NSF Grant to Benefit Middle-School Math and Science Teachers

TAHLEQUAH - The National Science Foundation recently awarded Northeastern State University a $797,727 grant for the Mathematics and Science Teacher Enhancement Project (MASTEP). This exciting three-year program addresses the professional development needs of middle-school mathematics and science teachers in Northeastern Oklahoma.

Each participant will receive a stipend, free tuition, and fees and opportunities to apply for MASTEP Supply Grants to purchase supplies for their classrooms and MASTEP Travel Grants to attend state, regional,and national mathematics and science education professional meetings.

Mathematics participants will meet Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 1-29. Science participants will meet Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 1-30. July 4 and 5 are holidays observed by the university.

"We are very excited about MASTEP," said Dr. April Adams, assistant professor of Science Education, Department of Engineering Physics and Physical Science, and co-author of the grant, "and we hope that this project will help improve mathematics and science education in Northeastern Oklahoma. MASTEP is a collaborative program that includes NSU mathematics, science, and education faculty, master middle-school teachers (one math teacher and one science teacher), area middle-school math and science teachers, school administrators, and community leaders. Through this collaboration and the formation of the Northeastern Oklahoma Mathematics and Science Teacher Association, we will nurture and sustain mathematics and science education reform."

The project will develop and field-test graduate level courses that will improve mathematics and science instruction at the middle-school level. MASTEP will enable teachers to master the subject matter competencies they need to teach math or science at the middle-school level, to increase their ability to teach math and science using reformed-based methods, and to form a community of math and science educators in Northeastern Oklahoma that will promote and sustain reform-based math and science education on a long-term basis.

The project will serve approximately 150 teachers over a three-year period. In addition, a local professional organization (the Northeastern Oklahoma Mathematics and Science Teacher Association, or NOMSTA) will be initiated and facilitated by project personnel in order to provide continuing support for participants and to provide opportunities for participants to impact other teachers in the area.

This project is funded through a Teacher Enhancement Grant from the National Science Foundation.
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Mathematics participants will:
increase their knowledge of mathematics;
increase their ability to teach mathematics using reform-based methods;
develop an instructional plan that they will implement following the school year;
and form a community of mathematics and science educators in Northeastern Oklahoma.

Each math participant will receive:
a summer stipend of $800;
an additional stipend of $400 upon submission of a final report concerning the implementation of the course modifications they developed during the summer;
and six hours of graduate credit in mathematics.
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Science participants will:
increase their knowledge of science;
increase their ability to teach science using reform-based methods;
develop an instructional plan that they will implement following the school year;
and form a community of mathematics and science educators in Northeastern Oklahoma.

Each science participant will:
receive a summer stipend of $1000;
an additional stipend of $500 upon submission of a final report concerning the implementation of the course modifications they developed during the summer;
and six hours of graduate credit in science.
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Both mathematics and science participants also have the opportunity to apply for MASTEP Supply Grants, up to $500, to purchase supplies to implement course modifications; the opportunity to apply for MASTEP Travel Grants of up to $500 to attend state, regional, or national mathematics or science education professional meetings; and free registration for the Spring 2003 meeting of NOMSTA to be held on the Tahlequah campus of NSU.

During the school year, participants will receive support from MASTEP senior personnel via the Internet and site visits if necessary, as they implement their instructional plans.

The MASTEP program is governed by: Project Director Dr. April Adams, assistant professor of Science Education, Department of Engineering Physics and Physical Science; Project Co-Director Dr. Deborah Carment, associate professor of Mathematics, Department of Mathematics; Project Associate Director Dr. James Buell, assistant professor of Physics, Department of Engineering Physics and Physical Science; Project Associate Director Ms. Monica Macklin, Biology instructor, Department of Biology; and the Curriculum Advisory Board Chair Dr. Carment.

MASTEP members include: Dr. Adams; Dr. Buell; Dr. Myron Cherry, professor of Chemistry, Chair of the Chemistry Department; Ms. Macklin; Dr. Louis White, professor of Curriculum and Instruction, Assistant Dean in the College of Education; and Dr. Wendell Wyatt, assistant professor of Mathematics Education, Department of Mathematics.

5/15/02

Published: 2002-05-15 00:00:00