Transcript Fostering Science Learning Through Inquiry Based, Student

Fostering Science Learning
Through Inquiry Based, StudentCentered Pedagogy and
Learning Communities
Progress Report on a Cycle II DHE
Improving Teacher Quality Grant Project
Michael Ottinger, Martin Johnson, John Rushin,
David Ashley, Y Wacek
Missouri Western State College (University)
Jay Meyers
Saint Joseph School District
Introduction
Description of MDHE Grants
MWSC Project Design
Teacher Demographics
Summer Workshop Projects
Follow-up Seminars
Thoughts on On-going Project
MDHE Improving Teacher
Quality Grants
 Approximately $1.2 Million Dollars of Federal Funds
Annually from “No Child Left Behind” Act.
 Project’s Long Term Goals:
– Increases in the number of students at high need schools
completing the high school core curriculum
– Increases in Science MAP scores and ACT sub-scores of middle
and high school students at high need schools.
– Increases in the content knowledge and pedagogy skills of
practicing teachers at high need schools.
– Increases in the number of students taking rigorous science
courses at high need schools, and
– Better prepared newly-certified teachers (through changes in
collegiate-level undergraduate science curriculum based on best
practices from these funded professional development projects.
(Cycle II - DHE Improving Teacher Quality Grants RFP, page 3)
Cycle II – Objectives
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Increase teachers’ knowledge and understanding of key concepts in
at least one of the three targeted science content areas:
a) Matter and Energy;
b) Force, Motion, and Mechanical Energy; and/or
c) Living Systems
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Improve teachers’ knowledge/understanding of hands-on, inquirycentered science that incorporates best practices in instructional
technology
Improve student achievement in the three targeted science content
areas
Have a measurable impact on science education at the
partnerships’ higher education institutions.
(Cycle II - DHE Improving Teacher Quality Grants RFP, page 7)
MWSC Project Design
MWSC Chemistry Department partnership
with St Joseph School District
– Developed long-term relationship to increase
use of inquiry-methods in the classroom.
– Applied for Grant based on RFP guidelines
– Change in MDHE Directors  Change in RFP
 Change in eligible partners  No Central
High School (SJSD)
– Chemistry Department Withdrew
MWSC Project Design II
 Grant Resubmitted by LAS Dean, Biology
and CSMP Departments.
Similar to Chemistry Department proposal,
but focused on regional high-need school
districts (as newly defined).
Fostering Science Objectives
 Improve teacher participants’ ability to use the learning cycle approach to
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increase student learning of the Missouri Show-Me objectives
Improve teacher participants’ ability to establish themselves as facilitators
within “student learning communities” at their respective schools.
Improve teacher participants’ knowledge and understanding of inquirycentered teaching methods in middle and high school biology, physical
science and physics.
Improve student achievement on MAP in the areas of “life systems”,
“matter and energy” and “force, motion , and mechanical energy.”
Create a “learning community of teacher participants to share ideas and
methods.
Have all teacher participants become part of a larger learning community
by participating in the Junior Division of the Missouri Academy of
Science (JD-MAS) and the Mid-America Regional Science & Engineering
Fair (MARSEF)
Project Activities
10-day Summer Short Course (July 12-21)
3 Saturday Follow-up Workshops During
School Year (September, December, and
May)
Participation in JD-MAS and MARSEF in
March
Teacher Recruitment
 All High-need schools (as defined in the revised
RFP) in NW Missouri were invited to participate
 Incentives
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$1000 stipend to teachers
Two hours graduate credit from NWMSU
Data Acquisition Equipment
Meals during workshop.
