STEM education rural schools

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Vision Statement
– Highly qualified STEM teachers
– Rural schools network linked by
distance technologies
– Problem-based STEM curricula
– New models for STEM instruction
in rural schools
– Increased science literacy
– Students pursuing STEM careers

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Mission Statement
– Purdue will develop, implement, and evaluate an
innovative STEM masters program to prepare
highly qualified science and math teachers with
expertise in problem-based learning for rural
secondary schools in Indiana.
– STEM Goes Rural (SGR) partners will
collaboratively develop models for using
distance education to provide high quality STEM
education in rural communities.

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Goals
– Develop field-based, interdisciplinary STEM
Masters Programs.
– Develop and support a Purdue Rural Schools
Network
– Develop an evidence-based curriculum that
fits the culture of rural communities.
– Create new models of effective teacher
education
– Increase STEM interests and achievement in
Indiana's rural schools.

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Goals continued
– Assess both candidate and
secondary science student
learning outcomes
– Foster collaborative
interdisciplinary research

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Implementation – Leadership Team
– Vic Lechtenberg, Purdue Interim Provost/Vice
Provost for Engagement, PI
– Sidney Moon, Associate Dean in the College of
Education, Co-PI
– Chris Sahley, Associate Dean for Undergraduate
Education in the College of Science, Co-PI
– Jim Lehman, Curriculum Development
Coordinator
– John Hill, Partnership Coordinator
– Managing Director, TBA

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Implementation- Advisory Board
• Role - to provide input during the planning and
implementation stages of the project.
• Composition - Faculty and Deans/Associate
Deans from the Colleges of Education, Engineering,
Science, and Technology, P-12 superintendents,
and other stakeholders.

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Implementation – Advancement Team
– Team members
• Purdue Foundations Director
• College of Education Advancement Director
• College of Science Advancement Director
• Marketing and communications experts.
– Responsibilities
• Raise funds to enhance, expand, and
institutionalize STEM Goes Rural
• Assist with marketing and communications

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Implementation – Recruitment &
Marketing Team
– Team members
• Public Relations Coordinator, Marydell Forbes
• Admissions Coordinator, Kathy Dietz
• Recruitment Coordinator, Laurie Swift
• Marketing Coordinator, Tonya Agnew
• Advancement Team
– Responsibilities
• Assist with student recruitment and program
marketing

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Targeted Student Populations
– Graduates of Purdue in the STEM disciplines who
want to teach in rural secondary schools
– Recent graduates of STEM programs across the
nation who are interested in teaching STEM in rural
secondary schools
– Persons living and working in rural areas of Indiana
with STEM degrees and an interest in teaching
– Practicing scientists and engineers who are
interested in a second career in STEM education
– Returning veterans with STEM backgrounds who
are interested in becoming teachers in rural
schools

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Program and Curriculum – Jim Lehman
– STEM education rural schools.
– Problem-based, content-rich STEM education for
P-12 students and secondary teacher education
candidates
– Networking, collaboration, and STEM instruction
via distance learning technologies
– Context-specific curriculum modules that link STEM
concepts to rural issues and problems
– A three-year mentoring and induction program that
provides advanced STEM teacher education skills
such as integrating technology and engineering
into science and math curricula and curriculum
development

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Rural Schools Network – John Hill
– Two types of rural communities:
• SE Indiana
• NC Indiana
– Three types of reciprocal partnerships:
• Rural Schools Network
• Professional Development Schools
• Internship/Mentorship Schools
– Linked to Purdue and each other through distance
learning technologies

Research & Evaluation
• What is the impact of the project on P-12
learning? (WW)
• What is the impact of the project on teacher
retention in high need districts? (WW)
• What is the impact of the project on policy? (WW)
• Do engineering units improve math skills? (SGR)
• Can technology enhance P-12 STEM learning
and STEM teacher retention in rural schools?
(SGR)

Woodrow Wilson Indiana
Fellowship Program
• Project Outcomes
– Increased science learning by secondary science
students in targeted rural schools, as measured by
achievement tests and performance rubrics.
– Hiring and retention of 80% of program fellows in
rural, secondary school STEM teaching for three
years following graduation.
– A robust model for enhancing secondary STEM
education in rural schools through PBL, designthinking,
collaboration, and technology.
– Presentation and/or publication of 3-5 scholarly
products per year, beginning with year 3 of the
project.