The Tusculum Python TEAM2 project wrapped up in December, and Cosby High School mathematics teacher John Bell walked away with a new computer. Bell was eligible through his successful completion of the Python project workshops.
Tusculum Python TEAM2 is designed to enhance the content knowledge, pedagogical skills and pedagogical content knowledge of high school mathematics and computer science teachers in the high-needs school districts surrounding Tusculum’s home campus in Greene County and its instructional sites in Hamblen and Knox counties.
Participating educators benefited from five on-site days of professional development in Tusculum’s Meen Center for Science and Math along with a 10-month online credit-bearing course in the Python computer language. The content focus was on the use of Python computer programming to solve mathematical problems. The participants explored mathematical concepts, learned the Python programming language and developed programs to solve the kinds of problems they teach in their high school classrooms.
According to Dr. Tricia Hunsader, dean of the School of Education and professor of education, participants’ growth in content knowledge related to mathematics concepts, programming basics and the Python computer language was assessed via a pre-test and post-test. Participant surveys assessed teachers’ perceptions of the learning experiences and their growth in content knowledge, pedagogical skills and pedagogical content knowledge.
The program is a partnership among Tusculum’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science within the School of Arts and Sciences, Tusculum College’s School of Education and regional high-need school systems, which include Greene County, Greeneville City, Hamblen County, Hawkins County, Jefferson County, Knox County and Washington County school districts.
THEC administers this federal program, which was established to provide grants for colleges and universities to develop and implement workshops for K-12 teachers in the areas of mathematics, science and humanities. The purpose is to establish a collaborative planning partnership between higher education and K-12 education for teacher preparation and continuing professional development.
By Sydney McCallister, freshman English and history major from Greeneville
Dr. Trisha Hunsader, dean of the Tusculum School of Education, presents Cosby County High School teacher John Bell with a complimentary computer for successfully completing the Tusculum Python TEAM2 workshop.