MTSU Mondays: Inaugural middle school academy, STEM grant, speedway partnership

Here's the latest news from Middle Tennessee State University.

Education center celebrates first middle school leadership academy

Seventeen young males of color from Oakland Middle School recently completed the first Emerging Leaders Academy — a mentorship program launched this spring between the Center for Fairness, Justice and Equity, Oakland Middle School and First Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.

Michelle Stevens, the center’s director, said the nine-week academy “was a success” and hopes to continue with new cohorts of students throughout each year.

“It offered positive outlets and mentorship for these students, and the work aligns with our center’s commitment to support the community by helping to eliminate any social, educational or economic barriers that may impact minoritized groups within the community,” Stevens said.

Stevens said the program targeted males in the sixth to eighth grade who had leadership potential and had been recommended for the academy by a teacher or administrator. The program was designed to provide social and emotional support to these students while supporting opportunities that encouraged educational engagement not only on the K-12 level but at institutions of higher learning.

MTSU provided funding for snacks and activities as well as faculty expertise. Oakland Middle served as the home base and pilot of the program, trained mental health professionals to help facilitate sessions and recruited the students. First Baptist Church on East Castle Street provided adult male mentors of color to work closely with the students.

“Every other week, the students were engaged in lessons on effective communication, integrity, accountability and decision making,” Stevens said. “On the opposite weeks, the mentors would engage them on how they applied the previous lesson in their lives at school and at home.”

Professor uses $155K grant to improve STEM education

A professor passionate about science, technology, engineering and math education recently earned her fourth National Science Foundation grant to research student thinking in STEM and train STEM instructors to improve student learning.

Jennifer Kaplan, director of Mathematics and Science Education Ph.D. Program, landed $154,929 in funding from the NSF to develop innovative assessments that analyze how undergraduate students use “interdisciplinary thinking” — using both a scientific and mathematical thinking — to understand scientific topics.

“In other words, how students engage in making sense of quantitative problems in biology, chemistry and physics,” said Kaplan, who is also a professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. “Mathematical sensemaking in science focuses on students’ ability to blend core disciplinary science ideas with cross-cutting mathematical concepts, such as patterns and proportions, while engaging in scientific practices such as computational thinking, making predictions and reasoning from evidence.”

Kaplan said since STEM fields are so interrelated, it is critical that students can integrate these different modes of thinking to solve problems and achieve what is known as “three-dimensional” learning.

“These assessments will reveal much more about student thinking than any assessments currently in use and will be essential in designing high-quality instruction that fosters mathematical sensemaking in science,” said Kaplan, who added the project will also provide professional development to instructors. “Findings from this project should help inform teaching practice in undergraduate STEM courses and help students foster computational thinking skills.”

Nashville Superspeedway, Rackley Roofing to support Daniels Center

Nashville Superspeedway, Rackley Roofing and the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center are teaming up for the second year in a row to support mutual efforts to honor active-duty troops and assist student veterans.

The organizations are focusing their efforts during the 2023 NASCAR race weekend on the Rackley Roofing 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, set for Friday, June 23.

Nashville Superspeedway will allow students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters to purchase discounted tickets to the Rackley Roofing 200, with a portion of the ticket proceeds to support the Daniels Center. Rackley Roofing will match the donation total generated by the sale of the discounted tickets. The discounted tickets for the Friday race can be purchased at www.mtsu.edu/superspeedway.

“I am so very pleased that this win-win-win relationship with the Nashville Superspeedway, Rackley Roofing and the Daniels Center continues to thrive,” said President Sidney A. McPhee. “It’s a great opportunity for all of us to not only support our student veterans, but also encourage our community to take part in the excitement of race weekend at Friday’s night race.”

The June 23 race begins at 7 p.m. and gates open to the public at 4 p.m. Free parking is available at the superspeedway.

MTSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU Mondays: Middle school academy, STEM grant, speedway partnership