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A Revolutionary Model to Improve Science Education, Teachers, And IMPROVING SCIENCE EDUCATION, TEACHERS, AND SCIENTISTS A Revolutionary Model to To meet many modern global challenges, we need to promote scientific and technical literacy. The U.S. National Improve Science Science Foundation (NSF) supports a “revolutionary” Education, program to connect science education at all levels, from elementary through graduate school. Susan Brawley and Teachers, and her co-authors demonstrate how Maine has benefitted from Scientists this program. They describe the University of Maine’s NSF-funded “GK-12 STEM” program, which placed by Susan H. Brawley graduate and advanced undergraduate science and tech- Judith Pusey nology students in elementary, middle, and high school Barbara J. W. Cole classrooms; provided equipment for the schools; and offered Lauree E. Gott training and professional development for the partner Stephen A. Norton teachers. The authors urge the state, universities, and school districts to continue to use this model to increase science literacy and research capacity. 68 · MAINE POLICY REVIEW · Summer 2008 View current & previous issues of MPR at: www.umaine.edu/mcsc/mpr.htm IMPROVING SCIENCE EDUCATION, TEACHERS, AND SCIENTISTS Science education cience and technology have a significant role to play 20 new awards will be made in Sin meeting many modern global challenges. To meet 2008 (NSF GK-12 2008, Sonia from elementary these challenges and assure a healthy economy, we need Ortega personal communication, citizens who are scientifically and technically literate. August 8, 2008). The three GK- school through Science education from elementary school through 12 programs funded in Maine graduate studies is not meeting the demand for a scien- are “NSF Graduate Teaching graduate studies tifically literate populace and there have been calls for Fellows in K-12 Education reform at all levels (reviewed by National Research at the University of Maine,” is not meeting Council 1996; Campbell, Fuller and Patrick 2005). University of Maine (1999– One response was the Graduate Teaching Fellows in 2006); “A Maine Science the demand for K-12 Education (GK-12) program, initiated in 1999 Corps Promoting Excellence by Dr. Rita Colwell, the director of the U.S. National and Equity in High School a scientifically Science Foundation (NSF) (1998–2004). Dr. Colwell Biological Science Education,” stated, “We have maintained a vast chasm between our University of Southern Maine literate populace…. elementary science and math education, and our grad- (2000–2009); and “GK-12: uate education system—all without rational foundation. Sensors!” University of Maine We must connect these systems” (Colwell 1999). (2001–2010).1 Most GK-12 Maine has benefitted greatly from this program and, programs are funded at a level of $400,000 to we believe, needs to continue to use this model to $600,000 per year. Nationally, there are now thou- build our science literacy and research capacity. sands of young scientists and engineers who trained as NSF GK-12 fellows, tens of thousands of K-12 THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION’S teachers who collaborated with a GK-12 fellow, GK-12 PROGRAM and hundreds of thousands of K-12 students whose education was changed by GK-12.2 he NSF GK-12 program began in 1999 with In each of the GK-12 programs graduate students Tblock grants to universities, which then award collaborate with K-12 teachers to bring more hands- scholarships to superior science, engineering, and tech- on instruction and new knowledge, not yet found in nology students in support of their M.S. and Ph.D. textbooks, into the K-12 classroom from the university. studies, while requiring them to spend 16 hours per Explicit NSF goals for the program are week in outreach in K-12 “to boost the content of • “improved communication, teaching, elementary and secondary education and the quality collaboration, and team building skills of graduate and undergraduate education at the same for the fellows; time” (Colwell 1999). To ensure that university scien- tists supported their students’ involvement in GK-12, • professional development opportunities NSF set the salary for the scholarships at the same level for K-12 teachers; as their older, signature fellowship program, the NSF • enriched learning for K-12 students; and graduate research fellowships (GRFs)—at $18,000 per year in 2000—at a time when it was still common for • strengthened and sustained partnerships in science graduate students at many American universities STEM between institutions of higher educa- to receive offers of teaching and research assistantships tion and local school districts” (NSF 2008: 2). below $10,000 per year. In 2003, NSF raised the awards to $30,000 per year in an effort to attract more The GK-12 program was indeed revolutionary bright Americans to