This report summarizes the School Action for Innovations in Science (SAInS) program, which aimed to improve STEM education in Indonesian high schools over 3 years from 2012-2015. Key activities included a study tour of US STEM programs, developing strategic action plans for 3 partner schools and IPB university, workshops on curriculum reform and using Fab Labs, and implementing action plans with support from embedded experts. These efforts reached over 5,000 students and trained many teachers. The program also disseminated resources through a website, an annual science fair, and expanding IPB's role in teacher training. Evaluations found growth in STEM instruction and interest in the partner schools as well as demand from other schools and districts

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SAInS – School Action for
Innovations in Science
END OF PROJECT
REPORT

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SAInS – School Action for
Innovations in Science
FinalProject Report
(December 2012 - November 2015)
Agreement No. AID-‐497‐1‐13‐00001
CFDA Program Number 98.001
October 2012 - November 30, 2015
Prepared for:
Education office USAID
Indonesia
Prepared byColumbia
University
615 West 131 Street, Room 254
New York, NY10027‐‐7922
and
Bogor Agricultural University
Facultyof Mathematicsand Natural SciencesJl.
Meranti, KampusIPB Dramaga
Bogor 16680, Indonesia
This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International
Development. It was prepared by the Center for Environment, Economy, and Society at Columbia
University, in collaboration with the Institut Pertanian Bogor. The authors’ views expressed in
thispublication do not necessarilyreflect the views of the United States Agency for International
Development nor the United States Government.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
SECTION 2: PROGRAM STRATEGY, IMPLEMENTATION, AND RESULTS Error! Bookmarknot defined.
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SECTION 3: NARRATIVE SUMMARY OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND STRATEGIES Error! Bookmark
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SECTION 4: LESSONS LEARNED Error! Bookmarknot defined.
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APPENDIX 6 : Exemplary STEM Activities from the SAInS program

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SECTION 1: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The SAInS program was designed around a deep engagement between Columbia University (CU)
and the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) to create innovative curriculum and teaching
methodologies to improve STEM education in Indonesian high schools. Our strategy involved
continuous dialogue and consultation over the course of three years, punctuated by benchmark
workshops and travel between the two universities.
Key Results:
Over the course of 3 years, the SAInS project succeeded in:
 Building capacity for innovative STEM instruction in partner schools,
 Implementingschool Action Plansthat transformed STEM pedagogy in three high schools,
drawing attention and requests for assistance from many others,
 Developing IPB-FMIPA as a center for expertise in teacher professional development for
science and technology,
 Disseminating training and resources to thousands of teachers across Indonesia via:
o direct work with cluster schools,
o events held at the IPB STIR Center,
o enhanced programming for the annual Pesta Sains Nasional, and
o establishment of the SAInS program website.
 Creating the new role of Embedded Curriculum Specialist to ensure efficacious and
sustainable implementation of the School Action Plans, and
 Using FabLabs as highly visible representations and loci for each school’s commitment to
science instruction and to innovation and experimentation.
The success of our efforts resulted in:
 The recruitment of IPB-FMIPA to provide STEM training to teachers across 3 school districts
in Java and Sumatra,
 Overtures from the Ministry of Primary Secondary Education to conduct a 300-school
expansion of the SAInS program.
 The newest Minister of Primary and Secondary Education retaining Co-PI and Dean of IPB
FMIPA Dr Sri Nurdiati, as an expert advisor in STEM curriculum.
 In January 2016,12 Teacher Training Institutes across Indonesia signed Memoranda of
Agreement with IPB-FMIPA with the goal of collaboratingon programsfor enhanced teacher
training in STEM pedagogy.