 15 Teachers Participated from 8 schools
Demographics of Participating
Schools
 High Need Schools
– Carrollton R-VII
– King City R-I
– North Andrew R-VI
– North Nodaway R-VI
– Benton High School (SJSD)
– Lafayette High School (SJSD)
 Private School
– St Joseph Christian School
 Other Participating Schools
– Central High School (SJSD)
 STATE AVERAGES:
% Prof/Adv
4.41%
4.13%
2.31%
2.63%
6.65% *
6.65% *
N/A
#students
68.2
30.3
26.0
22.8
630.8*
630.8*
N/A
6.65%
630.8*
6.60%
*=SJSD district averages
Demographics of Participants
Middle School Science
- 3 teachers
Primarily HS Biology
- 3 teachers
Primarily HS Chem/Physics - 2 teachers
All HS Science Courses
- 7 teachers
Summer Short Course – Day 1
 Getting to Know You –
– Each participant presented a demo
representing their teaching style
 Pre-Workshop Surveys
– Concepts Quiz
– Attitude Survey
– Evaluator Questionnaires
Summer Short Course- Day 1
Presentations– The Learning Cycle
by Dr. John Rushin
– Inquiry-Based Instruction I
by Dr. Y Wacek
– Learning Communities
by Dr. Martin Johnson
Summer Short Course – Day 2
 Introduction to Vernier Data Acquisition Equipment (LABPRO)
– Vernier Rep. John Schutter
Summer Short Course – Day 3
 Using Discrepant Events to Teach Inquiry-based Science
by Bill Brent
The Cat’s Meow
Scotch Tape
Electroscope
Electric
Potential
Hovercraft
RGB Shadows
Picture in Space
Summer Short Course – Day 3
Presentation – Inquiry Based Instruction II
“Volcanic Cakes”
Summer Short Course - Days 4-5
Life Sciences Activities
Summer Short Course – Day 5
Motion:
– Motion Detector
• Position, Velocity, Acceleration
• Free-Fall
– Force Probe
• Atwood Machine
Summer Short Course – Day 6
Physics in the Park
– Rotational Motion
– Periodic Motion
– Cooling
Summer Short Course – Day 6
Electricity & Magnetism
– Series & Parallel Christmas
– DC Motor
– Magnetic Slinky
Summer Short Course – Day 7
Project Preparation Day
– Each Group was assigned to prepare 3-hour
presentation on an investigative project that
they would use in their class.
– Presentation could be 3 one-hour projects, 2
ninety-minute projects, or 1 three-hour project,
based on their school schedule.
– Equipment used should be available in their
classroom, including the Vernier Equipment
Summer Short Course- Days 8-10
 Presentation of Projects
– Optics: Building a Telescope, observing sun spots
– Thermodynamics: Designing and Building a Solar
Oven
– Anatomy: Sidewalk Chalk Drawings of Heart/
Circulatory System
– Sound waves: Recording & Fourier Analysis of
Various Noisemakers
– Zoology: Pythons, Boas, and Tarantulas in the
classroom
Summer Short Course – Day 10
Post-Short Course Surveys
Goal Setting and Discussion
Fall Callback – September 25
 Discussion of Inquiry-based methods
employed in classrooms & Plans
Troubleshooting of Equipment Problems
MARSEF / JD-MAS Q&A Session with
successful teachers
– Rules & Forms
– Encouraging students to participate
Winter Callback Nov & Dec
 Scheduling Conflicts so two sessions were held.
 Participants presented projects that had been done
(or were going to be done).
 Participant groups completed the projects and
rated presenter on used of Learning Cycle
 Group discussions on how to better utilize
learning cycle.
Spring Callback- March 4
MARSEF
– 5 participants had 61 students entered in
MARSEF (3 participants for first time)
– Several teachers brought students to view
MARSEF – preparation for next year.
– Junior High teachers had students participating
in Jr. High Science Fair.
Summer Callback – May
To be held –
– Preparation of booklet of projects participants
created from workshop
– Discussion of lessons learned this year
– Exit Surveys
Summary of Project to Date
Pros
– Teachers created strong Learning Community,
especially among the rural school districts
– Equipment & instruction acted as a seed for
districts to acquire additional equipment for
science classrooms.
Cons
– Scheduling conflicts.