Impacts of graduate student content specialists serving in middle school classrooms on teachers and graduate students

摘要

Improving student achievement is a major concern across the United States. Onestrategy being implemented to help students achieve in math and science is thepartnering of teachers with professionals in math and science careers. One such programis the Fellows Integrate Math/Science in Rural Middle Schools program, from which thisresearch stems.The intent of the program was to match middle school teachers with graduatestudents preparing for careers in science, technology, mathematics, or engineering fields.The graduate students spent ten hours a week in classrooms, interacting with teachersand students. Improved student performance in math and science, improved teachercontent knowledge, and improved graduate student communication skills were expectedprogram outcomes. This research assessed the impact of program participation on theteachers and graduate students involved.Data were collected from 33 middle school teachers and 33 graduate studentsover the course of two years of program participation. Questionnaires included a pre post measurement of knowledge, experience, and comfort level with education relatedgroups and issues and summative program evaluations.Major findings of the research included:1. Teacher knowledge, experience, and comfort levels with educationrelated groups and issues did not change significantly because ofparticipation in the program.2. Graduate students experienced a decrease in knowledge, experience, andcomfort level with several education related groups and issues from thebeginning of the school year to the end. Knowledge decreases were notedwith the following groups and issues:a. High school studentsb. Teaching college studentsc. Theories of learningd. Planning a projecte. Following through on project tasksExperience level decreases were noted with the following groups andissues:a. Science education reformb. Current issues in K-12 educationc. Teaching college studentsd. Theories of learninge. Assessing student learningComfort level decreases were noted with the following groups and issues:a. Elementary school studentsb. University faculty engaged in K-12 educationc. Science education reformd. Teaching college studentse. Theories of learningf. Evaluating educational activities3. Graduate student gender, race, and age were not found to be predictors ofsuccess in this partnership program.