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DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES
DIVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION (DUE)

TEACHER PREPARATION AWARDS
NSF COLLABORATIVES FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHER PREPARATION
AWARDS
FISCAL YEAR 1998

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PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS: FISCAL YEAR 1998

NSF COLLABORATIVES FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHER PREPARATION (CETP)

Full Collaboratives for FY 98

Puerto Rico Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (PR-CEPT)

Josefina A. Arce de Sanabia DUE-9753543
University of Puerto Rico $5,000,000
San Juan, PR 00931
j_arce@upr1.upr.clu.edu

The Puerto Rico Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (PR-CETP) includes science, mathematics, and education faculty from the six main institutions that prepare over 80% of K-12 science and mathematics teachers in Puerto Rico -- the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, Mayaguez, and Cayey campuses, the Inter-American University System, Ana G. Mendez University College of the East, and Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico -- in partnership with the Resource Center for Science and Engineering, the Puerto Rico Department of Education and exemplary K-12 schools, the Arecibo Observatory and local industry. The goal of the PR-CETP is to enhance the conceptual understanding of the disciplines to be taught by future teachers as well as their mastery of content specific teaching methodology, in alignment with local and national standards. The PR-CETP articulates with the K-12 systemic reform of the Puerto Rico Statewide Systemic Initiative (PRSSI) and the undergraduate reform of science and mathematics education through the Alliance for Minority Participation project. Key courses in content and teaching methods are being redesigned following a constructivist approach and incorporating authentic assessment methods and the use of educational technology. Practicum and field experiences in PRSSI and other exemplary schools will be established. A capstone course for students to engage in school-based curricular materials development is being created as well as a course in the principles and methods of scientific research to promote preservice students' participation in research experiences in EPSCoR laboratories. A degree in natural sciences for elementary and intermediate teachers is being pioneered at one of the institutions. A Collaborative Action-Research Program promotes joint efforts between faculty of science, mathematics and education, teachers and students. Student Academic Support activities recruit students to pursue studies in areas of shortage of certified teachers, support students with academic difficulties, and provide induction activities to graduates with exemplary teachers as mentors. Academic administrators are developing institutional policies to recognize and value faculty efforts in the continuous reform of teacher preparation programs and to institutionalize the collaborative reform. The PR-CETP is expected to impact over 5,000 future teachers.
 
 

Florida Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (FCETP)

Lynette P. Padmore DUE-9753546
Penny Gilmer, Michael Hynes, Gustavo Roig $2,499,848
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL 32307
lpadmore@famu.edu

The Florida Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (FCETP) project is building a state-wide model of interdisciplinary and institutional cooperation for improving the preparation of future middle and high school science and mathematics teachers. The collaborative, centered at Florida A&M University, includes Florida State University, the University of Florida, University of North Florida, the University of West Florida, the University of Central Florida, Florida International University, Bethune-Cookman College, Tallahassee Community College, Miami-Dade Community College, and Florida Community College at Jacksonville in addition to area school districts and educational organizations that support the preparation of mathematics and science teachers.

Program goals are to: 1) increase significantly the number of high-achieving high school graduates who enroll in and receive baccalaureate degrees from science, or mathematics teacher education programs; 2) establish an effective community of SMET faculty from participating institutions, and work towards increasing the frequency and effectiveness of communication among these faculty and participating teachers and students; 3) develop a core of mathematics and science courses for pre-service teachers that are inquiry-based and taught in cooperative learning environments; and 4) create a model of teacher training that also incorporates summer mentoring of FCETP students and early sustained classroom experiences.

Texas Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation

Mauro E. Castro DUE-9753542
Texas Engineering Experimental Station $470,000
College Station, TX 77843-3406
kfmec00@tamuk.edu

The Texas Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (TCETP) is a ten university partnership committed to joint development and common implementation of comprehensive improvements in the preparation of K-12 teachers in mathematics, science, and technology. Fifteen Collaborative Faculty from the departments of mathematics, science, and education at eight universities in The Texas A&M University System and from Texas Woman's University and Angelo State University are leading this effort. This partnership prepares over 25% of Texas K-12 teachers and 25% of the mathematics and science teachers certified annually in Texas, typically over 3,700 Texas teachers certified each year. Through its partnership with the NSF Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative (TSSI), 47 of Texas' Presidential Awardees for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, and major industries committed to preservice and novice teacher internships, the project is positioned to implement common systemic improvements and disseminate them in Texas and nationally. The five project goals of the Collaborative Faculty are Core Course and Curriculum Redesign, Recruitment to Teaching, University Faculty Professional Development and Instructional Modeling, Industry Internships for Preservice and Novice Teachers, and Partnership with the Texas SSI and Texas Presidential Awardees.

Network Training for Educators

Catherine P. Cotton DUE-9752060
Jones County Junior College $350,742
Ellisville, MS 38437 Interdisciplinary
ccotten@jcjc.cc.ms.us

This project creates a statewide infrastructure that provides education and training in network technology for 2-year college and secondary computer technology faculty that, in turn, enables the implementation of a computer network management curriculum for two-year technical students, a related curriculum for secondary students, and enables the utilization of computer networks as an instructional tool. Prospective teachers are being prepared to introduce, teach, and maintain information technology systems in the K-12 schools.

Validation & Implementation of a Coordinated Precision Agricultural Curriculum with
K-12, Community Colleges, Universities and Industry

Terry A. Brase DUE-9752081
Hawkeye Community College $700,000
Waterloo, IA 50704 Interdisciplinary
agfdtech@forbin.com

Hawkeye Community College along with Kirkwood Community College and Lansing Community College is currently validating and implementing a coordinated precision agriculture curriculum which incorporates modules and courses in precision farming, environmental science, and geographic information systems with a core of applied mathematics and science courses. Preservice teachers and current teachers are offered workshops in precision agriculture technology and conferences to coordinate discussion on articulation between educational levels.
 
 

Integrating Pedagogical and Curriculum Theory with Teaching Practice Throughout all Mathematics and Science Courses in the College of Arts & Sciences and Evaluating and Disseminating the Results

Ed Dubinsky DUE-9752185
Georgia State University $100,000
Atlanta, GA 30303-3044 Mathematics
edd@cs.gsu.edu

Georgia State University (GSU) is beginning to design, implement, and report on the results of systemic change in pedagogy in collegiate-level mathematics, statistics, computer science, and physical sciences courses, especially those for preservice teachers, in keeping with the recommendations of the Mathematical Association of America and the American Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges. One goal of the project is to change the basic modus operandi of how courses are taught. The initial focus is on the first two years of college mathematics, statistics, and computer science with plans to extend the efforts into the physical sciences. In the first phase of the project, faculty in Mathematics and Computer Science are collaborating with faculty from the GSU College of Education to coordinate pedagogy taught in education courses with that experienced in content courses. The second phase of the project includes the participation of faculty from Chemistry and Geology departments. The project includes support for representative faculty from other schools to plan programs for their institutions. Products include: an ethnographic study of the entire program; a model for colleges interested in such systemic change; and guidelines/practical suggestions on ways in which mathematics and science departments can spur joint effort among faculty to ensure that innovative curriculum development and pedagogical change has a sustained impact.

Engineering and Technology Literacy for High School Science and Math Teachers

M. Sami Fadali DUE-9752186
University of Nevada - Reno $150,000
Reno, NV 89557 Interdisciplinary
fadali@ee.unr.edu

This project is providing preparation for science and mathematics teachers to address the need to encourage more students to pursue engineering careers. The project is developing a capstone course that introduces fourth year preservice teachers in mathematics and science education to engineering problem solving through specific practical applications. The course focuses on the practice of engineering rather than theory. In addition, the business aspects of engineering, a prerequisite for a successful engineering career, are introduced. The course includes projects to be completed by teams of students and features guest lecturers. A business plan or cost analysis will be completed for each project undertaken by the students. The course includes activities performed by practicing engineers and the related ethical, social and environmental issues within the rubric of Science, Technology and Society (STS) and emphasizes science literacy and inquiry learning as suggested by the National Science Education Standards.

The Rio Grande River Project: An Interdisciplinary Math/Science Curriculum for College Freshmen and Sophomores

Pamela Vaughan DUE-9752192
Laredo Community College $110,000
Laredo, TX 78040 Interdisciplinary
pamvaugh@icsi.net

Laredo Community College is developing a two-course undergraduate interdisciplinary program of studies focusing on a major natural resource at risk, the Rio Grande River. The program integrates biology, algebra, trigonometry and the physical sciences using problem-posing, discovery learning, river monitoring and exploration, teleconferencing, microcomputers, and culminates with a student-led mini- science symposium. This interdisciplinary approach provides a model for those students intending to pursue K-12 science teaching as a career. The project is developing approaches effective with students for whom English is a second language. The major objectives of the project are to: 1) help faculty design interdisciplinary math/science courses; 2) design a two-course sequence which will provide the required foundations in four areas of college mathematics and science; 3) maintain a high level of academic achievement for participating students; 4) increase career knowledge in mathematics, science and math/science education, especially for female and Hispanic students; and 5) expedite institutionalization of the courses.
 
 

Guided Inquiry Physical Chemistry Laboratory

Mary Jane Shultz DUE-9752195
Tufts University $220,000
Medford, MA 02155 Interdisciplinary
mshultz1@emerald.tufts.edu

In recent years, extensive efforts have been expended to develop open-ended, inquiry-based, laboratory exercises for introductory, college-level chemistry courses to develop the student's conceptual, molecular-level picture of chemical interactions. This project is restructuring physical chemistry laboratory courses by creating a set of real-world, inquiry-based experiments that reflect current practice. Cutting-edge materials are examined with spectroscopic techniques such as adsorption, luminescence, FTIR, photocorrosion, and chemical derivatization. The courses are completed with groups of experiments highlighting biochemical experiments to appeal to those with medical interests, environmental experiments for the environmental studies constituent, and electrochemistry to appeal to engineers. Dissemination of the project includes workshops and follow-up visits to participants' institutions by project faculty.

Interactive Fractals and Chaos Unit for Undergraduate Science Education

Larry S. Liebovitch DUE-9752226
Florida Atlantic University $99,925
Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991 Interdisciplinary
liebovitch@walt.ccs.fau.edu

An integrated mathematics and science course and accompanying pilot technological enhancements use fractals and chaos to build a conceptual understanding of scientific principles in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology for undergraduate students training to be pre-college teachers. This project builds on the previous NSF-funded K-12 project, Mathematics and Science Teacher Enhancement through Chaos and Fractals. Technological enhancements consist of: 1) interactive exercises based on spreadsheets; 2) Java applets; and 3) hypertext curricula and evaluation material. Content areas include: 1) SYMMETRY: the mathematical properties of translational, rotational, and self-similarity symmetries are used to provide a basis for understanding the concept of invariants; 2) PATTERN FORMATION PROCESSES: the mechanisms of processes that generate tree structures are used to understand the vascular and pulmonary branching patterns in biological systems; and the spatial patterns generated by diffusion in chemical systems and their resultant time dependencies; and 3) PREDICTABILITY: the mathematical properties of nonlinear, chaotic systems, such as sensitivity to initial conditions, bifurcations, and attractors in phase space are used to develop the concepts of stability and instability in physical systems such as fluid flow, in chemical systems such as biochemical reactions, and in biological systems such as predatory-prey relationships.

Integration of Collaborative Case-Based Learning into Undergraduate Biology Curricula via Molecular Computer Simulations and Nationwide Internet Conferencing

Mark S. Bergland DUE-9752268
University of Wisconsin - River Falls $299,912
River Falls, WI 54022-5013 Life Sciences
mark.s.bergland@uwrf.edu

This project addresses the need to engage introductory biology students in critical thinking and problem-solving by making topics in molecular biology more interesting and relevant to all students. Open-ended software simulations integrated with Internet conferencing are facilitating collaborative case-based learning among teams of students at a variety of educational institutions across the nation and the world. Simulation modules share a user-friendly interface and generate realistic output in a format understandable to introductory biology students. The modules work with any DNA, RNA, or protein sequence and also give students the option of using simulated laboratory equipment to generate data. Students analyze pre-designed cases or else develop their own cases using molecular sequences obtained via the Internet. Preservice K-12 science teachers involved in case development and evaluation are gaining experience with research methodology applicable to their own classrooms. Educators can download modules, cases, and resource manuals at no cost from an Internet site at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Project results are being widely disseminated at local, regional, and national professional meetings, and also are published annually on the BioQUEST Library CD-ROM.

Integrating Mathematics and the Sciences in Teacher Education Programs

Harry L. Shipman DUE-9752285
University of Delaware $200,000
Newark, DE 19716 Interdisciplinary
harrys@udel.edu

A team of mathematicians, science educators, and scientists from three institutions (a research university, a technical/community college, and a historically black university) is reforming teacher preparation courses, making them student-centered, inquiry based, and aligned with the national K-12 science standards. Courses include projects, in which students design and conduct their own investigations over a period of weeks. One pair of physical science and biology courses is being thoroughly integrated in content and pedagogy, with instructors in one course teaching in the other, and with joint staff meetings. A summer retreat and some cross-disciplinary teaching facilitate the integration of mathematics and science at all three campuses. Research on the successful treatment of the nature of science in one course supports curriculum development in other courses.

