A Teacher Research Experience: Promoting

Science Literacy

Louise McMinnAGU December 2007

Topic

– About Armada• Training• Research experience• Mentoring

– My experience– Personal Benefits– Classroom benefits– Researcher’s benefits

The Armada Projectarmadaproject.org

• NSF Funded

• Approximately twelve teachers each year – elementary, middle and high school

• Offered through the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography

Week Long Training

• One week long training session

• Teaching pedagogy

• Mentoring and coaching strategies

• Investigations in ocean, polar, and environmental science content.

Examples of Research experiences:

2007

• Twelve teachers

• Elementary, Middle, High School

• Different parts of world

• Ocean, polar, geological, and environmental science research

Examples from my cohort:• Kimberly Pratt – Elementary

Math/Science Teacher – NOAA Atlantic Northeast Shelf Ecosystem Monitoring Project

• Mark Goldner – Middle School Science Teacher – Dynamics and Transport of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in Drake Passage

• Heather Judkins – High School Marine Biology teacher – Equatorial Pacific Dolphin Abundance Study

STEEP

• St. Elias Erosion/Tectonics Project

• St. Elias Mountain Range is the highest coastal mountain range on Earth

• Five year study – Tectonic Plate movement– Forces of erosion

USGS Professional Paper 1616

USGS Professional Paper 1616

Researchers

• Ten Researchers:– Dr. Terry Pavlis– Dr. Ronald Bruhn– Dr. Kenneth Ridgway– Dr. Ian Shennan– Dr. George Plafker– Peter Haeussler, USGS– Four Graduate students

Terry Pavlis

Ian Shennan

Ron Bruhn and George Plafker

Mike Vorkink

George, Terry and Ron

My Role

• Ten Days in South Central Alaska

– Camp in Katella

– Various sites reached by helicopter

– Each day – different experience

Core sampling in Puffy Slough

Day Four

Wingham Island

Personal Benefits

• Collegiality of the scientists– Different disciplines– Open to ideas– Scientific debate– Networking benefits– Extreme passion

Mentoring

• Required to mentor two beginning science teachers in my district (one per year)

• Weekly meetings

• Exchange reflective journals

• Examine Best Practice in science instruction

Mentoring

• Plan a field trip together

• Reflect on some of the science content or skills related to research experience.

• Attend the National Science Teachers Association National Convention

My Mentee

• Seventh grade life science teacher

• Late career

• Third year teacher

• Planned field trip– Spring –Bartlett Arboretum

• Combine Life/Earth Science curriculum• Examine Long Island Sound watershed• Bees

Personal

• Overall understanding of field research– “Historical” based on evidence– Slow pace – Extensive resources needed

Classroom Benefits

• Direct application of science content

• Use of inquiry based instruction

• Cooperative learning

• Students share ideas and discuss their opinions

Scientists’ Benefits

• Publicity

• Connection with younger learners

• Connection with pre-college science instruction

• Extra staff for field work

Future

• Campus Mapping– GIS training– Girls in Science Club– Field trip

Armada Project

• A win-win-win

• For teachers-students-and scientists!

• armadaproject.org