APSU's Jack Hunt STEM Center offers free classroom equipment checkout for teachers

By: Erin Bell October 7, 2024

Dr. Donna Short, assistant professor of education and Jack Hunt STEM Center co-director, displays a few items available for checkout by local teachers. | Photos by Megan Simpson

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — K-12 teachers in Montgomery and nearby counties can access free STEM equipment through a new checkout program at Austin Peay State University's Jack Hunt STEM Center. They can borrow items like scales, Petri dishes, measuring cylinders, and pipettes for up to two weeks at no cost.

The Jack Hunt STEM Center in the Eriksson College of Education at Austin Peay aims to provide training and resources to the region’s teachers and schools.

“We want to make it more of an outreach to the community because when we started taking inventory of what we have, we felt like this was a chance to support teachers,” said Dr. Donna Short, education assistant professor and Jack Hunt STEM Center co-director.

When she taught middle school science, Short used a similar equipment checkout at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and said it benefited her students to access different STEM kits.

The checkout system reduces teachers' supply costs and enhances STEM learning for students who learn best through hands-on activities.

Short said elementary school teachers sometimes lack confidence in teaching STEM lessons. Hands-on learning experiences can eliminate this hesitancy and provide better classroom learning tools.

“Research indicates that teachers in the classroom lack some self-efficacy when teaching science,” Short said.

After launching the checkout system, Short has ideas to improve the process for teachers. One improvement she hopes to offer is a drop-off option.

“I don’t want to ask them to come here because I know parking is a challenge,” she said.

While the drop-off service is not yet available, teachers wanting to check out equipment may visit the Jack Hunt STEM Center website for a list of available items. Interested teachers can fill out the Equipment Request Form and will receive a follow-up email response with the next steps for pick-up.

More than 150 perishable and nonperishable items are available, but the most requested are more expensive items such as balances and hot plates.

For questions about this program, email Short at shortd@apsu.edu.

The Jack Hunt STEM Center is led by Drs. Donna and Philip Short, both faculty members in the Eriksson College of Education. For more information about the Jack Hunt STEM Center, visit apsu.edu/jack-hunt-stem-center/.

About the Eriksson College of Education

The Eriksson College of Education prepares dynamic teachers and educational leaders to positively impact communities and schools in the 21st century. The college offers initial and advanced licensure and non-licensure programs. The college’s programs, including the nationally-known Grow Your Own Teacher Residency, are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). To learn more, visit apsu.edu/education.