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Gil Naizer, Curriculum & Instruction Department
Gilbert_Naizer@tamu-commerce.edu
Rick Kreminski, Mathematics Department
Richard_Kreminski@tamu-commerce.edu
Kerri O’Connor, Project STEEM Director
Kerri_OConnor@tamu-commerce.edu
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Goals (unofficial):
• Provide college vision
for rural NE TX students
(XTEEMS Academy)
• Provide vision for
advanced degrees for
high academic rural NE
TX students (Infinity
Institute)
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Infinity Institute - high-aptitude high school
students who have great potential, but
limited exposure to math & science
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X-TEEMS - average-performing, but
promising middle & high school students
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Mentoring
• University students as group
leaders & mentors
• Student interns are selected
from applicants who
participated in last summer’s
program
• Faculty as mentors
throughout the year
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Component
Male
Female
Middle school
XTEEMS students
(n=60)
34 (57%)
26 (43%)
24 (40%)
Ethnicity
Asian
Hispanic
2 (3%)
11 (18%)
4 (7%)
3 (5%)
XTEEMS teachers
(n=20)
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11
8 science
2 MS/HS math
8 math
1 science
1 MS/HS
science
Infinity students
(n=26)
14 (54%)
12 (46%)
0
26 (100%)
Ethnicity
Asian
Hispanic
African Amer.
Native Amer.
Caucasian
2 (8%)
1 (4%)
1 (4%)
2 (8%)
20 (77%)
African Amer.
High school
36 (60%)
Native Amer.
Caucasian
40 (67%)
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Research Questions
• How does an intensive, residential summer
camp experience impact student attitudes
toward math & science?
• How does a problem-based summer camp
experience with multi age students & teachers
impact teachers?
• How does a summer camp experience impact
students course taking patterns, grades, test
scores, college going rates & college major?
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Data sources:
• Open-ended questions about camp activities for
students & teachers; follow up questions
• Pre-post content testing for Infinity
• Teacher reports pre-post & during the academic year
follow up
• The Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory
• Changes in Attitude about the Relevance of Science
Instrument
• Follow up surveys
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Goals of X-TEEMS Academy
•
•
•
•
•
Stimulate student interest and aptitude
in STEEM disciplines
Strengthen the knowledge base, skills
and teaching proficiency of teachers in
STEEM disciplines
Broaden the educational experiences
of students to encourage them to seek
careers in STEEM disciplines
Enhance interaction among middle
school students, high school students,
teachers, college students and faculty
Create, implement and disseminate a
replicable model
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X-TEEMS Academy
• Two week day camp
• Team of 6 middle & high school students from
a selected district
• Two teachers attend with team
• Math, science, team building activities with
university student team leaders & university
faculty
• Year long projects selected by teams
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Team & Project-based
Learning/Teaching
• Driving
question
• In-depth
investigation of
real-world
topics
• Purpose in
every learning
activity
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A Day at X-TEEMS Summer Academy
8:30 – 9:15
9:15 – 10:30
10:30 – 10:45
10:45 – 11:45
11:45 – 12:25
Guest Lecturer – Careers Medicine
Group Problem Solving – Egg Bungee Jumping
Break
Group Problem Solving – Egg project continued
Lunch provided
Group Rotations by grade (6th & 7th), (8th & 9th), (10th – 12th)
12:30 – 1:20
Rotation 1: DNA study & lab (Biology)
1:30 – 2:20
Rotation 2: Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Lab (Chemistry)
2:30 – 3:20
Rotation 3: Karate Board Break Lab (Physics)
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Curriculum Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Team building activities/challenges
Robot building & challenge
GPS scavenger hunt
Wind tunnel construction
Albino tadpole physiology
Karate board breaking
Butterfly circuit board
Mathematics of cryptography;
spread of disease modeling
• Electroencephalography
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XTEEMS Projects
• researching, designing, and
constructing a wind generator to
benefit the ISD and our
environment
• researching alternate fuels to power
a student designed vehicle for
efficiency and environmental safety
• comparing water from local Water
Treatment Plant to well water
• creating hands on activities that will
teach geometry to students visiting
the local Children’s Museum
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XTEEMS Projects
• experimenting with various plants
to help reduce the mosquito
population without toxic chemicals
• engineering and constructing a
solar power vehicle using Winston
Challenge guidelines
• constructing telescopes in order to
aid their community in the study
of astronomy
• conducting laboratory
examinations of microscopic
contamination in area high schools
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Team pictures
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XTEEMS attitude toward science (after summer)
Pre Post
3.89
4.05 - statistically significant
• Highest average post-test rating (mean of 4.44)
“Science experiments can help me to better
understand the world.”
• 10% increase of "strongly agree" responses
XTEEMS attitudes toward mathematics –
• No significant difference
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X-TEEMS Open-Ended Comments
• All the labs are fun, but we didn’t get to
go into greater detail in some of the labs
because of the amount of time that we
had.
• I thought the camp was really fun. It is
just that some of the information was
hard for me to understand & learn so I’m
sure that the Middle School students
probably had a hard time learning too.
