STEM Education Experts Gather at FUNGLODE to Discuss Innovative Teaching Method

On Thursday, January 9, 2014, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) and its sister organization in the United States, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), opened the STEMWorld Conference. 16 experts on the U.S. STEM education system (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) met for two days to share their experiences in the field.

The welcoming remarks were offered by the director of the GFDD NY office and FUNGLODE
Program Director of Training Activities, Mrs. Yamile Eusebio Paulino, who thanked the more than 200 education professionals who attended this important event and invited the former President of the Dominican Republic and President of FUNGLODE, Dr. Leonel Fernández, to give the introductory remarks. President Fernández encouraged teachers to take advantage of the experience the U.S. teachers had come to share on this innovative teaching method.

Fernández said that
the purpose of this meeting is to promote reflection so that the national education community understands the importance of this teaching methodology for training the workforce of the future.

"We are now transitioning from an industrial society model to a knowledge society model. This involves the introduction of new educational paradigms that will allow the adaptation from the old industrial society to the knowledge society. Therefore, we have to prepare the
workforce of the future with regard to new knowledge, skills and the competencies they will require," he said.

The former President added that it is necessary to have a holistic view that starts from kindergarten and covers the various stages of schooling. The idea is, when it comes to post-secondary school level, to have the necessary preparation and training that is required to achieve a teaching of excellence in the hard sciences.

STEM
education has been applied successfully in the United States and in other Latin American countries (such as Argentina) and, based on the U.S. experience, FUNGLODE’s Center for Educational Studies has assembled a group of speakers to help Dominican teachers to appreciate the extent of the STEM education efforts on development, based on the curriculum from pre-K through high school.

Participating experts:
The U.S. teachers who shared their learning
were: Rodney J. Conard, founder and President of Conard Associates; William D. Cassidy, one of the two founding partners of the Association of Human Resources, LLC, and responsible for the editorial management of the company; Jacqueline L. Cusack, consultant to the President of the New Jersey Institute of Technology; Sumi Hagiwara, Assistant Professor in the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary School and Literacy Education (ECELE) at Montclair State University.

Also, Dr. G. Ainissa Ramírez, who was science correspondent for the Washington, DC office of Time magazine and is an international driving force for making science fun; Stacey Giordano, Dean of the Saddle River Day School; James Parrish, President and General Director of the Carolina Biological Supply Company; and, Amy D””””””””Amico, Director of professional services at the Smithsonian Center for Science Education.

The following specialists also shared
the stage: Eileen F. Lambert, an experienced school principal with abundant training in subjects of classical languages and archeology; Jacalyn Giacalone Willis, of the Smithsonian Institute, Communications Associate and responsible for providing scientific education programming in schools; Brian De Moss, Director of Curriculum in K-8 Science and Math; and, Charles J. Fey, Vice President of Academic Support and Student Affairs at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

The following specialists completed the panel of experts: Mika Munakata, Teacher of mathematics, who heads the GK12 Program at Montclair State University; Willard P. Gingerich, Director of Academic Affairs at Montclair State University; Eric C. Nastasi, executive at the Smithsonian Center for Science Education; Diane Miller, founder and Executive Director of Educational Vision & Strategy, LLC.