Two historically Black institutions, Alabama A&M University and Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina have partnered with Michigan State University, to introduce their newly created Crafting Engaging Science Environments curriculum for high school chemistry and physics programs in the rural south.
To fund the collaborative project, the United States Department of Education awarded $7.7 million to Michigan State University and an additional $200,000 to Alabama A&M University.
Researchers at Michigan State University developed the curriculum to get students interested in STEM careers through implementing aspects of the students’ lives and cultural resources into their education.
“Science teaching and learning is a crucial part of preparing the next generation of adult citizens to be functional in their families, communities, region and in the global landscape,” says Dr. Lena Walton, Associate Professor of Elementary Education. “This collaborative project-based initiative will enhance the teaching of science so students will be able to experience its relevance and applicability even in their lives as non-scientists.
The program will provide students with hands-on learning experiences with a goal of improving students’ performance in science classrooms. Alabama A&M University and Winston-Salem State University will oversee the implementation of the new program at high schools they recruit across the states of Alabama and North Carolina.
The HBCUs will provide learning opportunities for local high school teachers and work with the participating schools to cater the science curriculum to their individual needs.
“This partnership represents a step forward for science education research at Alabama A&M University and a step forward for the children of Alabama, particularly those who reside in rural areas,” says Dr. Samantha Strachan, principal investigator for the project at Alabama A&M. “Our university will be centrally involved in employing an innovative approach that can potentially transform how teachers teach science and how students learn science.”
Dr. Strachan is an associate professor and program coordinator of secondary education at Alabama A&M University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Canada, a master’s degree in secondary education with a specialization in biology from Alabama A&M University, and a doctoral degree in science education from Morgan State University in Baltimore.
The initiative will be conducted over the next few years, concluding in December 2028.
