SPIRAL

 

EDUC 681 TEACHER PREPARATION FOR INTEGRATED SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY II

SYLLABUS

 

Fall 2001

 

Dr. Roberta Eddy                                                                                        Dr. Kent Jackson

Office:  231 Weyandt Hall                                                                           Office: 203 Davis Hall

Phone:  357-4482                                                                                        Phone: 357-2978

 

Prerequisite:  EDUC 681 TEACHER PREPARATION FOR INTEGRATED SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY I

 

Course Goal: 

The goal of this course is to provide elementary through secondary teachers and administrators with advanced training in interdisciplinary content and technology and to provide SPIRAL (Science/Mathematics/Technology Preparation Involving Real-world Active Learning) activities that integrate innovative technologies with proven inquiry and collaborative-based teaching strategies to strengthen science and mathematics instruction across gender, ethnic, age, and ability groups.

 

Objectives and Professional Development Activities:

The overall objectives of this course are to:

1.      Provide advanced instructional strategies that emphasize the SPIRAL nature of learning and that enhance collaboration and cooperation among students, develop investigative skills, and create low-risk learning environments.

2.      Significantly increase the participants' content knowledge in all SPIRAL disciplines.

3.      Provide participants with SPIRALed, hands-on classroom, laboratory, and field activities which integrate science, mathematics, and technology and promote student-centered learning.

4.      Equip educators and their students with tools, training, and technical support needed to carry out selected SPIRAL activities in their school settings.

5.      Provide project participants with information regarding inclusion of special needs students and student learning styles.

6.      Further develop a network of administrators, inservice teachers (public, private, home, and vocational), and professional models and mentors from the IUP Teacher Education Center.

7.      Provide professional development, both content and pedagogical, to the broad spectrum of novice teachers through expert teachers, which will give valuable experience needed for them to return to their home schools (and future home schools) and encourage the use of SPIRAL activities among their peers.

 

Learning Outcomes for Teachers:

Participants will be able to:

1.      Use models of teaching that emphasize the inquiry approach and cooperative learning.

2.      Significantly increase their content knowledge in all SPIRAL disciplines.

3.      Compile a portfolio (electronic or hardcopy) that includes cross-disciplinary, SPIRAL activities for use in K-12 science and mathematics classrooms, laboratories, and field sites.

4.      Demonstrate how inquiry-based instruction and collaboration contribute to creating a low-risk, student-centered learning environment.

5.      Use technology in their home schools to enhance the teaching-learning process.

6.      Demonstrate awareness of special needs students and diverse learning styles in the teaching/learning of science and mathematics.

7.      Continue to develop a network of professional scientists and mathematicians for the purpose of exploring real life problems and providing role models and mentors for themselves and their students.

 

Content (Concepts, Skills and Teaching Strategies to be Learned):

Concepts:

 

Skills:

·        Construct an efficient “tool” out of household products to measure relative humidity.

·        Experimentally determine relative humidity using a sling psychrometer.

·        Experimentally determine relative humidity using the CBL2/TI83 Plus System.

·        Use the CBL2/TI83 Plus System and temperature probe to collect temperature versus time data.

·        Sketch a graph of the cooling of the cooling of a certain substance over time.

·        Determine the equation of best fit of a set of data using the TI83 Plus graphing calculator.

·        Classify a given heat transfer as conduction, convection, or radiation.

·        Experimentally determine Absolute Zero on the Celsius scale.

·        Use a biology gas sensor probe to determine the effect of temperature on fermentation.

·        Use the tilt and the rotational position of the earth to predict the temperature of the earth.

·        Use the CBL to measure pressure and volume under varying temperatures.

·        Analyze data using linear and power regression.

 

Teaching Strategies:

The teachers and administrators will learn instructional strategies that:

1.      emphasize the SPIRAL nature of learning.

2.      promote hands-on learning.

3.      enhance collaboration and cooperation among students.

4.      develop investigative skills in students.

5.      stimulate creative thinking.

6.      create low-risk learning environments.

 

Books and Materials to be Used:

Books:

1.      Graphing Calculator Activity Book

2.      Physical Science with CBL Activity Book

3.      Biology with CBL Activity Book

4.      Chemistry with CBL Activity Book

5.      Physics with CBL Activity Book

6.      Real World Math with CBL Activity Book

 

Materials:

1.      TI-83 Plus graphing calculators plus viewscreens

2.      CBL kits and probes (temperature, pressure, relative humidity, biology gas pressure sensor)

3.      Software—GraphLink

4.      Blotter paper

5.      Scissors

6.      White glue

7.      10% Cobalt chloride solution

8.      Hair dryer

9.      Sling psychrometer

10.  Absolute Zero Apparatus

11.  5% Glucose solution

12.  Yeast suspension

 

Methods of Instruction:

1.      Hands-on, inquiry-based classroom and laboratory activities

2.      Collaborative, team problem solving

3.      Seminars

4.      Team discussions

5.      Team presentations

6.      Collaborative dissemination activities

Evaluation Methods:

1.      Pre/post-test

2.      Portfolio Assessment

3.      Team Presentation Assessment

4.      Dissemination Assessment

5.      Classroom Observation(s) by SPIRAL staff

 

Criteria and Relevant Performance Indicators:

Pre-/Post-Test Criteria:

A majority of participants will significantly increase their content knowledge in all SPIRAL disciplines.

Pre-/Post Test Performance Indicators:

The scores on the pre-/post-test for content knowledge will be significantly different for a majority of participants.

 

Portfolio Criteria:

Portfolios will contain the following components:

1.      A Table of Contents.

2.      An Introduction describing the contents and why you chose each.

3.      One or more Lesson Plans – you might want to include a lesson from a previous year and one from this year to show how your planning may have changed as a result of participating in SPIRAL.

4.      Student Products.  These may include completed tests, projects, essays, or lab work.  Please remove any identifying information.  Again, you might want to include samples from previous years to show how student products have changed or improved.  You might also include a contrast of overall student test scores from previous years and this year to show the impact of SPIRAL on your students’ learning.

5.      Pictures of Students using equipment, working in groups, or while on field trips.

6.      Student Feedback of any kind.  This might include unsolicited notes or planned surveys.

7.      Brief Reflections on each Lesson/Activity you Include – what was the best about that experience or assignment; how might you change it for next year?

8.      A Record of your Professional “Log” – your contacts (e-mail, SPIRAL listserv, telephone calls, face-to-face discussions, etc.) with colleagues at IUP and at the elementary and secondary levels. 

9.      A Record of your Dissemination Activity.  Include a record of each dissemination activity by completing a    “Summary Sheet for Professional Development Activity” and a “Professional Development Activity Evaluation Form”.

10.  A Final Reflection on your SPIRAL Experience.  What were the best elements?  What would you change?  Was the residential experience good?  Would a commuter experience have been better?  Was the time allotted for the initial summer institute sufficient?  Was the week chosen at a good time?  What weeks during the summer would you suggest?  Do you wish the program could continue or have been spread out over two years?  Did you need more training in publishing on the WWW?  How about your role in the professional development of others?  Did you need more leadership training activities, mentorship, or support?

 

Portfolio Performance Indicators:

 

Rarely

 

1

 

 

2

Sometimes

 

3

 

 

4

Almost

Always

5

1.      Are suggested components included?

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.      Does the introduction reflect pedagogical growth consistent with SPIRAL objectives?

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.      Do lesson plans show pedagogical growth consistent with SPIRAL objectives?

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.      Do student products reflect increases in achievement consistent with SPIRAL objectives?  (i.e., test scores improved, quality of written work improved, students engaged in critical thinking, students working with technology)

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.      Do pictures document students using equipment, working in groups, on field trips?

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.      Is student feedback included that indicates SPIRAL objectives were being met?

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.      Do reflections indicate participants grew pedagogically consistent with SPIRAL objectives?

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.      Does professional log reflect consistent interaction with colleagues?

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.      Does the portfolio contain documentation for at least one dissemination activity?