“Adopt-a-Professor” — A model for collaboration in STEM between K-12 and higher education

Adopt-a-Professor is a program coordinated by Educational Renewal Zone (ERZ) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (UAFS). The program pairs K-12 teachers with UAFS faculty/staff. The partners collaborate to plan three learning engagements during one school semester. The engagements can take place at a K-12 or higher education institution, local industry, or in the community. The main objective of the program is to strengthen K-12 student learning outcomes in all subject areas with a special focus on STEM fields. The participating UAFS faculty and staff offer up-to-date content knowledge in their areas of specialization and also provide access to university's laboratory/equipment resources. The K-12 teachers bring their experience of current school practices. The partnerships not only improve understanding of the subject areas by K-12 students but also builds their connection to higher education. This paper discusses the details of the Adopt-a-Professor program. The paper also lays out program implementation in a STEM field with focus on learning engagements in Industrial Electronics and Automation.