New APSU Program Seeks to Use Children’s Literature to Teach STEM Concepts
July 26, 2011
Clarksville, TN – Dr. Ann Assad, associate professor of mathematics and statistics at Austin Peay State University, set a stack of children’s literature books on the table. She flipped briefly through the titles, pausing occasionally to admire the bright, colorful covers of the books.
“We need to engage children in wanting to learn, wanting to solve problems,” she said. “One way we can interest them is through literature.”
That’s not such a groundbreaking statement when talking about a language arts class, but Assad was specifically referring to something completely different – a mathematics class. She, along with APSU assistant professor of education Dr. Lauren Wells, wants to use children’s literature to boost elementary school students’ science and mathematics comprehension skills, and a new $138,202 grant is helping them do just that. [Read more]