careers in science, technology, because it uses the vehicle of the graduate student to engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NSF made 253 “spend” the same federal dollar on behalf of multiple GK-12 awards to universities in 46 states, Puerto Rico, constituencies (i.e., graduate education, K-12 students, and the District of Columbia from 1999 to 2007; and professional development for partner teachers) View current & previous issues of MPR at: www.umaine.edu/mcsc/mpr.htm Volume 17, Number 1 · MAINE POLICY REVIEW · 69 IMPROVING SCIENCE EDUCATION, TEACHERS, AND SCIENTISTS TABLE 1: Distribution of GK-STEM Outreach by Fellows (2000–2006) a a District Grade Band/H.S. Subjects Grade Band/H.S. Subjects as opposed to traditional federal and state interventions 2000–2003 2003–2006 that are aimed at only one constituency. Old Town Schools: In practice, there are almost as many different Elementary Schools 3–5 3–5 types of GK-1 programs around the country as the Leonard Middle School 6–7 7–8 number of awards. As long as universities, in collabora- Old Town High School Biology, Chemistry, Biology, Physics Physics tion with K-1 school districts, proposed strong programs that had tight supervision by university Indian Island School 3–4, 6–8 3–4, 6–8 science and/or engineering faculty, the program could (Penobscot Nation) fit the particular area of the country or the strength/ Union 87: need of the university/K-1 partners. Some GK-1 Elementary Schools 3–4 3, 5 programs have a narrow disciplinary focus (e.g., “Using Middle Schools 6 none the Native Biota for Science Education,” University Orono High School Biology Biology of Hawaii; “Information Technology Themes in Union 90: Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Grades,” Harvard University), Elementary Schools 3–5 3–5 whereas other programs cover multiple disciplines Dr. Lewis Libby 6–8 7–8 (Middle School grades) (e.g., “GK-1: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics UMASS K-1 Connections,” University Brewer Schools: of Massachusetts at Amherst). We all participated in Elementary Schools 4–5 the University of Maine’s first GK-12 project (“NSF Brewer Middle School Not applicable 6 Brewer High School Biology, Earth Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-1 Education at the Sciences University of Maine,” hereafter called GK-1 STEM), which was funded from 1999 to 006 and was an Bucksport Schools: Elementary/ example of a more broadly based program. Not applicable Middle School 5, 6, 8 Bucksport High School Biology, Chemistry NSF GRADUATE TEACHING FELLOWS IN MSAD # 22: K-12 EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY Elementary Schools 4 OF MAINE (GK-12 STEM) Reeds Brook Not applicable Middle School 7–8 niversity faculty from physical and biological Hampden Academy Biology, Chemistry Uscience departments, working with the local K-1 Union 74: community, prepared and submitted the grant proposal Elementary/Middle Not applicable to NSF. After more than 0 meetings with local educa- Schoolsb 3–5, 7–8 tors (teachers from grades through 1, curriculum Union 92: coordinators, and superintendents), we put together Elementary/Middle Not applicable a proposal that was designed to provide teachers in Schoolsc 5, 7 the four districts closest to the University of Maine (Union 87; Old Town Schools; Indian Island School a Not every grade, nor every class/grade, was served in a single year. [Penobscot Nation]; Union 90) with the equipment bGreat Salt Bay (Damariscotta area), Nobleboro, Bristol Consolidated, and scientific expertise that they said would help them South Bristol Schools. meet the requirements of the Learning Results, a set cTrenton, Surry, Lamoine, Cave Hill Schools. of specific concepts and facts that students in Maine are expected to learn before high school graduation (Maine Department of Education 1997). GK-1 STEM involved 56 fellows and 96 teachers from third through twelfth grades (000–006). The NSF grant provided money to purchase microscopes, pH meters, 70 · MAINE POLICY REVIEW · Summer 008 View current & previous issues of MPR at: www.umaine.edu/mcsc/mpr.htm IMPROVING SCIENCE EDUCATION, TEACHERS, AND SCIENTISTS spectrophotometers, and many other pieces of equip- to attend science and engineering professional meetings ment that fellows carried from classroom to classroom during the grant period. The program allowed a single, and district to district over the six years of the pro- one-year, competitive reappointment of fellows, based ject. We expanded GK-12 STEM in 2003 to 2006 on our hypothesis that one to two years of outreach (Table 1) from Greenbush to Bucksport (most of the would provide most of the growth to the fellow. Penobscot River Educational Partnership districts) and, This would make it possible to benefit more graduate in a limited-contact model explained below, to Union students over the life
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