Science-A-Go-Go
Using Experiential Learning to Engage
Students in Science
Mark Niemann, Novato High School
Vic Chow, Bodega Marine Laboratory, UC Davis
S
North Bay Science Educators’ Council
California Partnership
for Achieving Student Success
S Vision
•
A Seamless Educational Pipeline
Facilitating Student Success
S Mission
•
Identifying and Removing Barriers
to Student Success
S
http://www.cal-pass.org
Principles and Goals
• Discovery
• Collaboration
• Alignment
• Innovation
• Evaluation
• Expansion
Discovery, Alignment, Evaluation
S Collects, analyzes and shares student data in order to track
performance and improve success from elementary school
through university.
S Already includes over 6,800 elementary schools, high
schools, community colleges, colleges and universities, from
over 52 California counties.
S Facilitates database inquiries from participating school
districts, teachers, and education researchers
Types of Data Collected
S Student identifier (encrypted)
S Student file: demographic information, attendance
S Course file: enrollment information, course performance
S Student test file: STAR (achievement), HS exit exam
S Award file: diplomas, degrees, certificates
S Optional files: information collected on interventions
Collaboration, Innovation, Expansion
S Improves communication and networking among educators.
S
Brings together faculty from different educational systems to
ensure that courses articulate with a smooth transition between
segments.
S Builds stronger educational communities and collaborative
partnerships and projects (e.g. North Bay Regional Consortium,
Science-A-Go-Go).
Cal-PASS Regional Consortia
Cal-PASS
California Partnership for Achieving Student
Success
S Cal-PASS Description
S Mission, goal, and resources
S
Student performance
S
Student transitions
S
Communication and networking among educators
S
Collaborative partnerships and projects
S Regional Councils
S North Bay Science Educators’ Council
Science-A-Go-Go
S
Program Description
S Engineer for a Day
S Geologist for a day
S Marine Biologist for a day
Science-A-Go-Go: Goals
S
Science experiences for high
school students
S Science content
S Scientific process: inquirybased learning
S Science role models
S
Collaborations between scientists
and teachers
S
Cross-age teaching experience for
college students
Science-A-Go-Go
S
Participants
S High schools
S
Novato High School: Mark Niemann
S
El Molino High School: Joan Vreeburg
S Universities
S
Sonoma State University
S Engineering: Shailendhar (Shally) Saraf
S Geology: Dan Karner
S
University of California, Davis
S Bodega Marine Laboratory: Vic &
Michelle Chow
Science-A-Go-Go: Program Components
S
Engineer for a day
S Sonoma State University
Engineering Lab
S Undergraduate students hosts
S Robots
S Electron Microscope
S Circuits
S Lasers
Science-A-Go-Go: Program Components
S
Geologist for a day
S
Kehoe Beach at Point Reyes
S Graduate student assistant
S Investigated where might be
best to drill for oil
S Gathered rock samples
S Observed millions of years of
geologic rock formation
S Clear fault transitions
Science-A-Go-Go: Program Components
S
Marine biologist for a day
S
UC Davis Bodega Bay Marine
Laboratory
S Investigated invasive species
S Sampled an area of the bay at
low tide
S Counted, sized, and graphed
the invasive species results
S Toured the Lab Facility
Science-A-Go-Go: Outcomes & Evaluation
S
Long-term focus
S How does this change long
term decision making?
S
Positive feedback from students.
S
Unintended benefits
S Students exposed to college
campus for the first time.
S Interacted with university
students
Science-A-Go-Go: Accomplishments
S Real-world science experiences for high school students
S Science role models and academic/career paths for high
school students
S Science teaching experiences for college students: cross-age
teaching
S Partnership between scientists and college and high school
educators
Next steps:
Where do we go from here?
Montgomery College Round Table (October 2007):
Rising Above the Gathering Storm: the Role of Community Colleges
in Preparing STEM Professionals— Issues and Challenges
Reasons behind the shortage of students choosing a career in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics
1)
Students don’t understand what the career opportunities are or what STEM
careerists do.
2)
Students get turned off to mathematics and science early in their educational
experience.
3)
There is a very high attrition rate among students who choose a STEM major
in college.
4)
STEM careers don’t seem interesting, appealing, glitzy, or rewarding to
students.
5)
There is insufficient public appreciation and support of the importance of
math and science in this country.
Current and future goals:
S Program expansion
S Program obstacles
S Increase the number of
S Funding
participating schools, teachers,
S Transportation
and students
S Liability
S Publish and disseminate
S Local expertise
curriculum
S Develop a network of science
and education experts
S Include elementary and middle
school students and teachers
Proposed Program Expansion:
North Bay Science Ambassadors
S Strategies
S Leverage Cal-PASS collaborations and resources
S Utilize existing programs, resources, and expertise (tutor &
mentor programs, community service, internships &
apprenticeships)
S Develop scalable, systemic solutions for available (local)
expertise, consistent training, and sustained funding
Proposed Program Expansion:
North Bay Science Ambassadors
S Program Elements
S Develop a series of classroom and field science activities
for elementary school students
S Includes inter-related earth science, physics, chemistry, and
biology strands culminating in a field experience
S Trained college science education majors to lead the
activities with the assistance of high school students
Proposed Program Expansion:
North Bay Science Ambassadors
S Goals / Expected Outcomes
S Greater program capacity
S Enhanced science opportunities and activities for elementary school
students
S Collaboration among K-16 educators to align curriculum and
facilitate student transitions
S Cross-age teaching
S Role models for all students and model lessons for elementary school
teachers
S Academic and career training for college and high school students
Acknowledgments
S
Cal-PASS
Michelle Kalina (Senior Director for Operations)
Shelly Valdez (Director of Regional Collaborations)
Katheryn Horton (Regional Coordinator)
S
Sonoma State University and the Bodega Marine Laboratory
Researchers, educators, staff, and graduate and undergraduate assistants
S
North Bay Science Educators’ Council
Carlos Ayala
Judy Barcelon
Lee Boyes
Victor Brazil
Amy Breminger
Michelle Chow
Vic Chow
Deb Grima-Lowe
Sonoma State U
Piner HS
Petaluma HS
Petaluma HS
Maria Carrillo HS
Ocean Discovery!
UC Davis
Willowside MS
Katheryn Horton
Dan Karner
Dan Karner
Mark Niemann
Teri O'Donnell
Tatjana Omrcen
Mike Roa
Cal-PASS
Sonoma State U
Sonoma State U
Novato HS
Maria Carrillo HS
Santa Rosa JC
SCOE
Darci Rosales
Karen Santiago
Shally Saraf
John Shribbs
Barbara Shubin
Penny Sirota
John Vogt
Joan Vreeburg
Santa Rosa JC
PROBE
Sonoma State U
Casa Grande HS
Rincon Valley MS
Rincon Valley MS
Rancho Cotate HS
El Molino HS