Rich Problem Solving Contexts: Integrating Mathematics and Reading Curricula for Preservice Elementary Teachers

Kay Reinke DUE-9752288
Oklahoma State University $150,224
Stillwater, OK 74078 Mathematics
kreinke@okway.okstate.edu

This project focuses on the following primary objectives: 1) coordinating curriculum offerings in three interrelated courses for preservice elementary teachers (mathematical content, mathematics methods, and reading methods); 2) creating and field testing new curricular materials for use in the targeted courses;
3) evaluating the completeness and appropriateness of the courses and materials developed; and 4) disseminating the curriculum materials to teacher education faculty locally, regionally, and nationally. The project is collaborating with the Oklahoma Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (O-TEC) to ensure that the development work in this project is fully aligned with the goals and needs of O-TEC. A series of "rich problem solving contexts" comprised of an inter-related set of mathematical ideas and educational activities designed to build a full context for meaningful learning are being developed and field tested under the guidance of an outside evaluator. The project is providing valuable data with important implications for the design of reading and mathematics curricula for preservice teachers. The resulting curricular materials are being disseminated through a variety of media including paper presentations, journal articles, and a professional development conference which serves as a vehicle for establishing a network for the exchange of information among teacher education faculty locally, regionally, and nationally.

Energizing Physics Teachers for the Twenty-First Century

Ralph H. Zee DUE-9752342
Auburn University $200,000
Auburn, AL 36849 Physics
rzee@eng.auburn.edu

The College of Education and the College of Engineering at Auburn University (AU) are developing a comprehensive four part program to enhance physical science education at the K-12 level. The effort is based on a new course entitled Engineering Physics for Teachers which prepares teachers to meet national science standards via problem solving using dimensional analysis, appropriate graphing, logical reasoning and teamwork. The course theme of energy is taken from the 1995 Alabama Course of Study: Science developed by the State of Alabama Department of Education. Problems, demonstrations, and projects use energy-related technologies to which the general public can relate. The four efforts of this project are to: 1) refine and improve the existing course; 2) expand the target audience to future and practicing teachers in Birmingham using real time video link with the University of Alabama at Birmingham; 3) develop accompanying resource materials in the form of printed matter and CD-ROM; and 4) incorporate and integrate resources developed in the course into the Science in Motion van program, a successful state-wide K-12 outreach effort. The project aims to provide teachers with information on state-of-the-art technologies so they can: 1) describe 21st century science in their classrooms, with special emphasis on energy usages in homes and automobiles; 2) integrate physics, mathematics and engineering with methods of teaching; enhance interest in science through projects that involve energy and engineering concepts; and 3) provide teachers with a systematic approach to quantitative problem solving.

Using Technology to Transform Instruction and Improve Learning in Introductory Psychology

Ruth H. Maki DUE-9752349
Texas Tech University $349,065
Lubbock, TX 79409-1035 Social Sciences
rumaki@ttu.edu

An Introduction to Psychology course, the focus of this project, emphasizes active learning using computer-based laboratories and collaborative groups. The world-wide web is used to deploy course materials, laboratory experiences, information retrieval and evaluation exercises, and practice quizzes "any time, anywhere." Evaluations of student satisfaction and learning showed that students appreciated the flexibility of the on-line format, and that they learned as much as students taught in the traditional lecture-test format.

This project is improving the quality of the collaborative group interactions in the course, increasing the amount of student learning through increased opportunities for active learning enabled by technology, identifying those students for whom an on-line course is most appropriate, conducting a thorough evaluation of the on-line course format to determine how it can be used to improve both immediate and long-term learning of content, and disseminating the findings so that the course may serve as a national model for the social and behavioral sciences. Four more Web based courses are now being developed in the College of Education to allow elementary education majors to take initial courses in mathematics and science teaching in this format. It is hypothesized that this will further sensitize future teachers to the importance of using a variety of teaching approaches and determining what is working and not working with their students. The project is assessing learning styles and personality traits in order to determine the characteristics of those students who benefit most from the on-line course format.

Virtual Science Environment for an Oceanography Course

William A. Prothero DUE-9752367
University of California at Santa Barbara $100,048
Santa Barbara, CA 93106 Geosciences
prothero@magic.ucsb.edu

This project addresses science literacy and knowledge transfer from research to the classroom. Students are participating in the work of science by collecting real Earth data, making authentic observations on the sea-floor, and analyzing and interpreting obtained results. Interactive, multimedia modules for a general education class and also for preservice teacher to use in their classrooms are being developed. The emphasis is on teaching students both content and the process of doing science. Many of the investigations are automatically graded and posted to the students' records, thereby allowing instructors to help students achieve higher cognitive levels of understanding. The project develops a "Virtual Science Workshop", and "Virtual Reality Field Trip to the Mid-Ocean Ridges", both of which build on, and integrate with, the recently developed "Our Dynamic Planet" CD-ROM, created by the PI, with support from NSF. The interactive "Virtual Science Workshop", modeled after a real science workshop, addresses the issues of providing students with background information in an engaging way, modeling how scientists argue from evidence, and helping students to pose their own experimental problem. The "Virtual Reality Field Trip" to the mid-ocean ridges uses the latest research data from ongoing ridge and vent studies to create a dynamic field laboratory where students can explore, gather data, and analyze their findings.

A New General-Education Biology Course: An Integrated Approach

Donald P. French DUE-9752402
Oklahoma State University $200,000
Stillwater, OK 74078 Life Sciences
dfrench@okway.okstate.edu

This introductory biology course is designed to serve both majors and non-majors, with particular attention to those students preparing to be teachers. Students are introduced to concepts in context through seven to fifteen scenarios based on popular issues or current research conducted at Oklahoma State University. In lecture, students work collaboratively, making observations, formulating hypotheses, answering questions, and solving problems stemming from the scenarios. An extensive set of multimedia materials and demonstrations present and define the scenarios for the students. Newly developed laboratories help students solve or explain the scenarios presented in lecture. Students conduct pre-laboratory activities in a Learning Resources Center and on the WWW allowing the full use of laboratory time for designing and conducting experiments. Computers are used to collect and analyze data and produce team reports in each laboratory. Approximately 900 students will be affected each year, including 150-200 lower division K-12 education majors and a dozen upper-division science-education majors acting as group facilitators. The impact of the course is being examined via the use of test scores, attitude surveys, direct observation of students, and interviews with students and faculty.

Peer Learning Resource Materials for Introductory Geoscience Courses

Dorothy J. Merritts DUE-9752410
Franklin and Marshall College $98,588
Lancaster, PA 17604-3003 Geosciences
d_merritts@acad.fandm.edu

The goal of this proposal is to publish a guidebook and video for teachers who wish to implement innovative teaching methods to make science learning an active process in introductory geoscience, Earth systems, and geology courses. The teacher's guide and video is based on the method of peer learning developed for introductory physics by Dr. Eric Mazur at Harvard University. In essence, the teacher presents a small amount of information, then poses a challenging conceptual question for the students to answer. Students try to convince their peers that their own answers are correct, hence the phrase "peer learning". In the process, students construct explanations and communicate their ideas to others, making the classroom science experience an active one, yet providing a sense of routine and structure that is meaningful and fun for students. Teachers draw upon the extensive collection of class-tested, ready-to-use peer learning materials compiled in the teacher's guide. The video, produced with AudioVisual Instructional Services at Franklin and Marshall College, consists of visual examples of how this peer learning approach can be implemented.

On-Line Weather Studies: Introduction to the Atmosphere Through the Use of Internet-Delivered Meteorological Information

Ira W. Geer DUE-9752416
American Meteorological Society $125,000
Boston, MA 02108-3631 Geosciencess
geer@dc.ametsoc.org

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) is developing for national implementation a one-semester, introductory college-level, on-line distance-learning course on the fundamentals of atmospheric science in which students study weather as it happens. The project is preparing learning materials for teacher preparation students that demonstrate good pedagogy and innovative ways of presenting content. This course addresses the need for innovative and cost-effective science education opportunities for an increasingly diverse and non-traditional student population. It is providing pre-service teachers with both an understanding of meteorological principles as well as numerous useful classroom investigations. The course contains learning activities with components written to current meteorological data and delivered via the Internet. Use of simulation modules and a weather forecasting module, developed at Iowa State University is an integral component of this initiative. The experience of real-time study enables students to negotiate scientific understanding of the atmosphere and its processes while actually tracking the ways the atmospheric system behaves.

An Innovative Mathematics, Science, and Technology Program for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers

Stephen T. Thornton DUE-9752432
University of Virginia Main Campus $150,000
Charlottesville, VA 22906-9003 Interdisciplinary
stt@virginia.edu

A model, innovative program to restructure the elementary preservice teacher preparation program at the University of Virginia involves over twenty Education, Arts & Sciences, and Engineering faculty. Six new mathematics and science content courses stressing hands-on activities are being developed, and three other courses are being restructured to be more aligned with National Mathematics and Science Education standards. Following completion of the six new mathematics and science courses, preservice students take a capstone research/design course: a two semester course of integrated mathematics, science, and technology (including engineering). The first semester course integrates mathematics and science with an emphasis on data analysis and presentation. Students complete several mini-projects to acclimate them to research problem solving, and prospective faculty mentors present possible student projects for the second semester. During the second semester each group of students completes a research project under the direction of a faculty mentor. Instructional technology is emphasized in all phases of the project.

Linking Undergraduate Geoscience Research Programs and Teacher Education Programs

M. Frank W. Ireton DUE-9752489
American Geophysical Union $149,998
Washington, DC 20009-1231 Geosciences
fireton@kosmos.agu.org

The American Geophysical Union, is bringing together geoscience and education faculty, and appropriate administrators, from four higher education institutions (University of Arizona, University of Oklahoma, University of Washington, and Montana State University) for the purposes of finding and developing a viable undergraduate curriculum that will lead to teacher certification for geoscience students. These four institutions, and the programs they develop and implement, will serve as models for other institutions. This initiative will present ways in which a four-year, science- based major can effectively integrate a professional education component. This initiative, an accompanying report, and special teacher preparation session(s), held at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, provide an important implementation model for other institutions working to develop similar programs.

The Effective Use of Web-Based Scientific Resources in Teaching & Teacher Training: A Collaborative Pilot Program Using Real Data Sets to Explore Oceanography & Global Environmental Change

Anthony H. Knap DUE-9752494
Bermuda Biological Station for Research $207,253
Ferry Reach, GE 01, BD Life Sciences
knap@bbsr.edu

The availability of real scientific data via the World Wide Web (WWW) affords a unique opportunity for educators to teach science in authentic and engaging ways. This project is exploring ways in which educators can most effectively use the scientific resources available via the World Wide Web in their curriculum development and teaching. The project is linking scientists and data at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research (BBSR) with prospective science teachers in the College of Education at Florida International University. This link is mediated via an existing virtual campus operated by the College of Exploration. The content emphasizes global environmental change as it relates to the oceanographic data in BBSR's Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study. The objective is to help prospective teachers gain the skills needed to design additional web-based curricula for use in grades 6 to 12 classrooms. Curricula developed during this course are shared with teachers everywhere through a web database. The project is also documenting the most effective design process for creating a web-enabled learning environment by identifying the components, pedagogies, personnel, and technologies needed to make the distance-learning environment effective.

A Modular, Integrated, College Science Course for Pre-Service Elementary Teachers and Other Non-Technical Majors

Gerry G. Meisels DUE-9752498
University of South Florida, $160,000
Tampa, FL 336209951 Interdisciplinary
gmeisels@acad.usf.edu

This project develops a broad-based, interdisciplinary approach for future elementary school teachers leading to a positive attitude toward science. Twenty teaching modules are being developed that cover major science concepts and inquiry skills outlined in national and states standards. Each module is designed for two weeks of class time. While the approach is specifically designed for preservice teachers, it also meets well the needs of all non-SMET majors. The modules also provide an excellent format for inservice development.

Mathematical Modules in Biology and Chemistry

Sean F. Ellermeyer DUE-9752555
Kennesaw State College $49,952
Kennesaw, GA 301445591 Mathematics
sellerme@ksumail.kennesaw.edu

The central role that mathematics plays in the advancement of all branches of science has created the demand for biologists and chemists who are quantitatively literate, mathematicians who can work with scientists in collaborative problem solving efforts, and educators who have a broad perspective on the interplay between mathematics and the sciences. This project is developing a library of modules through which students majoring in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and mathematics education gain substantial practical experience in the application of mathematical methods to biology and chemistry. Each module is being developed through a collaborative effort by mathematics and science faculty and addresses individual applications at four levels: precalculus, differential calculus, integral calculus, and differential equations. Through use of the modules in mathematics courses and science laboratory courses, science and mathematics students learn to work together as a problem solving team and to accurately express the results of their mathematical and scientific investigations in writing.

Environmental Literacy for All Students: Development of Environmental Science Courses in a New Core Curriculum

Denise A. Battles DUE-9752602
Georgia Southern University $150,000
Statesboro, GA 30460-8033 Interdisciplinary
dbattles@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu

This project is developing environmental courses in four science disciplines: biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. These courses constitute a particular area of Georgia Southern University’s new core curriculum that will be required of all students, including science majors, non-science majors, and future K-12 teachers. The new courses utilize environmental issues to introduce and discuss relevant scientific concepts, providing in-context instruction on a "need-to-know" basis. The project has three distinctive features: 1) an approach that will expand students' awareness of local, regional, and global environmental problems; 2) a focus on hands-on laboratory activities based on these issues; and 3) involvement of advanced science and science education majors in the laboratories as faculty-mentored interns in the Undergraduate Teaching Internship Program (UTIP). Expected project outcomes are: 1) graduates who possess the knowledge to engage in environmentally-aware behavior and informed citizenship; 2) improved scientific and environmental knowledge of future K-12 teachers; and 3) appreciation by students of the connections between science and real-world problems; and teaching experiences for UTIP participants.

