The role model videos are an important aspect of our scaling model for "Scaling Up STEM Learning with the VCL." In bringing professionals' real world views of the application of math to 9th and 10th geometry and algebra students, we are trying counter the ever-pervasive questioning by North Carolina rural high school students' of the relevance of math to their futures. We began our project with a plan to bring different STEM career professionals to the teachers' professional development institutes each summer, and to have those professionals visit the schools in person to meet with the math classes. The geographic distances became daunting, however, and we had to figure out how to bring the role model to the students without face-to-face meetings. After considering a number of different technologies, including videoconferencing and Skype, we decided to go to the role models' workplaces and film them talking about how math is used in the practice of their careers, and in some instances what math meant to them in high school. Part of the teachers' fulfillment of their curricula credits in the project's professional development requires them to screen a video from the website of a role model each month and engage their students in discussion about real world use of math, and potential interest in STEM occupations. We are finding from teachers' postings on these events that the students are responsive to seeing unanticipated ways in which math is used.

View the videos: http://scaleupstem.ncsu.edu/video