Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative Summer Camp 2012

INTRODUCTION Previous research has clearly shown that studying a curriculum related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) has numerous positive effects on students. These effects include increased motivation to learn, trends of higher achievement, and positive attitudes toward school [1]. Also, studying STEM topics makes students better problem solvers, better innovators and inventors, logical thinkers, and technologically literate [1]. Although the benefits of exploring STEM are clear, STEM education is underemphasized in classrooms across the United States. In 2006, 15-year-olds in the 90 th percentile, the top tier high school students in the United States, scored below 29 other countries in mathematics and 12 other countries in science [2]. In 2007, only six percent of eighth grade students in the United States qualified in the advanced benchmark for mathematics in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study [2]. These scores were considerably lower than competitor countries, such as Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, where 40 to 45 percent of students were distinguished as advanced [2]. Recognizing the necessity for reform in curriculum, PTEI presented students an alternative method to explore STEM topics frequently neglected in the classroom setting. These topics were introduced through the PTEI summer camp, a five day program for middle school and high school students. As a result of their participation with the PTEI summer camp, students gained knowledge and experience of advanced tissue engineering topics, used new lab equipment in high level procedures, and worked with college professors, high school teachers, undergraduate students, and peers in an interactive, hands-on learning environment. The goal of the camp was to increase middle school and high school students’ understanding of and experience with tissue engineering, while increasing their interest in STEM and higher education. PTEI also aimed to expose the students to experiences that are unavailable to them in their classrooms. The success criteria was that following participation in the PTEI summer camp, students would exhibit an improved knowledge of tissue engineering as well as an increased interest in science, specifically bioengineering, and higher education.