Pre-Service Educator Working
Group
Status and Plans
2006
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/score/pre_service.shtml
Overarching Goal

Help facilitate preparation of teachers
in Earth and space science content /
pedagogy by:


developing a deeper understanding of
pre-service programs and needs; and
identifying diverse ways to meet those
needs in ways that leverage expertise of
SMD community
How?

Establish partnerships with
individuals and organizations involved
in pre-service educator preparation
(ongoing)


Participate in appropriate conferences
(ASTE, ATE, NASA/Langley PreService Conference) (ongoing)
Survey faculty and educator to
determine needs (ongoing; regional and
national; online form recommended by ASTE)
How?

Survey SMD community
involvement in pre-service
(ongoing:
moving to online form and request for feedback)

Establish on-line resources and
research database for SMD
community (ongoing)
Next Steps

Working Group “Advance” – May

Analyze survey data

Determine intersections and gaps between
SMD community activities / resources and
identified pre-service needs

Identify concrete, meaningful “menu of
opportunities” in which SMD community can
be involved in pre-service preparation

Reflect on strategic plan for next 5 years
Next Steps

Create professional development opportunities
for the community to:


build an understanding of what is needed
model effective practices

Identify strategic partners with whom we can
become involved to prepare future teachers

Develop “snapshots” of programs that represent
a diversity of opportunities for involvement

Articulate to SMD community and beyond in
presentations, online, and through publications
Surveying Audience Needs


AAS, ASP, ASTE, NASA/Langley
Pre-Service Conference, ATE
Broker Regions
(ongoing)
What We Are Learning: Challenges




Faculty and organizations are interested in partnering
with the SMD community in a variety of relationships.
Some state educators report that they are having
more trouble meeting their state’s earth and space
science standards than any other science standards.
Education faculty (and teachers!) have limited time to
teach science content and most believe they could
benefit from professional development training in
science content. Other limitations: funding, access to
professional development.
Challenges faculty face: students have limited
training in science, lack confidence in teaching
science content, and have misconceptions about
basic science concepts; faculty focus is on
addressing the standards.
What We Are Learning: Resources




Materials faculty will use must be:

Current, relevant, connected to standards.

Integrated curriculum that build knowledge - not piece-meal or
“show and tell.”

Infused with math and literacy as appropriate to grade level.

In-depth investigations of particular subjects, geared for specific
grade levels, with strong activities.

Integrated with technology.
Space science materials often are too mission-focused for
use with pre-service teachers or are not classroom-ready.
Faculty and teachers are asking for an easier way to locate
resources, with detailed descriptions of what they are, what they do,
and grade-level appropriateness.
Tools are needed (e.g., spectrometers, telescopes); must be
accompanied by guides and activities.
What We Are Learning:
Emerging Themes


Strong interest in understanding typical
misconceptions of student teachers. What
questions can illuminate misconceptions and
what tools are available for unveiling and reconstructing student conceptions?
Some of the greatest challenges to faculty and preservice educators are controlled by school cultural
climate (socio-economic backgrounds of students,
available technology and resource infrastructure,
professional development emphasis and opportunities,
and the desired master set of teaching skills,
knowledge, and proficiencies.)
Regional Examples

Multiple models and learning  feed into
National understanding and Working
Group’s strategic planning.
Note to PSEWG



The following slides are intended to
highlight some of our individual efforts
Please add a few words about your
programs if you wish.
If we run out of time during the
presentation, we can mention that these
programs are included and that this
presentation will be posted as part of
the Ed Council “record” as well as on the
PSEWG Web for those who are
interested in learning more.
Regional Efforts : Examples



Collaborating with local Advisory Boards
to identify needs and design/implement
responses
Establishing local network of pre-service
faculty and SMD EPO specialists (and
scientists) to design and test professional
development models (no small children
will be hurt) for faculty and pre-service
teachers.
Offering faculty professional development
through ASTE and Southwest ASTE
Regional Efforts: Examples
Initial stages of collaboration with the
University of Maryland Education
Department to include more science
content into elementary pre-service
educator training (NSF proposal)
Regional Efforts: Examples



Facilitating collaboration between
Education and Science departments in
undergraduate instruction at Tufts.
Collaborating with the NASA/Langley
Pre-Service Teacher Program
Collaborating with Wheelock College to
help re-orient the science curriculum
toward teacher preparation. Efforts
include initiating active partnerships with
K-12 schools (teachers and
administrators), teaching colleges, and
education researchers.
WG Members
Laurie Ruberg, MARSSB
Stephanie Shipp, SCORE
Denise Smith, Origins
Bernice Alston, HQ
Ilan Chabay, Frameworks
Larry Cooper, SMD
Susana E. Deustua, AAS
Jennifer Grier, SEU Forum
Art Hammond, SSE Forum
Anita Krishnamurthi, GSFC
Elaine Lewis, SECEF
Doug Lombardi, Phoenix
Mission
Julie Lutz, S2N2
Rudy Matai, President, ATE
Lynn Narasimhan, DePaul
Cass Runyon, SERCH
Gregg Schultz, SECEF
Christine Shupla, SCORE
Tim Slater, Univ. of Arizona
Stephanie Stockman, GSFC
Bill Waller, NESSIE