STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening Activity Project (STESSA) Quarterly Report January 1st through March 31st, 2020

During this reporting period, STESSA made significant progress in implementing planned activities under Components 1 and 2. Under Component 1, STESSA supported three targeted universities, Mansoura, Ain Shams, and Assuit, to initiate the implementation of the STEM Teacher and Leadership Diploma programs. The project also continued to support the implementation of the two diploma programs in Zagazig University by providing faculty members with technical assistance based on their expressed needs. In terms of the four-year undergraduate teacher education program, STESSA's technical team worked closely with the U.S. and Egyptian partner universities to develop the program framework and course descriptions. The team also established a Smart Teaching File in each Faculty of Education, similar to the one in Zagazig University. Under Component 2, STESSA continued to work on developing the tools and processes for teachers and school leaders' observation and evaluation, improving and expanding training content to enhance the performance of STEM educators and the quality of STEM schools, and supporting the STEM Unit to deliver training and professional development for teachers and school leaders. The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the STESSA project implementation during this reporting period. In response, STESSA adopted alternative approaches to carry on with planned activities, replacing face-to-face meetings, training, and workshops with online activities. Several planned activities had to be postponed and strategies revised to ensure deliverables and outcomes were not jeopardized. Component 1 Activities: STEM Teacher Education During this reporting period, STESSA supported the implementation of the following activities: 1. A Preparatory Stage: High-Level Policy Decisions at the National Level The STESSA project held four meetings with the Deans during this reporting period. Three meetings were attended by the Faculties of Education (FOE) Deans and STEM coordinators, while the fourth meeting was attended by the Deans of the Faculties of Science and Engineering from all five universities. The main purpose of these meetings was to facilitate high-level policy decisions related to the undergraduate program and to share information and updates related to the ongoing Diploma programs. 1- Deans Meeting (AWP 1.A.2) Following the issuance of the Ministerial Decrees approving the startup of the STEM Diploma programs in Assuit, Ain Shams, and Mansoura Universities, a meeting was held with the Faculties of Education (FOE) Deans to discuss startup preparation and requirements for each university. The Deans concluded that the STEM programs will be part of the "Special Program Unit" in each FOE. Based on the MOETE's decision to establish a new STEM school in Minya Governorate, STESSA started to engage Minya University in various Component 1 activities. On January 20, 2020, STESSA's leadership and experts visited Minya University and met with the Deans and faculty members from the Faculties of Education, Science, and Engineering. Implementation of the STEM Undergraduate Program During the reporting period, STESSA's home office supported the design of the skeleton of the bylaw, jointly with six U.S. universities. A workshop was held at the end of January 2020 for representatives from the five Egyptian universities to discuss the process for finalizing the STEM Undergraduate Program Bylaws and reach a consensus among the Faculties of Education, Science, and Engineering about the perspectives of the bylaws in relation to the existing programs in their universities. The participants agreed on a shared vision and principles of the undergraduate program. Jointly with the project technical team, they set the plan for the workshops and activities needed to finalize the undergraduate bylaw. However, the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent suspension of meetings and training activities forced STESSA to postpone this workshop and consider alternative means to achieve the desired results. AWP 1.A.8: Develop performance metrics for both faculty members and students Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings and workshops had to be suspended. STESSA and the Deans had to postpone this activity and plan for using different means to achieve the desired results. Figure 1: STEM Undergraduate Program Bylaws Workshop Component 2 Activities: Schools Strengthening The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the STESSA project implementation during this reporting period. In response, STESSA adopted alternative approaches to carry on with planned activities, replacing face-to-face meetings, training, and workshops with online activities. Several planned activities had