Premium
Patching the leaky pipeline at two points (29.2)
Author(s) -
Ortiz Phillip,
Breton Kristian,
DuncanPoitier Johanna,
Groome Meghan,
Lansing Jill,
Moore Gaylen,
Paulsson Kristine,
Rossi Elizabeth,
Smith Nakesha,
Wortel Stephanie
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.29.2
Subject(s) - curriculum , medical education , graduate students , psychology , medicine , library science , pedagogy , computer science
The United States is facing a crisis in education ‐‐ not enough students are being trained in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM disciplines) to support and foster economic growth. To respond, the State University of New York (SUNY) and the New York Academy of Sciences (The Academy) are collaborating to train SUNY graduate students and post‐doctoral fellows to deliver mentoring and STEM content to underserved middle‐school children in afterschool programs. Since 2010, as part of the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program, the Academy has successfully trained graduate students within the New York City area, and to date they have reached >7,000 middle school students with curricula in areas such as genetics, mathematics, and space science. At the suggestion of SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, who also serves as the Chair of the Academy's Board of Governors, we have developed a collaboration in which SUNY graduate students and post‐doctoral fellows learn pedagogy and content via an online course, and then are placed in underserved afterschool programs in New York State. This online course was developed by faculty and SUNY ESC. After a thorough evaluation of the course, curriculum, and methods the goal is for this program to be replicated throughout the United States. In it's first year ~30 graduate and post‐doctoral students from three SUNY campuses (CNSE, IT, and Downstate) reached ~200 middle‐school aged children. To date we are able to demonstrate improvements in (1) mentors' teaching skills and confidence, and career perceptions, (2) students' content knowledge, attitudes, self‐efficacy and interest, and (3) curricula, mentor practice and support. As we enter the second year of the project we have added three additional campuses. In the near future we hope to expand the program to reach other groups of college students and pre‐college mentees. Grant Funding Source : National Science Foundation