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