This project supports a two-day workshop to provide technical assistance to minority serving institutions (MSI) considering submission to the MSP Targeted competition. Each team attending the workshop consists of a scientist or mathematician, an education faculty member and a school district representative. To be eligible to attend, the team sends in a short description of what is planned. Follow-up evaluation focuses on the number of proposals submitted and the number of awards made.
The Importance of the Project to Advancing Knowledge and Understanding Success in higher education for the 21st Century workforce depends on mastery of core concepts and skills in mathematics and science, regardless of career choice. Research shows that a majority of students from minority groups underrepresented in science and engineering who enroll in college are under-prepared for success in mathematics and science. The need to enroll in remedial courses serves as a strong deterrent to the selection of mathematics or a science discipline as an undergraduate major. Minority-serving Institutions (MSIs) play a significant role in both addressing this under-preparedness as well as in the production of mathematics and science teacher education graduates who enter the teaching workforce. These teachers play a major role in determining the quality of instruction in predominantly minority school systems. A significant component of the America COMPETES Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-69), the NSF Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Program is a major research and development effort that supports innovative partnerships to improve K-12 student achievement in mathematics and science. MSP projects are expected to raise the achievement levels of all students and significantly reduce achievement gaps in the mathematics and science performance of diverse student populations. With NSF support, QEM conducted MSP information and proposal development workshops for institutional teams of MSIs with accredited teacher education programs and their K-12 partners interested in submitting MSP proposals to NSF. Under the current project, QEM conducted three annual MSP workshops. Qualifications of the Organization Under the leadership of President Shirley McBay, the QEM Network was established in 1990 as a non-profit organization in Washington, DC, dedicated to improving education for minorities throughout the nation. QEM works with minority and non-minority individuals, organizations, and institutions to help coordinate and energize efforts to improve the education of minorities, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). With the assistance of experienced STEM consultants and evaluators, QEM offers technical assistance and follow-up support for both NSF’s research and education programs to a range of MSIs as well as underrepresented minority faculty at non-minority institutions. Creative Innovative Approach The QEM/MSP workshops were designed to help ensure that all participants were actively engaged and received expert advice on the development of their proposals. Institutional teams included a mathematics, science, or engineering faculty member; an official representative of a school district in proximity to the institution; and a member of the institution’s teacher education faculty. Participating teams had to submit either one-page project summaries or two-page concept papers on their proposed MSP project, including the required research component, that was used during the workshops to provide feedback to the teams in small group discussions led by NSF/MSP Program Officers, QEM senior staff, and consultants. Participants’ Evaluation of the Conference The MSP Workshops focused on development of proposal preparation skills; assistance with needs assessment and evaluation strategies; review of current literature on STEM education; and review of proven strategies for forming and sustaining educational partnerships. Enhancing these skills is important for the scholarly productivity of STEM faculty as well as K-12 teachers and administrators. At the conclusion of each of the workshops, participants were asked to complete a Workshop Evaluation Questionnaire to rate the usefulness of the sessions and whether the workshop met their expectations. Consistently, participants completing the Evaluation Questionnaires rated the Workshops overall as excellent or very good; and reported that the workshop met their expectations. Focus on Broadening Participation of Underrepresented Groups One hundred-eighty-one (181) participants from forty-four (44) different minority-serving institutions: 35 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), 7 Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs), and 2 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and 1 non-minority institution attended the 2008-2010 annual workshops. The three workshops yielded a proposal submission rate of 60, 69, and 50 percent respectively. Post-workshop surveys of participants revealed that many institutional teams that were not successful in receiving MSP funding planned to resubmit in future MSP competitions. Other Areas of Emphasis The QEM MSP Project added to the knowledge of STEM faculty and their K-12 partners about proven and promising strategies for helping K-12 students achieve in mathematics and science. The required prior submission of a concept paper for an MSP Partnership proposal for the QEM workshops helped institutions to initiate or revitalize collaborations among STEM faculty, education faculty, and local K-12 educators. Dissemination of Results For each workshop, QEM identified materials for and prepared a resource CD for each participant’s packet. The CD included resources on proposal preparation; MSP related documents, including the abstracts for active MSP awards; and selected literature on MSP Program key features. The CD also included teacher-related NSF funding opportunities. Workshop participants were strongly encouraged to share workshop materials, Resource CDs, and plenary presentations with colleagues at their institutions. QEM MSP Project information, including workshop agendas and presentations, is at the following URL: http://qemnetwork.qem.org/msp.htm.
