Enhancing Connections:
The K-16 Community and Integrating Science in the Curriculum

Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) Philadelphia Regional Network Workshop
6 April, 2002
Bryn Mawr College

Break Out Reports from Session One


Group 1

Jane Horwitz
Lynn Maelia
Sharon Livingston
Debra Simpson

Challenges

Coordination
 -Within Schools
 - Among higher education institutions
Need for deeper commitment between partners - higher ed & K-12 schools
Needed to distribute good science materials, not create new ones [combat apathy & burnout]

Best Ideas

A regional resource center ó examples of what it would do:
                - send out materials
                - maintain materials
                - train teachers
Foster deep partnerships
                - Professors & teachers
                - e-mail contacts
                - Higher Ed: adopt one school & focus on it
Establish better links between resources

Group 2

Joan Johnston-Malin
Mike McCann
Karen Snetselar
Jeanne Narum
Bruce Grant

Challenges

-Lack of student motivation
-Scheduling
-Integration of sciences at the M.S. level
-Teachers w/out sufficient background
-Find teachers who are both child centered and math & Science content capable
-Lack of coordination between math & science (alignment)

How Higher Ed Could Help

-College Models: inquiry process
-Supply necessary equipment
-Coordinate (integrate) teaching of math & science
-Profs. come to K-12 schools
-Equipment comes w/knowledge of how to use it

Group 3

Best Ideas

"Ask your parents" survey at our studentís family

- K-16 resources (personal connections).

Jeanne ideas ó

-send our (univ) students home over break to talk to their favorite K-12 teacher.
-put up big map in hall w/pins in it for where our alumni are & what they are doing.
-ask Jeanne for more ideas !

PKAL Workshop on how to add and supplement to existing NSF (or other)
research grants for K-12 teachers to come and learn.

     
Group 4

Juan Buricaga
Mary Beth Davis
Kip Bollinger
Karen Cohen
Connie Blasie
Jack Schiller

Needs

More thematic, inquiry-based courses ó a way to bring the "university" experience to a school, sustained efforts

Equipment

More and better communication of what is going on
 
 

Solutions

Run summer institutes (like those run by Paul Grobstein)

- thematic-inquiry based visits
- web presence

Increase the level and intensity of university planning and presence of faculty and students in both K-12 and university environments.

-Establish a "Van" program, e.g., "Science in Motion"

-Hold workshops in instrument training

-Have "overseer" group like PKAL or other regional or university outreach groups survey schools to see who are the "haves" and "have nots" in a given school district like Philadelphia.

Group 5

More Best Ideas

Two-way street ó develop a "shared vision", include school administration.

Reality check

-time
-isolation
-noise
-clutter

In-service training

-timing

Pre-service training: do training w/experienced teachers

-e.g., how kits can work in a class


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