Wipro at UNT Dallas
The Wipro Science Education Fellowship (SEF) is a teacher-leadership program funded by the Wipro Organization. The Wipro SEF program is a teacher-leadership program that supports experienced K - 12 science teachers to deepen their practice while staying in the classroom. The program uses a model of teacher support and development to increase the capacity of teacher-leadership in their respective districts.
The University of North Texas at Dallas, School of Education is excited to team up with University of Massachusetts at Boston to become the Dallas partner of the Wipro Science Education Fellowship. Dr. Ratna Narayan and Dr. Glenda Moss of the School of Education at UNT Dallas were awarded the $1.1 million grant to lead the Wipro Science Education Fellowship at UNT Dallas.
The Wipro SEF at UNT Dallas will support three cohorts of 24 science teacher fellows each from six local districts during a two-year fellowship that focuses on leadership in science education. Districts who will participate in the five-year initiative are: DeSoto, Dallas, Grand Prairie, Irving, Cedar Hill and Lancaster Independent School Districts. Districts were selected through an application process and will remain partners through the five years. District Science Coordinators from each district will work closely with Co-PIs of the grant. In addition, several informal science sites in Metro Dallas will also be participating in the Wipro SEF at UNT Dallas program such as: Dallas Zoo, Dallas Arboretorum, the Frontiers of Flight Museum, the Texas Discovery Gardens, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, Trinity River Audubon Center, John Bunker Sands Wetlands Center and the DISD Stem Environmental Education Center.
The goal is to keep good teachers in the classroom and develop their leadership skills both in the classroom and informal science settings. Major tenets of the professional development include vertical and horizontal articulation across districts and lesson observation and study. In year two, each fellow will lead professional development in their own district and work on a district-wide initiative of his or her choosing as well as in an informal science setting in Metro Dallas. This program has met success in its implementation thus far in Massachusetts and New Jersey.