A collaboration between university and middle schools to promote interdisciplinary learning:

1
INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR RESEARCH IN SCIENCE
AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
May, 2008

• A collaboration between university and middle
  schools to promote interdisciplinary learning
• GK12 Fellows in the Middle at Montclair State
  University
• Mika Munakata
• munakatam_at_mail.montclair.edu
• Montclair State University
• New Jersey, USA
• csam.montclair.edu/gk12

2
Structure of presentation

• Overview of GK12 program
• Goals and objectives
• Research structure
• International Component

3
(No Transcript)
4
GK12 Fellows in the Middle at MSU

• 2.9 million
• 5 years
• 5 local school districts
• Middle school (grades 7, 8)
• Science-Math graduate-student pairs in middle
  schools working with science and mathematics
  teachers
• Graduate students improve communications skills,
  teachers and middle school students exposed to
  cutting edge research
• International Component

5
School Teams
East Rutherfords Alfred Faust School
North Arlington Middle School
6
Kearnys Washington School
Lyndhurst Middle School
7
GOALEquip Fellows with skills necessary to
excel in STEM careers.

• Improve Fellows team and communication skills,
  and career opportunities.
• Develop Fellows understanding of middle grades
  science and math education.

8
Communication Skills
Ms. Soliman teaches about the force of gravity by
measuring the weight of a rock with a spring
force meter
Ms. K teaches about percents and pie charts using
candies to represent mining ores.
9
GOALEnable teachers to inspire students in
science and math.

• Strengthen teachers knowledge of science and
  math content and research.
• Familiarize teachers with innovative approaches
  to teaching science and math.

10
Fellows in the Schools
11
Summer Institute training
Stream table investigation
FOSS kit, Earth History
Laser mirror puzzle
Geological timeline, 45 m long
12
GOALIncrease middle grades students interest
and achievement in science and math.

• Strengthen interdisciplinary connections in
  science and math classrooms.
• Improve science and math achievement of
  underrepresented minority groups, in particular
  Hispanic and recent immigrants, as well as
  students with LEP or SLD.
• Expose students to cutting-edge research,
  scientific methods, and the benefits of pursuing
  science and math in post-secondary education and
  as a career option.

13

• Interdisciplinary Curriculum Units based on Field
  Trips
• Research Emphasis
• Role Models

14
Field Trips
15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)
17
(No Transcript)
18
Virtual Field TripPanamanian Rainforest
19
Upcoming Math/Science Day at MSU

• Poster session
• Presentations
• Faculty
• Fellows
• Scientists from Industry
• Campus tour

20
Programmatic Research

• Qualitative
• Interviews Fellows and teachers 3x
• Observations Fellows in classroom 3x
• Focus group interviews Students 3x
• Quantitative
• Attitudinal Pre-post Fellows, teachers,
  students
• Content Pre-post Fellows, teachers, students

21
Some reactions

• I think having the Fellows here teaching us is
  very motivating, encouraging and at the same time
  fun. It has made science more fun. I am
  learning that all subjects can be incorporated
  in each other.

22

• This program has changed my thoughts on learning
  more in math and science. Math and science are
  pretty much joined together as one subject.
• We look at our work in a different, more
  creative point of view.

23

• Working with the Fellows has been a spectacular
  experience! If I had done this since last year,
  I would be a genius!

24
GOALInstitutionalize project activities at MSU.

• Enhance STEM graduate programs by promoting
  communication and teamwork.
• Strengthen Universitys partnerships with local
  school districts and industry.
• Develop courses related to program activities

25
BeijingMSU Connection

• Fellows
• Research Advisors
• Middle School teachers
• Middle school students
• Project personnel

26
Link to GK-12 efforts in US

• Research as global endeavor
• Collaborations/Teamwork
• Team teaching
• Hands-on, interdisciplinary (and global)
  experiments for middle school students
• Cultural understanding
• Multiple ways of learning

27
Beijing ConnectionDecember 29, 2007January 11,
2008

• 15 grant-funded participants
• 6 Fellows
• 2 RAs
• 3 Teachers
• 4 Project staff
• 2 guests
• Superintendent
• Spouse

28
Funding

• 100,000 supplemental funding through OISE and
  GK-12 programs
• Additional support from
• College of Science and Mathematics
• Participating departments
• Global Education Center
• Participating school districts

29
Fellows

• Paired with Research Mentor
• Beijing Jiaotong University
• University of Science and Technology in Beijing
  (USTB)
• Beijing Normal University College of Resources
  Science and Technology

30
Projects

• Learning new techniques
• Radiometric dating using Argon-Argon
• Electroporation of DNA into cells
• ELISAbiochemical technique for titrating
  antigens
• Bacterial pesticides and agriculture
• Visiting a wind tunnel

31
Teachers

• Visited one high school and a total of four
  middle schools
• Met with teachers and students
• Presented lessons
• Participated in panel discussions at seminars
• Water quality experiments for students

32
Research Advisors

• Presented at
• Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Beijing Jiaotong University
• Met with Chinese researchers

33
Project personnel

• Xian Proseminar
• GK-12 activities
• Problem Solving in science and mathematics
• Colloquia in Science and Mathematics Education
• Panel discussions

34
What we learned

• Chinese education system
• Chinese classroom
• Chinese culture

35
Lessons in history
36
We had some fun too!
37
Visitors to the USMay 29June 9, 2008

• Visitors
• 3 university faculty
• Activities
• Continue collaborations with Fellows and RAs
• Participate in Math/Science Day
• Visit schools
• Visit NYC and DC

38
Projected Outcomes

• Sustainable collaborations
• Fellows
• RAs
• Teachers
• Project staff
• Increased opportunities

39
Challenges

• Scheduling
• Language
• Logistics
• Communications

40
Future Goals

• Sustain partnerships with China
• Create new partnerships in Year 3 and 4.
• Possibilities include countries in South/Central
  America, Central/Eastern Europe or Africa
• Institutionalize international collaborations in
  mathematics and science at MSU

41
Reactions from Beijing participants

• "Traveling to China and being immersed in a
  culture so different to me was unforgettable.
  However, as a teacher, visiting the schools and
  being invited to present a lesson to a class of
  Chinese middle school students was an experience
  I do not think I will ever equal
• "Traveling to China allowed me to see not
  only the obvious differences but more
  similarities than I could have ever
  imagined.  The world seems a whole lot smaller to
  me now." 
• Meeting with fellow researchers at Beijing
  Normal University was a tremendous experience
  where I was able to develop international
  collaborations that I hope will last my entire
  research career.

42

• Mika Munakata
• munakatam_at_mail.montclair.edu
• Montclair State University
• New Jersey, USA
• csam.montclair.edu/gk12
• GK-12 Fellows in the Middle
• NSF Award 0638708