Saturday, May 21, 2011
10:00am – 2:00pm
Hall for Discovery and Learning Research
Purdue University
This project is supported by the
National Science Foundation, Grant #0962840

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(Clockwise from 6:00)
Brenda Capobianco, Todd Kelley, Keith Bowman,
Chell Nyquist, Jim Lehman, Johannes Strobel,
Gabriela Weaver

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SLED, Science Learning through
Engineering Design, is a partnership project of Purdue, four Indiana school districts, and community partners designed to help improve students’ science learning in grades 3-6.
The SLED project is supported by the
National Science Foundation through its
Math Science Partnership program.

Purdue Colleges of
Education, Engineering,
Science, Technology
Discovery Learning Research
Center
Lafayette School Corp.
Tippecanoe School Corp.
Taylor Community Schools
Plymouth Community Schools
Community Partners
SIA, Duke Energy, Plymouth Foundry, etc.

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NSF’s Math Science Partnership (MSP) program supports linkages of higher education institutions with schools and other partners to improve K-12 mathematics and science education.
Targeted partnerships study and solve issues within a specific grade range or at a critical juncture in education, and/or within a specific disciplinary focus in mathematics or science.

Our aim is to increase grade 3-6 student learning of science by developing an integrated, engineering design-based approach to elementary school science education.

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Indiana’s elementary science standards now address elements of engineering design.
One basic rationale from the standards:
“As citizens of the constructed world, students will participate in the design process.”

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Students will learn to use materials and tools safely and employ the basic principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to problems:
Define a real world problem and list criteria for a successful solution.
Design a moving system and measure its motion.
Design a prototype that replaces a function of a human body part.
Apply a form of energy to design and construct a simple mechanical device.

1.
2.
Create a partnership of university engineers and scientists, teacher educators, school teachers, school administrators, and community partners to improve science education in grades
3-6 through the integration of engineering design in science teaching and learning.
Enhance the quality and quantity, and diversity of in-service and pre-service
teachers prepared to utilize engineering design as a means to teach science through authentic, inquiry-based, multi-disciplinary, design projects.

3.
4.
Adapt, refine, and test existing projectand design-based curricular
materials/tasks, and where necessary develop new ones, to support the teaching of elementary science through authentic, inquirybased, multi-disciplinary, design projects.
Generate evidence-based outcomes that contribute to our understanding of how teachers teach science through the engineering design process and how young students effectively learn science concepts through design-based activities.

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Adaptation and/or development of elementary-appropriate engineering design activities
◦ Faculty design teams have been working throughout the academic year to create design activities for the classrooms

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In-service teacher professional development and support
◦ Summer Institute
◦ Follow-up professional development
◦ Work with disciplinary faculty
◦ SLEDhub online community and resource repository

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Pre-service teacher preparation
◦ Special section of elementary science methods course focused on design
◦ Linkages between pre-service teachers and
SLED participating schools and teachers
◦ Pre-service teachers in summer institute

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Research and dissemination
◦ Research will address three key aspects of the project: the partnership, teacher implementation, and student learning.
◦ Dissemination will include presentations at professional meetings, writings about the project, media exposure, and use of the
SLEDhub site.

SLED hopes to generate:
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 new research on the understanding of how teachers teach science through the engineering design process and how young students learn science through design-based activities; a library of tested, design-based curricular materials to support teaching science in grades 3-6; and a prototype for high quality teacher professional development in engineering design for pre-service and in-service elementary educators.

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Years 1 and 2
◦ Development and integration of engineering design-based activities for grades 5 and 6.
Years 3 and 4
◦ Development and integration of engineering design-based activities for grades 3 and 4.
Year 5
◦ Expansion of the partnership and integration of engineering design-based activities for grades 3 – 6 in all schools.

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Participation in summer institute, academic year integration, and other associates activities for at least one year.
Academic year integration will consist of implementing at least two (one fall and one spring) design-based activities in your classroom.
Other activities include: follow-up sessions, participation in online community, and research participation.

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You will receive a stipend for your participation in the project.
You will receive PGP points for participation in the summer institute and follow-up professional development.
You will have an opportunity to apply for a mini-grant for your classroom.
You will have fun!

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SLED research will examine how teachers teach with design and will examine the impact of design activities on students’ learning of science, understanding of design, ability to apply design and inquiry skills, and ability to connect and transfer scientific concepts.

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Partnership factors that affect teachers’ use of design in their classrooms
Administrative support
Impact on participating scientists and engineers
Use of the SLEDhub online community

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Students’ conceptualizations of design
Students’ learning of science
Students’ ability to link scientific concepts in the context of an engineering design-based task

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Teachers’ conceptualizations of design
Teachers’ implementation of designbased science tasks and use of designinformed pedagogical methods
Teachers’ challenges and solutions
Teachers’ collaborations
Teacher’s reflections on design and the implementation of design practices

External Evaluation by Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP)
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To ensure fidelity to program objectives, the
SLED Partnership Leadership Team enlisted CEEP to monitor and evaluate program objectives through:
◦ Designing pre, post, and follow-up surveys to gauge teachers’ implementation of core SLED curriculum;
◦ Ensuring that survey responses reflect the 4 objectives of SLED;
◦ Monitoring the implementation of SLED objectives into participants’ classrooms over the course of the grant.

