FOSTERING K-12 TEACHER ENGAGEMENT IN STEM THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS

A small, Midwestern university and its educational and community partners have recognized the need to collaboratively develop and offer K-12 teacher professional development opportunities. As a result, innovative summer workshop institute programs were designed and offered to improve the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in high needs school districts. This teach-the-teacher mentality arises from varied socio-economic status in the community and changing academic standards, but ultimately has the goal of improving student academic achievement. With partnership as the cornerstone, ten years have provided ample opportunity to refine our professional development model for teachers. Establishing and maintaining partnerships with corporate and not-for-profit organizations in the community has proven paramount for the continued success in teacher training. Partners provide specific perspectives on the real world applications in STEM fields for participating teachers to explore and discuss. In addition to learning how to foster and maintain these partnerships, goals of the model included improving teacher content knowledge, increasing teacher pedagogical knowledge, and increasing teacher knowledge through action research. Teacher gains were captured using validated instruments and classroom teaching observations. Improved academic achievements of students taught by the participating teachers were also measured using surveys and validated instruments. Partnership strength was also considered as the model evolved. The teaching model for the programs offered were also collaborative in nature. Together, university faculty from varied departments as well as school district teachers worked with community partners to offer experiences where theory and practice were woven together in a rich classroom environment. Technology, field experiences, and hands-on, real-world problems challenged teachers to develop new lessons and to craft action research questions. The engagement and achievements of the students, teachers, university faculty, and community partners resulted from continued partnership and adaptation of the model offered. The leadership roles of the teachers in these programs allowed for stronger and sustainable connections between districts, faculty, and community partners. The summer workshop institutes provided teachers with strategies and resources to integrate inquiry and problem based learning into the classroom. The institutes focused on delivering content that aligned to current national standards emphasizing math and science connections, engineering principles, and modeling. The progression of the institutes, teacher recruitment strategies, steps to engage community partners in classrooms, and evaluation data that demonstrate teacher and student gains will be provided.