This Track 2, GK-12 project builds upon existing relationships and infrastructure developed in the previous GK-12 project to further develop and institutional the Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach with nine school districts in northern New York along with faculty collaboration from St. Lawrence University.
This project will lead to extensive broader impacts, with K-12 students, teachers, Fellows, faculty advisors and institutions benefiting from the partnership between both universities and the nine school districts involved. It is anticipated that students will have a greater interest and competence in STEM disciplines; teachers to have renewed enthusiasm and new approaches for teaching STEM in an integrated and PBL approach; Fellows to have significantly improved teaching and communications skills; and college faculty to have the facility and resources to integrate K-12 PBL outreach into their own research projects. The schools included within this project include one with a very high population (57%) of Native Americans and inner city schools with a significant proportion (50%) of students from groups currently underrepresented in the sciences.
Part of the intellectual merit of the proposal is that through the extensive evaluation and longitudinal outcomes assessments program included, data to analyze the benefits of the PBL approach at lower levels will be generated and disseminated, leading to a better understanding of suitable pedagogical approaches required to meet the national need for STEM literacy among all and increased numbers entering these professions. This project is receiving partial support from the Directorate for Engineering.
Results from Prior Project: Since the initial GK-12 project began in 1999, 26 Fellows have worked primarily with 11 teachers from 4 separate school districts helping to introduce Problem Based Learning into the classroom in coordination with existing New York State science standards. Twenty other teachers have been involved in a variety of related workshops. The program has a 31% rate of funding female graduate Fellows versus a national average of approximately 15% women in engineering graduate program. All 13 undergraduate Fellows and 12 of the 13 graduate Fellows have graduated on time. Modules, matched to New York State Learning Standards, dealing with vermiculite composting and solid waste recycling have been developed and pilot tested.
Title: Track 2, GK-12 Project-Based Learning Partnership Program Officer Review Institution: Clarkson University with St. Lawrence University PI/Co-PI: Susan E. Powers (PI), Peter Turner and Esther Oey (co-PIs) Partner School Districts: 9 school districts in northern New York Number of Fellows per Year: 7 graduate students and 7 advanced undergraduate students (yr. 1, then fewer) Target Audience: Primarily middle school with some high school projects Setting: Rural NSF Supported Disciplines: Engineering, mathematics and physical sciences, biological sciences
