Education Partnerships Enhance Teaching of STEM Disciplines

Illinois State University’s Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology (CeMaST) is partnering with school districts in Peoria, Springfield and Rockford to enhance K-12 mathematics, science and technology education.  The partnerships, which will lead to master’s degrees for selected teachers in those districts, are supported by $4 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education, directed through the Illinois State Board of Education.

CeMaST provides campus-wide leadership and support for a wide variety of initiatives that enhance the teaching of the STEM disciplines -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics – in Illinois schools.   The educational partnerships, part of the federal No Child Left Behind initiative, are focused on improving math, science and technology education in districts with lower standardized test scores in those subjects.

A key component of the partnerships is the development of new or revised graduate degree programs at Illinois State that focus on the teaching of STEM disciplines.  Selected teachers in the Peoria, Rockford and Springfield districts will begin coursework toward degrees this coming fall.  Teachers selected to participate in the partnerships are in their first 10 years of teaching and upon completion of their degrees will serve as teacher leaders in their schools.    

“The graduate coursework and practical teaching experiences provided by these partnerships will give teachers the tools they need to enhance the teaching of the STEM disciplines in their districts,” said Karen Lind, director of CeMaST.  “The partnerships with school districts in Peoria, Rockford and Springfield are an innovative approach to creating a corps of teacher leaders in these vitally important subjects.”

The four partnerships are in various stages of development, but all involve collaboration between school district teachers and Illinois State faculty members.  The Institutes for Integrating Content-Knowledge with Classroom Instruction (IICC) partnership with Peoria Public Schools, coordinated by mathematics professor Cynthia Langrall, aims to strengthen mathematics and science education at the middle school level.  The three-year program will include graduate courses, practical experiences and a final research project to enhance teaching skills.  Depending on their area of study, teachers will earn a Master of Science degree in either science or mathematics education.                                   

The STEM Education and Leadership Program, coordinated by technology professor Chris Merrill, is a Master of Science degree and professional development program for science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and leadership.  The partnership with Rockford and Peoria Public Schools focuses on enhancing industrial and pre-engineering teacher content knowledge, teaching practices, student achievement and professional development for 6-12 industrial and pre-engineering teachers.  Selected teachers from Rockford and Peoria schools will begin courses toward their Master’s degrees this year.

Illinois State University Institutes for Elementary School Mathematics and Science Teachers: A Partnership for Developing Teacher Leaders is a collaboration with Springfield School District 186.  Coordinated by CeMaST director Karen Lind, the partnership is working toward the development of a Master’s degree to strengthen mathematics and science education for elementary school teachers.  The partnership, currently in the planning stage, will integrate research-based theories of learning and teaching into classroom practice and leadership in the elementary grades.

Illinois Master Teacher-Leaders for Chemistry, coordinated by William Hunter, associate professor of chemistry, will develop a new Master’s degree program in chemistry education to enhance content knowledge and teaching methods for secondary school chemistry teachers who will become teacher-leaders in Illinois.  The partnership with Peoria Public School District 150, currently in the planning stage, is a product of Illinois State’s national leadership in innovative chemistry and science teacher education.  The University has the largest and most comprehensive chemistry teacher education program in the U.S.

The partnerships are made possible through a five-year, $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (CFDA-84.366B NCLB Title II Part B).

For more information on CeMaST and these partnerships contact Karen Lind, CeMaST director, at (309) 438-3089.