does PLTW Make a Difference?

Question …

The State of the Nation

“… We projects an annual need of

400,000 college graduates in STEM

majors to remain competitive in the

global marketplace.”

National Business Roundtable

“ … Of the 4 million 9th graders who began

their high school careers in 2004, only

4% (167,000) will graduate in 2012 with

a bachelors degree in a STEM major.”

National Center for Education Statistics

The State of the Nation

Programs

The curriculum offers

students real world

problem solving and

critical thinking skills

Students are highly engaged

and exposed to areas of

study which they do not

typically pursue in high

school & middle school

They provide students with a

strong foundation and a

proven path to college and

career success

Programs are dynamic,

rigorous, and use open-

ended problems to

emphasize creativity

NATION’S LEADING PROVIDER OF

STEM EDUCATION

Curricula - Rigorous and Relevant • Middle and High School Engineering and

Biomedical Sciences courses (with college credit options) that use problem-based learning.

Professional Development – • High-Quality, Rigorous, Continuing, and

Course-specific teacher training.

Partnerships – • Secondary Schools, Higher Education,

Business and Industry, & State Agencies.

PLTW’s Three Key Elements:

The Facts

• More than 4,200 schools in all 50 states and

the District of Columbia

• Over 10,500 teachers trained

• More than 100 University relationships,

including Duke University, University of

Iowa, California State University & MSOE

• Partnerships with Fortune 100 and 500

companies, and forward-thinking

philanthropic organizations, including

Autodesk, Intel, John Deere, General

Electric and The Kern Family Foundation

Across the Nation

PLTW Schools – Continental US

9

Professional Development

An intensive and comprehensive training program

for teachers

• Readiness Training: Self-Assessment and Pre-Core

Training

• Core Training: Two-week Core Training that PLTW

teachers are required to complete before teaching a

PLTW course.

• On-going Training: Virtual Academy for Teachers,

which provides detailed materials for each lesson in

every PLTW course; many videos of PLTW Master

Teachers teaching actual PLTW lessons; and,

collaboration tools, including forums for teachers.

Professional Development

Curriculum

Middle School

Gateway To Technology

• Design and Modeling

– Solid modeling software introduces students to the

design process.

• Automation and Robotics

– Students trace the history, development, and

influence of automation and robotics.

• Energy and the Environment

– Students investigate the importance of energy in our

lives and the impact that using energy has on the

environment.

• Flight and Space

– Aeronautics, propulsion, and rocketry.

• Science of Technology

– Impact of science on technology throughout history.

• Magic of Electrons

– Students unravel the mystery of digital circuitry.

Gateway To Technology MS

Gateway To Technology - 6 Units

• Middle School curriculum (grades 6-

8)

• 45 instructional days per unit

• 1 ½ years of curriculum

• Two required units

– Design and Modeling

– Automation and Robotics

Gateway To Technology MS

High School

Pathway To Engineering

• Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)

– 3D computer modeling software; study of the

design process

• Principles of Engineering (POE)

– Exploration of technology systems and

engineering processes

Pathway To Engineering HS

• Digital Electronics (DE)

– Use of computer simulation to learn the logic of electronics

• Aerospace Engineering (AE)

– Aerodynamics, astronautics, space-life sciences, and systems engineering

• Biotechnical Engineering (BE)

– Biomechanics, genetic engineering, and forensics.

• Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA)

– Students collaborate on the development of community-based building

projects

• Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)

– Robotics and automated manufacturing; production of 3-D designs.

• Engineering Design and Development (EDD)

– Teams of students, guided by community mentors, research, design, and

construct solutions to engineering problems.

Pathway To Engineering HS

Pathway To Engineering - 8 Courses

• High school curriculum (grades 9-12)

• 175 instructional days per course

• 8-Course offering

– Introduction to Engineering Design

– Principles Of Engineering

– Digital Electronics

– Aerospace Engineering

– Biotechnical Engineering

– Civil Engineering & Architecture

– Computer Integrated Manufacturing

– Engineering Design & Development

Pathway To Engineering HS

High School

Biomedical Sciences

• Principles of the Biomedical Sciences (PBS)

– Study of human body systems and health

conditions

• Human Body Systems (HBS)

– Exploring science in action, students build organs

and tissues on a skeletal manikin and play the

role of biomedical professionals to solve medical

mysteries.

• Medical Interventions (MI)

– Investigation of interventions involved in the

prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

• Biomedical Innovation (BI)

– Students design innovative solutions for the

health challenges of the 21st century

Biomedical Sciences HS

Specialization

Course

Physics

Biology

Capstone

Course

Chemistry

Foundation

Course

Foundation

Course

Algebra

Geometry

Algebra 2

Pre-Calculus

Science

Elective 12

11

10

9

S T E M

Research and Evaluation

Questions Asked

• Why the focus on studying PLTW programs.

