GSE Receives Major NSF Grant to Enrich Science Education in Philadelphia
According to Associate Dean for Educational Practice Nancy Streim, "Our hope with this project is to inspire students in Penn's partnership schools network to consider careers in science, math and technology. By leveraging the expertise of the partners at Penn, Philadelphia Zoo and iPraxis, we expect to have a collective impact on children's academic and career aspirations that is greater than what any of us could hope to accomplish individually."
Students participating in the SPARK! program will work on projects that focus on real-world problem-solving, explained Streim. Problems will be drawn from three broad areas: biotechology, zoo habitats, and robotics, and students will work after school, Saturdays, and in the summer to complete project activities. Students' mentors will receive professional development throughout the project period. Project activities will be carefully coordinated with what students are learning in their science classrooms.
In addition, SPARK! will allow researchers to study how children learn science. Researchers will be examining whether students learn better when they study science through identifying and solving problems instead of reading about concepts. They will also study how it affects student learning when students have mentors who are able to give them more individual attention.
Penn GSE's partners in SPARK! include the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Social Policy and Practice, the School District of Philadelphia, iPraxis, and the Philadelphia Zoo.
Program inquiries: Susan Yoon, 215.746.2526, yoonsa@gse.upenn.edu
Media inquiries: Jill DiSanto-Haines, 215-898-4820, jdisanto@pobox.upenn.edu