Targeted Infusion Project: Establishing Pathways for K-12 STEM Educators at Benedict College

This project extends the academic programming available to undergraduate students at Benedict College majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with a primary goal of building teacher capacity to support the emerging science and technology workforce needs in South Carolina. The project seeks to establish a Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) program, combining the 4-year Bachelor of Science degree in STEM programs and adding an 1-year masters degree component. Parallel activities and course offerings will also be made available for current in-service teachers as professional development opportunities to improve the quality of STEM education, equipping teachers with research-based pedagogies and learning activities to support student success in STEM coursework. It is anticipated that the MAT program will help alleviate the severe shortage of qualified teachers in the STEM disciplines and provide a streamlined pathway for undergraduates with an interest in the teaching profession. Ultimately, as a result of these efforts, the state of South Carolina has the potential to realize an increase in the number of credentialled K-12 STEM educators, thus better preparing its citizens to contribute to the STEM workforce. Benedict College is uniquely positioned to address the need to increase the number of qualified STEM K-12 teachers in South Carolina, where teacher retention is especially challenging. The proposed MAT graduate program will allow both undergraduate HBCU students and in-service teachers to gain advanced teaching skills (e.g., innovative teaching strategies, assessment best practices, familiarity with current research) in an area of STEM specialization and knowledge skills (e.g., instructional techniques, curriculum design).The MAT degree program will have a 4+1 option for undergraduate students, with graduate coursework in the senior year of the undergraduate degree, plus one additional year of graduate work including a student teaching experience. It will also provide opportunities for in-service K-12 teachers to advance their pedagogical practices in the STEM disciplines. With this initiative, Benedict College will also expand faculty areas of expertise to include excellence in STEM education, thereby extending its research capabilities to provide meaningful institutional and workforce impacts through expanded STEM teacher preparation. This award is funded by the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP), through Targeted Infusion Projects, which supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based, innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) graduate programs and/or careers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.