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CEEP will employ advanced methodologies to develop measurable criteria and outcomeoriented data to maximize program adaptability over the course of the grant:
◦ Aggregating survey data to determine teachers’ fidelity to SLED program goals and objectives;
◦ Holding continuous project meetings and program surveys;
◦ Conducting staff interviews to gauge stakeholders’ support for SLED;
◦ Implementing long-term strategies to reflect the ongoing nature of the grant.

Task
Measure Partner Needs/Satisfaction
Measure Partner Use/Satisfaction with Cyber
Infrastructure
Administer/Analyze Teacher Pre-Post-
FollowUp Surveys of Institute
Measure Pre-Service Teacher Comfort Level
Survey Cooperating Teachers
Interview Participating Teachers
Interview SLED Leadership
Measure Student Performance
Timeline
Summer ‘11
Summer ‘11
Spring,
Summer, Fall
‘11
Fall ’11
Fall ’11
Fall ‘11/Spr ’12
Summer ’11
Fall ‘11/Spr ‘12

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Secure consent (teachers, parents) and assent (students)
Assist in data collection (e.g., administer student assessments)
Collect student data to inform your own practice
Assist in dissemination of results (e.g., conference presentations, publications)

Exploring Packaging Design

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Payee Certification Form (Form PC)
Photo Release Form

June 13-17 and June 20-24

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Week 1: Engineering design activities
◦ Introduce engineering design
◦ Try out examples of activities that can be used to address science content in grades 5 and 6
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Week 2: Building curriculum and context
◦ Field trips to science/engineering sites
◦ Mini-workshops to build knowledge/skills
◦ Curriculum mapping and lesson development

Monday, June 13 Tuesday, June
14
AM
Welcome and introductions
AM
SLED Design
Challenge #1
Introductory brief design task led by disciplinary faculty team 1
Wednesday,
June 15
AM
SLED Design
Challenge #2 led by disciplinary faculty team 2
PM
Complete and reflect on introductory design task
What is inquiry?
What is design?
Developing a model for engineering design-based science
PM
SLED Design
Challenge #1 completion and teacher debriefing
PM
SLED Design
Challenge #2 completion and teacher debriefing
Thursday, June
16
AM
SLED Design
Challenge #3 led by disciplinary faculty team 3
Friday, June 17
AM
SLED Design
Challenge #4 led by SLED team
PM
SLED Design
Challenge #3 completion and teacher debriefing
PM
SLED Design
Challenge #4 completion and teacher debriefing
Week 1 wrap-up with focus on engineering design-based science

Monday, June
20
AM
Field experience / trip to research facility / partner (local to school)
Tuesday, June 21 Wednesday, June
22
AM
Field experience
/ trip to research facility / partner
(Purdue area)
AM
Mini-workshops on selected topics
Scientist/engineer panel discussion
Thursday, June
23
AM
Miniworkshops on other selected topics
Friday, June 24
AM
Teacher finalize curriculum maps and lesson plans
PM
Mapping curriculum
Developing lesson plans
PM
Mapping curriculum
Developing lesson plans
PM
Mapping curriculum
Developing lesson plans
PM
Mapping curriculum
Developing lesson plans
PM
Present and share curriculum maps and lesson plans
Submit drafts of implementation plans

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The summer institute will involve 70 contact hours, so it will be worth 70 PGP points if you attend everything.
University credit (at your own expense) is an option if there is interest. However, our tentative plan is to award PGP points only.

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Comfortable clothing
Something to write with
Curricular materials from your school
(e.g., textbook, other materials)
Laptop – if you wish to bring your own, we can provide wireless network access
An adventurous spirit!

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Working lunch (and light breakfast items) will be provided daily except for Monday and Thursday of week 2. Your own your own for lunch on those days.
Monday morning of week 2 will involve a local site visit prior to Purdue activities.
Tuesday of week 2, plan to arrive here about 30 minutes early so that we can board a bus to visit SIA.

Chell Nyquist

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Parking
◦ Red “C Permit” signs (lot behind DLR)
◦ White “Residence Hall” signs
 Not in Purdue Village (next to DLR)
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Housing
◦ Hillenbrand Hall
◦ Check-in: 4:00-5:00pm Monday
◦ Check-out: Friday each week
◦ Provide Sheets and Towels; refresh daily
◦ Dinner provided Monday – Thursday in
Hillenbrand Dining Court

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Payment
◦ Receive check in mail approximately 3-4 weeks after conclusion
◦ Include stipend and mileage
◦ Mileage
 $0.51 per mile
 Calculated from school to DLR

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Dining
◦ Light continental breakfast and Lunch provided most days

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Why do you think Indiana has included the design process in the new science standards?
What barriers do you anticipate you will encounter when integrating design-based practices?
How can teachers cover everything in the curriculum if they use design-based teaching materials and methods?

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We’ll see you June 13 th !