The High School STEM Teacher Synergistic Institute

Sinclair Community College (Dayton, Ohio) and its high school, university, and business partners are collaborating to produce a comprehensive teacher Institute that is providing professional development for high school educators. The Institute is comprised of three components that are offered annually: 1) a two-week high school teacher summer workshop; 2) a thirty-week on-line learning community, and 3) a two-week teacher externship. Teachers are integrating project-based learning, student personalization, technology utilization, and problem solving to enhance student learning and help motivate students to continue in STEM disciplines. A template is being used by teachers to create curriculum modules that align with the State of Ohio's educational standards and reform initiatives. High school teachers from nine school districts are participating in externships with business and industry partners to provide the teachers with a broader understanding of how the subject matter can integrate with students' careers. Teaching is embedded with real-life contexts using problem-solving and inquiry-based approaches that are based on best practices. The Institute model is being documented and disseminated in an electronic Guidebook to facilitate the adoption by other institutions across the nation. The project efforts/results are being disseminated via the National Center for Manufacturing Education (NCME) website, through webinars, myspace.com and twitter.com/sinclaircc.