CLT: A Model Regional Urban Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning of 5th through 12th Grade Students

Temple University, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

Submitted under the guidelines for "Developmental Centers for Learning and Teaching," this twelve-month project would do the developmental planning to establish a center for SMET education for grades 5-12 in greater Philadelphia. The project would be based at Temple University. The region served would be southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Other players in the collaboration include Millersville and Cheney Universities in PA, Delaware State, and several community colleges in PA and NJ. Also included are Philadelphia (PA), Salem County, Gloucester County, and Cherry Hill (NJ) school districts. The primary mission of the proposed center will be to examine the unique needs of teaching mathematics and science to urban and urban-fringe students. There are three major goals: 1) Enhance the content and pedagogical skills of current and future mathematics and science teachers and to increase both the numbers of, and quality of, these teachers by designing programs to attract, train and mentor pre-service, novice, experienced in-service and apprentice teachers. This will include the development of a model middle school Certification Program. 2) Reshape the institutional infrastructure of faculty and graduate students who instruct math and science pre-service and in-service teachers and the infrastructure of the school districts to support these teachers. This includes attracting, training and retaining doctoral students who will be future SMET professors. 3)Design and support research in relevant aspects of mathematics and science education, with a strong emphasis on determining the role of, and value of, technology in education.