Midwest Transportation Center

Teaching in the Fast Lane and Transportation Institute programs receive STEM Seal of Approval

Since their establishment more than a decade ago, the Institute for Transportation’s (InTrans’) summer workshops for educators have recognized that tomorrow’s leaders are today’s learners.

The Teaching in the Fast Lane Workshop for Elementary Teachers and Transportation Institute for High School Educators programs, both started in 2015 and in partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation, share a common goal of providing educators the tools to stimulate team-building, critical thinking, and interest in the engineering and transportation fields.

Those efforts to prepare teachers to train future leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have earned both programs the Iowa STEM Seal of Approval.

“We’re thrilled to have received this recognition from the state for offering these STEM-based programs that ensure the next generation of students is scientifically literate and equipped to fill the needs of the 21st century workforce,” said Construction Management and Technology Program Director Jennifer Shane, who spearheads the summer workshops.

The Iowa STEM Advisory Council’s Seal of Approval recognizes and supports selected individual programs and periodic events that help advance STEM principles and thinking in Iowa communities. It indicates the program or event “officially advances one of the most progressive state STEM initiatives in the country.”

Only a handful of events and programs are recognized by the council each year. The list of recipients is available at the Seal of Approval Recipients page on the Iowa STEM Advisory Council website.

The Iowa STEM Advisory Council was created by state executive order in 2011 by then-Gov. Terry Branstad, and another executive order strengthened and expanded the initiative, which aims to “invigorate the preK-12 talent pipeline toward STEM careers.”

The inaugural class of Teaching in the Fast Lane included 24 elementary school teachers. The inaugural Transportation Institute class included 12 middle school and high school teachers who reached nearly 1,200 students through their classrooms and after-school programs. Each year since, approximately the same number of educators are included in the programs.

In 2023, the Teaching in the Fast Lane course expanded into two weeklong sessions. A year later, the program expanded again to provide past attendees the opportunity to further enhance their knowledge, with a focus on the nature of engineering, energy, and sustainable practices, particularly related to transportation infrastructure.

The two Teaching in the Fast Lane workshops are currently led by science/math specialists Lynne Bleeker and Debbie Haywood. Iowa educator Shannon McLaughlin facilitates the Transportation Institute workshop.

“With the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards in Iowa, there is a huge demand for bringing engineering to the classroom, and proper professional development for teachers is imperative,” said Shane.

For more information about the summer workshops for educators, contact Jennifer Serra, who coordinates the programs.