University of Puerto Rico STEM Asthma Awareness Program

Project Description

Our Project aims to develop a program for the training and education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) of teachers from public and private schools in Puerto Rico that focus on the development of science and engineering practices. Despite the efforts at national and international level to increase the current level of training and participation of teachers in STEM, it has remained in superficial stages in Puerto Rico. Among the reasons we can highlight the lack of a university-level oriented curriculum that includes research as part of the theoretical and practical training for future teachers in these disciplines, the lack of alliances with universities that can offer support for the development and implementation of a curriculum emphasizing the process of doing science, and the challenges that are present for students and teachers to actively do STEM in classrooms and outside them.

To address this challenge, we propose an innovative combined approach that includes not only the traditional training of teachers in STEM fields, but one in which teachers and students are integrated and involved in researching a particular health problem that concerns everyone in the Puerto Rican society. Puerto Rico, due to its geographic location and its inherent climate, has one of the highest asthma rates per inhabitant worldwide (16.1%) and this situation increased after the passage of Hurricane María in 2017 and will be worsen by the actual COVID-19 pandemic. Our proposal reconciles the efforts and resources of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in San Juan, the Molecular Sciences and Research Center (MSRC), the Puerto Rico Department of Health, and the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE). The main goal is to, while generating awareness of an important health issue in Puerto Rico, increase the number of STEM teachers engaged in science practices that will enable them to teach science through research and take on an active role in the preparation of students to be incorporated in knowledge-based societies as a highly educated labor force.

Abstract

The University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras has a remarkable record in research training and the development of undergraduates that pursue graduate and doctoral programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This sharply contrasts with the track record of high schools in Puerto Rico with regards to students that are interested in STEM careers and/or that have the competences to pursue a career in STEM. Confronted with this disparity, we aim to develop a program for the training and education in STEM of high school teachers in Puerto Rico, and their students, that focus on the development of science and engineering practices. Our rationale is that by targeting teachers through this project we will contribute to the education and training of Puerto Rican high school students. Our program will also provide multiple activities – including a summer immersion program- through which high school students will be able to explore their interest in STEM. Specifically, we propose an innovative approach that includes traditional professional development activities for teachers in STEM fields, and an authentic research experience in which teachers and students are integrated and involved in researching a particular health problem that concerns everyone in the Puerto Rican society. Puerto Rico, due to its geographic location and its inherent climate, has one of the highest asthma rates per inhabitant worldwide (16.1%) and this situation increased after the passage of Hurricane María in 2017. Our proposal reconciles the efforts and resources of the University of Puerto Rico, the Molecular Sciences and Research Center, the Puerto Rico Department of Health, and the Puerto Rico Department of Education. The main goal is to, while generating awareness of an important health issue in Puerto Rico, increase the number of STEM teachers engaged in science practices that will enable them to teach science through research and take on an active role in the preparation of students to develop them as a competitive future knowledge-based society.

Dissemination Strategies

Project website, Puerto Rico Department of Health website, and educational conferences, dissemination activities at participating school and UPR-RP.