STEM — Teaching Community Project (STEM-TC)

Project Description

In the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teaching Community (STEM-TC) project, faculty from the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics collaborate with undergraduate Learning Assistants (LAs) to:

1. improve STEM courses,
2. provide opportunities for the LAs to gain an appreciation and understanding of effective STEM teaching, and
3. make the LAs aware of education-related career options, which might include joining one of the secondary education programs at Towson and choosing high school or middle school teaching as a career.

Through their involvement with STEM-TC, the Learning Assistants develop active-learning instructional skills, practice those skills, and participate in transforming instruction.  They do this by engaging in teaching activities, participating in team meetings, and by attending a weekly teaching and learning seminar.

The Learning Assistant teaching activities take different forms, depending on the course(s) and working teams to which the LAs have been assigned.  Teaching activities include: leading and facilitating discussions of small groups of students in classes and/or help sessions, providing test review sessions, and tutoring.  Typically, the STEM-TC faculty work to transform their introductory classes to encourage more student engagement with the material and with each other.  LAs help facilitate this engagement. For a more detailed description of the Learning Assistant's role see the

• Learning Assistant Contract

Project Personnel

The STEM-TC program is supported by STEM funding provided by the Fisher College of Science and Mathematics.

The Jess and Mildred Fisher
College of Science and Mathematics
Smith Hall, Room 312 (campus map)

Phone: 410-704-2121
Fax: 410-704-2604
E-mail: fcsm@towson.edu