Teachers for a New Era Research Proposal round Two – Faculty Award
Arthur Dimock for C-TEAMS and KAST
Teachers Can be Scientists Too!
1. Problem Statement
Teachers of middle school science often find it difficult to engage students with
interesting science through inquiry and hands-on science experiments. They also lack
the confidence to pursue science because of their insufficiency of content
information. Many schools have the “expert” science teacher who has a greater
subject matter understanding so therefore helps the other teachers with their science
questions. To bring middle school teachers to a better understanding of science and a
greater comfort level with their subject we propose having 1 – 2 teachers trained in
each of our KAST curriculum modules along side university graduate students
already being trained. Then these teachers can participate in a one-week module with
a small group of students in our laboratories. Our aim will be to make this a fun
experience to enhance the use of these types of activities and materials in their
classrooms.
For the past nine years, the science departments at the University of Connecticut have
invited middle school children (grades 4-9) from the rural towns surrounding the
University to a summer science camp called KAST (Kids Are Scientists Too). Oneweek modules provide students with three hours each morning of “hands-on/mindson” laboratory activities in Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Astronomy, Marine Science,
or Archaeology. This has been a highly successful program, and we have been
teaching over 200 students each summer.
We have had participation from middle school teachers in the past to assist our
faculty in developing age appropriate activities.
These teachers establish
relationships with our faculty that serves to reach out to the community. The teachers
have enjoyed their weeks with KAST and the unique informal setting that creates a
love for science in our young students. This proposal would formalize this type of
relationship and benefit new and eager teachers as well as reluctant teachers by giving
them a relationship with science faculty and students that will strengthen their
knowledge and love for science.
The proposed project meets the TNE design principles A & B. This project will be
based on evidence from the literature that shows the need to give our teachers
professional development so that they can better instruct our students. This project
will also help engage teachers with the fun aspects of science while increasing their
subject matter understanding with science experiments and demonstrations.
2. Related work
The science education community calls for collaboration between scientists and
educators (National Research Council 1996). Through these collaborations scientists
can serve as resources for content and teachers can serve as experts in learning for our
youth.
More specifically these collaborations can enhance the scientific inquiry
methods through the practice of hands-on science at KAST. This may also have the
added benefit of our graduate students gaining a life long relationship with science
educators in the community. There are many examples of these types of
collaborations. In the NSF sponsored Graduate Teaching Fellows program it is
through these university-school collaborations that the NSF hopes to “narrow the gulf
between the world of science and the world of scientists” (Thompson, School Science
and Mathematics 2002). This proposal is a mini version of these types of
collaborations and a jumping off point for the teachers and graduate students. Both
University staff and teachers benefit from such relationships and are strongly advised
to engage in this type of program (Moore, Journal of Chemistry education 2002). The
teaching of students is our ultimate goal and by teaching and exciting the teachers
while having them gain a deeper understanding of science content we can improve
the students understanding as well (Magerum-Leys, National Staff Development
2004). Teachers feel that seeing and doing science and then implementing the
science with students while being able to collaborate is really important for getting
started with inquiry science (Wilson, Review of Research in Education 1999).
3. Methodology
a.) Questions/Hypothesis
Our nearby communities are situated close to the University of Connecticut; a very
active scientific research university, but often don’t have the means of utilizing this
valuable asset. The University, as part of the community, can provide the resources
necessary to open new doors to teachers, and inspire them to take the first steps in
their discovery of science. With many competing educational mandates, there is less
time and money committed for science in middle school. Many teachers hesitate to
try hands-on science, and often lack the resources necessary. By combining teachers
with college faculty and science students each will benefit from the other’s expertise.
The teachers will learn better ways to explore science and the faculty and students
will learn better ways to convey their knowledge to students. Our research question is
Will teaching science in an informal setting increase teacher knowledge and
enjoyment of science? Other related questions will be: Does working with teachers in
our laboratories with our faculty and students create a relationship of shared
expertise? Do teachers engage in inquiry, hands-on science in their classrooms more
after their experience with our KAST program than their peer teachers? Will our
program create teachers comfortable with science – more experts in the classrooms
throughout the state?
b.) Procedures for collecting information
Teachers will be recruited from the area schools where information about the KAST
program is distributed. We will emphasize the “Fun” of learning, how we will help
teachers conquer their fears of science and their love of college and camp from their
pasts. We will share some of the marketing strategies used in museums and learning
centers to recruit reluctant teachers. We would like to have teachers from a variety of
schools and from different grade levels from grades 3 – 9. We will recruit 6 – 10
teachers and have them work in teams with one of the KAST modules. Teachers will
be given a pre-test and post-test on attitude about science and comfort level. They
will also be given a pre-and post-test on the content area which they will be working
in. Similar instruments will be developed for the students in the KAST program as
well as the graduate students working with the teachers. There will be a follow-up
survey with the teachers at the mid-term of the school year and at the end of the
school year to determine if their experience with KAST had an effect on how they
taught science in their classroom. The data collection instruments will be created by
the C-TEAMS faculty and reviewed and modified by the faculty directors of each
module. The attitude tests will be modeled after existing instruments. There maybe
additional adjustments made by the educational coordinators of each module.
c.) Analyses
The KAST staff with the help of the TNE staff will analyze the testing instruments
where necessary. Assessing teacher and students attitudes about their experiences in
KAST may prove interesting. In the past when we have surveyed our students and
had them rate the program we have received very high ratings. Because this is
generally a self-selecting group their attitudes toward science are very high already.
The challenge will be to find teachers who know they need help with science and are
willing to spend a couple of weeks in the pursuit of something that makes them
uncomfortable. This is why the recruitment process will be so critical.
d.) Collaborations
C-TEAMS (Center for Technology Education to Advance Math and Science) was
created to help K-12 teachers learn to utilize educational technology in their
presentation of mathematical and scientific concepts. Effective use of educational
technology can generate enthusiasm among students working in the STEM areas, and
reduce learning barriers and misconceptions of science. C-TEAMS was formed in
1992 to increase teachers’ familiarity and comfort level with these technologies in
regular classroom use. C-TEAMS brings faculty from Physics, Chemistry,
Mathematics, The School of Education, The School of Engineering, Molecular and
Cell Biology, Mechanical Engineering, and the State Museum of Natural History
together to assist teachers in showing students that math and science is not only a
body of knowledge to learn, but also a process of discovering how and why things
occur. KAST has been overseen by C-TEAMS for many years, and we would take
advantage of this ongoing collaboration among faculty, graduate students and K-12
teachers.
4. Expected end Product
- The TNE report
- An article about our findings published in NSTA magazine for middle school
teachers
- A presentation at the Regional NSTA meeting
- Evidence to develop a professional development for teachers using the KAST
curriculum.
5. Personnel
KAST Directors
Archeology KAST: Leanne Kennedy Harty: Connecticut Archaeology Center,
Connecticut State Museum of Natural History
Chemistry KAST: Arthur Dimock: Chemistry Department
Astronomy KAST: Cynthia Peterson: Physics Department
Biology and Marine Biology KAST: Arlene Albert: Molecular and Cell Biology
Physics KAST: Phil Best: Physics Department
Contacts:
Dr. Arthur Dimock
Chemistry Department
U- 3060
486-3216
fax 486-2981
arthur.dimock@uconn.edu
Ms. Joy Erickson
Chemistry Department
U-3060
486-9219
joy.erickson@uconn.edu
References
National Research Council (1996). The National Education Standards. Washington,
D.C.: National Academy Press
Wilson, S.M. & Berne, J. (1999). Teacher Learning and the Acquisition of
Professional Knowledge: An Examination of Research on Contemporary
Professional Development. Review of Research in Education, 24, p. 173-209.
Margerum-Leys, J, B Fishmand and D. Peek-Brown (2004). Lab Partners. National
Staff Development Council, v. 25, no. 4, p. 38-42.
Thompson, S., A. Collins, V. Metzgar, M. Joeston and V. Shepherd (2002). Exploring
Graduate-Level Scientists’ Participation in a Sustained K-12 Teaching
Collaboration. School Science and Mathematics, v.102, no. 6, p. 254-65
Moore, J. (2002). Research/Teacher Training Partnerships.
Education, v. 79 no.9, 1031.
Journal of Chemical