Who’s Teaching Whom?
Scientist-Teacher Teams in the GK-12 Fellows Program and
Successful Administrative Strategies
GK-12 : NSF Graduate Teaching Fellows in
K-12 EducationAdvanced graduate students in SMET disciplines
SMET teachers in K-12 settings
Technology-enriched classrooms, integrating computer-based modeling, visualization, and informatics
Teams
Computer scientists in calculus Mechanical engineers in vocational classroomsMolecular biologists in biologyChemists in chemistry and biology classesMathematicians in “regular” math classes
Tools
Laptops, student computer stations, Internet accessibleVisualization: Biology Workbench, ChemVizOnline evaluation for fellows, mentors, teachers, and students
Initial results?
Success Depends on the Administration
Across six unique K-12 learning sites, administration decision-making was identified as a common hurdle—and support—for scientist and teacher teams.
Identified detriments to realizing technology
integration:
Not being aware of school classroom ecologies Limited understanding of the role visualization technology can play in teaching and learningNot recognizing the need for long-term teacher development
Successful Administrative Models
Strategic planning with short-, mid-, and long-term objectives identified. This includes creating a technology plan that enhances engaged learning for the specific learner communities, thereby avoiding “Cart-Before-the-Horse Syndrome."
Successful Administrative Models
Educator input solicited and authentically applied in a collaborative environment via cross-departmental committees, quarterly meetings, and informal “open door” policies.
Successful Administrative Models
Clear pathways for communication across stakeholder communities that include teachers, departmental leaders, administrators, parents, and the board.
Successful Administrative Models
Significant understanding of both the challenges and benefits of technology
Successful Administrative Models
Professional development that includes:
mentoring
peer-to-peer opportunities
workshop and conference budgets
periods off for planning
integrated technology support
Who’s Teaching Whom, Again?
Administrators can learn by listening to their communities’ needsTeachers can learn from peers and scientist/fellowsFellows learn how to teach science to the next generation
Resources
GK-12 Fellows Program at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Divisions/eot/gk12/
Biology Student Workbenchhttp://peptide.ncsa.uiuc.edu
ChemVizhttp://chemviz.ncsa.uiuc.edu