The GK-12 Urban Educators Program at IUPUI: Teaching and Learning Science through Research NSF-supported STEM disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, Earth Sciences
This project combines the research and teaching strengths of the IUPUI School of Science (SOS) and the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) with requests by local teachers for inquiry-based STEM laboratory experiences for children in grades 6-12. The selected urban partner schools have core competences in medical or environmental education. The fellows will collaborate with a secondary science or math teacher in ongoing professional development to develop grade-appropriate research activities. Innovative aspects include development of layered research projects that build in complexity through several grade levels, with a theme of relevance to student?s lives.
Expected outcomes include enhanced research, teaching, leadership and communication skills of the fellows. Benefits to science teachers include opportunities for professional development, collaboration with GK-12 fellows and university faculty, and opportunities to engage their students in scientific research. Goals for middle and high school students include exposure to mentors and role models, opportunities to experience research, and exposure to science and math as exciting and desirable career options. By designing a collaborative, diverse partnership between STEM graduate researchers, faculty and STEM teachers, this project allows us to integrate research-based activities into the teaching and learning of secondary science and math, broaden the involvement and participation of a diverse inner-city student body in research, and strengthen existing ties between IUPUI and the local community.
GK-12 Program Overview From 2008-2013, the NSF GK-12 (Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education) Urban Educators program has been an innovative educational program at IUPUI. The program combines Graduate Education fellowships to M.S or Ph.D. students in the Purdue School of Science and the IU School of Medicine who devote 15 hours per week, in addition to their full time work as a research graduate student, to work with classroom teachers and students in local schools. GK-12 fellows serve as a scientist in the classroom for 600 hours per school year, working closely with their teacher partner to organize engaging, hands-on projects to convey fundamental STEM concepts, with a focus on two themes: Medicine and Human Health, and Discovering the Science of the Environment (DSE). In doing so, GK-12 Fellows have spread their enthusiasm for STEM to a new generation of students, while developing their own skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership and fostering new relationships between the university and local schools, strengthening public education in Indiana’s high-need schools. Program Outcomes - Between 2008 and 2013: 55 graduate fellowships were awarded to 41 GK-12 fellows Collaborative partnerships and professional development for 30 Classroom Mentor Teachers Discovering the Science of the Environment (DSE) partnerships with over 80 teachers Inquiry-based and hands-on STEM activities with over 8,000 students in Indianapolis 5 journal articles published with data and activities from GK-12 projects 40+ GK-12 posters presented at workshops and conferences nationwide, 8 Fellow-Teacher partnerships in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Biomedical Sciences or Principles of Engineering classrooms Created meaningful engagement between STEM researchers and the local Indianapolis K-12 community Broader Impacts and Intellectual Merit Impact on K-12 student performance in the STEM disciplines. Our GK-12 program has successfully implemented an inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum in K-12 classrooms formulated on real research taking place at IUPUI. This initiative, which includes professional development for teachers, engaged K-12 students in real-world problem solving develop innovative, creative, and critical thinking, with the goal of attracting students to university study and STEM careers. Impact on educational outcomes for underserved students. The GK-12 program has been a strong influence on the educational outcomes and college and career readiness for students in high-need Indiana schools. Our program and partnership already has an established partnership with several local schools, classroom and teachers, including several Project Lead the Way (PLTW) teachers and classrooms. This has helped to build a critical mass of innovative K-12 partnerships, setting the stage for a way to innovate and drive change in large urban schools with a large number of high need students. Impact on Partnerships: The new or strengthened partnerships between IUPUI and local K-12 schools, as well as authentic, collaborative successful partnerships between Fellows and Teachers go beyond the bounds of STEM and the academic world. Impact on Discovery: As the Fellows made new discoveries through their scientific research, teachers and students discovered and experienced the live of a scientist. The Fellows in turn, discovered what the lives of teachers were really like, and discovered the creativity and intense work ethic needed to be a successful STEM teacher. Impact on Teaching and Learning: This may be the largest impact of the GK-12 program. Thousands of K-12 students may not only remember their experience with their GK-12 fellows and be inspired to pursue science as a field of study we expect that some of the students will remember these experiences as they become life-long learners, regardless of whether they pursue STEM as a field of study in college or beyond. Our GK–12 approach and program brought collaborative research and project-based, problem-based and inquiry learning to middle school and high school students through a sustained, year long partnership between fellows and K–12 teachers. The impacts of this program include an enhancement of K–12 students’ and teachers’ science literacy and research skills, enhancement of GK–12 Fellows’ communication and teamwork skills, and a greater appreciation of the understanding of the process of science for K–12 students, teachers and GK-12 fellows alike. The success of this program would have not been possible without the continuous support funding from the National Science Foundation, an we have been honored to be a part of this program for the past five years.