Project C-CUESST: A College Curriculum for Elementary School Science Teachers

Lynn M. Tashiro DUE-9752616
California State University - Sacramento $244,374
Sacramento, CA 95819-2605 Physics
tashirol@csus.edu

The goal of this project is to design and implement an inquiry based undergraduate physics course for preservice K-8 teachers which integrates scientific content knowledge with research based knowledge about teaching and learning science. Research evidence has been building to support inquiry-based lessons, student centered pedagogy such as cooperative learning and peer teaching, and computer based laboratory instruction as effective strategies to improve student learning. This project is implementing and evaluating these strategies in Concepts in Physics, an introductory course for future K-8 teachers designed by a team consisting of physics and education faculty and a teacher from the local school district. The course is integrated with the science methods course. Of special concern are strategies to address ethnically diverse student populations.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching Mathematics and Composition Through a Course Cluster

Joseph Kirtland DUE-9752632
Marist College $125,221
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-1328 Interdisciplinary
joe.kirtland@marist.edu

This project is designed to strengthen mathematical and writing skills among first-year college students who do not plan to major in a field with specific mathematical requirements. In this integrated teaching approach, students are enrolled simultaneously in an introductory level mathematics and a writing class. The mathematics class provides students with the skills necessary (basic number theory, vectors, functions, permutations, and some basic group theory) to understand and create check digit schemes. In addition to exploring the topic of check digit schemes in depth, students also investigate the uses of mathematics in other academic disciplines. Applications to cryptography, finance, art, and science are explicitly explored. In the writing course, the students are guided in the writing process and compose six formal essays, based on content from the mathematics class. Students learn the value of writing to research and to express an understanding of a mathematical topic. Electronic resources are also being developed to support this approach. The course enrolls a number of teacher education freshmen in the cluster each year, and uses education students who have completed the cluster as mentors or undergraduate teaching assistants.

Learning to Teach While Learning to Learn

Douglas N. Yarger DUE-9752635
Iowa State University $232,500
Ames, IA 50011 Interdisciplinary
doug@iastate.edu

The purpose of this project is to develop and test a model for revitalizing introductory geoscience courses. The approach is two-pronged: 1) to use appropriate computer-based technology to engage students in constructivist, inquiry-based activities in large introductory science courses, and 2) to help enrolled pre-service teachers critically analyze the teaching and learning strategies used in these courses. The goals for this project are to restructure and revitalize two introductory science courses and to develop companion science methods courses to be taken concurrently by preservice teachers. Java simulations provide natural learning environments for students and allow instructors and students to analyze student efforts and thought processes. These methods are being tested in similar science courses at the University of Northern Iowa. This project is: 1) producing a collaborative model to improve learning in large introductory science classes by restructuring the classes to integrate constructivist, inquiry-based activities; 2) enhancing preservice teacher science education by encouraging student teachers to focus on their own metacognition while learning science; 3) providing learner-centered, inquiry-driven simulations and management software which will be widely available on the Internet for use in K-12 and college science courses; 4) modeling exemplary uses of instructional technology for preservice teachers; 5) demonstrating the transferability of the model by revising an introductory course in a second geoscience area; and 6) providing an instructional software design framework for use in the development of future inquiry-based simulations.

C³ Connection, Collection, and Correlation

Frederic K. Pfaender DUE-9752658
American Society for Microbiology $155,054
Washington, DC 20005-4171 Life Sciences
fred-pfaender@unc.edu

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) is developing and disseminating an electronic collection of peer-reviewed teaching and learning resources for biology education specifically centered on the microbial world. The primary purpose of the electronic collection is to establish a national center of microbiological resources for teaching and learning. Entries range from the basic sciences to engineering, environmental sciences, medicine and public health, public policy, and business. The collection has two unique features: 1) all items included in the collection are correlated to key microbial concepts and basic laboratory skills for undergraduate education; and 2) all items are peer-reviewed and selected for scientific accuracy, educational quality and visual presentation. Curriculum development teams connect the national collection of microbial resources to the World Wide Web (WWW) and correlate these resources to key microbial concepts and basic laboratory skills. The development teams identify the resources and link the collection of educational resources to key microbial concepts and basic laboratory skills. The collection contains specific information which would appeal to preservice teachers and can be used by them to introduce microbial concepts into their classes.

MIDDLE MATH: A Project to Improve the Undergraduate Mathematics Preparation of Middle Grades Teachers

Sidney L. Rachlin DUE-9752659
East Carolina University $150,000
Greenville, NC 27858-4353 Mathematics
rachlin@math.ecu.edu

MIDDLE MATH is a project to improve the undergraduate mathematics preparation of middle grades teachers. The project focuses on the development of an algebra/number class, and a precalculus course that forms a bridge from the algebra class to the later calculus sequence. The curriculum development is based on experience and seminal recommendations by the NCTM, MAA, and mathematics education researchers. The model for course development is grounded in a dynamic cycle of research on the materials and their effect on student learning. The project team includes mathematicians and mathematics educators. The project benefits from a strong institutional commitment to improve the quality of teacher preparation, and a research video laboratory that facilitates the study of teaching and learning with new course materials and methods of instruction.

Transforming the Teaching and Learning of General Biology for Non-Majors: A Model for the 21st Century

Gerald E. Button DUE-9752668
Portland Community College $49,870
Portland, OR 97219-7197 Life Sciences
jbutton@pcc.edu

Portland Community College is undertaking a radical transformation of its introductory biology curriculum to better reach and prepare students for advanced science courses, teaching careers, technical training and most importantly to improve science literacy and application of this knowledge in the home, workplace, and the world. This revitalization shifts the college's industrial age model of science education into an information age model which addresses the needs of 21st century learners and workers. The faculty are creating a new learner driven curriculum, modifying existing instructional materials and developing new materials as they transform the current audio-tutorial method of general biology instruction to include small group sessions and an enhanced multimedia platform with multimedia based instructional materials. The project is working closely with the Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers to ensure that students in the course preparing to be teachers will be able to use new technologies in their future teaching careers.

Mathematical Modeling as Teacher Preparation

Frank R. Giordano DUE-9752691
COMAP, Inc $150,909
Lexington, MA 02173. Mathematics
f.giordano@comap.com

This project is developing, field-testing, and publishing a text for a modeling course intended both for majors and for future secondary school teachers of mathematics which mirrors and models courses that future teachers will experience in the high school classroom. The course emphasizes how to mathematize a problem and how to select the mathematics to use. It also makes frequent use of technology, group and inquiry based learning, and alternative assessments.

Hands-on Laboratory Projects for Non-Engineers: Learning Scientific Principles in the Context of Everyday Technology

John J. Krupczak DUE-9752693
Hope College $71,033
Holland, MI 49423 Engineering
krupczak@engin.hope.edu

This project develops, evaluates, and disseminates, hands-on laboratory exercises specifically designed for undergraduates who are not majoring in SMET disciplines. A portion of the project focuses on teacher preparation with a significant number of the target audience being future K-12 teachers. Familiar technological devices such as the automobile, the radio, and the telephone are used to engage the interest of students in learning about technology and science. Exercises explore both the technological and the scientific aspects of these devices and demonstrate how technology incorporates a scientific understanding of nature. All exercises are designed to result in tangible evidence of accomplishment on the part of the student such as construction of a simple working radio. Approximately half of the projects use inexpensive and simple materials so that each student can take home the working device. Other exercises stress a high degree of contact with the workings of technology such as construction of a diode laser light source or construction of a 4-bit binary adder from basic logic circuits. Exercises are optimized for non-engineering and non-science students with little prior technical background. All laboratories are inexpensive, do not require any specialized equipment or facilities, and are capable of being modified to suit different institutional circumstances.

Chemistry ConcepTests Linked to Course Learning Objectives

Carl C. Wamser DUE-9752882
Portland State University $151,455
Portland, OR 97207-0751 Chemistry
wamserc@pdx.edu

Presentation of sophisticated course material to chemistry students has become easier, richer, and broadly available, significantly enhancing or sometimes replacing the traditional lecture mode of information delivery, but comes with the risk of overwhelming students with information. Students need the ability to determine whether they are on track towards meeting the learning objectives that are expected of them. Similarly, faculty need to recognize whether their teaching methods are effectively bringing students to success in the course learning objectives.

Working with the ConcepTests database, which is part of the University of Wisconsin New Traditions Project, this project is producing a collection of web-based questions intended to be useful to students for self-assessment and to faculty for immediate feedback in class. This project is adding to the size and diversity of the ConcepTests database, and extending its usefulness by correlating the questions to specific learning objectives for general chemistry and organic chemistry classes. The ConcepTests are being evaluated in terms of their usefulness in assessing student readiness for different levels of chemistry in general education coursework. The project is collaborating with the Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in Preparation of Teachers in developing support systems for the two mainstream chemistry courses and a seminar on teaching/learning that help students recognize the values and rewards of teaching as a profession.
 
 

Teaching Laboratories in Mathematics and Astronomy

Harold M. Hastings DUE-9850686
Hofstra University $48,506
Hempstead, NY 11550-1030 Interdisciplinary
mathmh@hofstra.edu

Hofstra University is enhancing the science education of non-majors, and especially prospective K-12 teachers, by constructing a dedicated Teaching Laboratory for the Departments of Mathematics and Physics. The laboratory serves 820 students enrolled annually in the courses "Mathematical Excursions" and "Explorations in Mathematics", 625 students enrolled annually in the courses "The Solar System" and "Stars and Galaxies", and an anticipated 120 students enrolled annually in a new course "Models and Algorithms" developed with support from this project. The project involves students actively learning major concepts and methodologies of both mathematics and astronomy: the processes of observation, discovery, description (as rules or algorithms) and verification. The Teaching Laboratory includes 18 networked high-end personal computers (PCs) together with an instructor station, projector and printers serving instructional needs in all of the affected courses and PC-based charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras attached to existing telescopes to facilitate gathering data for later analysis in Astronomy courses. The Teaching Laboratory complements several existing open-access laboratories located throughout Hofstra's campus.

Design and Rapid Prototyping Instrumentation for Technology Teacher Education

James C. Flowers DUE-9850574
Ball State University $30,365
Muncie, IN 47306 Engineering
jcflowers@bsu.edu

The Design and Rapid Prototyping Instrumentation Project for Technology Teacher Education puts high-tech design equipment in the hands of tomorrow's technology teachers. The objective of this project is to give undergraduates in technology education experiences with advanced tools for technological design, an increasing emphasis for secondary school teachers. Students engage in both two- and three-dimensional design experiences using page scanners, design or drafting software, and a laser cutting machine. Students use a three-dimensional laser scanner to input the surface coordinates of existing objects and then manipulate this design data to suit the needs of their project. The output is either an illustration, or files that can be used with an existing numerically controlled milling machine or an existing fused deposition modeling machine to create a prototype.

An Undergraduate Instructional Laboratory for Computer Mapping and Geographic Information Systems

Raymond W. Waxmonsky DUE-9850595
SUNY Research Foundation $36,345
Buffalo, NY 14222-1004 Social Sciences
waxmonrw@buffalostate.edu

An undergraduate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) instructional computer lab is enabling the Department of Geography and Planning, in cooperation with two research/education centers at Buffalo State College (BSC), to expand its course offerings and undergraduate research opportunities and to develop new and innovative K-12 curricula and teacher training tools. The instrumentation: 1) supports the development of new courses in computer mapping for elementary and secondary education majors and a summer workshop to provide similar training to teachers; 2) increases the effectiveness and number of computer mapping and GIS courses offered by the department for its majors and other non-education majors; 3) increases opportunities for undergraduate students to undertake supervised research projects on social and environmental problems; and 4) supports the development of a new course in the application of GIS methodology in the analysis of environmental and conservation issues. The project is coordinated with the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) at SUNY Buffalo and reaches inservice teachers through the New York Geographic Alliance. Project results are being disseminated through a national conference on GIS in K-12 education organized by the NCGIA at SUNY Buffalo, the NCGIA at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Department of Geography and Planning at BSC.

Enhancing Undergraduate Curriculum Reform with an Interdisciplinary Science Computer Laboratory

Paul L. Belanger DUE-9850643
Lake Erie College $35,000
Painesville, OH 44077-3309 Interdisciplinary
pbelange@lakeerie.edu

Lake Erie College is establishing an Interdisciplinary Science Computer Laboratory to significantly facilitate NSF-funded campus-wide undergraduate science reform currently underway. The computer laboratory fills a serious need to provide future K - 12 teachers the opportunity to become more engaged in problem-based learning using current technology. This project incorporates the simulation and modeling ability of new science software into pre-teacher laboratory experiences. Students in biology, chemistry, physical science, mathematics, environmental management, psychology, and equine studies courses benefit from the 18 computers, software, and related "smart classroom" equipment by becoming more actively engaged in the scientific process. The computer facility is to be the focus for teacher preparation in science. Workshops utilizing new programs such as Geographic Information System software are being developed for pre-college students and teachers in the region as well as for students at nearby two-year colleges. The laboratories allow students to provide data to and interact with professionals in local environmental organizations.

Modern Laboratory Courses in Biochemistry and Immunology

Warren V. Johnson DUE-9850654
University of Wisconsin -Madison $58,704
Madison, WI 53706-1490 Life Sciences
johnsonw@uwgb.edu

This project is providing biology majors, including those preparing to be teachers, with sophisticated training in protein purification, enzymology, monoclonal antibody development, cellular activation strategies, and mammalian cell culture techniques. The equipment facilitates major improvements in both Biochemistry and Immunology. The affected courses utilize a research approach. Students design experiments, generate, record, analyze, and disseminate scientific data from their own research. Other undergraduate courses benefiting from these improvements include: microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, nutritional biochemistry, analytical chemistry, environmental chemistry, and instrumental analysis. The equipment also helps to enhance undergraduate research projects and a science camp for talented high school students.

