Georgia Tech Student and Teacher Enhancement Partnership (STEP) Program

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

The Georgia Tech Student and Teacher Enhancement Partnership (STEP) Program partners Graduate Fellows from the Colleges of Sciences, Engineering and Computing with metro-Atlanta area high school SMET teams that are led by master science or mathematics teacher-coordinators. The program seeks to improve the teaching-related communication, and leadership skills of Georgia Tech graduate students, and to use the exceptional scholarly expertise available at Georgia Tech to assist in increasing the mathematics and science performance of Atlanta-area school students. STEP Fellows will participate in summer training workshops to familiarize them with inquiry-based learning pedagogy, classroom management and effective teaching skills, and appropriate uses of educational technologies. They will also work with high school personnel to develop a needs assessment and action plan for the school. During the school year they will work in pairs with their partner school, choosing activities from a menu of options that includes: 1) Student instruction, 2) Teacher professional development, 3) Student enrichment and mentoring, 4) Implementation of classroom websites, 5) Science fair project assistance, and 6) Georgia Tech lab tours. The program will be open, by competitive application, to all of the nearly 3,000 graduate students in the Georgia Tech Colleges of Engineering, Sciences, and Computing.