1. Science Readiness Mini-Bridge Pilot Program
Objectives
Teachers
• To increase high school science teachers understanding of UK’s introductory science course content requirements
• To align key high school science instructional techniques with those found at UK
• To develop professional relationships between high school science teachers and UK science faculty
• To introduce high school science faculty to importance learning resources, facilities and procedures
Students
• To increase high school students understanding of important learning resources, facilities and procedures
• To decrease the social distance between UK’s culture and the culture of students’ home community
• To increase high school students understanding of key science concepts and the nature of science
• To increase the likelihood that high school students will enter and be retained in STEM disciplines at UK, thus choosing a STEM career
UK Faculty
• To increase UK introductory science faculty members’ understanding of high school science curriculum in terms of pedagogy and
content standards
• To increase the likelihood that UK introductory science faculty members will engage in outreach and engagement related to STEM
Advisors and Guidance Counselors
• To increase UK science advisors’ understanding of high school science programs
• To increase high school guidance counselors’ understanding of UK’s STEM programs, pathways and changes in content and skill
requirements

2. Here's the questions we asked the UK faculty participants in the mini-bridge:
• What class did you visit and what content did you cover in your lecture?
• Did you change your lecture from how you typically present it to UK students? if so, how and why?
• What did the high school students do as you lectured? how did they react to different parts of your lecture? did you notice any
differences in how they responded and how UK students respond typically?
• How did the high school students perform compared to UK students on a task or assignment you gave them (or on something their
teacher gave them after your lecture)?
• What did you learn about our local high school sciences classrooms that you didn't know before you participated in this activity, and
what advice would you give your colleagues here at UK to help with our incoming students' science readiness and transition from high
school?
Here's the questions we asked the high school instructor participants:
• How did you prepare your students for the presentation by the UK professor? Did you do anything different from what you would
normally have done if you were teaching that lesson? If so, how and why?
• What did your students do as the UK professor lectured? did you notice any differences in how they responded to the UK prof and how
they respond to you typically when presented with these concepts or expectations?
• How did your students perform on a task or assignment that the UK prof gave them (or something you gave them after the visit)?
• What did you learn about the way UK sciences are taught that you didn't know before you participate in this activity, and what advice
would you give your colleagues in your (or other) high school to help with UK's incoming students' science readiness and transition from
high school?
Questions for guidance counselors in the UK Service Area High Schools:
• Why did your students choose UK and this particular major to begin with at UK?
• How did you use your counseling sessions (or ILP notices) to support your students' readiness or expectations for their first year at UK?
• In your opinion, how well do your students understand what it takes to succeed at UK? to succeed in introductory sciences courses?
• How might UK better support your efforts to educate and advise your students, especially those who have chosen to study a major that
is in the sciences?