Welcome to the UCA STEM Institute
NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATES
The Institute is Open
Amidst the closing of classes due to preemptive measures to slow COVID-19, the STEM Institute will remain open to all those that require resources. While we will be practicing safe strategies to keep ourselves and our guests safe; we don’t want to shut off this teaching tool for many in our out-reach. If you would like to borrow supplies for your classroom, our doors are open.
Impact of STEM Centers
Carlisle, D. L., & Weaver, G. C. (2020). The Role of Centers: Disrupting the Status Quo While Stabilizing Initiatives in Undergraduate STEM. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 52(1). Retrieved from: Tandfonline
Abstract: American colleges and universities are seeking to transform undergraduate STEM education on their campuses. STEM Education Centers (SECs) and Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) offer a useful mechanism to achieve reform through a disruptor/stabilizer support system. Using data gathered across a purposive sample of national centers and a broad national survey distributed to center leaders, we describe the roles of SECs in disrupting institutional norms and the roles of CTLs in stabilizing desired new norms. We found educational innovations gain ground when championed by centers who offer mid-level organizational support to initiate, guide, and nurture innovative processes in undergraduate STEM education. Understanding the roles of centers within our disruptor/stabilizer framework sheds light on successful organizational practices and supports organizational learning for those seeking to effectively use centers in transformation efforts.
This work is part of the Network of STEM Education Centers (NSEC), funded by the National Science Foundation (1524832) and supported by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. We invite any centers that have a focus on improving undergraduate STEM education to join us June 10-12 at the NSEC 2020 National Conference. The Call for Proposals are due February 28.
STEM DAY
Free STEM Day for 4th-7th grade students
(CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)
Contact shewett@uca.edu for a link to register
Bear Explorers
5-7th grade students
Conduct hands-on activities, work in college labs, and meet real scientists and engineers. UCA STEM Institute is hosting a half-day weekend session, once every month with a different theme.
Times: 9 am – 1 pm
March 14, 2020 – Pi-Day extravaganza (CANCELLED)
April 18, 2020 – Curious About Technology (CANCELLED)
Free Smartphone Sensor Apps
Spring 2020
A customized professional development (PD) course that will use free apps on a smartphone to collect data for science experiments. The program will include 2 one-day Saturday training in 2020 and 2 classroom observations.
Target Audience: 5th to 12th teachers
Location: University of Central Arkansas
Teachers will receive:
• 12 hrs of PD hours
• Up to $200 stipend
• Classroom support from UCA faculty
Commitment from the teacher:
• Attend 2 Saturdays of training during the academic year
• Pre/post assessment and complete the required assignments
• Allow two classroom observations
Services
We provide a variety of services and events for both students and teachers to participate in. Please click one of the buttons below for more information on each:
