CSTL projects
APS STEM Focus Schools for the Future program
In 2012, the APS Foundation launched an initiative to promote STEM Education with teachers in order to develop content knowledge in the STEM subjects as well as effective teaching techniques. The Center for Science Teaching and Learning, Northern Arizona University was awarded a grant for $250,000 grant for the APS STEM Focus Schools for the Future project as part of this initiative. The goal of the program is to establish twelve STEM-focused schools statewide and to enhance teacher preparation in STEM. Twenty-two public schools ranging from grades K-8 submitted applications expressing their vision for STEM. The selected schools represent 6 counties across Arizona.
The principal and two teacher leaders from each school are working together to develop an action plan that will lead their school in STEM education. A STEM focus school will provide all learners with opportunities to engage in rich, robust, and rigorous STEM learning experiences that will develop skills needed to make informed personal, career, and civic decisions.
Each participating school receives a banner and a plaque designating them as an APS STEM Focus School for the Future and $1000 in support of STEM education. In addition, the two lead teachers from each school receive an iPad and 16 days (over 100 hours) of intensive professional development in leadership and STEM. The school principals attended the first session of professional development in January 2013. One educator commented on the January session, “There are more jobs, activities, lessons, tools that connect to STEM than we realize”, and another educator realized, “I see that we need to get more girl/minorities on board and keep those students on board and heading into STEM fields”.
Participating schools include the following:
Canyon Ridge School, Dysart Unified School District, Glassford Hill Middle School, Humboldt Unified School District, Seligman USD #40, Mount Elden Middle School, Flagstaff Unified School District, Casa Grande Middle School, Casa Grande Elementary SD #4, Holbrook Junior High School, Holbrook Unified School District #3, Freedom Elementary, Liberty Elementary School District #25, Rim Country Middle School, Payson Unified School District, Beaver Creek School, Beaver Creek School District, Canyon Springs School, Deer Valley School District, West Sedona Elementary, Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District, Copper Ridge School, and Scottsdale Unified School District.
The Powerful Engineering and Physical Science Ideas for Gilbert Public Schools
A collaborative partnership involving Northern Arizona University and Gilbert Public Schools has been awarded a $281,000 grant from the Arizona Department of Education to boost elementary school science education.
The grant, titled “Powerful Engineering and Physical Science Ideas,” was awarded through the state’s Mathematics and Science Partnership. It became effective Sept. 25.
After a period of classroom observations and content testing, 35 first- through fifth-grade teachers from 11 schools will participate in monthly professional development and a week-long summer institute guided by professor Kathy Eastwood and lecturer Ethan Dolle from NAU’s physics and astronomy department.
The activities are intended to increase confidence levels in teaching science and show how well-structured scientific investigations can help lead to improved writing and critical thinking skills among students.
“We are excited to partner with Gilbert Public Schools to help them reach their goal of improving their science policies, programs and practice,” said Lori Rubino-Hare, professional development coordinator at NAU’s Center for Science Teaching and Learning.
“It is critical to provide elementary school children fun and engaging experiences with STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] early and to encourage students’ natural desire to investigate their worlds,” she said.
Rubino-Hare, who will work with teachers on implementing content strategies, said elementary school teachers often do not teach science because they lack content knowledge and confidence.
“We hope to provide teachers fun experiences that increase their physical science content knowledge, resources and strategies for teaching through guided investigations, and thus increase their confidence in teaching science,” she said.
Amy Gingell, science coordinator for Gilbert Public Schools, added, “We don’t get a lot of opportunity to share this kind of training with elementary teachers. Physical science is just hard. It would be so nice to see the younger students have an opportunity to have their teachers feel better about it.”
According to Gingell and Rubino-Hare, funding may be obtained for a second year if the requirements of the grant are successfully completed.
HP Grant Awarded to ITTIP
ITTIP is proud to announce their newest grant award for Inquiry and Design Learning Experiences for Adults as New Learners from the HP Catalyst Leadership fund. This international project will be a partnership with Northern Arizona University, Southside Virginia Regional Technology Consortium, Lady Doak College (India), Agastya International Foundation (India), Leo Matriculation School (India), University of South Hare (South Africa), Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa), and the Mozilla Foundation open badge projects.
The grant will provide support for creating three online teacher training modules. They will be designed to primarily train teachers in science pedagogy. The modules, which will be similar to massive open online courses (MOOC), will be offered beginning June 2013 and will accommodate up to 1,000 participants, most of whom are expected to be teachers. The impact is expected to influence 10,000 - 20,000 students around the world. One module will focus on how science and language arts teachers can develop inquiry skills. The other two modules will focus on Scratch - one will provide an introduction for K-4 teachers on using Scratch in the classroom on the beginner level, the other will be about how any teacher can introduce computer science concepts using Scratch. The grant will also make it possible to expand on an existing after-school program for students at Dinwiddie Country Middle School that involve working with Scratch and LilyPad Arduino. The face to face training for teachers will begin in early January for the LillyPad.
The project is expected to last two years and is ITTIP's second HP Catalyst Initiative grant. The first project, GIST which also involved international collaboration, began in 2010 an ended earlier this year. ITTIP is looking forward to begin implementation of this project with just as much success, if not more, than their previous HP Catalyst Initiative.
EYEPOD III : Examining Your Environment
Through the Power Of Data
EYEPOD III is currently ongoing...
National Science Foundation
Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers
The Examining Your Environment
through the Power Of Data (EYE-POD) project provides teachers with the means to
implement interdisciplinary, technology-integrated, project-based learning
modules with an Earth science focus in their classrooms. Students learn science
and math concepts as they collect and analyze data in an attempt to solve a
problem and communicate solutions through the use of geographic information
systems (GIS) software. A team of one secondary Career and Technical Education
teacher and one Science or Math teacher; or pair of Science or Math teachers
from the same school must apply together.* Upon completion, participants will
receive:
•$1000 stipend**
•Some travel assistance*** to scenic Flagstaff, Arizona
•Tuition assistance for optional graduate credit****
•Professional development certificate hours
•ArcGIS desktop software site licenses and books for their schools ($6500
value)**
•Mobile data collection devices and resource materials for their schools ($3300
value)
•5 days of exciting and engaging onsite professional learning experiences with
continuing academic year online support
•Invitation to participate in an optional advanced Power of Data institute June
20-24, 2011 or July 18-22, 2011 (additional stipends offered)
Applicants must commit to full
participation in a 5-day professional development institute at Northern Arizona
University’s Flagstaff, Arizona Mountain Campus June 6-10, 2011, and are
strongly encouraged to participate in an advanced 5 day Power of Data Institute
June 20-24, 2011 or July 18-22, 2011.
*This National Science Foundation
Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (NSF-ITEST) project
targets teams of secondary Science, Math, and Career and Technical Education
(CTE) teachers that work in the same school. Single teachers, middle school
teachers, and other subject area teachers are welcome to apply, but preference
will be given to teams in any combination of 9-12 grade Science, Math, and/or
CTE teachers.
**Stipends based on attendance
will be paid in two installments – $500 upon completion of the 5 day
professional development institute and $500 following implementation of an
interdisciplinary, geospatial technology-integrated module on Weather and
Climate. Participants must obtain school/district Administrator and Information
Technology support agreements as a condition of acceptance and before software
distribution will occur.
***A $600 travel stipend is
available to those residing greater than 50 miles of Flagstaff, Arizona. Travel
stipends will be dispersed following the 5 day professional development
institute. Participants are responsible for their own travel, meals, and
accommodation arrangements.
****Participants will be eligible
to enroll in a graduate Geology or Science Education course at a significant
discount. To receive credit, participants will be required to implement one
additional module with students and reflect on the experience.
Support for this project has been
provided by National Science Foundation and ESRI.
For more information on EYE-POD contact: Lori.Hare@nau.edu