Track 2, GK-12: Building a Learning Community in Science and Mathematics through Educational Patnerships

Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Brunswick NJ

Investigators

Abstract

Title of Project: Building a Learning Community in Science and Mathematics through Educational Partnerships . Track II Institution: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ PI/Co-PI: Kathleen Scott, PI; Michael Carr, Jolie Cizewski, Warren Crown, Joseph Rosenstein Number of Fellows per year (graduate vs. undergraduate): 8 graduate/4 undergraduate School District Partners: South Brunswick Township Public Schools; Public Schools of Plainfield; Piscataway Township Schools; Old Bridge Township Public Schools; Edison Township Public Schools Target Audience of the project (K-12 grade-band): grades 6-9 Setting: urban, suburban NSF supported disciplines involved: Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biology, Computer & Information Sciences, Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Sciences Narrative: This Track II GK12 program builds upon the experiences and achievements of our initial program to establish and support learning communities among the university and local school districts. It partners teachers and administrators from local school districts with Rutgers University Fellows (graduate students and advanced undergraduate students) and faculty in science, mathematics, engineering and technology. School teams, each comprised of a Rutgers University STEM graduate student and two or three middle school teachers, work together to enhance their school curriculum and develop new hands-on science and mathematics activities. Each team shares activities with a partner team. Training is provided in a two- week Summer Institute that includes team-building activities, development of team goals, training in pedagogy for the Fellows, exposure to new material in science and mathematics for the teachers, and preparation of a standards-based hands-on activity. Throughout the academic year, the teams work together to enhance existing curricula and develop innovative hands-on activities. Fellows collaborate on developing and presenting activities with their partner teams. Professional development of teachers is offered during the Summer Institute, each semester at Rutgers, and by the fellows in the schools. The Rutgers Science Bus Program, where fellows showcase their most innovative activities, is integrated with this project, enhances the dissemination of the results of this GK12 program, and institutionalizes the involvement of graduate students in New Jersey schools. Each of these activities is being evaluated throughout the project by analysis of team portfolios, focus groups and surveys. Intellectual Merits: This project is resulting in enhanced instruction of middle school students in STEM disciplines through student-centered classroom experiences, refined methods of training teachers and fellows to work collaboratively, and development of a graduate level teaching course based on GK12 activities. Broader Impacts: The graduate and undergraduate fellows are enhancing their teaching and communication skills, learning to work as members of a team, and will be better prepared for future careers where they can build on their GK12 experiences. Teachers are becoming knowledgeable about current trends in these disciplines as they increase their interest in and knowledge about STEM. Middle school students, including urban students from disadvantaged backgrounds, are experiencing the excitement and relevance of science and mathematics, and becoming familiar with career opportunities in these fields. The modeling of innovative hands-on inquiry methods is becoming a part of each school's mathematics and science program. The results of this project will be disseminated across the state by graduate student involvement in the Science Bus Program. Significant Outcomes from Track I: A total of twenty-seven graduate fellows, seventeen undergraduate fellows, and forty-five teachers formed nine teams each year to bring the excitement of contemporary mathematics and science to middle school classrooms. The number of school districts expanded from four in Year 1 to seven in Year 3. This program developed and implemented methods to successfully recruit STEM graduate and undergraduate students and teachers into the program. The program design incorporated a Summer Institute training program, which included a unique series of team building activities and workshops that prepared teams for their work in the schools, culminating with the development of the team's first academic year activity. The program also developed effective strategies for having second-year Graduate Fellows assume a leadership role in ways that strengthened the program. Experienced fellows presented activities developed with their team teachers to other participants at the Summer Institute and at academic year follow up meetings, as well as advising new fellows based on their experiences in the schools. During the academic year program, all of the teams effectively collaborated in developing activities that enhanced the curriculum of their school, related mathematics and science to real life applications, and positively affected middle school student attitudes toward mathematics and science. The team activities in the school enhanced the teaching skills of the fellows and their ability to work collaboratively. Teachers reported increasing their content knowledge, and continue to use the activities developed by the team. This project is partially supported by funds from the Directorate for Biological Sciences.