Creativity and Innovation in STEM classrooms (CISTEM)

Project Period:  July 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014

Target Audience:  Grades 6-12 Mathematics, Science, & Career and Technical Education Teachers (CTE)

Funding Source:  State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)

Funding Amount: $152,491

Longwood’s Institute for Teaching through Technology & Innovative Practices (ITTIP) was awarded the Creativity and Innovation in STEM classrooms (CISTEM) grant from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).  As part of this grant, twenty-four Mathematics, Science, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers will collaborate with each other during a week-long face to face professional development workshop in the Summer 2013 to explore research based instructional strategies and resources that facilitate the development of creativity and innovation in STEM classrooms.  In the Fall 2013, these teachers will participate in a three-credit graduate course about mentoring students to nurture creativity and explore emerging technology tools.  Teachers will interact with twelve high school students in discussion and designing STEM learning resources. Teachers will also receive online and classroom support and participate in a face-to-face session in late Spring, 2014.

This project expects to increase the content, pedagogical, and technological knowledge of participating teachers and stimulate their sustained use of technology-infused inquiry-based pedagogies in developing creativity and innovation in STEM learning, while creating an exemplary online professional development model on nurturing creativity for school divisions to replicate.

Related Resources

Recruitment: Information Sheet
Articles: ITTIP August 2013 Newsletter 
Lessons:  CISTEM, Open Online Course (for educators)