INTRODUCTION

The status of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the United States has been well publicized and documented. The U.S. is not meeting its current or projected needs for engineers and scientists with ominous portents for our nation’s future and posterity.

Headquartered at the Fayette Institute of Commerce and Technology in Uniontown Pennsylvania, the National Center for the Advancement of STEM Education (nCASE) is an outgrowth of the Center for the Advancement of STEM Education (CASE), established in June 2006 with funding from the United States (U.S) Department of Defense (DoD), National Defense Education Program (NDEP). The grant was modified several times, the ceiling was increased to $6.4 million, and the grant was extended to June 16, 2011 with one of the major goals being inquiry and design (I&D) teacher professional development training for the DoD’s Directorate for Research and Engineering (DDRE). nCASE was awarded a $25 million, five-year DoD/NDEP/DOTC-STEM Professional Development Grant (#W15QKN-14-1-0001) on March 25, 2014. This grant significantly expanded nCASE’s STEM training and support services throughout all of its DoD partner sites.  On September 30th, 2020 nCASE was awarded a new five year army grant (#W15QKN-20-1-1000) to continue and expand STEM opportunities across the United States.

nCASE believes that a comprehensive and balanced program is needed; one that excites the curiosity of learners and that trains and supports teachers as they adopt new, dynamic instructional strategies.

One promising teaching innovation is inquiry- and design-based instruction (I&D). Although the methodology has roots  
back to John Dewey, it has never been practiced on a wide scale in America’s STEM classrooms. The approach is experiencing a resurgence of interest and vitality. Teachers are being trained in the method, and instructional materials are being created to support their efforts in the classroom. Dynamic customized training programs include the latest technology and cutting-edge best practices to better prepare teachers for the 21st-century classroom.

The youth of today are completely comfortable with every aspect of technology. This millenial generation is technically literate like none before it. Thus, classrooms cannot be conducted as they were in the past. Teachers have no choice but to fully integrate technology into their curricula if they hope to keep students excited about learning.

A unique component of nCASE’s training is its incorporation of STEM professionals. nCASE works with designated DoD laboratories and corporate partners across the nation to integrate their scientists and engineers (S&Es) into the training process with the educators and students. Following training, the S&Es visit the classrooms of their local nCASE-trained teachers (when possible) and provide a "real-world" perspective to the classroom, which brings the STEM instruction to life.

A support system includes a variety of mechanisms designed to ensure that the teachers and students are able to use the new tools and techniques they have learned. Support includes demonstration projects, additional training, research opportunities, administrative oversight, and ongoing assistance from nCASE trainers.

nCASE works with local, regional, state, and national partners from around the country representing education, government, armed forces, economic development, non-profit, and private business sectors to create training programs that immerse teachers and students in activities associated with inquiry- and design-based learning, supplement the normal science and mathematics curriculum and introduce engineering processes to the classroom learning environment.  Its ambitious strategies aim to strengthen our nation’s ability to compete in the global economy and to ensure that the U.S. continues to lead the world in opportunity and innovation by providing American children with a strong foundation in math and science.

nCASE is always accepting new clients, establishing new partnerships and developing new initiatives that support its primary goal of increasing the number of students seeking STEM careers, making STEM more diverse and improving student achievement in STEM courses.