Program Objective: To build on the existing relationships between Alaska school districts and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) through the establishment of a mutually beneficial educational partnership that improves the educational experience for K-12 students, K-12 teachers, and UAF Graduate & Undergraduate Fellows.

Goals:

1. To provide an opportunity for K-12 students to increase their science, technology/computer science, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) content knowledge and skills, and to work with STEM professional role models with whom they can relate.

2. To strengthen and deepen partnerships with schools and school districts.

3. To provide opportunities for STEM graduate students and upper division undergraduate students to learn new teaching methods within their discipline and improve their communication skills.

4. To provide opportunities for K-12 teachers to serve as mentors for STEM graduate and undergraduate students, to upgrade their STEM content knowledge, and to participate in professional development activities.

Outcomes:

1. K-12 students will increase their STEM content knowledge, as measured by:

a. Standardized benchmark and achievement exams
b. Pre/post assessment associated with instructional units
c. Progress documented in learning logs and journals
d. Increased participation in STEM related activities
e. Increased success in competitive STEM related activities (science fairs, symposiums, robotics competitions, etc.)
f. Improved attitudes about potential STEM careers
g. Increased attendance at summer STEM camps

2. The university and schools will show stronger partnerships through:

a. Positive letters from principals and teachers regarding this program
b. Requests for an expansion of this program to additional schools and districts
c. Increased participation by teachers in professional development activities
d. Increased participation by university faculty in school activities

3. STEM Fellows will be able to document increasing teaching and communication skills through:

a. Improving quality of lesson plans
b. Improving ability to guide discovery activities with little assistance for the cooperating teacher
c. Assessments during observations from the cooperating teacher, project senior personnel, and faculty members
d. Journal entries of K-12 students
e. Self-reflections in daily journals

4. Partner Teachers will be able to document their content and skills growth through:

a. Self-reflection in journals
b. Pre/post assessments on content knowledge and skills
c. Improving quality of lesson plans through the year.