Premium
SciCats: An Integrative Outreach Initiative to Enhance STEM Education in Our Community
Author(s) -
Krentz Madeline,
GarneauTsodikova Sylvie
Publication year - 2015
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.29.1_supplement.lb50
Subject(s) - preparedness , outreach , mentorship , medical education , curriculum , professional development , psychology , mathematics education , pedagogy , medicine , political science , law
Objective To bolster the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education of K‐12 students by providing dynamic, hands‐on experiences aligned with national education standards while providing professional‐development for university students. Methods University of Kentucky (UK) students in the allied‐sciences programs volunteer to work with an elementary school class for a calendar year. Graduate students collaborate with UK professors and their assigned teachers to design lesson plans in line with the core standards tailored to be palatable to specific grade levels. Lessons are led by UK students in order to offer advanced science students an experience in teaching and conveying difficult concepts at a lay level. Gifted high‐school students also work on developing exciting experiments for primary school students. Results Elementary student science interest increased drastically in the first four trial months of this initiative. Interest in science for students that originally reported that they did not like science has also increased. UK graduate students involved in the program have noticeably enhanced communication skills over students who have not yet chosen to participate in the program. Post‐secondary science students are not commonly taught how to teach, and participation in this program allows them to learn, practice, and perfect the art of teaching and communicating with the mentorship of a professional educator. Conclusion Participation in the program increases scientific education of K‐12 students. UK students who participate in the program gain the teaching and communication skill, organization and preparedness, and the community‐outreach commitment qualities valued in academic and industrial researchers alike.