– Fastest growing STEM programs in the country

– Public and private sector is investing in PLTW

– School reform

• Research questions

– Demographic and achievement factors

– Academic impact and Student engagement

– Impact on subgroups; Gender/Race-Ethnicity

– Completion of High School/ College Ready

– Transition to Higher Education/College persistence

– Completion of college/Impact to the future workforce

• Methodology used within research of PLTW

Types of Research Studies

• Regional data (SREB)

• Statewide studies (Iowa)

• School & District level studies (Milwaukee Public

Schools, WI and Galt High School, CA

• Institutions of Higher Education (MSOE)

Data Sources & Methods

• A part of a large-scale, statewide research project

• PLTW and non-PLTW students who graduated

from high schools in Iowa in 2009

• Data sources

1: Iowa Dept. of Ed. K-12 Data; 2: Community College MIS

3: Regent University Partnership; 4: National Student Clearinghouse

Iowa Evaluation Study

Data Sources & Methods

Hypothetical Model

Demographic

Characteristics

Ethnicity

Gender

Free/Reduced Lunch

Gifted/Talented

Academic

Backgrounds

ITED Math &

Science Scores

Grades of HS

Courses

Status of PLTW

Participation

Transition to Higher

Ed

No College

2-year College

4-year College

Selection Bias

Imbalance – Demographics

Imbalance – 8th Grade ITS Scores

Propensity Scores

• Race/Ethnicity

• Free/Reduced Lunch

• IEP / Section 504

• Gifted & Talented

• 8th Grade ITBS subtest in Math, Science, & Reading

τ = φ(α + βX + ε)

Matching Methods

Participants

Non-participants

dNN,i = ║xτ,i – x τ’,i║

D = Σ di

Local minima dG,i = wi║xτ,i – x τ’,i║

D = Σ di

Global minima

NEAREST NEIGHBOR GENETIC ALGORITHMS

w = {w1,…,wn}

Iowa Study–Comparison of Cohorts

Research Findings from Selected Studies

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• Significantly more PLTW students met the readiness goals on the 2008 HTW Assessment tests in reading, math and science. (Southern Region

Educational Board Report), 2009

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• PLTW students demonstrate significant gains (5.2 points) in math and science between 8th and 11th grade standard tests compared to the control group of non-PLTW students. (State of Iowa Report, 2011)

• PLTW students do significantly better in math and modestly better in reading. (Evaluation of PLTW in Rockwell

sponsored Milwaukee Public Middle Schools , 2011)

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• “Project Lead the Way has been an effective program during the past three years at narrowing the achievement gap for Hispanic/ Latino students in all four core areas.” (Analysis of Student Achievement and

Programs, Galt Joint Union High School , 2007)

• PLTW students that begin middle school, 6th grade, with lower proficiency in math, reading and science and lower attendance rates than the control group of non-PLTW students were able to eliminate the achievement gap by 8th grade. (University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Report , December 2009)

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• PLTW students enroll in more math and science courses than the control group of non-PLTW students. (State of Iowa Report, 2011)

• PLTW students take more math credits than the control group of non-PLTW students. (Evaluation of PLTW

in Rockwell sponsored Milwaukee Public Middle Schools, 2011 )

• PLTW students enroll in more Math and Science course than non-PLTW students. (Evaluation of PLTW in

Toppenish High School, Spokane WA, 2011 )

• Overall enrollment in upper level Math and Science courses increase between 2010-2012. (Evaluation of PLTW in Toppenish High School, Spokane WA, 2011 )

Ex-post – Course Taking in HS

Iowa Evaluation Study

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• PLTW students enroll in more math and science courses than the control group of non-PLTW students. (State of Iowa Report, 2011)

• PLTW students take more math credits than the control group of non-PLTW students. (Evaluation of PLTW

in Rockwell sponsored Milwaukee Public Middle Schools, 2011 )

• PLTW students enroll in more Math and Science course than non-PLTW students. (Evaluation of PLTW in

Toppenish High School, Spokane WA, 2011 )

• Overall enrollment in upper level Math and Science courses increase between 2010-2012. (Evaluation of PLTW in Toppenish High School, Spokane WA, 2011 )

DATA- Change in Enrollment in Science Classes 2010-2012

Evaluation Study Toppenish HS, Spokane

DATA- Change in Math Enrollment 2010-2012

Evaluation Study Toppenish HS, Spokane

Academic Engagement/Attainment

• Student survey yield highly favorable evaluations of their PLTW experience when rated against prior math/science classes, increased interested in math/science, more math/science classes, school, (Evaluation of PLTW in Rockwell sponsored Milwaukee Public Middle Schools, 2011)

Transition/Retention in Higher Ed.

• A higher percentage of PLTW students transitioned to higher education immediate after graduation. – PLTW seems to “cause” an increase in students attending

community college, but not 4-year universities.

– PLTW students are 60 percent more likely to transition to 2-year colleges compared to a control group of non-PLTW students. (2011 State of Iowa Report)

• In 2006-2007, first-year retention (freshmen to sophomore) was 76% (76% stayed with their declared major). In contrast, 100% of Milwaukee Schools of Engineering’s PLTW students remained in their declared major. (Milwaukee School of Engineering 2008

Report)

Implications

• PLTW students comprise the middle to upper spectrum of the student population

• Correlation between PLTW and a students academic attainment in both Math and Science

• Causal interpretation of PLTW’s impact on college transition.

• PLTW research adds to the growing body of literature on the effectiveness of PBL.

• To the extent evaluated, PLTW seems to partially achieve a goal of increasing postsecondary attainment.

Questions

Ken Maguire, Ph.D.

Upper Mid-west Regional Director, PLTW

kmaguire@pltw.org