• It was wonderful. It would be great if it
was longer, & we could explore a little
more into the subjects.
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X-TEEMS Open-Ended Comments continued. . .
Student comments: I had a really
good time. I learned a lot. I think all
the things I learned will be helpful in
my future. I really think it will be a
success.
I don’t think there is anything to
improve on. The whole camp was
great, but the website could use a bit
more information. I hope I get to
come back.
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Teachers’ attitudes
Teachers left the
XTEEMS Academy with
a better understanding
of PBL, more examples,
& a variety of tools to
help them implement
the process
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Teachers’ attitudes (continued..)
• concerns about time
& administrative
support in order to
use PBL in during the
academic year
• several indicated a
change in teaching
styles toward more
PBL
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Infinity Institute
• High-aptitude high school students
• Intensive immersion in challenging integrated
M&S curriculum
• Month long residential
• 26 students per year
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Goals of Infinity Institute
• To provide an intensive, life-changing opportunity for highaptitude students who have limited exposure to math &
science and possible barriers to college
• Motivate students to pursue higher education and earn
advanced degrees
• Develop leaders in math, science, technology, engineering,
and education
• The University will benefit from retention and recruiting in the
STEEM areas
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Infinity Institute
• Unique focus on math, biology,
chemistry, and mathematical biology
focus
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• Lectures; hands-on “wet” labs and
powerful computer labs; mentoring;
field trips (to research labs e.g. UTSouthwestern, etc)
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Infinity Institute
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• Morning lectures from faculty in number theory, population
biology/mathematical biology, biochemistry/molecular biology
• Afternoon computer labs, bio- and chem wetlabs, field work
• Field trips to business and industry, guest lectures
• Building ties between high-aptitude, talented students, their rural schools,
and the university
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A Week in Infinity
Sunday 29
7:00 AM
8-9:00 AM
9-10:20 AM
10:20-40 AM
12:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
11:00 PM
W ednesday 2
Thursday 3
Break fas t
Break fas t
Breakfast
Breakfas t at DORM
Chemistry lec t.
Math lect
Dr. Thompson, Mayo
College (9-9:45)
20 min. break
Friday 4
10 AM Fin al
Evaluation
9:50 Math EXAM
Math lect
Ecology lec t:
Dr. Fox
(11:00)Crime Scene lab
11 AM Profes sor Q&A
lect.
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Dr. Bob Welc h, Vet REC and free time Tour of Honor's Dorm
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
PM
PM
PM
PM
PM
Tuesday 1
20 min. break
10:40-12:00
PM
4:00
5:00
6:00
7:00
8:00
Monday 30
Chem Lab
(EXIT EXAM)
Check in
Team time
Pizza
Q&A STAFF
Sneakers
Movie
Dinner
Groups:
1) Pig dissection
2) CPR T raining
3) Math Lab
Room chec k in
Pond vs Tap water
lab
CSI Crime Scene lab
Awards 1:30-3:00
Check out 3:00-4:00
Hall clear by 4 PM
Biology EXAM
Dinner
Guest Speak er:
Carrie Bradley
Math lab
Room check in
Dinner
Review EXAMS
Game Room at MSC
vollegball & games at
Berry Hall
Room check in
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Infinity Institute attitudes toward science
• No significant difference
Infinity Institute attitudes toward
mathematics
• No significant difference
So what has changed?
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Infinity open-ended comments
• I wish that camp was longer than what
it is. I want to come back next year with
these same students & learn more.
• Thanks for choosing me!!! I think that I
learned a lot while I was here, & I am
glad that I came. I would suggest,
though, more math for the students
next year.
• This camp is the coolest thing I have
ever experienced. I wish I could come
back. I loved every day & never could
get tired of it. The staff & all the
professors kept it new every day.
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Infinity open-ended comments (Continued…)
• I really enjoyed this camp, & I am SO glad I got the opportunity
to come. I love it
• The math was really fun to me. It was a neat change to see how
math can be applied to complex situations.
• The hours. The homework. It was just a little stressful, but then
again in the end it wasn’t that bad. It kind of made it more
dramatic.
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Further study
• Tracking to monitor college matriculation rates,
future academic performance & elected major
• 18 have graduated high school
• Universities: Texas A&M – Commerce, Yale, TAMU,
Arkansas, Baylor, SFA, SHSU, Navy Nuclear Program, 3
in community college, one in University in Rome, Italy
• Majors: math, pre-vet, pre-dental, kinesiology,
engineering, digital media, physical therapy,
undecided
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Other outcomes
• Impact on university student mentors
– Increased knowledge & confidence
– Teaching as career
• NSF funded grant
• Impact on university?
• Impact on NE Texas?
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Lessons Learned
Questions?
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Contact Information
Website:
http://orgs.tamu-commerce.edu/steem/
http://greatertexasfoundation.org
Dr. Kerri O’Connor
Project STEEM Director
903.886.5355
Kerri_OConnor@tamu-commerce.edu
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