Recipient Organization
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
1425 W LINCOLN HWY
DE KALB,IL 601152828
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Funding of the NIU Edible Campus Immersion Teacher Experience and Development (ExCITED)-will provide Illinois teachers of underserved youth with access to high quality food systems workforce development education to include food science, nutrition, sustainable food systems, specialty food crops, food product development, and community development. Teachers, administrators, and students included in the educator institute will experience transformative learning, gaining a new appreciation for food and agriculture sciences in our everyday lives. Educators and administrators alike will gain empowerment to guide our next generation workforce of food and agriculture professionals.This PDAL program covers the AFRI Priority areas of increasing the number of K-14 educational professionals, widespread implementation of educational innovation and after being presented with a problem, participants will research, try, solve and reflect, then applying these lessons to their classroom, teaching, and lives.Targeted participants are K-14 teachers, 5 teachers teaching out of field for science/math/literacy or graduation rates lower than state averages.ObjectivesIncrease the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the creation and delivery of NIU STEAMs research-based professional development in food/agricultural sciencesComplete immersive Edible Campus experiences at Northern Illinois University to introduce them to ag/food science experts, skills needed in food workforce development and the need for food literacy across all citizens, during spring, summer and fallPublish open-source standards-aligned lessons that are created and piloted in K-14 classrooms using established FoodMASTER curricular models, highlighting research-based problem-based learning experiences for students
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Increase the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the creation and delivery of NIU STEAMs research-based professional development in food/agricultural sciencesComplete immersive Edible Campus experiences at Northern Illinois University to introduce them to ag/food science experts, skills needed in food workforce development and the need for food literacy across all citizens, during spring, summer and fallPublish open-source standards-aligned lessons that are created and piloted in K-14 classrooms using established FoodMASTER curricular models, highlighting research-based problem-based learning experiences for students
Project Methods
All activities will follow the research-based principles of the NIU STEAM K-12 lesson design regarding the focus on our key 6 catalysts, determined after an extensive literature review, that creates the foundation for our work --problem based learning, growth mindset, career connections, STEM content, essential employability skills (soft skills) and transdisciplinary approaches. The process of "gradual release" has been used for numerous professional development programs, most especially those approved by the state of Illinois for accessing Title I funds to support their lowest performing schools. All participants will be presented with a problem and then participants research, try, solve, and reflect on the process allowing them to apply the lesson more broadly to their classroom, teaching, and lives. Participants will then be expected to create this same type of experience for their students. The NIU STEAM philosophy has been reviewed, revised and reimagined over 15 years of work in this field. Our programming has spanned the breadth of individual skill improvement to massive community involvement projects and has included urban, suburban and rural schools across communities in Illinois, the United States and internationally. These experiences have resulted in a program philosophy dedicated to ensuring high achievement and equity (Yildirim, 206). The ExCITE philosophy is based on the following fundamental beliefs from NIU STEAM.Use a collective impact approach to creating lasting change through a coordinated local effort by which local community leaders and school participants employ innovative strategies across government, business, social service agencies and industry (Collaboration Impact, n.d.).Convey this work as essential for all students and adults in our communities. NIU STEAM requires all programming to have equitable and inclusive practices in which the talents of all individuals contribute to the overall health and progress of the students, staff, school and community (Scalise, 2016).Delivered with a differentiated program that is individually tailored to the needs of the particular school and community as well as the needs of the whole child. Through various needs assessments and involvement of stakeholders, NIU STEAM programming follows a research-based, standards aligned framework then differentiates the ways that content is delivered across audiences, due to different settings, needs and conditions. (Hughes, 2022)Employ backwards design for an outcome-driven program. in which the final outcomes are first determined by the school or community and then programming is designed to result in those outcomes.. (Bowen, 2017)Promote data-informed continuous improvement. that builds internal continuous improvement loops so that processes to modify programming can ensure the attainment of needed outcomes. Continuous improvement is the ongoing process of assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating systems that will ultimately lead to improvement in student outcomes (Kasza, Slater, 2017).Commit to an iterative process throughout all programming believing that learning - much like problem solving, design, and creative expression - is an iterative process. Learning through inquiry, exploration, creation, and failure is not a discrete event, but a repeating process leading growth in the mindset of our participants (Hanson, Bangert, & Ruff, 2016)