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Teachers

Middle Tennessee State University Launches LEADS Initiative to Improve Data Science Education

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Middle Tennessee State University's faculty recently hosted a daylong orientation for the first cohort of educators participating in the newly funded LEADS initiative, aiming to improve data science education and instruction in K-12 classrooms. The Tennessee STEM Education Center, part of the university, is leading the effort to provide fully funded Ed.S. graduate degrees to specially selected math and science teachers from Midstate school districts. The National Science Foundation awarded MTSU nearly $3 million to fund the five-year program for 17 Master Teacher Fellows within the College of Education. The LEADS initiative seeks to bridge the gap in educators and education by providing training to become better leaders and increasing data literacy within middle-level grades.

Key Takeaways:

  • The LEADS initiative aims to improve data science education and instruction in K-12 classrooms by providing fully funded Ed.S. graduate degrees to specially selected math and science teachers.
  • The program is designed to train teachers to become better leaders both in and out of the classroom, focusing on teacher leadership skills and data science skills.
  • The program is built around an existing degree program in education leadership and will be a hybrid on-campus experience.
  • The first two years of the program will focus on coursework required for the fellows to obtain their graduate degree.
  • The team of researchers and educators behind the LEADS initiative includes 14 members, including principal investigators from Middle Tennessee State University's Tennessee STEM Education Center, Data Science Institute, and College of Education.
  • The program aims to have a 100% teacher retention rate, keeping talented teachers in their classroom rather than moving them to higher positions.
  • The program will provide substitute teachers during any required class time to accommodate the teachers' schedules.

Statistics:

  • The National Science Foundation awarded MTSU nearly $3 million to fund the five-year program.
  • The LEADS initiative is designed to serve 17 Master Teacher Fellows within the College of Education over the next five years.
  • The program will be a hybrid on-campus experience, combining coursework with in-classroom application.
  • The first cohort of educators participating in the LEADS initiative includes math and science teachers from Bedford, Cannon, Warren, and Williamson counties, and Murfreesboro City Schools.

Sources:

  • MTSU photo by Andy Heidt
  • Middle Tennessee State University news release

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