Developing a Modern Genetics Laboratory for Biology Majors

Terry D. Schwaner DUE-9850691
Southern Utah University $28,522
Cedar City, UT 84720-2498 Life Sciences
shwaner@suu.edu

This project is enabling the department to build a strong program in genetics, one that incorporates modern theory and methods. Hands on investigative laboratories are being designed and offered to first and second year biology majors; many of whom are planning to be teachers. Laboratory exercises include computer simulations of Mendelian crosses of peas and Drosophila, sex-linkage and mapping through 3-factor linkage analysis and chi-square tests, cytological preparation and microscopic examination of giant salivary chromosomes. Identification of chromosomal mutations and haploid linkage analysis complete the transmission genetics labs. Students also isolate DNA, transform bacteria with plasmids, use restriction enzymes to construct standard curves, map restriction sites, probe Southern blots, amplify human DNA using the polymerase chain reaction, sequence DNA, align DNA sequences on a computer, and apply allozyme electrophoresis to a problem in population genetics.
 
 

Development of an Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies Geographic Information Analysis (GIA) Program at Montclair State University

William D. Solecki DUE-9850835
Montclair State College $35,469
Montclair, NJ 07043 Interdisciplinary
soleckiw@saturn.montclair.edu

Geographic information analysis (GIA) methods and techniques are being integrated into the undergraduate environmental studies curriculum in the Department of Earth and Environmental Studies at Montclair State University to provide a more active-learning, hands-on approach to interdisciplinary environmental study. The interdisciplinary framework examines phenomena and systems from a holistic perspective including integration of the scientific and societal dimensions of contemporary environmental issues and problems. GIA enables one to display spatial environmental data, such as land use, and geology, and to ask questions about how and why these phenomena interact. The integration of GIA will foster interdisciplinary study in three ways: 1) changing environmental issue and problem identification as a consequence of enhancing overall understanding and conceptualization of environmental issues; 2) strengthening analytical thought by encouraging alternative problem-solving approaches which recognize key interactions between natural systems and societal systems; and 3) focusing on differing perspectives in addressing and evaluating environmental issues that emerge from student/group dynamics. Students enrolled in earth science and biology secondary teaching certificate programs are required to take some of the courses undergoing revision.

Enhancing Environmental Geology Courses through Development of Laboratory Exercises and Field Experiences

Fredrick J. Rich DUE-9850891
Georgia Southern University $13,948
Statesboro, GA 30460-8033 Geosciences
frich@gsaix2.cc.gasou.edu

This project is revising a core curriculum environmental geology course that is required of all students, including science majors, non-science majors, and future K-12 teachers. The course utilizes environmental issues to introduce and discuss relevant scientific concepts, providing in-context instruction with a substantial amount of field experience. Distinctive features include: 1) an approach that makes students aware of local, regional, and global environmental problems which relate to the earth sciences; 2) a focus on hands-on laboratory activities; and 3) involvement of advanced science and science education majors in the laboratories as faculty-mentored interns in the Undergraduate Teaching Internship Program. The laboratory is equipped with three piezometer nests, with each nest consisting of two to three monitoring wells equipped with continuous water-level recorders which will record the hydraulic head in separate shallow aquifers as a function of time. With this system of monitoring wells, students learn how subsurface water levels can vary with time, how multiple "water tables" may exist in the subsurface, and how groundwater moves both vertically and laterally. In addition, students learn fundamental aspects of water quality and chemistry through the sampling and analysis of water from the monitoring wells.
 
 

Development of the Laboratory Component of a Materials Chemistry Course for Nonscience Majors

Roger W. Kugel DUE-9850903
St. Mary's College $38,305
Winona, MN 55987 Chemistry
rkugel@smumn.edu

This project focuses on the development of new experiments for the World of Materials course for nonscience majors that is also mandatory for elementary education majors. The course explores the chemistry of familiar materials from everyday life (paper, fabrics, metals, plastics, glass, leather, etc.) and discusses the life-cycle of each material from its source in the animal, vegetable, or mineral world, through the stages of its processing to finished products, to its demise when it becomes used up or worn out and its ultimate fate in disposal or recycling. The new experiments allow students to observe microscopic and atomic-scale images, to carry out some pertinent chemical transformations, and to measure some important physical properties of these materials. For example, in one experiment the atomic structures of the surfaces of gold and graphite, observed using a scanning tunneling microscope, are correlated with their vastly different densities. These experiments allow students to observe atomic structure, experience real world chemistry, and draw their own conclusions about structure-property relationships in materials helping them to understand and appreciate why different materials behave the way they do.

Integrating Computer-Based Physiology Exercises across the Curriculum

Robin L. Cooper DUE-9850907
University of Kentucky $51,550
Lexington, KY 40506-0057 Life Sciences
rlcoop1@pop.uky.edu

The School of Biological Sciences at the University of Kentucky is renovating its biology curriculum and designing new laboratory exercises for both majors and non-majors that center on the scientific method and science as a process. This project focuses on the development of a series of computer-based physiology laboratory modules using Macintosh-based data acquisition stations, each with probes, transducers and data analysis software. MacLab-based physiology exercises provide important components of the introductory laboratory for life science majors, the required midlevel Animal Physiology course and physiology-based summer research experiences. In addition, students preparing for careers in elementary and middle school education who are enrolled in the non-majors General Biology Laboratory utilize the MacLab system in a basic human physiology exercise. These laboratory exercises familiarize students with the use of computers in biological investigations, and provide opportunities for real time data collection and analysis, hypothesis testing, report writing and participation in active group discussions.

Scanning Probe Microscopy and the Science Curriculum: Course Development and Support

Barry L. Hurst DUE-9850912
Lebanon Valley College $21,350
Annville, PA 17003 Physics
hurst@lvc.edu

This project is introducing scanning probe microscopy (SPM) into the science curriculum at Lebanon Valley College (LVC), integrating SPM into both introductory and advanced physics courses and laboratories at LVC. A one-credit course on SPM for upper division students (e.g., biology and chemistry students) who have completed one year of introductory college physics uses senior physics students who have been trained on SPM as laboratory teaching assistants. The project is developing demonstrations/short laboratory exercises to support courses offered by the chemistry and biology departments as well as the Master of Science Education program at LVC (a program designed for elementary and secondary school teachers). In addition, the SPM assists the department in its outreach programs to local high schools and industries and has the potential for not only introducing SPM concepts into the high schools but SPM instrumentation as well.

An Inquiry-Based, Problem-Solving Approach to Introductory Geology Laboratories

Steven C. Good DUE-9850923
West Chester University of Pennsylvania $40,800
West Chester, PA 19383 Geosciences
sgood@wcupa.edu

This project is establishing an inquiry-based, problem-solving, constructivist introductory geology laboratory experience with a particular emphasis on pre-college teachers. The laboratory curriculum is designed to engage students in three multi-week, continuing investigations that require them to collect observations and data, graphically and statistically analyze their data, formulate reasonable interpretations to specific scenarios, and present this range of information to classmates. These investigations address: 1) Earth Materials through a "tabloid" who-dun-it mystery where students will study Earth materials within the context of forensic geology; 2) Surficial Processes through the study of the "real value" of real estate (where students learn the potential hazards associated with purchasing a home); and 3) Earth Systems Science through development and testing of computer models for the past history of the Earth in order to understand the "precision" associated with global change predictions generated by computer Global Change Models. Assessment of the relative effectiveness of the individualized instruction designs is performed by the School of Education. Preservice students study the evaluation procedure as an integral part of their educational training. The Introductory Geology course fulfills the natural science general education requirement for preservice students and is required of preservice students in the science program.

Weather Analysis Laboratory

Cecil S. Keen DUE-9850924
Mankato State University $44,522
Mankato, MN 56001 Geosciences
cecil.keen@mankato.msus.edu

Mankato State University is equipping a Weather Analysis Laboratory with a series of Radac Workstations, an integrated Graphics Workstation capable of on-air quality TV graphics. With this facility students integrate local weather data and use a video recording, slide making and graphics production facility. Local weather data, along with national and international data streams received over satellite links, are collected and displayed in an integrated series of workstations. These are connected to graphics display consoles to enable students to analyze, create, and present data in a variety of formats. Real-time data is captured digitally, and students are encouraged to evaluate their real-time weather observations together with national data. Mesoscale models are also used and students are taught to run and interpret these and other models. At Mankato State University, preservice teachers take weather courses as part of their preparation for the teaching of the life sciences, geography and earth sciences. This project impacts directly upon enhanced classroom teaching and visual materials preparation and is creating a nucleus facility for teacher service workshops. It will also provide opportunities for local schools to obtain this data through dial-in and Internet means.

A Visual Introduction to Laboratory Studies

Mauri A. Ditzler DUE-9850954
Millikin University $41,245
Decatur, IL 62522-2039 Chemistry
mditzler@mail.millikin.edu

Faculty at Millikin University are developing a set of introductory, special-topics courses that allow students to experience the excitement of an in-depth study while simultaneously placing the study in the broader context of overarching principles of scientific inquiry. Each course focuses on a particular area of inquiry, such as molecular structure, stars, or prairie ecology. Elementary and secondary teacher certification requirements are fulfilled by taking three of the courses. This project provides equipment that will support a three-week laboratory module that involves the use of instrumentation to make observations that both extend and improve the accuracy and precision of one or more of the human senses and the use of graphs and mathematical expressions to organize and simplify data, ideas, and concepts. Students consider what they can say about objects on the basis of their color and then reconsider after evaluating with visible transmission and reflectance spectra, visible fluorescence spectra and infrared spectra.

Establishing a Mathematics Education Center

Robin A. Ward DUE-9850981
California Polytechnic State University Foundation $34,580
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 Mathematics
raward@calpoly.edu

This project is establishing a Mathematics Education Center consisting of a computer enhanced classroom, an activity area, a material storage area, and a curriculum development area. The objective is to improve the preparation of both preservice and inservice teachers and serve as a model for Centers at other universities. Preservice teachers are learning mathematics in ways consistent with the California Mathematics Framework and with recommendations of groups such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Research Council. Inservice teachers have access to the Center through activities organized by the Central Coast Mathematics Project and are able to upgrade their mathematical knowledge and acquire and construct appropriate learning experiences for their students.

Astronomical Observing for All Undergraduates

Jeffrey A. Wilkerson DUE-9851041
Luther College $10,171
Decorah, IA 52101-1039 Astronomy
wilkerje@luther.edu

Astronomical observing facilities at Luther College are being upgraded with telescopes, charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras, portable computers and associated accessories and software to provide observing sessions for introductory classes consisting primarily of non-science majors and including a large fraction of elementary education majors. Astrophysics students are able to process data from CCD observations to make precise measurements of objects such as variable star periods and the orbital periods of Jupiter's moons. An outreach program with local K-12 schools involves Luther College faculty and students running observing sessions as part of a hands-on astronomy program offered to the schools. One telescope is available on a loan basis.

Request for Two Environmental Growth Chambers

Lucy St. Omer DUE-9851050
San Jose State University Foundation $18,640
San Jose, CA 95172-0130 Life Sciences
st.omer@biomail.sjsu.edu

Explorations of changes in global environments and determining how species may function and adapt under such changes are two fundamental areas of physiological ecology with theoretical and practical applications. The Biology Department at San Jose State University has a conservation and ecological emphasis in its undergraduate and graduate curricula which includes studies exploring the effects of changing global environments on plant growth. Students have the opportunity to explore, in a meaningful way, concepts of global changes with the use of environmental growth chambers. A major program in this department is the preparation of undergraduate science students for science teaching at the pre-college level. Growing plants in different climatic environments stresses the integrated approach to learning science, and allows students to explore natural phenomena in controlled environments. In addition, this project supports the department goal to ensure that students develop positive attitudes about doing science and are comfortable with the use of scientific equipment.

Introduction of Advanced Instrumentation in Science Classes Primarily Serving Allied Health and Education Majors

Roxanne H. Burns DUE-9851077
Kent State University $80,480
Kent, OH 44242 Life Sciences
rburns@el4.kenteliv.kent.edu

The goal of this project is to introduce the modern techniques of biology and chemistry to a non-science major student population which includes future health care workers and science teachers. An interdisciplinary approach melding biology and chemistry is enhancing student understanding of fundamental levels of the organization of life, the cell and the molecule. Fluorescent microscopy equipment with imaging capabilities, a medium pressure chromatography/gel filtration apparatus, and high performance liquid chromatography with mass analysis capabilities are improving the science experience for allied health and education majors as well as science majors. Laboratory activities are reinforcing lecture topics with direct experience, promoting critical thinking, and encouraging students to teach each other in a collaborative manner.

Northern Arizona University Archaeology Program Undergraduate Materials Analysis and Imaging Laboratory

Kelley A. Hays-Gilpin DUE-9851101
Northern Arizona University $33,231
Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Social Sciences
george.gumerman@nau.edu

The Department of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University is establishing an Undergraduate Materials Analysis and Imaging Laboratory (UMAIL) for undergraduate anthropology student instruction and research in archaeology. The UMAIL serves undergraduate anthropology majors as an interactive classroom and provides resources for undergraduate student research and independent study. The laboratory also helps prepare preservice K-12 teachers to incorporate anthropology exercises and examples in natural and social science lesson plans. The laboratory is equipped with up-to-date microscopes and graphics imaging equipment for student use in studying the university’s extensive comparative collections of prehistoric artifacts and ecofacts. UMAIL is also providing hands-on science laboratory experience to many students through a new curriculum and special seminars and workshops for students associated with the Navajo Nation Archaeology Department and Hopi Cultural Preservation Office.

