DEM Project PRISM

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

Project PRISM promotes the success and persistence of girls and ethnic minority students, particularly Native American students, through sustainable reform focusing on gender and cultural issues in secondary math and science classrooms and a university course for education students. The project is initiating changes that will increase the recruitment of women and ethnic minority practitioners into the SMET workforce. The target populations include pre-service teachers at Washington State University (WSU) and Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC), in-service teachers, counselors, and administrators from eight school districts, five of which serve the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT), and CCT secondary students. This collaborative demonstration project uses a powerful, multi-faceted approach to achieve changes in teaching and curriculum and in student success. The project promotes an increased secondary teacher and counselor awareness of gender and cultural issues that affect the learning and persistence of students, particularly girls and Native American students, in science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) classrooms. It likewise stimulates commitment to inclusive teaching and curricula and facilitates ongoing reform. Teachers and counselors participate in interactive in-service development opportunities on gender, culture, and education and a summer institute focused on the process of SMET classroom and curriculum reform. Participants in faculty development components are supported in their revision and reform efforts by faculty learning communities. A university course for pre- and in-service teachers introduces students to issues of gender, culture, and science as well as foster increased computer skills and SMET teaching abilities. All faculty development components are designed and developed by teams of secondary and university faculty in cooperation with Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) personnel and a CCT Advisory Council. Cultural awareness and appreciation events are ongoing at the schools serving CCT students. Through field trips, hands-on projects, community service projects, and career planning, CCT students are developing an increased awareness of and interest in careers, especially SMET careers, and increased persistence in the education necessary to succeed in those careers. Local leadership for and commitment to the project efforts are being developed, so that project components will be sustained after the life of the grant. Manuals detailing the faculty in-service workshops and the summer institute teaching and curriculum reform process will be produced and disseminated. The project is yielding important information on the efficacy of these intervention strategies incorporating both gender and cultural issues. In particular, it adds information to the knowledge base on the success of these strategies with Native American students, and especially Native American girls.