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Program Narrative:
Learning from the Best STEM Programs
The SAInSprogram was launched with a Study Tour to NYC by our Indonesian team and the
principalsof our 3 partner schools (SMA Kornita Bogor, SMA Negeri 13 Jakarta, and SMA Negeri 1
Kepanjen in eastern Java) for joint examination and evaluation of best practices in STEM
instruction. Our guestsfrom Indonesia visited New York secondaryschools with noteworthy
STEM initiatives,showingsuccess with innovative approachesand curricula. Organized by
Teachers College (TC), Columbia University(CU) in consultation with CEES, the studytour was
lauded by participants, whogained understandingof how to improve deliveryof STEM subjects,
as well as motivation and confidence to build their schools’ capacity to offer experiential learning
opportunitiesand to better motivate science and mathematicslearnersthrough innovative
teachingmethodologies.[Additional information about the StudyTour]
Developing STEM Instruction Strategy
No program is successful without careful planning. A cornerstone of the SAInSprogram was the
creation bypartner schools of strategicplanswhich would form the blueprint for STEM
innovation over the course of the program. Administratorsand senior faculty from the partners
schools used findings from the tour to develop School Action Plans for transforming
instructional methodology in STEM subjects. Each school developed their own individualized
plansthat identified the best and most viable aspectsof STEM curriculum and pedagogyto
implement. Likewise, IPB administratorsand consultingfacultydeveloped a strategyto build
their institutional capacityfor science teacher professional development. [Additional information
about the Action Plans]
 18 teachersand faculty from the 3 partner schools developed the Action Plans.
 8 IPB faculty consultantsassisted schools in developingtheir plans.
 Over 35 distinct interventions,activities, or action itemswere identified for inclusion in
the Action Plans.
Although each school – and IPB FMIPA—identified different action itemsand created unique
blueprintsfor their STEM instruction strategy, all were enthusiasticabout the prospect of using
Fabrication Labs (“FabLabs”) to foster interest in STEM applications by students, and hands-on,
experiential instruction byteachers.FabLab equipment,wastherefore supplied toeach school,
and a “hub” FabLab wasalso installed at the new STEM Instructional Resource Center (STIR
Center)instituted at IPB. Not only was the installation of the FabLabsa significant logistical
accomplishment, but the teachersand studentswere motivated and empowered to use the
FabLab tools to support their learning. The FabLab provided a physical locus of activity, helping
jump-start Action Plan implementation in a venue naturallysuited to practicingexperiential and
applied learning. [Additional information about the Fab Labs]
Training and Workshops
The first workshops for our partner schools occurred duringthe NYC Study Tour, which featured

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over 20 visits to schools and cultural institutionsof interest, as well as seminarsat Teachers
College on topics rangingfrom Literacyin STEM, to buildingscience teacher professional
networks, to conceptual math instruction, to independent research project management.
The School Action Plans created in earlysummer 2013 were used to inform the agenda of a week-
long residential STEM Curriculum Reform workshop conducted by Teachers College expertsat
the STIR Center at IPB in November 2013. Five full days of presentationsand hands-on activities
were provided by Dr. Janell Caitlin, Dr. Jessica Riccio, and Dr. Donald Fulton, targeted toward the
instructional methodseach school had selected in their Action Plans.
The Curriculum Reform workshop was followed soon after by a FabLab Instructional
Workshop in January 2014, led by Jaymes Dec, MSc. Mr. Dec is the head of Technology
Instruction at the Marymount School in New York City, and a FabLearn Fellow with Stanford
University’sFablabs@Schools program. The FabLab workshop focused on best use of the
equipment and FabLab conceptsto support STEM instruction and creative applied projectswith
students.[Additional information about the trainingworkshops]
 18 administratorsand teachersparticipated in both workshops in Indonesia.
 8 IPB faculty consultantsparticipated in both workshops in Indonesia.
 Over 150 teacher resource documentsprovided duringand as a result of the workshop
from Teachers College, CEES, and other educational institutions.
Implementation and Evolution of School Action Plans
The rollout of National Curriculum 2013 had significant influence on the implementation of our
partner schools’ Action Plans, as it required schools to focus on specific typesof instruction and
cross-cuttingthemes,and to participate in government-mandated trainingactivities. We were
pleased to learn that the pedagogiespromoted in the SAInS program activitieswere highly
consistent with the demandsof the Curriculum 2013. However, uncertaintysurroundingthe
curriculum –which was later retracted except from selected schools—created similar uncertainty
in our schools about professional development priorities.
By Year 2, our schools had refined their Action Plans to include fewer (typically10) interventions,
and theyrequested additional hands-on, onsite guidance for implementation, particularlyfor
teacherswho had not attended the workshops. The SAInSproject responded byworking with the
Teacher Trainingprogramsat UNMalangand UNJakarta to provide Embedded Curriculum
Experts (ECE) to work with onsite at schools specifically on Action Plan implementation.
Summaryresultsof the Action Plan interventionscan be found in Appendix 2 .
 ECE visits were scheduled twice monthly, over at least 6 months.
 Action Planswere revised and supplemented with ECErecommendationsand strategies.
 Schools developed new curriculum materials, rangingfrom directed worksheetsfor field
trips,to single class lessons, to long-term project and research unitswith associated
rubricsand inquiry-focused activities.
 Of 31 total Action Plan itemsselected by our 3 partner schools, trainingof teachersand
studentswere completed for 24 planned items, and 21 items were fully completed (both

