University of Pennsylvania
Approach to Sustainable, Missionoriented, K-16+ STEM Education
Partnerships
Overview
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K-12 STEM education problems
Higher Ed STEM education problems
K-16+ STEM Ed partnerships generally
are not linked to a systemic, mutuallybeneficial, mission-oriented solution to
these problems; thus not sustainable
Penn’s ABCS approach
Problems with
K-12 STEM Education
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Students are not learning science by doing
science; classroom instruction is passive
and/or disconnected from their world
Lack of focus on STEM education
Effective implementation requires the
combination of:
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Locally appropriate activities and labs
Additional human and intellectual resources for
curriculum development and implementation
Focused, interactive
professional development
Problems with
Higher Ed STEM Education
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Students are not learning science by doing
science; classroom instruction is passive and/or
disconnected from their world
Uneven access to undergraduate research
opportunities
Lack of interaction between undergraduate and
graduate students
Undergrad and grad students need key
professional skills, e.g., collaboration,
communication with non-scientists
Science researchers and
science educators not connected
Predominant K-16+
Partnership Approaches
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Outreach is not aggregated for change
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Lack of coordination of efforts
Efforts are widely scattered
K-12 and higher ed STEM education
problems addressed separately
Not integrated with core mission
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K-16+ relationships not mutually beneficial
Outreach is viewed as service, not connected to
research and teaching
Academically Based Community
Service (ABCS): an integrated,
mission-oriented approach
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Credit courses and associated research
at the undergraduate, graduate, and
faculty level
Incorporates service that is rooted in
and intrinsically linked to teaching
and/or research
Emphasizes collaborative, real world
problem solving
Breadth of ABCS
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Penn has offered:
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Over 160 courses
Through 36 Departments & 11 Schools
60+ courses are offered each year
STEM ABCS Courses Include:
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Biology 150: Learning Biology by Teaching Biology
Biological Basis of Behavior 150: ABCS of Neuroscience
Biological Basis of Behavior 007: Sex Differences: Biology,
Chemistry, and History
Math 123: Math Community Teaching Project
Engineering and Applied Science 296: Learning Multimedia
Tools by Teaching Multimedia
Environmental Studies 404: Urban Environment - Lead
Poisoning Prevention
Psychology 386: Research Experience in Developmental
Psychology
Psychology 386
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Advanced research methods course that involves juniors
and seniors in original research projects assessing K-12
students’ STEM learning
Student projects are linked to teaching and learning
partnerships in Access Science classrooms
Projects have examined:
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High school students’ geometry learning via Math 123
Middle school students’ learning about robotics and fractions
Elementary students’ learning related to a unit on biological
classification
Apply research methods based
in cognitive science
Math 123
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GK-12 Fellow Sarah Mason has worked as
the course TA and is the current instructor
K-12 Partner - University City High School
Geometry Teacher Scott Koehler
20-30 Penn undergraduates enroll in the
course
Students learn by developing and teaching
hands-on geometry curriculum.
EAS 296 - Learning
Multimedia Tools by Teaching
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GK-12 Fellow Mark Van Langeveld developed
and teaches the course
K-12 Partners - Sayre and University City
High Schools
Enrolled undergraduates are required to
become proficient with a multimedia tool
Each undergraduate develops a
tutorial & uses it to teach at the schools
Conclusion
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Sustainability: Made possible via an
integrated, mutually-beneficial approach
based on core mission
Core Mission:
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Research, Teaching, and Service
Development of graduates who are actively
engaged in collaborative, real-world problem
solving
Our Integrated Approach:
Academically Based
Community Service Course (ABCS)
Contact Information
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Cory Bowman
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Associate Director, Center
for Community Partnerships
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bowman@pobox.upenn.edu
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Dennis DeTurck
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Professor of Mathemathics,
Dean, College of Arts and
Science
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deturck@math.upenn.edu
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Katie Schu
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Access Science Coordinator
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kschu@sas.upenn.edu
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Christine Massey
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Director, Pennlincs
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massey@linc.cis.upenn.edu
www.upenn.edu/ccp/AccessScience