ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month

ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month ASME INSPIRE Curriculum Aid Adopted by Nearly 90 Schools in its First Month ASME INSPIRE Pre-College Curriculum Aid Adopted by 132 Schools in its First Two Months A screenshot of the new ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which was launched in 89 schools during in its first month. ASME and the ASME Foundation are sponsoring a new initiative for U.S. middle and high schools, the ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which aims to improve math and science literacy among young people and build their awareness of and interest in engineering. During the first two months of the new school year, the new program, which teaches students about algorithms, coding, and other math and science skills essential for entry into technology fields, was introduced in 132 U.S. schools, giving ASME INSPIRE the potential to reach more than 3,400 students. Based on a successful pilot program that ASME tested in the Washington, D.C., area over the past two academic years, ASME INSPIRE is an online, in-class instruction tool that is comprised of 16 modules addressing STEM-related topics such as basic computer science and the real-world application of algebra. The ASME Foundation has agreed to fund the ASME INSPIRE program for next three years, with an ultimate goal of launching the program into at least 1,000 U.S. schools during that time frame. A screenshot of the new ASME INSPIRE digital engineering course, which was launched in 132 schools during its first two months. Teachers in 24 states across the U.S. are now using the tool, which was developed with the education technology company EverFi, to introduce students to critical math and science concepts oftentimes not covered in middle and high schools. The aim of ASME INSPIRE is to ignite the interest of students in the STEM concepts through grades seven to ten, when many students begin to think about future career options, said Anne Spence, chair of the ASME Pre-college Engineering Education Committee. The thrust of the online modules is to inject fun, excitement, and wonder in the learning of science, technology, engineering and math. Students from William W. Hall Academy middle school in Capitol Heights, Md., who participated in the ASME INSPIRE pilot program last year, display their certificates of completion for finishing all 16 of the program's modules. The online modules also cover binary numbers, encryption and decryption, and basic HTML, teaching these and other tech topics in the context of computer games and interactive screen simulations. The modules engaging lessons focus on building students STEM skills while highlighting the career possibilities that a STEM education can make possible. For more information on the ASME INSPIRE program and its expansion, visit the ASME Pre-College Group Page on ASME.org, or contact Patti Jo Snyder, ASME K-12 Programs, at snyderp@asme.org.