HR: 1340h
AN: ED13A-1220
TI: Earth2Class: Assessing Interactions Between Research Scientists and Classroom Teachers
AU: * Passow, M J
EM: michael@earth2class.org
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Rt. 9W, Palisades, NY 10964
AU: Iturrino, G
EM: iturrino@ldeo.columbia.edu
AF: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, 61 Rt. 9W, Palisades, NY 10964
AU: Assumpcao, C M
AF: Colegio Bandeirantes, Rua Estela, 268, Sao Paulo, SP 99999 Brazil
AU: Baggio, F D
AF: Baggio Technology, Rua Vergueiro, 2087, Sao Paulo, SP 99999 Brazil
AB: The Earth2Class Workshops at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (E2C) have brought together research scientists and secondary school teachers from the New York metropolitan area and neighboring states to learn about outcomes of investigations into many aspects of the Earth System and processes involved in making such discoveries. NSF Geoscience Education Grant 0331232 has provided support for an expanded program over the past three years, described at the 2005 Fall Meeting. We now present the results of formative and summative assessments of the effectiveness of this project. Among questions explored were: What aspects of the E2C format and educational technology most effectively connect research discoveries with classroom teachers and their students? What benefits result through interactions among teachers from highly diverse districts and backgrounds with research scientists, and what benefits do the scientists gain from participation? How can the E2C format serve as a model for other research institution-school district partnerships as a mechanism for broader dissemination of scientific discoveries? Formative evaluations were conducted through online and written responses from participants, feedback from conference presentations, and comments posted on teacher list-servers. Almost all responses were overwhelmingly positive. Formal, summative studies conducted by two external grant evaluators also noted many positive results. One abridged conclusion states: The E2C project is a unique and effective professional development program that can stimulate teachers and keep them informed of the vital content they teach. It is a model worthy of duplication in other subject areas and across the country. It may help to retain the best of our teachers and overcome an unfortunate attrition rate. The direct contact with professional scientists and collegial interactions in a non-threatening professional environment are critical dispositional and cognitive components of this success. The second reports: The E2C program and its associated resources provide unique, high-quality professional development to both teachers in the E2C workshops and to those that seek on-line professional development and/or useful classroom materials and ideas. The E2C website promises to be a site of first choice when searching for curricular materials. Although there are negligible concerns regarding the scalability of the program, Earth2Class has proven that cutting-edge research in the Earth sciences can be made accessible to classroom teachers, who, in turn, can share exciting research with their students. The E2C concept clearly warrants further exploration and testing at other sites. This exciting, innovative program has successfully modeled a synergistic relationship between notable scientists and K-12 teachers. Through this program, K-12 teachers receive unparalleled professional development and researchers are provided with a clearly delineated, direct means of achieving their mandated education and public outreach (Criterion 2) responsibilities. One can hardly imagine a more fruitful, win/win situation. Cooperating scientists utilized this program to make results of their investigations known to hundreds of teachers and, through them, thousands of students. Participants in the Workshops and others using archived versions on www.earth2class.org gained new understandings about many areas of geoscience and how scientists identify questions to explore. Middle and high school Earth Science teachers and students benefited from the myriad of online resources.
UR: http://www.earth2class.org
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0815 Informal education
DE: 0830 Teacher training
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2006 Fall Meeting