Transcript The Northwest Georgia Science Education Partnership

The Northwest Georgia Science
Education Partnership
Mathematics and Science
Partnership (MSP) Program
Project Objectives

The specific objectives of the project are to
1)
provide teachers with intensive professional learning
experiences that build science content knowledge
improve teacher attitudes and confidence in
implementing inquiry-based science units
provide teachers with differentiation and multiple
assessment strategies
establish a professional learning community that will
immerse teachers in supportive, sustained,
professional learning experiences
2)
3)
4)
Partnering Institutions
Northwest Georgia Science Education
Partnership: Partnering Institutions
Kennesaw State University
Etowah GYSTC
Georgia Highlands College
Dalton State ETTC
Bartow County Schools
Kennesaw State ETTC
Chattooga County Schools
CEISMC: Georgia Tech
Cobb County Schools
Tiger Flight Foundation
Polk County Schools
Rome City Schools
Peach State Starbase
Project Management Team
Northwest Georgia Science Education
Partnership: Project Management Team
Project Co-Directors:
Tom Brown, Greg Rushton
Project
Content
Leaders
Tom
Brown:
Science
Content/
Pedagogy
Expert
Project
Administrative
Leaders
Greg
Rushton:
Science
Content/
Pedagogy
Expert
Sharon
Collum:
Bartow
Curriculum
Expert
Sally
Creel:
Science
Content/
Pedagogy
Expert
David
Wright:
Science
Content/
Pedagogy
Expert
Emily
Bolton:
Chattooga
Curricullum
Expert
George
Stickel:
Cobb
Science
Coordin.
Marlee
Tierce:
Science
Content/
Pedagogy
Expert
Lori
Adkins :
Polk
Curriculum
Expert
Tom
McKlin:
Project
Evaluator
Mary
Baldwin:
Rome City
Curriculum
Expert
Karen
Harris:
Special
Needs
Expert
Judy
McEntyre:
Education
Technolgy
Expert
Virginia
Carson:
Georgia
Highlands
College
Curriculum
Overview of Action Plan:
Phases, Eight Institutes
Institutes
Our Professional
Learning Initiative will
take place in four
developmental phases
where participants
complete eight
interrelated (20 hour)
science institutes.
While each institute will
have its own unique
identity and objectives,
their focus will converge
on the overall goal of
improving student
achievement in science.
Phase
1
Four
Description
Content-Focused
Inquiry Institute:
Curiosity and the
Core Ideas of
Science
Introduction to inquiry,
core science ideas,
learning cycle
approach, and
backward design.
Technology-Enhanced
Professional
Learning
Communities:
Using Technology
to Improve Science
Learning
Establish professional
learning communities
and communication
frameworks, integrate
technology into
science instruction.
Target Schools and Students:
Schools not making AYP and students showing greatest needs
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Asian
Black
Hispanic
Native Amer
White
Multiracial
Male
Female
Stud w Disab
Stud w/o Disab
Lim English Prof
Econ. Disadv
No Eco Disadv
Max(Does Not Meet Average)
Which students are
neediest?
When the data is
disaggregated, it
indicates that high
percentages of certain
subgroups (Blacks,
Hispanics, Students
with Disabilities,
Limited English
Proficient Students,
and Economically
Disadvantaged
Students) did not meet
the basic standards for
achievement in
science
Subgroups
25
0
Science Dis cipline
Physical Science
Self-assessment surveys
point to a distinct area of
need – physical science.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of
our teachers reported that
physical science was the
discipline of science that
they felt least confident in
teaching.
50
Life Science

75
Earth Science
Least Comfortable
Science Discipline
to Teach
Max(Least Comfortable Teaching Science Percentage )
What content is needed?
What content is being taught


The GPS’s and National
Science Standards will serve
as a guiding framework to
focus science instruction on
big ideas, enduring
understandings, and
essential questions.
Our content institutes will
focus on building our
teachers understanding of 4th
physical science concepts –
the area of science where
student achievement is
lowest and the area our
teachers reported being the
least comfortable in teaching.
Data used to for evidence of
effectiveness of content institutes
Evaluation
Question
Type of Data
1. Has student
achievement
improved?
Criterion
Referenced
Science Tests
(CRCT)
2. Has teacher
content
knowledge
improved?
Pre and Post
Content Tests
(MOSART)
Teacher
reflections
3. Have teacher
attitudes
toward science
improved?
Science
Attitudes
Inventory
Institute
Evaluations
Northwest MSP Summer Institute
4th Grade North Cohort Evaluations
Averages
1 (strongly disagree)… 5 (strongly agree)
1. This workshop was effective at helping
me learn. (n=11)
4.91
2. I found the facilities to be comfortable at
this workshop. (n=11)
4.91
3. I found the resources to be adequate at
this workshop. (n=11)
4.91
4. I found the teachers to be effective at this
workshop. (n=11)
5.00
5. The teaching meaterials were effective at
this workshop. (n=11)
5.00
6. The learning activities in this workshop
were effective. (n=11)
4.91
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Northwest MSP Summer Institute 5th
Grade South Cohort Evaluations
Averages
1 (strongly disagree)… 5 (strongly agree)
1. This workshop was effective at helping
me learn. (n=26)
4.77
2. I found the facilities to be comfortable at
this workshop. (n=26)
4.77
3. I found the resources to be adequate at
this workshop. (n=26)
4.92
4. I found the teachers to be effective at this
workshop. (n=26)
4.92
5. The teaching meaterials were effective at
this workshop. (n=26)
4.96
6. The learning activities in this workshop
were effective. (n=26)
4.92
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Northwest MSP Summer Institute
8th Grade South Cohort Evaluations
Averages
1 (strongly disagree)… 5 (strongly agree)
1. This workshop was effective at helping
me learn. (n=21)
2. I found the facilities to be comfortable at
this workshop. (n=21)
3. I found the resources to be adequate at
this workshop. (n=21)
4.38
4.24
4.48
4. I found the teachers to be effective at this
workshop. (n=21)
4.62
5. The teaching meaterials were effective at
this workshop. (n=21)
4.62
6. The learning activities in this workshop
were effective. (n=21)
4.33
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Most Effective Portion of Institutes
Suggested Improvements
Challenges faced by project leaders
when teaching core content



It is ineffective to
separate the content
from the pedagogy
It is a challenge to find
enough effective teacher
leaders during the
academic year
It is difficult to
find/develop 160 hours
of quality training for
each grade level
Lessons learned so far

The success of the project depends on the
quality of your lead teachers.
 The content must be embedded within handson lessons that are grade level specific and
aligned with state performance standards
 Teachers appreciate being treated
professionally with care
 Teachers need the time and materials to
actually do and then discuss each lesson.
Support and professional
development of STEM faculty

We need to value science education programs
and innovations as much as we value pure
science programs and innovations
 We need to help STEM faculty adjust their
teaching and materials to make them more
effective for k-12 teachers
 We need to pair STEM faculty with
experienced classroom teachers so that they
can co-plan, co-teach, and co-llaborate.
Sample student pre-test results
Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard, and vinegar
Q: Explain one of the processes by which water
can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes the water safe to drink
because it removes large pollutants like grit,
sand, dead sheep, and canoeists.
Q. What does the word “benign” mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight.
Disclaimer
The instructional practices and
assessments discussed or shown in
these presentations are not intended
as an endorsement by the U.S.
Department of Education".