Enhancing the Capacity of Math and Science Teachers -- A Conference to be Held in Washington, DC, Spring 2004

Stevens Institute Of Technology, Hoboken NJ

Investigators

Abstract

The grant supports a planning conference with selected faculty and administrators from eight to ten small colleges and universities with staff from Stevens Institute of Technology. The conference would focus on more effective use of the Internet in pre-service training of K-12 science teachers. The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) seeks to strengthen the abilities of K-12 teachers to incorporate technological solutions in their math and science classrooms. This initiative would enhance the capacity of collegiate teacher education programs in independent colleges and universities to shape the education of prospective math and science teachers. The CIC and Stevens Institute of Technology will draw on their respective strengths in educating prospective and current teachers in developing this program. The CIC's member colleges and universities train a significant number of career scientists and science teachers in the United States. Stevens Institute of Technology turned to community colleges as its partners in organizing their own training sessions for in-service K-12 teachers and its pre-science activities. They found faculty members at small, four-year colleges were especially effective in their teacher-training activities. Based on this successful relationship, Stevens and the CIC want to create a national program beginning with approximately ten small colleges and universities with strong records in the preparation of K-12 science teachers.