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trainingand delivery).
 Action Plan activities reached up to 5000 studentsand 100 teachers.
An Example of the Action Plans (first version and streamlined version) can be found in Appendix 4
And Appendix 5)
The FabLab became a special focus for the schools, actingas a highlyvisible representation of
each school’s commitment to science instruction and to innovation and experimentation.
Teachers and studentsenjoyed exploring the possibilitiesprototypingand robotics tools offered
for creatingeducational and creative products.
 75% of studentsin the 3 schools used the Fab Lab; 33% used it repeatedly; and 20% used
it to complete projects assigned as part of the regular curriculum.
 All schools developed an active extracurricular FabLab club.
 Selected studentsfrom each school used the FabLabsto create SYRA entriesin the Pesta
Sains Nasional.
IPB FMIPACapacity Building for STEM Pedagogy and Teacher Training
Concurrent with the efforts of the partner schools to transform their STEM instruction, IPB FMIPA
pursued their own transformation into a center of expertise for teacher trainingand support in
STEM content and pedagogy. Facultyconsultantsfrom each FMIPA department served the entire 3
years of the program, providingcontent expertise to our partner schools, evaluatingthe
Curriculum 2013 and its implicationsfor the program and for the schools’ curricula; providing
trainingin STEM instruction to the rest of the IPB FMIPA faculty; developingand deliveringtheir
own curriculum for undergraduate instruction; advisingtwoundergraduate roboticsclubs;
judgingthe SYRA competitionsfor the Pesta Sains, and creatingand deliveringSTEM teacher
trainingto teachersin all schools within 3 local school districtsin Sumatra and Java.
 8 faculty consultantsfrom each department were hired toact as content experts.
 Facultyconsultantsattended all trainingsalongside the partner school teachers, in
addition to 3 internal trainingworkshops specifically for IPB faculty.
 25 FMIPA faculty and 325 studentswere trained in the use of the Fab Lab for applied
science.
 40 original curriculum unitswere developed and delivered by the FMIPA faculty.
 A 10-unit roboticscurriculum with a proprietaryrobotics kit was developed by IPB’s
robotics club.
[Additional information on IPB CapacityBuilding]
School Outcomes:
The SAInSprogram produced school-wide shifts in pedagogical understanding and practice at our
partner schools, where every STEM subject teacher –and often other subject teachersas well--
participated in training, curriculum development and implementation for new and innovative
pedagogical methods.Lead teachers attended workshopsat the IPB STIR Center and returned to
their schools to socialize and provide peer coaching to the other teachersin their schools. Action

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Plan interventionswere delivered to all studentswithin targeted grades, and many activities
applied to all studentsregardlessof specialization or grade.
Because ActionPlan strategies and delivery differed between schools, because the Curriculum
2013 rollout and retraction caused curriculum disruption, and because there are no end of year
standardized tests until year 12, we were unable to obtain reliable data on student academic
performance outcomes. Nonetheless, we were able to document successes in teacher mastery of
techniques as demonstrated by effectivedelivery of instructional units and lessons using the
methods stipulated in the Action Plans.
 75-100 teacherswere trained to deliver Action Plan interventions, and 88% of the
teacherstrained successfully implemented their activitiesor used new methods. Teacher
masterywas deepened for lead teacherswho provided trainingsand peer coaching within
their schools and at cluster school meetings.
 “Star” teachersemerged at each school, servingto advocate and champion the FabLab and
Action Plan interventions.Every STEM teacher at each school was trained bythe ECEs in
each of the 10 Action Plan itemsselected.
 Nearly5,000 students,or 83% of the entire student body over 3 years, received at least
one STEM instruction intervention, several of which involved ongoing activitiesthat
continued through entire semestersand beyond.
 The program increased interest among female studentsin STEM, with a 9%, 10%, and 4%
increase in female college-bound studentsplanningSTEM majorsin SMA 13 Jakarta, SMA
Kornita, and SMA 1 Kepanjen (respectively).
 School administratorsintegrated action plan strategiesintotheir school pedagogical
planningand teacher professional development.
Spreading the benefits and learning.
We put intensive effortinto training the teachers at our partner schools, but wealso were
dedicated to disseminating information about effectiveSTEM instruction to the wider public,
and distributing all resources created as a result of the program to teachers across Indonesia.
We expected the schools themselves to “spread the word” to other schools in their region,
during regularly scheduled cluster schoolmeetings. [Additional information about school
dissemination]
 26 local schools received trainingon SAInSstrategiesand methodsduringCluster
Meetings.
 11 Bogor-area schools received special trainingvia the STIR Center, because Cluster
Meetings were not in place for that region.
 6 schools and school district representativesvisited the STIR center for informational
meetingsand trainingsrelated to implementingSAInSmethodsin their schools.
 Schools also were recognized by the local education districts, who attended major events.
 Pak Herman Syafri, formerlyVice Principal at SMA 13 in Jakarta, implemented robotics
and 3D printer-oriented STEAM(STEM + Art)activities in two schools he subsequently
led as Principal.
In this day and age it is impossible to undertake social outreach without a digital media strategy.
From our first year, we built a SAInS program Web Site where teachersand others could access
information on SAInSprogram vision and mission, news, and events. Most importantly, we made all
education resources available for download—over 150 in total, with 100+ documentstranslated to
Bahasa Indonesia. These documentshave been downloaded by over 6000 teachers across

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Indonesia since 2014. [Additional information about the SAInSwebsite]
Pesta Sains Nasional
A central focus of our outreach was the popular annual Pesta Sains Nasional,hosted by IPB. This was
a natural venue to target teachersand schools interested in promotingscience instruction in their
schools. The number of students,teachersand schools participatingin the PSN increased each year,
and under the SAInS program, the fair was expanded to include interdisciplinary STEM
research, a “maker-style” applied project competition and expo, and teacher training seminars.
[Additional information about Pesta Sains]
Conclusion:
We have gleaned many insights about the effectiveness of SAInS from observations over the three
years of the program as well as from our regular monitoring and evaluation visits, a wrap-up
workshop for all project participants held in December 2015, and an external evaluation. The
success of the project was evaluated in terms of changes in activities and behaviors for students,
teachers, and teacher trainers; the growth of IPB as a popular and reliable source of information,
advice, and training in secondary school STEM curriculums and instructional methodology;
satisfaction of model secondary school administrators, students, and parents; and interest and
uptake of the SAInSapproaches by non‐partner educators and schools, as well as local and national
education authorities.
Sustainability of the SAInS program is assured as a result of the interest of various provincial
education offices who have sought out and contracted IPB FMIPA to provide teacher professional
development in their school districts. Already, the IPB FMIPA team has developed and delivered
two district-wide programs for improving secondary school STEM instruction, in the North Nias
District and the Simalungun District of Sumatra province, and in the Bogor District of West Java
province.