Rider benefits from $300,000 grant to improve STEM teaching

LAWRENCE — Rider University’s School Of Education has receieved a $300,000 grant that aims to improve the teaching of STEM disciplines.

The Martinson Family Foundation grant will benefit Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teaching for Preschool through the 12th grade over the next three-years.

According to a release from the University the grant will support Rider’s Online STEM Core Curriculum Professional Development Certificate program which includes the creation of 12 new, online, graduate education courses in STEM – six in the math core curriculum and six in the science and design and technology curriculum, as well as additional professional development opportunities. The program officially began in July, the release said.

The effort is aimed at reversing trends where there is a scarcity of STEM teachers and a lack of teachers are returning to college to obtain graduate degrees.

“We are creating high quality online STEM courses for teachers and leaders using cuttingedge technology,” explained Dr. Sharon Sherman, dean of Rider’s School of Education, who added that the program uses Rider’s new Canvas Learning Management System to develop a technologyrich and interactive learning environment.

Components of the program include curricular development of inquiry-based math and science online graduate STEM courses; development of technical, designbased learning environment; and development of online professional development opportunities for teachers who are not ready to enroll in graduate courses, the release said.

According to the release Sherman estimates that some 180 teachers will complete the Online Curriculum Professional Development courses over the next three years.

Sherman also estimated that over 300 teachers will participate in five-hour STEM professional development workshops in the same period.