Initiative to maximize ASU’s impact on K-12 education

Arizona State University is combining energy, innovation and expertise in STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to develop a groundbreaking new institute that will produce a community of highly qualified middle school math and science teachers.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded ASU a five-year, $1.25 million Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) grant to develop The Modeling Institute, a collaboration of the university’s most cutting-edge research in STEM education and teacher preparation.

A multidisciplinary team of ASU researchers will drive the project under the auspices of the Center for Research on Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (CRESMET) housed within the Mary Lou Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education. The project integrates some of the university’s most successful NSF-sponsored STEM education initiatives to maximize ASU’s impact on K-12 education locally and nationally. These projects include: Modeling Physics, Project Pathways, Professional Learning Community Resources, Project Lead the Way and Prime the Pipeline Project, Ask-a-Biologist, SMALLab, the Central Arizona-Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research, MARS education program, and Learning through Engineering Design and Practice.

Elizabeth Capaldi, ASU’s executive vice president and provost, is the project’s principal investigator.  

“Arizona State University has a strong commitment to the improvement of K-12 education in Arizona, to enhancing the talents and skills of its teachers, and to assisting students to achieve greatness,” Capaldi says. “In the fields of mathematics, science and engineering, we are working collaboratively with school districts and the various departments and colleges on our four campuses to provide continuing education for teachers.

“Among our major priorities is ensuring that all teachers are equipped with deep content knowledge, are passionate about their fields of expertise and their teaching, and are well-prepared to develop the talents of their students.” 

Note: Read the full article at $1.25M grant to develop ASU teacher training institute