A Middle School Program to AttractNative American Students to STEM Higher Education

摘要

A 3-year collaborative project between the Turtle Mountain Community College, NorthrnDakota and the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction, North Dakota StaternUniversity, “A Reservation Collaboration Initiative for Pre-college Excellence inrnScience, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (RECIPE)” funded by NASArncompleted two years and is in its third year of activities. The project focuses on fiverncomponents that are essential to realize an increase in the Reservation studentrnparticipation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines tornpursue college education in those areas: informational activities, instructional activities,rninteraction with industry, interaction with Native American STEM professionals, and arncollaborative framework among the University, Tribal College, and Reservation schools.rnSome of the project activities are: after-school enrichment sessions, weekend academy,rnsummer camp, Tribal College gateway course improvements at TMCC, student meetingsrnwith Native American and other STEM and NASA professionals, and informationalrnsessions about university and college campuses. In the first two years, ten middle schoolrnteachers and thirty Native American middle school students were impacted through thernafter-school enrichment activities. Selected NASA-developed lesson plans were modifiedrnand adapted for enrichment sessions collaboratively by the University, Tribal College,rnand Reservation middle school teachers. The state NASA resource person was frequentlyrnconsulted during the project period. We expect to impact additionally five teachers andrnfifteen students in the third year. We have identified mathematics, chemistry, and biologyrngateway courses to be improved. Mathematics course was reviewed and improved first.rnChemistry and biology courses are selected for review and improvement this year.