A University-School Partnership Model: Providing Stakeholders with Benefits to Enhance Science Literacy

Abstract

University-school partnerships can be effective in recruiting undergraduate science majors to careers in education, enhancing the capacity of in-service teachers, and improving science literacy among school-age children. A partnership model that included extended elementary classroom teaching experiences for university students, professional development opportunities for teacher mentors, and multiple campus collaborators was described. Results showed that stakeholders benefited from their involvement in the partnership in numerous ways. The authors suggest that in developing partnership programs, collaborators need to be aware that involvement is often based on stakeholders' perceived and/or actual benefits. Some benefits in the model presented were partner specific; others were common among stakeholders.