TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama In-Service Education Center has been awarded $1.35 million from the Alabama State Department of Education to create a new Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative site, purchase resource materials, provide local staff and offer teacher training.

“This is a great opportunity to invest in early science and math education,” said Dr. Jill Driver, director of the UA In-Service Education Center and principal investigator of the proposal. “We expect more than 240 teachers from the Tuscaloosa and surrounding school systems will participate in the first year of operation.”

Partners who will help develop the AMSTI site include the Tuscaloosa City School System which has donated Stillman Heights Elementary School to house AMSTI staff, serve as a materials center for science and math kits, and function as a teacher training site. Also, AMSTI will draw upon STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and education faculty at UA, the University of West Alabama, and Shelton State Community College as resource experts for K-12 teachers and to help reform undergraduate preparation in math and science.

Teachers in the West Alabama service region will receive extensive math, science and technology training in a two-week institute next summer, as well as receive all the needed equipment and materials. Only elementary and middle school teachers will be able to participate in the first year, and 80 percent of the science and math teachers at a school must attend the training.

Teachers are given equipment to aid in hands-on learning. The resources arrive packaged in “kits” ready for use. Each kit is customized for the specific activities to be taught. After use, the kit is returned to a materials center where it is refurbished. Another kit targeting the next activities is delivered to the teacher and the newly refurbished kit is sent to another teacher.

Math and science specialists from AMSTI sites are available throughout the school year to mentor teachers in implementing the newly learned, research-proven methods. The on-site support is a vital component of AMSTI and allows teachers to become comfortable and skilled at inquiry-based, hands-on learning. Two of the four specialists, one in math and one in science, will be housed at the University of West Alabama.

“A focus in our proposal to the state board of education was that UA and UWA were in central locations to aid the schools in the Black Belt,” Driver said. “These systems often are underserved and have little or no access to resources. Our main focus is to recruit these schools.”

Studies show AMSTI makes a significant difference in increasing student achievement as measured by standardized tests in math and science. Although AMSTI focuses on math and science, test data indicate its beneficial effects spill over into reading and language.

AMSTI, an Alabama Department of Education initiative designed to improve math and science teaching statewide, was established by a committee composed of educators, higher education representatives and business leaders. The research-based initiative provides three basic services: professional development, equipment and materials and on-site support.

The UA In-Service Education Center, established by the Alabama legislature, is one of 11 state regional centers whose purpose is to provide professional development to the K-12 educators in designated public school districts in its geographic region. The University of West Alabama is a cooperating partner.