Integration of Quantitative Materials Characterizations Throughout Chemistry and Physics Curricula: Purchase of Thermal Analysis, Viscometry, & Gel Permeation Chromatography Equipment

Allen D. Hunter DUE-9851107
Youngstown State University $44,600
Youngstown, OH 44555-0001 Chemistry
adhunter@cc.ysu.edu

At Youngstown State University, Materials Science lecture topics and qualitative laboratory experiments are integrated into many Chemistry and Physics courses. The acquisition of new equipment allows the introduction of many new quantitative synthetic and biologically derived polymer and solid state materials experiments into the sophomore through senior level Chemistry laboratory classes, the condensed matter Physics laboratory classes, and a proposed Materials Science laboratory course. Non-science majors, including education majors and preservice science teachers, use this instrumentation in new laboratory-based general education courses with a discovery research format. Thermal analysis equipment allows students to quantitatively evaluate phase changes in solid state, polymeric and biologically relevant materials and to quantify the chemical reactions of solid state materials at elevated temperatures. Viscometry and gel permeation chromatography/size exclusion chromatography (GPC/SEC) equipment allows students to quantify the molecular weights and related physical properties of synthetic and biologically derived polymers. In addition, materials characterization is integrated into professional development offerings for working teachers through specialized summer laboratory courses optimized to meet the needs of science teachers and through "in service" days.

Experiencing Geometry: Enhancing Prospective Elementary and Middle School Teacher's Learning of Geometry Through the Use of Technology

Tadanobu Watanabe DUE-9851237
Towson State University $42,756
Towson, MD 21204-1010 Mathematics
twatanabe@towson.edu

This project is providing prospective elementary and middle school teachers the opportunity to develop and utilize their own imagery and spatial sense. Towson University Mathematics Department is revising the way it teaches geometry to prospective elementary and middle school teachers by infusing computing technologies into mathematics content courses. Sixteen desktop computers with appropriate geometry software are connected to the Internet so that the existing electronic materials may be fully utilized, including web-based materials under development. Additional laptop computers allow instructor demonstration and students' sharing of their ideas in regular classrooms. Data is being collected to identify in what ways and how often computing technologies are utilized in the geometry course.
 
 

Extended Classroom for Enhanced Learning (EXCEL)

L. Scott Chumbley DUE-9851284
Iowa State University $57,500
Ames, IA 50011 Engineering
chumbley@iastate.edu

Faculty members in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University are establishing an instructional program and a classroom dedicated to bringing the capabilities of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) into elementary and secondary classrooms. With the development of the Internet and remote-controlled SEMs, a unique opportunity now exists to facilitate children's access to extremely expensive, technologically advanced equipment via inexpensive Internet connections. The classroom consists of an environmental SEM fully connected to the World Wide Web and the Internet. A summer training program involving inservice and preservice teachers at the elementary and secondary levels provides instruction on how to use the SEM in the classroom. During the school year, preservice elementary and secondary teachers who are specializing in science and mathematics facilitate the K-12 classroom investigations.

Enhanced Environmental Biology Literacy for all Undergraduate Students

Alison Morrison-Shetlar DUE-9851312
Georgia Southern University $50,000
Statesboro, GA 30460-8033 Life Sciences
aims@gsaix2.cc.gasou.edu

An environmental biology course that is part of Georgia Southern University’s (GSU) new core curriculum course utilizes environmental issues to introduce and discuss relevant scientific concepts. All students who wish to obtain a degree from GSU will complete this core curriculum including science majors, non-science majors, and future K-12 teachers. The project provides equipment to allow development of innovative hands-on laboratory activities related to local, regional, and global environmental problems. Expected project outcomes include graduates who: 1) are able to engage in environmentally-aware behavior; 2) have improved scientific and environmental knowledge; 3) and appreciate the connections between science and "real-world" problems.

Enhanced Science Education Through the Use of Modern FTNMR Spectroscopy

Tony L. Mega DUE-9851315
Whitworth College $90,004
Spokane, WA 99251 Chemistry
tmega@whitworth.edu

This project, which is a collaborative effort between science and education faculty, enables education students and lower division science students to more concretely grasp chemical principles through hands-on experience with a Fourier Transformed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (FTNMR) Spectrometer. Prospective K-12 teachers and other students with relatively limited chemistry background conduct NMR laboratory exercises geared to their level of expertise. Experiments involve identifying common chemical structures and following the course of a metabolic pathway through the use of FTNMR. K-12 teachers carry out similar experiments in summer workshops hosted jointly by Whitworth faculty in the science and education departments. Participants in the workshops are encouraged to bring their students back to the campus for "laboratory field trips" focused on the NMR spectrometer. Upper division chemistry students identify stereoisomers of a coordination complex, analyze the intricacies of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, and utilize multi-pulse lD and 2D NMR techniques to determine the structures of monoterpenes. The spectrometer is also stimulating faculty-directed undergraduate research projects.

Technology Center for Teacher Preparation

Lawrence Schovanec DUE-9851342
Texas Tech University $40,000
Lubbock, TX 794091035 Mathematics
schov@math.ttu.edu

This project is enabling the department to establish a PC multi-media laboratory. With the new facility, the curriculum is enhanced by the introduction of additional technology that is relevant to the educational experience in K-12. For example, Geometer's SketchPad, or Cabri Geometry are being incorporated into the teacher preparation curriculum. In addition, the multi-media laboratory is enhancing the department's ability to develop cooperative programs with local public schools. Teachers from area schools are invited to demonstrate technology that they use in their classrooms and a series of workshops for inservice teachers are offered. In these workshops teachers and students are prepared to teach, view, evaluate, and compare various software appropriate to their instructional needs.

Science Laboratories for Prospective Elementary Teachers (K-8)

Larry D. Oppliger DUE-9851354
Western Michigan University $67,787
Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Interdisciplinary
larry.oppliger@wmich.edu

This project is establishing four laboratories for the elementary teacher preparation program at Western Michigan University for use in the physical sciences, the earth sciences, and the life sciences. The fourth laboratory enables students to work on lessons and projects outside of class time and also serves as a commons room. Six science content courses for prospective elementary teachers, two in each of the three broad areas above, together with a "capstone" course are offered in the new laboratories. The program currently graduates over 250 elementary teachers each year and is preparing teachers who will be able to teach in line with both the content and pedagogical standards outlined in the Michigan Essential Goals and Objectives of Science Education and advocated by several recent national studies.

Inquiry-Based Science Experiences for Pre-Service Teachers

Sharon J. Anderson DUE-9851394
California State University - Monterey Bay $46,836
Seaside, CA 93955-8001 Interdisciplinary
sharon anderson@monterey.edu

The overall objective of this project is to provide a series of learning experiences that fully engage the curiosity and enthusiasm of future K-8 teachers while they develop the ability to understand and use scientific knowledge and concepts to answer questions and to help students discover that mathematics is essential to accurately describe what they see, hear, or measure. Computers and interactive software are being used to help students answer "what if" questions about things they cannot see easily, such as atomic structure, chemical bonding, genetics' and some aspects of cell biology. Computer software is also providing alternate modes of self-assessment to foster student understanding. The project includes a series of lab/field research modules that: 1) are rich in disciplinary and interdisciplinary subject matter content; 2) can be adapted "on the spot to address whatever questions students formulate; 3) use instrumentation of varying sophistication; 4) require mathematics to describe data; and 5) help students appreciate the scientific process and the relation between technology, science, and society.

Using Computers to Expand Reform Beyond Calculus

T. Christine Stevens DUE-9851405
Saint Louis University $34,291
Saint Louis, MO 63103-2006 Mathematics
stevensc@slu.edu

This project is extending the pedagogical changes and appropriate use of technology that characterize calculus "reform" to courses in linear and abstract algebra, geometry, and computer science. The major focus is on proof-oriented courses in introductory linear algebra, abstract algebra, and advanced linear algebra, where the objective is to use technology to develop students' intuition and conceptual understanding while supporting, rather than supplanting, an axiomatic treatment of the subject. Such a treatment is important for all mathematics majors, including future secondary school teachers, whose requirements for certification include a familiarity with abstract algebra and axiomatic systems. Instructional materials use a variety of software to foster visualization and illustrate the broad applicability of relevant theorems. In-class activities and student projects utilize specialty programs like Group Analyzer that are easy to use but of limited range, as well as more comprehensive software packages like Groups, Algorithms, Programs (GAP) and Maple, which are designed for professional use but can be adapted for use by students who are still learning the mathematical concepts they involve. The project is also developing materials for teaching informal geometry to future elementary and middle school teachers. These materials use existing software packages to develop preservice teachers' understanding of the abstract concepts underlying the concrete activities that their students will be performing in precollege classrooms. The computer science course addressed by the project primarily serves students majoring in the sciences, engineering, and education.

A Technology Transitions Laboratory for Preservice Teachers

Timothy C. Teitloff DUE-9851412
Kennesaw State College $54,394
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591 Mathematics
tteitlof@ksumail.kennesaw.edu

This project is addressing the need for teachers of K-12 mathematics to make appropriate choices in the use of technology. The typical mathematics course most often solves each problem with a single type of technology, thus depriving preservice teachers of an opportunity to analyze the pros and cons of different technologies. Prospective teachers in the Transitions Laboratory are using different technologies within the context of the same problem, then comparing and discussing what each technology brings to it. The laboratory is equipped with a wide array of manipulatives, four different types of calculators, laptop computers, and Internet access. It serves eight mathematics methods and content courses ranging from the early childhood to the secondary mathematics level. A set of five to ten transitions modules are being developed for each of these courses. Focusing on a single concept or problem, each transitions module prompts the students to perform a series of mathematical investigations while using a range of different technologies. Students write a report comparing and contrasting the advantages and disadvantages of each technology and indicate which technology they would choose if they were the teacher. By exposing the prospective teachers to a wide range of technologies and then asking them to critically analyze their experiences, the Transitions Laboratory is producing teachers with the competence and confidence to make appropriate use of technology in mathematics instruction.

Undergraduate Physical Anthropology Laboratory

Robert DiBennardo DUE-9851420
CUNY Research Foundation $36,916
New York, NY 10003 Social Sciences
dibennar@alpha.lehman.cuny.edu

A network of computer workstations in an undergraduate physical anthropology laboratory complements and enriches the "hands-on" experiences of students in two introductory level laboratory science courses, Introduction to Human Evolution and Introduction to Human Variation, and one advanced level course, Human Osteology. These courses target both science majors and non-science majors, including many prospective elementary and secondary school teachers participating the CUNY Lehman College Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (NYCETP), as well as preprofessional students with interests in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science. As part of the development of this anthropology laboratory, an introductory course in human evolution is being designed to serve the needs of preservice teachers. Workstations are used in conjunction with actual physical specimens and a graphics database is being created using a high resolution digital imaging camera. These images are stored on an NT Server that links the workstations and peripherals and provides internet connectivity. Specimens in the department's collections of fossil human and primate materials are available for on-screen display, allowing students to make comparative observational and measurement assessments between them and the specimens at their workbenches. A high performance, high capacity server allows the many "one-of-a-kind" specimens which the department has in its collections to be accessed simultaneously by up to 15 student study groups.

An Investigative Laboratory to Accompany a New Introductory Mixed-Majors Course

Donald P. French DUE-9851458
Oklahoma State University $62,700
Stillwater, OK 74078 Life Sciences
dfrench@okway.okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University's (OSU) life-sciences departments are restructuring the present introductory curriculum and creating a combined majors and non-majors course emphasizing collaboration and inquiry in both lecture and laboratory. This project provides the equipment to make possible new and revised laboratories involving computer-assisted data collection and group report writing in each laboratory. Students are presented with "scenarios" in lecture that introduce concepts in the context of popular issues or current research conducted at OSU and guide students toward questions to be addressed in the laboratory. They learn to apply overarching concepts (e.g. surface-to-volume ratio, cost-benefit analysis) in multiple contexts involving different levels of organization and are expected to provide quantitative data to answer problems or test hypotheses. This process allows students to discover rather than verify concepts. Students use digital spectrophotometers and a variety of physical and chemical sensors to investigate problems at the cellular, organismal, population and ecosystem levels. Students create digital-video-logs of investigations and engage in molecular genetics experiments for the first time. Of the approximately 900 students affected by this project each semester, approximately 150 are K-12 education majors.

Adaptation and Assessment of Workshop Physics and other Activity-Based Curricula in a Physics Course for Preservice Teachers

Eric C. Anderson DUE-9851480
Avila College $17,554
Kansas City, MO 64145-1007 Physics
andersonec@mail.avila.edu

This project is developing an improved algebra-based introductory physics course sequence based on Workshop Physics and other activity-based curricula. The new course sequence is aimed at preservice science teachers, especially physics teachers, for whom this course sequence may serve as their sole exposure to physics. Coverage is reduced slightly from the standard introductory course to mechanics, waves and sound, light, and electricity and magnetism, with treatment of modern physics limited to electrons and radioactivity. Lectures are replaced by direct observation and guided, collaborative inquiry. When possible, computer-based laboratories and video capture and analysis is used to model real world phenomena. Each student group completes an independent investigation each semester, and gives an oral presentation to the class using presentation software and hardware. The new course is intended to improve scientific inquiry skills, conceptual understanding, skill and confidence with modern technology, and student retention and attitudes towards science. Multiple choice conceptual evaluations are combined with free-response items to probe conceptual understanding and ability to apply conceptual knowledge in novel contexts. The Maryland Physics Expectation survey is administered to evaluate changes in student attitudes and beliefs about physics. Baseline assessment data collected in the present course permits meaningful comparisons. Assessment results, new free-response assessment items, and improved instructional methods based on assessment results are presented at the American Association of Physics Teachers national meetings and the Project Kaleidoscope network.

