GK-12 NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education

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This grant provides fellowships and training for 10 graduate and 10 advanced undergraduate science students per year for three years. These students are serving as resources in K-12 science education through a teaching apprenticeship program that utilizes the UAB/public school partnership infrastructure, the facilities of the new McWane Science Center, and seven highly successful K-12 science outreach programs. Fellows are recruited from the entering and current graduate student pool (200+ students) in the biology, chemistry, physics, and basic health sciences departments, with an emphasis on students from underrepresented populations. Fellows are receiving training in learning theory and pedagogy, as advocated by the National Science Education Standards, and the specific outreach programs in which the fellows serve as apprentices. These include four ongoing outreach programs that deliver science equipment and curricula to K-12 students and three professional development programs for K-12 science teachers. A new hands-on molecular biology course is being developed and implemented in the public schools. Graduate fellows are providing expertise in science content and participating in the teaching, curriculum development, hands-on science instruction, and mentoring activities with K-12 teachers and students.