Track 2, GK12: Technology Integration Partnerships: Bringing Emerging STEM Research into Grades 5-12 enabled by New Technologies

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

Title of Project: Track 2, GK12: Technology Integration Partnerships: Bringing Emerging STEM Research into Grades 5-12 enabled by New Technologies Institution: Columbia University PI/Co-PI: Jack McGourty/Susan Lowes/Elizabeth Sklar Number of Fellows/year: 6 Graduate and 6-9 Undergraduate School District Partners: Manhattan High School Superintendency, Bronx School District Target Audience: Grades 5-12 Setting: Urban NSF Supported Disciplines: All STEM disciplines Narrative Summary: An integral objective of this Track 2 project is advancing understanding of how to best integrate instructional technologies into the classroom. Teams of Fellows, Faculty, and K-12 teachers are investigating how to best integrate instructional technologies in support of standards based STEM topics within classroom imposed time, space and resource limitations. Using applied research techniques, all partnerships investigate, test, and evaluate how these technologies improve teaching and enhance student motivation and learning. Intellectual Merit: The Technology Integration Partnership (YIP) project has four major goals: (1) to increase the access to, and the integration of, new technologies into the curriculum of STEM teachers who are working in urban environments; (2) to deepen the science, math and engineering content knowledge of these teachers; (3) to bring the excitement of emerging STEM research to 5th-12th grade students, offering them a window into future academic and career paths; and (4) to interest and excite STEM graduate students about education, giving them unique opportunities to improve their teaching and communication skills. Fellow and Teacher partners are expanding knowledge concerning best practices concerning technology in the classroom by developing the three technologies (probeware, robotics, and simulations) applied in the Track 1 project and by introducing three additional technologies (engineering design applications, remote lab experimentation, and educational games). Broader Impact: The project's outcomes will provide a model of how engineering and applied science faculty and students can partner with urban school districts to support the integration of technology into the classroom in the service of standard-based curriculum on emerging STEM topics. All best practices and technology-enabled lessons will be disseminated through the project's established web site and lesson plans database (http://tip.columbia.edu). Outcomes from Track 1: Eight Fellows and over 30 K-12 teachers have collaborated over the three-year period. The Fellow-teacher partnerships have clearly benefited both Fellows and teachers. Each Fellow and cooperating teacher developed between two and four curriculum units that use technology to address difficult-to-teach topics in the standard curriculum for that grade level, tested them in the classroom and revised them for posting on the website. Pre- and post assessments developed by Fellows-Teachers College faculty teams have demonstrated significant K-12 student learning of abstract math and science concepts as a result of using these new technologies in comparison with more traditional methods of instruction. Teachers report that Fellows have enriched the curriculum with their knowledge of the subject areas being taught, from global warming to bridge building to mechanical engineering to computer programming, in a way that would not have been possible without their expertise. They have been able to introduce topics and technologies that they would not otherwise have had the time or the confidence to try in their classrooms; and have gained access to badly needed resources, including hardware, technology expertise and content knowledge. Fellows' teaching skills have improved dramatically, as has their ability to explain the importance of their research to a non-specialist audience. Several undergraduates and one Fellow have embarked on a career path toward teaching in urban K-12 schools. This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering.