2011 - 2012 Teacher/School Sign Up
1. Program Description
Dear Massachusetts Sixth Grade Math/Science Teacher,
Welcome to The DIGITS Project, a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education program designed to increase sixth-graders’ interest in math and science subjects and careers.
DIGITS was created by Massachusetts science and technology industry associations* to increase the quality and quantity of a STEM-qualified future workforce and is being implemented in cooperation with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Massachusetts Elementary School Principals Association, and Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association. Originally funded by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education’s STEM Pipeline Fund and the Mass Technology Leadership Council, the project is now underwritten by STEM companies and organizations including The MathWorks, Noyce Foundation, Akamai, Analog Devices, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Mass Life Sciences Center, SolidWorks, Verizon, Cisco, Meditech, PTC, IBM, Broadcom, and EMD Serono.
The DIGITS Project opens students' minds to the importance of math and science and creates the necessary connections between what students study in school and the world around them
• by bringing STEM professionals into the classroom to inspire students with stories of their careers,
• by utilizing interactive exercises to help students understand the benefits of studying math and science, and
• by providing teachers with materials to enhance their understanding of STEM fields.
Each classroom visit takes one class period. Volunteers are trained by project staff, matched to a school near where they live or work, and asked to visit 2 - 4 math/science classes per school.
No work is required of teachers to prepare for the visit and there is no cost to the school to participate.
For more information on the project, please visit the DIGITS website at http://www.digits.us.com. Classroom materials are also available for review at http://www.digits.us.com/classroom-materials/.
Prior to the volunteer's visit, we recommend that teachers watch the DIGITS Preview, a four-minute YouTube video that provides an overview of how the DIGITS program is deployed in the classroom. Following the visit, we recommend that teachers show their students the DIGITS Theme Song/Music Video. Both are available by clicking the YouTube buttons on the DIGITS homepage.
We want you to know that you are participating in a successful program that has reached more than 22,000 sixth graders in the last two years, significantly increasing their interest in STEM. In addition, the program has been recognized by state and national groups for its innovation, effectiveness, and its potential to scale.
Please complete the following questionnaire to register your school and to host a STEM volunteer. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to working with you.
*The DIGITS Project was created by six leading Massachusetts industry associations: The Engineering Center (host organization); Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council; Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation, affiliated with the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council; the Massachusetts Network Communications Council (now a part of the Mass Tech Leadership Council); Massachusetts Medical Device Industry Council; and New England Clean Energy Council.