GPS/GIS/Image Analysis Technology for Field Research in Biology and Environmental Science

Daniel E. Buckley DUE-9851507
University of Maine Farmington $28,376
Farmington, ME 049381911 Life Sciences
buckley@maine.maine.edu

Global positioning system (GPS), geographical information system (GIS), and image analysis technology are being used in field oriented courses in biology and environmental science. This technology is incorporated into a number of courses that all require a variety of spatial analysis applications (e.g., lake bathymetry, habitat analysis, endangered species distribution mapping, lichen community dynamics, landscape analysis of old growth forest, and avian bioenergetics). The overall objective of this project is to foster problem solving skills, critical thinking, and a richer appreciation for the scientific process by involving all science and science-education majors in real-world, field research problems, rather than contrived classroom "studies." The natural attraction that students exhibit toward field research is encouraged through the combination of state-of-the-art, computer interfaced technology and hands-on examination of ecological problems that were previously logistically difficult or technically impossible using available alternative methods. Students engage in both course-related and independent field research projects, which are basic and/or applied, and may last for a semester, several semesters, or a number of years. GPS/GIS/image analysis technology is providing effective and highly visible tools for the science faculty to increase student motivation and interest in careers in science and science teaching.

Preservice Training for Teachers in Molecular Biology

Michael L. Gleason DUE-9851511
Central Washington University $33,614
Ellensburg, WA 98926 Life Sciences
gleasonm@cwu.edu

A novel course, Molecular Biology for Teachers, team taught by science educators and a molecular biologist, provides preservice teachers training in the following: 1) theory of molecular biology; 2) hands-on laboratory techniques appropriate for the curricular needs of 6-12 schools and their limited resources; 3) adapting existing biotechnology lessons and critical evaluation of popular "prepackaged" programs; 4) performance assessment of student skills; and 5) evaluation of student content knowledge. Students are eligible to continue research in this area, and, once they graduate, are eligible to borrow equipment kits for use in their 6-12 classrooms. An advisory board of individuals experienced in delivering molecular biology education for inservice 6-12 teachers provides added expertise.

Upgrade Materials Testing Laboratory to Materials Science Laboratory for an Industrial Technology-Based Curriculum

Yury S. Lerner DUE-9851515
University of North Iowa $59,083
Cedar Falls, IA 506134800 Engineering
yury.lerner@uni.edu

This project is integrating materials science into a market-driven curriculum that is introductory in nature for undergraduate manufacturing technology and electromechanical students, preservice technology education teachers, and inservice technology education teachers in the state of Iowa. The specific objectives of the project are to: 1) upgrade the existing materials testing laboratory to reflect the current state of materials science in industry; 2) integrate the fundamentals of materials science in lower-level courses for Technology Education (preservice teachers), General Industry & Technology, Electromechanical Systems and Manufacturing Technology program majors; 3) provide activity-based learning experiences in quantitative microstructural evaluation utilizing image analysis methodology, mass spectrometer and microhardness readings for chemical composition and mechanical properties testing of industrial materials in mid-level undergraduate courses; and 4) facilitate upper-level student research activities in materials testing and development. These objectives are being accomplished through the purchase of an Image Analysis System, a table-top optical emission spectrometer, retrofitting an existing universal testing machine, and purchasing a new microhardness tester. As a result of this project, the faculty are: 1) introducing materials science concepts earlier in the curriculum; 2) offering improved laboratory experiences for preservice technology teachers; 3) developing industry-appropriate student research projects; and 4) opening new avenues for independent study projects requiring utilization of contemporary research techniques for mechanical and microstructural testing of industrial materials.

Equipment to Interface Modern Technology with Critical Thinking in the Genetics Laboratory

Carl Luciano DUE-9851581
Indiana University of Pennsylvania $39,874
Indiana, PA 15705 Life Sciences
luciano@grove.iup.edu

The Department of Biology of Indiana University of Pennsylvania is implementing reforms to create a cohesive, student-centered natural sciences learning community; a new curriculum for Biology majors, stressing hands-on, experiential learning and providing progressively greater opportunities for semi-independent student research. Three components are being introduced into the Genetics course, a course required for students preparing to be biology teachers and the capstone course of the new curriculum: 1) a distributive computing environment for the course to enable utilization of genetic analysis programs available on the Internet; 2) a set of new experiments emphasizing modern molecular genetics and providing opportunities for discovery and for synthesis; and 3) addition of a required student research project to the laboratory segment of the course. The equipment is also being used in Saturday workshops for inservice teachers and in a set of traveling workstations. Preservice biology teachers are assisting with the workshops and are being given the opportunity to utilize the workstations during their student teaching.

DNA Amplification throughout the Biology Curriculum

Todd T. Eckdahl DUE-9851631
Missouri Western State College $29,590
Saint Joseph, MO 64507-2246 Life Sciences
eckdahl@griffon.mwsc.edu

This project includes a set of laboratory investigations which emphasize the impact of molecular biology and computer technology on diverse biological fields. The experiments introduced into General Biology, Ecology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology courses are investigative and discipline-specific. Several of the investigations are based on prior independent student research projects. Students are actively engaged in the process of science as they design and conduct DNA amplification experiments to test hypotheses, use electronic media for data collection, and analyze their results in the context of internet resources arising from the emerging field of bioinformatics. Student laboratory reports are created using a novel electronic conferencing system. A project home page includes the laboratory procedures used and examples of student laboratory reports, serving as a vehicle for communicating project results to the educational community. A commitment has been made by Modern Biology, Inc. to market the discipline specific DNA amplification investigations resulting from the project as experimental kits. The kits will provide high school and college classrooms nation-wide with the materials and procedures needed to give students first-hand experience with technology that is reshaping biology. Students preparing to be teachers are also involved in the courses and in special workshops to investigate incorporation of these techniques into their future classrooms.

Inquiry-Based Physics Laboratory Using Pre-Service Teachers as Peer Instructors

Paul Stancioff DUE-9851668
University of Maine Farmington $15,177
Farmington, Maine 04938 Physics
pauls@maine.maine.edu

A microcomputer-based laboratory is being used to introduce an inquiry-based curriculum into the general physics sequence. The course is approximately half science majors and half secondary education students within the majors. While one of the motivations for the project is to improve the students' understanding of basic physics by using and adapting the well tested Workshop Physics curriculum, there is a particular focus on the preservice secondary teachers in the course. This focus consists of having "alumni" of the general physics sequence return as peer instructors in both the workshop physics course and the conceptual physics course designed for non-majors. Physics and secondary education faculty are collaborating to effect program changes requiring secondary education students to have this teaching experience as an internship that counts towards their degree in education. The goals are to further improve the understanding of physics of these science teachers-to-be and to give them some practical experience with an inquiry-based physics curriculum.

Molecular Genetic Analysis Applied to Evolution, Ecology, and Systemic Biology: An Extended Laboratory Course

Frank T. Bayliss DUE-9752712
San Francisco State University $155,982
San Francisco, CA 94132-1722 Life Sciences
fbayl@sfsu.edu

This project provides an intense fourteen-day laboratory short course, Molecular Genetics & Evolutionary Biology, in the summer; a four-day follow-up session the following summer; and on-going technical and material support. Twenty-two faculty are selected each year from a national applicant pool comprised of faculty from community colleges, four-year liberal arts colleges and universities, comprehensive universities, and research universities. Four preservice teachers are selected from San Francisco State University (SFSU). Participants learn the fundamentals of molecular biology through lectures and demonstrations, and conduct a series of experiments to develop skill in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, restriction enzyme analysis, and various gel separation techniques. Participants investigate "thematic" research projects in research groups of six composed of a mix of a preservice teacher, a mentor teacher and faculty from community colleges and four-year institutions. Seminar topics include the use of molecular techniques to investigate procaryote, vertebrate, invertebrate, and plant systems, the incorporation of these techniques into the undergraduate laboratory, and examples of effective teaching practices. As a final exercise, each of the preservice teachers and faculty create teaching modules incorporating the new laboratory and teaching techniques developed during the workshop. The instructional materials developed in prior courses as well as materials developed by new UFE participants are being placed on an SFSU/UFE web site.

Faculty Institutes for Reforming Science Teaching Through Field Stations

Janet Hodder DUE-9752713
University of Oregon Eugene $299,999
Eugene, OR 97403-5219 Life Sciences
jhodder@oimb.uoregon.edu

Field stations and marine laboratories (FSMLs) offer an exceptional opportunity to teach biology in ways that truly enhance student learning. FSMLs are particularly well suited to inquiry-based learning as their unique natural settings foster learning communities and cooperative activities that are not always evident on main campus locations. Faculty Institutes For Reforming Science Teaching Through Field Stations (Project FIRST) is designed to prepare communities of faculty associated with field stations throughout the United States to utilize inquiry-based, active learning approaches for reforming undergraduate biology courses and curriculum. During FIRST, new faculty, senior faculty and post-doctoral students who are either based at, or associated with, a field station or marine laboratory form a Field Station team (the FSML team) to work together to expand their knowledge of inquiry-based learning at FSMLs, active learning settings. Six FSML teams recruit 180 biology and education faculty from universities, and four-year and community colleges in their region to form a regional network centered at the field station or marine laboratory. FSML teams work with the regional faculty to translate and make connections between active learning models designed at field stations, and similar innovative teaching methods or strategies that would work for courses and curriculum within departments to enhance student learning. These techniques also serve as models for the prospective K-12 teachers enrolled in the science and education courses of participating faculty.

PRE-STAT Project

Mike Perry DUE-9752749
Appalachian State University $59,992
Boone, NC 28608 Mathematics
perrylm @appstate.edu

PRE-STAT is enabling college faculty to enhance the statistical education of preservice teachers on their home campuses and to encourage active learning through problem-solving in order to improve statistical education in the middle and secondary schools. The PRE-STAT project is developing a model faculty development workshop which prepares participating mathematics educators to implement an effective statistical education curriculum. A network of teacher educators is being established to share statistical education ideas. PRE-STAT is also supporting the participants during the development and incorporation, at their home institutions, of statistical education components into the curriculum for preservice and inservice teachers. Curriculum ideas are being organized into "Guidelines" for differing curriculum settings. A World Wide Web site is being implemented and maintained to share ideas.

Institute in the History of Mathematics and its Use in Teaching

V. Frederick Rickey DUE-9752755
Mathematical Association of America $149,992
Washington, DC 20036-1358 Mathematics
rickey@math.bgsu.edu

The goal of the Institute in the History of Mathematics and its Use in Teaching (IHMT) is to increase the presence of history in the undergraduate mathematics curriculum. At the same time the IHMT is targeting teacher preparation programs by developing materials for use in K-12 classrooms and materials for use in teacher preparation programs. Participants will be prepared to teach courses in the history of mathematics and to use history to improve their teaching of standard undergraduate mathematics courses, especially teacher preparation courses, through an ongoing year-round program of activities which include: 1) an intensive two-week program in one summer with a follow-up week in the successive summer for mathematics faculty new to the use of history; 2) a two-week program each summer for faculty with experience in the use of history; 3) a vigorous email discussion group together with the 80 participants in the original institute; and 4) supervised research by IHMT alumni. Specific techniques for incorporating history into undergraduate mathematics courses is a central theme. Through presentations at national and regional mathematics meetings, publications, and electronic communications, the information and techniques of IHMT are being disseminated nationally.

Coalition for the Mathematical Preparation of Elementary Teachers

Mark L. Klespis DUE-9752756
Sam Houston State University $60,000
Huntsville, TX 77341-2026 Mathematics mlk@shsu.edu

This project is extending an existing coalition among Sam Houston State University, North Harris College, and Tomball College originally formed to implement changes in the mathematics content courses for prospective elementary school teachers. These changes were given impetus by the Guidelines for Mathematics Courses for Prospective Elementary School Teachers, a document developed and disseminated in 1996 by the Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative (SSI) and consistent with nationally-known standards. The original coalition (SSI Coalition) is expanding to a network of two-year colleges and universities seeking to revitalize their mathematics courses for elementary teachers. The instructional materials integrate substantial mathematical tasks with cooperative learning, manipulatives, technology, and writing that challenge students while improving their confidence and appreciation of mathematics. The project is employing an instructional consultant and an outside evaluator as well as an advisory board to guide the project's progress. Evaluation is being used to refine the instructional approach, to customize it to local site conditions, and to measure the success of the project.

Partnerships: Interdisciplinary Workshops and Materials

Tina H. Straley DUE-9752757
Mathematical Association of America $282,902
Washington, DC 20036-1368 Mathematics
tstraley@ksumail.kennesaw.edu

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is providing seven intensive six day workshops over three summers (1998, 1999, and 2000) serving over 100 faculty teams (some 210 faculty) from mathematics and partner disciplines. Each of the seven workshops focuses on interdisciplinary curriculum materials combining mathematics and a partner discipline. Each participating institution sends a team of faculty from each of the disciplines being studied to develop interdisciplinary materials to use at their home institution. Participants are introduced to interdisciplinary materials in those disciplines developed at one or more of the Mathematics Sciences and Their Applications Throughout the Curriculum (MSATC) projects, and develop new materials under the guidance of experienced interdisciplinary teams from the MSATC projects.

Undergraduate Faculty Workshop for the Integration of Chemistry and Art into Liberal Arts, Chemistry and Teacher Curricula

Patricia S. Hill DUE-9752769
Millersville University $169,983
Millersville, PA 17551 Chemistry
pshill@marauder.millersv.edu

Three week-long workshops based on a 1996 Chautauqua Short Course, Chemistry and Art: A Science Course for Non-science Majors, designed for undergraduate science, science education, art, art education, archaeology and anthropology faculty are being held in the summers of 1998-99. These workshops provide a sound foundation for disseminating courses in chemistry and art by giving participants an intensive, participatory experience in not only the content of integrated science and art but of effective pedagogical strategies for teaching the content to diverse student populations. The workshops allow intensive work with undergraduate faculty to: 1) develop courses for non-science majors in chemistry and art; 2) develop example applications in art for the teaching of chemistry to scientists; and 3) develop and disseminate curricula in chemistry and art for use in high schools. The first workshop, held in the summer of 1998 at Millersville, brought together faculty from the physical sciences, technology, art, anthropology, and archaeology to develop courses in chemistry and art for non-scientists based upon the model courses. The second and third workshops, held at Millersville in the summer of 1999, involving science education faculty, art education faculty, and preservice or inservice high school teachers, focus on developing the use of chemistry and art in the high school curriculum. Teaching and learning activities, lessons, and laboratory experiments generated by faculty as a result of participation in these workshops are disseminated by a variety of means including an electronic listserve, a Chemistry and Art website, publications in professional journals, and symposia on chemistry and art held at national, regional, and local professional meetings.

Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement in Mathematics

David W. Henderson DUE-9752807
Cornell University $100,000
Ithaca, NY 14853-2801 Mathematics
dwh2@cornell.edu

The teaching of undergraduate geometry courses for future school teachers is being enriched by three week-long summer workshops for college and university faculty to enable them to: 1) experience new teaching strategies and techniques; 2) experience and/or see examples of non-test based assessment schemes; 3) learn about and observe these and other examples of pedagogical techniques that have been successful in encouraging women and underrepresented minorities in mathematics; 4) learn new subject matter and experience new instructional materials being produced by the Cornell Undergraduate Geometry Project; 5) interact and share with colleagues and experts who have common interests in the teaching of mathematics to future school teachers; and 6) learn about recent recommendations, guidelines and standards regarding the teaching of mathematics. Regional coordinators are being identified and trained.

Systemic Teacher Excellence Preparation (STEP)

Elisabeth Swanson DUE-9815276
Montana State University $600,000
Bozeman, MT 59717
eswanson@mathfs.math.montana.edu

This project is studying long term changes in teacher preparation in Montana initiated by the five-year Systemic Teacher Excellence Preparation (STEP) Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation. project. The long term evaluation is focusing on the following: 1) tracking progress of underrepresented students as they attain teacher certification and employment; 2) assessing preservice teacher perceptions of reform teaching strategies; 3) monitoring the progress of the first cohorts of graduates; and 4) monitoring continuing efforts to institutionalize various aspects of the project and to sustain collaboration within and between campuses. The NSF Teaching Scholars program is continuing as NSF support is replaced by state-wide fundraising. Continuing activities also include the telecommunications feature of the STEP early career program and curriculum work involving tribal college and university faculty.

Louisiana Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (LaCEPT)

Kerry Davidson DUE-9816194
Louisiana Board of Regents $600,000
Baton Rouge, LA 708011302
Davidson@regents.state.la.us

Additional support is enabling the Louisiana Collaborative to evaluate the Louisiana Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (LaCEPT) program by: 1) surveying preservice students in reformed classes for comparison with their counterparts in non-reformed classes; 2) comparing classroom behaviors of LaCEPT graduates with non-LaCEPT comparison groups; and 3) comparing student learning outcomes of students taught by LaCEPT novice teaches with learning outcomes of students of comparable non-LaCEPT novice teachers. In addition, with increasing institutional support, the collaborative is continuing to provide scholarship support for preservice students, supporting novice teachers through mentoring programs, supporting selected educational projects on LaCEPT campuses, and continuing to promote policies that support reform at both the state and campus levels.

Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation: Institutionalization and Assessment of Innovative Teacher Preparation Programs

Katherine J. Denniston DUE-9814650
Towson State University $606,359
Towson, MD 21204
kdenniston@towson.edu

This project of the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) supports evaluation and research focusing on the success of MCTP graduates as teachers. The initial evaluation is being conducted by university faculty through interviews, questionnaires, content examinations, and surveys. MCTP-trained teachers participate in the evaluation by documenting their performance of reform-based teaching and the performance of their own students. Scholarship funds are provided to continue support of MCTP teacher candidates for three years with the goal of institutionalizing the scholarships at all MCTP-affiliated including ten University of Maryland system institutions and five community colleges.

The NSF Project Showcase 1998-2000

Frank L. Huband DUE-9800628
American Society for Engineering Education $97,439
Washington, DC 20036-1207 Engineering
f.huband@asee.org

The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) administered an NSF Project Showcase, an exhibition of research, products and findings from projects that have been supported by the Foundation's Division of Undergraduate Education and the Engineering Education and Centers Division at the ASEE Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington in June 1998. In addition to the showcase sessions, this effort includes a mini-plenary, "Crossing the Great Divide: Can the Engineering Community Truly Collaborate with the Education Community?" featuring a discussion concerning efforts to get the engineering education community more actively involved in effective teacher enhancement and teacher preparation projects for K-12 education.

Strategies that Support the Development of High Quality Teachers - A Meeting with State Higher Education Leaders

Esther M. Rodriguez DUE-9809338
State Higher Education Executive Officers $35,000
Denver, CO 80202-3427 Interdisciplinary
erodriguez@sheeo.org

The State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) and the National Association of System Heads (NASH) co-sponsored a one-day meeting of state and system leaders to examine current reform efforts to prepare high quality teachers in April, 1998. The discussions focused on changes in undergraduate education programs at public colleges and universities, and included profiles of programs supported through grants from the National Science Foundation's Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (CETP). The goals of this meeting included: 1) examination of state- and system-level initiatives to improve the preparation of preservice teachers for K-12 classrooms (with a particular focus on mathematics and science program); 2) identification of continuing challenges to these efforts; 3) creating a profile of innovative and effective practices; and 4) advancing recommended follow-up action.

Two white papers are being published jointly by SHEEO and NASH: 1) a background paper outlining current state initiatives on teacher education and professional development and including information on the roles and responsibilities of diverse state agencies, outcomes of recent state-level studies on teacher education, and supply and demand studies; and 2) a report that analyzes new and emerging state teacher certification and licensure requirements aimed at strengthening the knowledge and abilities of new and veteran teachers.

Project descriptions can be found in Teacher Preparation and NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation: FY 97 (NSF 98-99).
 
 

Middle Atlantic Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications Throughout the Curriculum

Dennis DeTurck DUE-9552464
University of Pennsylvania $499,653
Philadelphia, PA 19104 Interdisciplinary
deturck@math.upenn.edu

Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center in Semiconductor Manufacturing and Related Fields

Alfredo G. De los Santos DUE-9602373
Maricopa County Community College District $918,228
Tempe, AZ 85281-6941 Engineering
delossantos@maricopa.edu

South Carolina Advanced Technological Education (SC ATE) Center of Excellence

Elaine Craft DUE-9602440
South Carolina State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education $1,000,000
Columbia, SC 29201 Engineering
crafte@sbt.tec.sc.us

Teaching Improvements through Mathematics Education 2000: An Integrated Undergraduate Program to Improve the Preparation of Mathematics Teachers (Time 2000)

Alice F. Artzt DUE-9652972
CUNY Queens College $100,000
Flushing, NY 11367-1575 Interdisciplinary
alaqc@qcvaxa
 

A New Model for Physics Education in Physics Departments: Improving the Teaching of Physics from Elementary through Graduate School

Lillian C. McDermott DUE-9354501
University of Washington $750,870
Seattle, WA 98195 Physics
lcmcd@phast.phys.washingon.edu

Long-Term Field Studies for Undergraduate Education: A Snapshot in Time

David J. Gibson DUE-9554807
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale $63,760
Carbondale, IL 62901 Life Sciences
ga4239@siucvmb.siu.edu

The Restructuring at SUNY Cortland of Science, Mathematics, and Pedagogy Experiences for K-6 Pre-Teachers

Bonnie B. Barr DUE-9555152
State University of New York at Cortland $239,928
Cortland, NY 13045 Interdisciplinary
barrb@snycorva.cortland.edu

Long Island Consortium for Mathematical Sciences throughout the Curriculum

Alan C. Tucker DUE-9555401
State University of New York at Stony Brook $692,080
Stony Brook, NY 11794-0001 Mathematics
atucker@ccmail.sunysb.edu

Multimedia Mathematics: Across the Curriculum and Across the Nation

Steven Dunbar DUE-9555404
University of Nebraska at Lincoln $214,735
Lincoln, NE 68588-0430 Mathematics
sdunbar@math.unl.edu

Mathematics and Undergraduate Education: A New Framework for Mutual Invigoration

Daniel P. Maki DUE-9555408
Indiana University $700,129
Bloomington, IN 47402-5701 Mathematics
maki@indiana.edu

Project Inter-Math

Frank R. Giordano DUE-9555414
COMAP, Inc. $426,556
Arlington, MA 02174 Mathematics
frgiordano@aol.com

Molecular Science

Orville L. Chapman DUE-9555605
University of California at Los Angeles $575,000
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1301 Chemistry
chapman@chem.ucla.edu

Elementary Physics Course Based on Guided Inquiry

David Meltzer DUE-9653079
Southeastern Louisiana University $34,578
Hammond, LA 70401-2512 Physics
dmeltzer@selu.edu

Improving Teacher Preparation in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology

Rodger Bybee DUE-9706060
National Academy of Sciences $425,000
Washington, DC 20418 Interdisciplinary
Rbybee@nas.edu

Broadening Horizons in Mathematics Instruction through Technology and Applications

Benny Evans DUE-9653381
Oklahoma State University $25,000
Stillwater, OK 74078 Mathematics
bevans@littlewood.math.okstate.edu

Cooperative Learning in Undergraduate Mathematics Education: Developing a Comprehensive Program for College Faculty

Ed Dubinsky DUE-9653383
Mathematical Association of America $339,610
Washington, DC 20036-1358 Mathematics
edd@cs.gsu.edu

The Math Forum

Eugene A. Klotz REC-9618223
Swarthmore College $965,319
Swarthmore, PA 19081 Interdisciplinary
klotz@forum.swarthmore.edu

(Funded through the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication.)
 

Learning to Teach Secondary Mathematics in Two Reform-Based Teacher Education Programs

Dominic D. Peressini REC-9605030
University of Colorado at Boulder $251,361
Boulder, CO 80309-0019 Mathematics
dominic.peressini@colorado.edu

(Funded through the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication.)

REU Site: Undergraduate Teacher Training in Materials Synthesis and Processing

John Kouvetakis DMR-9619834
Arizona State University $66,000
Tempe, AZ 85287 Interdisciplinary
kouvetakis@asuchm.edu

(Funded through the Division of Materials Research within the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.)

Project descriptions can be found in Teacher Preparation and NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation: FY 97 (NSF 98-99) and at <http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/start.htm>.

Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Education Collaborative (STEMTEC)

Morton Sternheim DUE-9653966
Richard Yuretich, Allan Feldman, Sue Thrasher, Charlene D’Avanzo $4,999,414
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-6010
mms@k12.oit.umass.edu

Oregon Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (OCEPT)

Marjorie Enneking DUE-9653970
Carroll Dekock, Michael Jaeger, Julia Keener, John Koroloff, $4,999,988
Marlene Moore, Phyllis Rock, David Sokoloff, Camille Wainwright, Holly Zanville
The Math Learning Center
Salem, OR 97302
marj@mth.pdx.edu

New Mexico Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation

Ricardo B. Jacquez DUE-9653973
Peggy Blackwell, Kenneth Brooks, Edmund Casillas, Michael Fischer $4,999,998
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003
rjaquez@nmsu.edu

The San Francisco Bay Area Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation

Daniel B. Walker DUE-9553786
Frank Bayliss, Nancy Carnal, Ron Drucker, Jose Gutierrez, Eloise Hamann $5,000,000
San Jose State University Foundation
San Jose, CA 95192
dbwalker@jupiter.sjsu.edu

Virginia Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers

Reuben W. Farley DUE-9553789
William Haver, Joseph Chinnici, Alan McLeod, Julia Cothron $5,000,000
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA 23284-9004
rfarley@atlas.vcu.edu
 
 

Recruitment, Training, and Retention of Oklahoma Science and Mathematics Teachers

Robert E. Howard DUE-9553790
Smith Holt $5,000,000
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK 74104-3216
robert_howard@utulsa.edu

New York Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation

Rosamond Welchman DUE-9453606
James Neujahr, Leonard Ciaccio, James Bruni, Frank Gardella, $4,999,996
Rodney Varley, Neville Kallenbach, Ann Marcus
City University of New York (CUNY)
Brooklyn, NY 11210
rwnbc@cunyvm.cuny.edu

Los Angeles Collaborative for Teacher Excellence (LACTE)

Laurie Fathe DUE-9453608
Kenneth L. Anderson, Gretachew Kidane $4,977,277
California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA 90747-0001
fathe@oxy.edu

Arizona Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (ACEPT)

Susan Wyckoff
Dale Baker, James Birk, Marilyn Carlson, Herb Cohen, DUE-9453610
David Hestenes, Anton Lawson, James Mayer, Daniel McLaughlin, $4,989,864
John D. Mildrew, Michael Piburn, Stephen J. Reynolds, Fredrick A. Staley
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287
wyckoff@asu.edu

The El Paso Partnership for Excellence in Teacher Education (PETE)

Arturo Pacheco DUE-9453612
John R. Bristol $4,641,407
University of Texas, El Paso
El Paso, TX 19968
apacheco@utep.edu
 
 

Rocky Mountain Teacher Education Collaborative (RMTEC)

Fredrick M. Stein DUE-9354033
Kathy Cochran, Nancy Hartley, Loretta Jones, Jim Loats, $5,000,000
Barbara Nelson, Marilyn Taylor,
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO 80639
fstein@csmate.colostate.edu

Collaborative for a New Model for K-12 Teacher Preparation Focused on Enhancing Math/Science Knowledge, New Methodologies and Technology

Nina Hillman DUE-9354034
Ranganathan Srinivasan, Jane Drucker, Matthew Bruce, Lorne Ruby $3,900,000
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122
nhillman@thunder.ocis.temple.edu

Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP)

James Fey DUE-9255745
Genevieve Knight, John Layman, Thomas O’Haver, Jack Taylor $6,000,000
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
sb161@umail.umd.edu

Louisiana Collaborative for Excellence in the Preparation of Teachers (LaCEPT)

Kerry Davidson DUE-9255761
Louisiana Board of Regents $4,000,000
Baton Rouge, LA 70801-1389
davidson@regents.state.la.us

Systemic Teacher Excellence Preparation: The STEP Project

Elisabeth Swanson DUE-9255792
Lyle Anderson $6,000,000
Montana State University
Bozeman, MT 59717
eswanson@mathfs.math.montana.edu

While primary responsibility for teacher preparation resides in the Division of Undergraduate Education, other Divisions within the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) also provide support to the effort to improve the SME&T preparation of teachers. This section highlights teacher preparation efforts in the Divisions of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education; Educational Systemic Reform; Research, Evaluation, and Communication; and Human Resource Development. Abstracts are available through the NSF Web site at <https://www.nsf.gov>.

The Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education supports projects that enable all students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 to succeed in science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) and to increase the scientific and technological literacy of all students and adults. The Teacher Enhancement (TE) Program strengthens teachers’ content and pedagogical skills and creates an infrastructure of educators, researchers, and administrators to support SMT education reform. Several TE projects link preservice teacher education programs to inservice teacher enhancement activities. Instructional Materials Development (IMD) projects create curricula, materials, and student assessments incorporating investigative, hands-on science, mathematics, and technology education activities that are aligned with content, teaching, and assessment standards. Informal Science Education projects provide opportunities outside a formal school setting for individuals of all backgrounds to increase their understanding and appreciation of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.

Susan Snyder, Section Head K-8 (703) 306-1613 ssnyder@nsf.gov

Renewing Mathematics Teaching Through Curriculum (RMTC)

Laura Van Zoest ESIE-9618896
Western Michigan University $707,957
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
laura.vanzoest@wmich.edu

Valle Imperial Project in Science (VIPS)

Michael Klentschy ESIE-9731274
El Centro School District $3,309,989
El Centro, CA 92243
mklent@mail.ecsd.k12.ca.us

Guiding Education in Mathematics and Science Network (GEMS-NET)

Betty J. Young ESIE-9731316
University of Rhode Island $1,308,239
Kingston, RI 02881
rry101@uriacc.uri.edu

An Inquiry-Based Summer Course for In-Service Teachers

Graham E. Oberem ESIE-9731367
California State University - San Marcos $309,472
San Marcos, CA 92069
oberem@mailhost1.csusm.edu

Strategies for Teacher Excellence Promoting Student Success (STEPSS)

Darryl Medders ESIE-9814102
Visalia Unified School District $3,849,999
315 E Acequia
Visalia, CA 93277
darrylm@visalia.k12.ca.us

Learning That Works: A School-to-Career Video Collection

Michele Korf ESIE-9816634
WGBH Educational Foundation $329,565
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
michele_korf@wgbh.org
 
 

Hyman Field, Acting Division Director (703) 306-1616 hfield@nsf.gov

ADVENTURES IN SCIENCE: An Interactive Exhibit Gallery Exploring Biological Diversity and the Changing Nature of Life on Earth

Allen M. Young ESIE-9725177
Milwaukee Public Museum $1,376,931
Milwaukee, WI 53201
young@mpm.edu

Celeste Pea, Program Director (703) 306-1682 cpea@nsf.gov

The Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) Program is a major NSF effort to encourage improvements in science, mathematics, engineering and technology education through comprehensive systemic changes in state education systems. The program is competitive and leads to cooperative agreements with state governments that address several objectives: (1) adoption of more effective mathematics and science curricula; (2) use of better materials, technologies, and assessment procedures; (3) higher student achievement in mathematics and science and increased interest in related careers; (4) improvement of science literacy; (5) adoption of new standards and methods for teacher preparation; and (6) improved organizational and decision-making structures.

Arkansas Statewide Systemic Initiative

Suzanne Mitchell ESR-9350027
Arkansas Department of Higher Education $10,150,000
Little Rock, AR 72201
susannem@adhe.arknet.edu

Connecticut Statewide Systemic Initiative

Richard Cole ESR-9634086
Connecticut Academy for Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology $5,999,993
Middletown, CT 06457
rcole@ctacad.org

Massachusetts Statewide Systemic Initiative

David Driscoll ESR-9250033
Massachusetts Department of Education $10,000,000
Malden, MA 02148-5023
ddriscoll@doe.mas.edu

Louisiana Statewide Systemic Initiative (LaSIP)

Kerry Davidson ESR-9150043
Louisiana Systemic Initiative $9,940,000
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
davidson@regents.state.la.us

Puerto Rico Statewide Systemic Initiative

Manuel Gomez ESR-9250052
Resource Center for Science and Engineering $10,000,000
University of Puerto Rico
San Juan, PR 00931
m_gomez@upr1.clu.edu

The Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative

Philip Uri Treisman ESR-9250036
University of Texas at Austin $8,000,000
Austin, TX 78713-7726
uri@mail.utexas.edu
 
 

Celeste Pea, Program Director (703) 306-1682 cpea@nsf.gov

The Urban Systemic Initiatives Program (USI) in science, mathematics, and technology education is a comprehensive and systemic effort designed to enable fundamental reform of K-12 science and mathematics education in large urban school systems. Eligibility for the program is limited to school systems in the 28 cities having the largest numbers of school-aged children (ages 5-17) living in poverty as determined by the 1990 Census. Built upon experience gained from the Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) and the Comprehensive Regional Centers for Minorities (CRCM), the program provides significant support for 5 years to cities that have completed comprehensive planning and demonstrate readiness to make systemic and sustainable changes in the policies, practices, and procedures of urban school systems.

El Paso Urban Systemic Initiative

M. Suzanne Navarro ESR-9453664
El Paso Collaborative $14,348,789
University of Texas, El Paso
El Paso, TX 79968
navarro@utep.edu

Fresno Unified School District Urban Systemic Initiative

Carlos Garcia ESR-9452988
Fresno Unified School District $11,749,365
Fresno, CA 93721
cagarci@fresno.k12.ca.su

Milwaukee Urban Systemic Initiative

Mary Henry ESR-9554487
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee $5,000,000
Milwaukee, WI 53201-8210
henryme@mail.milwaukee.k12.wi.us
 
 

Celeste Pea, Program Director (703) 306-1682 cpea@nsf.gov

The goal of the Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSI) Program is to promote systemic improvements in science, mathematics, and technology education for students in rural and economically disadvantaged regions of the nation, particularly those that have been underserved by NSF programs, and to ensure sustainability of these improvements by encouraging community development activities in conjunction with instructional and policy reform. RSI projects address curriculum reform, teacher preservice and inservice education, policy restructuring, assessment, and implementation of national standards as well as the economic and social well-being of targeted regions.

Rural Systemics Initiatives in Physics

Thanumala Y. Pillai ESR-9713025
Mississippi Valley State University $84,759
Itta Bena, MS 38941
tpillai@fielding.mvsu.edu

A. James Hicks, Program Director (703) 306-1632 ahicks@nsf.gov

The goal of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation - Pre-Service Teacher Preparation initiative (LSAMP-TP) is to increase substantially the number of minority students with strong academic credentials, who are certified to teach science and mathematics in elementary and secondary schools. The majority of activities intended for NSF support under the LSAMP-TP initiative must focus specifically on attracting more individuals from groups underrepresented in the science and mathematics workforce into undergraduate SMET teacher preparation programs. This includes activities at critical transition points along the education continuum, including the transition from high school-to-college; from 2-year to 4-year colleges; from undergraduate-to-graduate study (where appropriate); and from graduate school through the adjustment to the K-12 teacher workforce. LSAMP projects with an LSAMP-TP component include:

Southern Rocky Mountain Alliance

Antonio Garcia HRD-9623615
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287
tony.garcia@asu.edu

California State University AMP

Alfonso F. Ratcliffe HRD-9353276
San Francisco State University
Northridge, CA 91330
rick.ratcliffe@csun.edu

California Alliance for Minority Participation

Nicolaos G. Alexopoulos HRD-9153663
University of California at Irvine
Irvine, CA 92717
alfios@uci.edu

Chicago AMP-TP

Marian Wilson-Comer HRD-9350587
Chicago State University
Chicago, IL 60628
bacomer@csu.edu

Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LAMP)

Robert L. Ford HRD-9550765
Southern University and A&M College
Baton Rouge, LA 70813
robert.ford@em.doe.gov

New Mexico State University AMP

Ricardo B. Jacquez HRD-9353215
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003
rjaquez@nmsu.edu

Washington-Baltimore-Hampton Roads AMP

Clarence M. Lee HRD-9353137
Howard University
Washington, DC 20059
cmleeone@access.howard.edu

South Carolina Alliance for Minority Participation (SCAMP)

Craig A. Rogers HRD-9255165
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
Rogers@sc.edu

NCAMP Teacher Preparation Program Supplement

Harold L. Martin HRD-9255239
North Carolina A&T State University
Greensboro, NC 27411
hlm@ncat.edu

All-Nations Alliance for American Indians

Joseph F. McDonald HRD-9450369
Salish Kootenai College
Pablo, MT 59855
joe_mcdonald@skc.edu

Oklahoma State Alliance for Minority Participation in Science,
Engineering, and Mathematics

Earl D. Mitchell HRD-9450355
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
ldsilva@biochem.okstate.edu

Florida-Georgia Alliance for Minority Participation Teacher Preparation

Lynette P. Padmore HRD-9255219
Florida A&M University
Tallahassee, FL 32307
lpadmore@famu.edu

New York City Alliance for Minority Participation

Neville Parker HRD-9252789
City College
New York, NY 10031
ampcc@.cunyvm.cuny.edu

Heartland's Alliance for Minority Participation

Charles Sampson HRD-9550704
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO 65211
sampson@grad.missouri.edu

Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation

Richard Sullivan HRD-9153747
Jackson State University
Jackson, MS 39217
sullivan@tiger.jsums.edu
 
 

Ruta Sevo, Program Director 703-306-1637 hrdwomen@nsf.gov
Gretchen Klein, Program Director

The Program for Women and Girls in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, is designed to improve the achievement in mathematics and science skills needed by all Americans and to effect a diverse workforce of scientists and engineers by increasing the participation of women and girls in science education and careers. The program funds education research and projects targeted at levels of K-16 and complements other EHR efforts to improve education from elementary school through graduate school. Large Collaborative Projects, Small Experimental Projects, and Information Dissemination Activities seek positive change in the academic, social, and scientific infrastructure to increase the participation of women.

Girls on Track: Increasing Middle-Grade Girls' Interest in Math-Related Careers by Engaging Them in Computer-Based Mathematical Explorations of Urban Problems

Sarah B. Berenson HRD-9813902
North Carolina State University $772,120
P.O.BOX 700
Raleigh, NC 27695
berenson@unity.ncsu.edu

Computer Hardware Diagnosis and Repair for Women and Girls

Judi W. Wakhungu HRD-9714759
Pennsylvania State University/University Park $234,160
201 Old Main
University Park, PA 16802-1503
jww105@psu.ed

Gender-Equity in Science, Engineering and Mathematics Education: Making Connections for 3rd to 5th Grade Girls

Sara Cohen HRD-9714751
Metropolitan State College Denver $838,139
1006 11th Street
Denver, CO 80204-2025
sacohen111@aol.com

Lawrence A. Scadden, Program Director (703) 306-1636 lscadden@nsf.gov

The Program for Persons with Disabilities (PPD) seeks to eliminate barriers in science, engineering , and mathematics that prevent the participation of students with disabilities; change the attitudes of the education community and the public in general, about the potential of persons with disabilities; and offer support for adaptive technologies to allow students, scientists, engineers and mathematicians to participate in NSF-funded projects. PPD supports projects that develop new methods of teaching science and mathematics, increase the awareness and recognition of the needs and capabilities of students with disabilities, promote the accessibility and appropriateness of instructional materials and educational technologies, and increase the availability of mentoring resources.

PPD/IEP: Information Access - Education, Opportunities, and Technology

Kenneth Barner HRD-9800175
University of Delaware $893,967
Newark, DE 19716 302/451-2000
barner@eecis.udel.edu

The Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication (REC) supports projects that merge research with classroom practices. The Research on Education, Policy, and Practice (REPP) Program supports the cultivation of a research base for implementing innovative K-16 reform strategies as well as ways of improving graduate, professional, informal, and lifelong learning. REPP research foci address the following themes: data, methodology, and theory; policy; practice; and technology. Research topics include technology utilization, content, pedagogy, assessment, and policy-oriented studies and indicators. In addition to the REPP Program, division activities include the evaluation of EHR programs and outreach to the teaching and learning communities.

Anthony Kelly, Program Manager (703) 306-1655 akelly@nsf.gov
Elizabeth VanderPutten, Program Manager (703) 306-1651 evanderp@nsf.gov

NSF Institute for Science Education (NISE)

Andrew Porter REC-9452971
University of Wisconsin - Madison $8,708,901
Madison, WI 53706
acporter@macc.wisc.edu

Middle Grades Mathematics and Science Teacher Induction in Selected Countries

Senta A. Raizen REC-9814803
WestEd $993,405
San Francisco, CA 94107
sraizen@wested.org

Investigating Multimedia Case Studies as a Tool for Pre-Service Teacher Development

Helen M. Doerr REC-9725512
Syracuse University $605,891
Syracuse, NY 13244-1200
hmdoerr@sued.syr.edu

Information about teacher preparation activities sponsored by other agencies can be accessed through the following Web sites:

Department of Defense Troops to Teachers: http://voled.doded.mil/dantes/ttt/

Department of Education Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE

National Aeronautical and Space Administration Project NOVA: http://www.eng.ua.edu/~nova/

NSF 99-96 (Replaces NSF 98-99)

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