Special Programs
Mathematics and Science Teaching Center
UNC's Mathematics and Science Teaching (MAST) Center, established in 1987, provides leadership and coordination for projects and programs to improve science and mathematics education at UNC, within Colorado, and nationally. The Center is sponsored by UNC's Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physics Programs. Faculty from sponsoring programs and from the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences participate in Center projects, working in collaboration with K-12 educators, faculty from other higher education institutions, and business/community representatives.
For more information, contact Steven Anderson, Director, or Visit the MAST Center Home Page (Funded by US WEST and the University of Northern Colorado)
Mathematics and Science Teachers Hotline
The MAST Hotline, operated in collaboration with the Colorado Alliance for Science, is a long-term, core activity of UNC's MAST Ceter. The Hotline maintains a toll-free phone-in service, e-mail, and Web site access for all Colorado and Wyoming K-12 science and mathematics and home-school teachers. Over 8400 teacher questions have been processed in the Hotline's first ten years of operation. The Hotline, thanks to a statewide network of resource personnel, provides teachers prompt ansowers to content and instructional questions and has been a partner with US WEST in providing service to teachers and internet access to the hotline.
An initial goal of the Hotline was to serve rural schools that might be lacking resources more available in larger districts. A recent analysis of Hotline service to teachers showed that urban areas have taken greater advantage of the service than are rural areas, about 8% of teacher questions were received from eastern Colorado that holds approximately 14% of the state's population. Other finding of interest: about 57% of Hotline callers to the Hotline annually asked two or more questions and 10% asked five or more questions, an indication to us of teacher satisfaction.
For further information, visit the MAST Hotline Home Page. (Funded by US WEST, University of Northern Colorado, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics/Science Education Act-Title II, administered through Colorado Commission on Higher Education and Wyoming program of Education.)
