FAQ

I thought this is a math class...why are you teaching about health?
Kern County ranks as the number one county in California for deaths attributed to heart disease (27% of all deaths). Not coincidentally, Kern County is also the top ranking county for obesity rates. This co-curricular STEM project doesn't treat health, science and math as mutually exclusive subjects, but rather it incorporates concepts from each to create a multi-faceted, rich and engaging learning experience. Not only will students learn about solving multi-variable equations (BMI formula manipulation), statistical measures (mean, median, range, multi-variable analysis), linear modeling (heart rate vs. time), but they will also learn about survey design (Kern County Public Health Epidemiologist), proper health and nutrition (KMC nutritionist and dietician) and computer programming.

What is STEM?
[|STEM] is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics. It is an approach to education that incorporates student-led discovery and problem solving methods. Unlike the traditional, skills based textbook approach, [|STEM education] encourages students to think critically about real-world mathematical problem solving. If your student is involved in STEM education it doesn't mean that they won't learn the necessary math skills, it just means that they will learn it in the context of an applicable, engaging problem.

Why partner with Texas Instruments?
Texas Instruments is a leader in the field of educational technology. Their products enable teachers to deliver a high quality learning experience to students that involves multiple representations of difficult concepts, assessment of student understanding and differentiated instruction. Their generosity provided the calculators and data collection devices that make this project a reality. Why NOT partner with Texas Instruments?

Why did you choose this project?
In mid-2011 I discussed the project with a group of students. Intrigued by [|my weight-loss journey], they suggested something having to do with math and health. The rest, as they say...

Will the students be doing anything invasive?
No. Students that wish to participate will be taking their blood pressure with an inflatable cuff that is plugged in directly to the [|TI Nspire CX CAS calculator]. There is no pain involved. They will then take a survey using the calculator.

If there is a survey involved, how do I know their information will remain confidential?
The survey is taken entirely using the calculator and it does not tie their responses to any identification information. Their responses are not visible to any other students. When the surveys are complete, there will be no way to link any information entered (answers to health related questions) to the individual student.