East Carolina University is helping science and mathematics teachers from 20 rural high schools in North Carolina infuse information technology into their courses by providing them with professional development and ongoing technical support as the teachers develop inquiry-based biomechanics and robotics problem-solving lessons to stimulate student interest and learning in STEM and IT. The project is providing 60 teachers and guidance counselors with a two-week Information Technology Academy for Teachers, 180 low-income students with a three-week residential IT Academy for Students, and parents/caregivers with a Parents-Teachers Symposium to broaden their perspective on IT and provide a forum for teachers and students to share their project experiences and discuss links between project-related learning and career pathways. Other project activities include an IT Orientation Seminar for principals, teachers and university faculty and an in-school Implementation Support program that involves graduate students.
The project's biomechanics exploration uses sensors to investigate the human gait; the robotics exploration focuses on assembling and programming robot rovers. Students are acquiring knowledge about spatial relationships, measurement, geometry, programming, robotics and biomechanics connecting into various science and math classes. They are also becoming familiar with engineering analysis software such as MatLab and MathCAD.
