The Track 1, GK-12 Teaching Assistants Sharing Knowledge (TASK) in Alaska is a multidisciplinary program developed by the STEM departments within the University of Alaska Fairbanks with the enthusiastic support of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Denali Borough School District, and the Lower Kuskowkim School District. The project builds on the solid foundation of the Partners in Science, GLOBE, and OLCG programs to meet the needs of Alaskan K-12 students in science and mathematics and targets schools with high Alaskan Native populations. The project uses the best practices models to prepare Fellows for the classroom and place them with Master K-12 teachers. The goals of the project are to bring current technology, tools, and knowledge to students in K-12 classrooms to meet the Alaska State Standards; contribute to the knowledge base of K-12 teachers; and to enhance the teaching and communication skills of graduate our Fellows so that their academic careers are measurably enhanced by this experience. Fellows are assigned to one school for one or two semesters to develop rapport with students and staff. The project uses an experienced program coordinator to help manage this program, and an enthusiastic team of UAF faculty mentors and K-12 teachers to enrich the experience.
Intellectual Merit. The project applies the best practices in teacher preparation and mentoring to those schools in the Fairbanks area that are most likely to be in trouble with NCLB standards. The Fellows will deepen their content knowledge through being forced to explain concepts in simple ways, and by using analogies that are developmentally appropriate. Mentoring of teachers has been shown to be very effective in retention.
Broader Impacts . The best practices used will insure that K-12 students will receive the very best of hands-on science, mathematics and technology education. The project employs numerous minority (especially Alaska Native) and women scientists and mathematicians, who will serve as excellent role models for K-12 students. By establishing a university course to prepare the students to interact in meaningful ways with K-12 students, the project will develop the needed infrastructure to continue this program. The project will disseminate the results through presentations at the AAAS Arctic Division meetings, local and national conferences, journals, and through the website. As a benefit to the general public, a collaborative learning community will continue to grow; one that spans K through gray, with K-12 schools, institutions of higher learning, Alaska Native elders, practicing professionals, and community members all involved in STEM education.
