Glen Ellyn School District 41 will roll out over the school year a new program with videos, interactive games and experiments designed to teach science and math to new standards taking effect next year in the state.
Called STEMscopes, the digital program is for the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and math, and offers more “hands-on” learning. It aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards that are part of an overhaul of the national No Child Left Behind Act that includes science assessments for grades 3 through 8.
The school board approved the first-year purchase of STEMscopes for $25,125. Subsequent yearly costs will be a per-student fee based on enrollment, according to board information. The initial fee included $6,600 for teacher training, which will be formally launched during the October institute day.
Karen Carlson, assistant superintendent for teaching learning and accountability, said many teachers already are exploring the program.
“It’s an intuitive and user-friendly program, so teachers can easily adapt to it,” Carlson said.
A select group of teachers began working with a trial-version of STEMscopes at the end of the last school year. Teachers who participated gave the program high marks for its usability, engagement and assessment options.
Adoption of the program met with some dissent. Bruce Currie, a Glen Ellyn resident and teacher in another district, questioned if the spending was necessary.
“I feel that in education a lot of programs get thrown at teachers, but there’s no back-end analysis,” he said, leading to them being abandoned later for newer programs. He suggested teachers be exposed to the program in October before it’s purchased and then have the summer to adapt it to their classrooms if the district proceeded with it.
Board members Kurt Buchholz and Stephanie Clark also had concerns about how achievement would be measured with Clark urging a spring evaluation update.
Keown is a freelance reporter.
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