Faculty Collaborate to Evaluate the ‘Cultivate: Growing STEM Educators’ Program
AAMU Partners with Huntsville Botanical Garden to Elevate STEM Education for Teachers
The Alabama A&M University Department of Teacher Education and Leadership has joined forces with the Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG) to assess and enhance a pivotal professional development program for elementary school teachers.
Alabama A&M faculty are evaluating HBG’s “Cultivate: Growing STEM Educators” initiative, a program focused on environmental and plant sciences. Designed to bolster elementary teachers' expertise and confidence in teaching STEM subjects, the program provides essential training and resources.
“The program aims to supplement teachers’ knowledge of environmental science and improve their confidence in teaching related concepts in elementary schools,” said Dr. Lena Walton, Alabama A&M associate professor of elementary education. Walton, along with A&M Associate Professor and Program Coordinator in the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership, Dr. Samantha Strachan, and Community Psychologist Dr. Randy Barbour will evaluate the Cultivate program. The initial phase of this evaluation is expected to conclude by September 2024.
For years, HBG has been a key provider of high-quality professional development for teachers across Alabama. These programs play a critical role in supporting science education and curriculum development from preschool through high school.
“Through this partnership our teams have created evaluation tools that allow us to measure program impact, ensuring that it continues to achieve its goals, supporting elementary teacher’s confidence in the STEM classroom,” said HBG Vice President of Learning and Public Engagement Rebecca Turk. “We look forward to this continued partnership on Cultivate and other HBG STEM education programs, pushing us to work towards the greatest mission-impact possible.”
During Cultivate sessions, HBG educators introduce plant science-based STEM lessons using the 5E Lesson Plan model. All activities align with the Alabama Course of Study: Science standards and learning progressions. Participants leave with renewed enthusiasm for teaching STEM, along with curriculum materials, a STEM resource bin, and a certificate for two Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit hours. Valued at $100, the program offers a 90% tuition discount for registrants who complete a scholarship application.
Funding for the Cultivate program is provided by the State of Alabama Legislature with additional support from The Daniel Foundation of Alabama, BAE Systems, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, and other philanthropic sources.
Corporations and organizations interested in partnering with Alabama A&M University, please visit www.aamu.edu/partnerwithus or contact the AAMU Office of Marketing, Communications, and Advancement at 256.372.8344.
(Photo L-R) Dr. Randy Barbour, AAMU Assistant Professor of Psychology; Karen Colvin, HBG Manager of STEM Curriculum and Programs, Dr. Lena Walton, AAMU Associate Professor of Elementary Education; Sue Wagner, CEO of Huntsville Botanical Garden; Dr. Samantha Strachan, AAMU Associate Dean of Student Success and Associate Professor of Secondary Education; Rebecca Turk, HBG Vice President of Learning and Public Engagement