Alliance for Enhancement of Science Education and Technology

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

Based on a prior GK-12 project that partnered 31 graduate teaching Fellows with 36 teachers in 14 schools in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, this current project pairs the Fellows with teams of teachers at select middle schools. These teams come together for three weeks during the summer to build their partnership relationship, review national and local standards, and select and design activities for the upcoming year. The Fellows enter their partner classroom in the fall, and spend 10 hours per week in the classroom presenting hands-on inquiry-based science activities in 7th and 8th grade classrooms. They also participate in a bimonthly seminar, and take a 3 hr science methods course. Each of the participants contributes a particular strength to the key activities. Teachers provide ongoing feedback through meetings and focus groups, as well as act as mentor teachers within their school and during the summer workshops; the Fellows' research advisors attend two class periods per semester to observe their Fellow in action and to interact with the K-12 students and teachers. Mathematics is integrated into each activity and mathematics graduate students and master teachers are active participants. The summer partnership building includes a two week in-laboratory experience for the partner teachers. Broader impacts of these activities include the outreach to a wide number of schools and the model it provides of giving teachers a central role in planning and evaluation. This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Biological Sciences Project Title: Alliance for Enhancement of Science Education and Technology Institution: Vanderbilt University, Meharry Medical College (MMC) PI/Co-PI: Virginia Shepherd, Melvin Joesten, Maria de Fatima Lima (Meharry) Partner School Districts: Metropolitan Nashville Financing: $1,493,700 Number of fellows/year: 10 graduate, 2 undergraduate Setting: middle school Target Audience: Urban NSF supported disciplines involved: mathematics