Deepening Content Knowledge

STEM Summer Institute: Strengthening Content and Pedagogy

Deeper content knowledge begins with coursework

Project ADePT’s plan to deepen content knowledge in pre-service elementary teachers began in the coursework in which teachers-to-be enroll. Through collaboration with subject matter experts in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in four core disciplines, Project Adept provided interdisciplinary content subject matter institutes.

As part of Project ADePT, UF’s College of Education (together with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Alachua County Public Schools) hosted a ten-day summer STEM content institute. The goal of this summer institute was to deepen K-5 pre-service teachers’ subject matter knowledge through interactive science, technology, math and literacy activities. This summer institute provided interdisciplinary content subject matter for pre-service teachers, university supervisors, and mentor teachers.

In Year 2, the grant funded a second content institute with a focus on social studies, English language arts, and technology.

These interdisciplinary content subject matter institutes for pre-service teachers, university supervisors, and mentor teachers engaged a community of learners and strengthened understanding in special topics.

STEM Summer Institute:

Subject matter experts in four core disciplines:

  • Dr. Kristen Apraiz (COE, math),
  • Dr. Beverly Brechner (CLAS, math),
  • Dr. Zhihui Fang (COE, Reading and Literacy),
  • Dr. Selman Hershfield (CLAS, physics),
  • Dr. Lisa Holmes (COE/ACPS, science), and
  • PhD candidate Krista Ruggles (COE, technology)

Video Collage:

Check out our summer 2015 STEM institute’s interdisciplinary “road trip” themed project, where our students connected with content and pedagogy to develop as better educators.

Downloadable Resources:

for the 2016 Summer Institute