STEM Training for K­12 Teachers: A Pilot Program in Upstate South Carolina

We present our experiences from a pilot program in K­12 teacher training formed through a state funded Math/Science Partnership (MSP). The MSP's goal was to provide expert content based instruction in physics, technology, and math through monthly workshops where teachers received content based instruction, including hands on activities and discussions about careers. The monthly events culminated in a four day workshop where the teachers applied the skills they had developed to design power generation systems. While these workshops generated a positive response and increased connections between the university and the district school, the measured changes in teacher performance on content specific testing was mixed. The program has shown that a focus on exposing teachers to high level materials with hands on opportunities makes them more comfortable with the content and empowers them to conduct their own STEM themed lessons. This applies even in classes considered non STEM (art, writing, special education) which broadens the impact of their STEM training.