Tennessee STEM Innovation Network says Innovation Hubs are 'transforming' STEM education

A new white paper from the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network says that Tennessee’s Regional STEM Innovation Hubs are having a “transformative effect on teaching and learning throughout the state.”

According to the white paper, the state’s seven innovation hubs, which are funded by the state, have played a key role in building students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The white paper took a look at the progress made at the East Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub run by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, the Middle Tennessee Innovation Hub run by Middle Tennessee State University, the Millard Oakley STEM Center run by Tennessee Tech University, the Northeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub run by East Tennessee State University, the Northwest Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub run by Dyersburg State Community College, the PEF Innovation Hub run by the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga and the West Tennessee STEM Hub run by the University of Memphis.

The white paper said that the hubs have worked to “inspire new practices, encourage risk-taking, and amplify local innovations as they seek to transform STEM education statewide.”

It said that the hubs have worked to increase participation and interest in STEM skills, with the goal of reducing the state’s STEM talent and skills gap. Among the white paper’s findings, Tennessee’s Regional STEM Innovation Hubs have developed effective educational programs, such as teacher professional learning or after-school programming for students, to address the needs of local schools, students and teachers in relation to building STEM skills.

The white paper said that regional hubs also provide classroom resources needed for hands-on STEM learning activities. It noted that materials such as science probes and programmable robotics kits can be cost-prohibitive for some schools, which has moved regional hubs to act as “lending libraries” for STEM equipment that teachers in local districts can borrow for use in their classrooms at no charge. As one example of this work, the paper noted that Oakley STEM Center recently used a $400,000 federal grant to establish 14 lending libraries in locations throughout its service areas to make STEM materials more accessible to teachers and students.

“We’re really excited to grow our reach and put materials in the hands of students that would likely not get to experience hands-on learning,” Director Darek Potter said of their work.

What’s more, the white paper noted that innovation hubs are helping teachers develop effective STEM teaching strategies via professional development efforts. One example is at the Northwest Tennessee Hub, which is providing afterschool training through hour-long workshops in person and online.

In addition, the East Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub has worked to support teachers in computer science by leveraging grants funded by the National Science Foundation to integrate computational thinking and literacy in elementary classrooms across rural school districts of East Tennessee.

Through work such as this, the white paper said, the hubs work with local STEM businesses to bring students hands-on learning experiences via work-study and internship opportunities. It said the hubs also connect teachers with STEM professionals who can help co-design and co-lead lessons and activities relevant to the workplace.For example, the white paper noted, a new pilot project at the Northeast Tennessee STEM Innovation Hub paired fourteen middle school teachers with STEM-related companies in their communities during the 2023- 24 school year.

According to Director Alissa Lange, the pilot project has been so successful that the hub plans to expand it into elementary schools moving forward. Another important component of the hubs’ work is sharing best STEM learning practices with one another, according to the paper. As one example noted in the report, Oakley STEM Center holds one in-person Regional STEM Hub meeting and one virtual meeting each year, where staff from schools can lead tours to demonstrate their successes. In addition, the hubs work together to collaborate and enhance efforts by learning from one another’s successes.

“We try to encourage every district to bring at least one teacher, principal, district administrator, and STEM industry leader,” Potter says.