The grant is one of just three such awards made across the nation by the NSF each year. The project will also include public schools in Springfield, Amherst, Holyoke, Hadley, Northampton, South Hadley, and Franklin County. Nearly 80 math and science courses will be created or modified, emphasizing student involvement. Science is in greater demand than ever in the workplace, he says, and a host of careers, from biotechnology to computer engineering, are open to people who have a good grasp of science, math and technology. The idea is to have students actively learning in the classroom, rather than just sitting there.
Students work in small groups and try to think things through.
Providing math and science majors with solid teaching experience during their college careers, and encouraging them to enter the teaching profession. Improving introductory math and science courses, at each of the college-level schools. This will provide generalists, such as elementary school teachers, with a stronger math and science background. Increasing the number of women and minorities preparing to be math and science teachers by recruiting promising students to join the teaching profession. Offering support, in the form of mentors, to new science and math teachers.