Friday, June 25, 2010

Uncovering the "Silent - E"

It seems that our society has placed a "silencing" cup on the word "Engineering" from pre-college levels downwards. This was the topic of Day 2 afternoon discussions led by BU Eng. Prof. Mike Ruane.

Focused on the importance of Integrating Engineering Design into pre-college STEM courses, RET expert and Medford biology teacher, Rocco Cieri, called on discovering new strategies and ways that could make Engineering an appealing career for teenagers, who seem to drifting away from such a highly demanded career path. In the discussion, RET experts and novices presented their concerns and suggested solutions for science teachers who recommend career paths to pre-college students.

As a teacher in a private institution, in a wealthy North Shore - Boston area, I think that there is a tendency today in the American society at large that appears to indirectly cultivate a fertile terrain for math and sciences withdrawal, generally speaking, and especially from careers in engineering. This is a serious concern and debated at many levels. It is also a very complex phenomenon. It has a multitude of agents and reagents, policy actors and decision makers, where individual students and families feel powerless to hold the societal pressure toward ‘’easy’’, but well paid careers! Individuals (think: students) bullied by internet ads that lure the young to quickly achieve degrees without the necessary, hard work in a connected way. Teachers, struggling for resources, lack motivation if underpaid or submerged in bureaucratic work.

Immigration policies, which in one hand try to fill in the shortage with readily made scientists from abroad, hinder the development of local internal growth. (At least, this is the way of thinking of politicians : buying comes easier than making!)

However, for me, personally, the main reason for the math-and-science current, student neglect are the media and the entitlement culture of the American student. We, educators, deal with it in our classes on a daily basis. Students seem to be more attracted by musical idols, multimillionaire movie stars and athletes than any other profession. The rest of their day is overbooked with piano lessons, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, and all kind of tutoring hours from MCAS to SSAT’s. Therefore, going to school has become the best place and time to “socialize.” And there’s nothing that could beat the hunger for socialization in a teenager! Math and science – by definition – are smeared with distaste by many students as an uneasy unlike-denominator, killing the fun time.

I am afraid that at the end of the teen-years, when it is time to call for a life vocation, the choice may appear more coherent to a life “vacation” than anything else.

Well, luckily, not for everyone!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

SPECIAL SUMMER SCIENCE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon and the U. S. Army
Natick Soldier Systems Center will present the highly rated Materials
World Module (MWM); an inquiry-based science training for teachers. The
Center for Advancement of STEM Education (CASE) from Garrett College
will represent the National Defense Education Program in providing
training and resources to support middle and high school science
curriculums.

Materials World Modules Teacher Training, featuring the Sports Materials
Module, will be hosted at Gillette Stadium and The Hall at Patriot Place
presented by Raytheon.

WHEN: (M, T, W) August 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. -
4:00 p.m.

WHO: Middle and High School Science Teachers

WHERE: Gillette Stadium at Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA

EARN: Teacher Stipend of $225

We are looking for teachers to participate in this exciting three-day
training program that will include a unique opportunity to be mentored
by top-notch scientists and engineers from the US Army Natick Soldier
Systems Center. Teachers will experience inquiry and design skills to
take back to the classroom as a teaching strategy. For additional
information on MWM: www.materialsworldmodules.org for information about
the Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon:
www.thehallatpatriotplace.com.

Each teacher will receive a Sports Materials MWM Teachers Edition
materials kit and 24 student manuals to support integration in the
classroom. Materials World Modules offer hands-on learning experiences
for middle and high-school students. The modules focus on creating
materials used in the real world, such as sports materials, composites,
concrete, food packaging, smart sensors, and nanotechnology.

OPTIONAL GRADUATE LEVEL CREDITS: Two Graduate Level credits may be
earned through Framingham State College for a fee of $140. Teachers
interested in this option are responsible for the college credit fee.

Please note, if you have previously taken an MWM module for graduate
credit you will not be eligible to apply for the credits a second time.

You will receive additional information on this option with confirmation
of your registration.

ENROLLMENT: Please email your registration information to Megan
O'Brien at: megan.obrien2@us.army.mil PLEASE INCLUDE: Name, address,
email address, school, subject and grade level taught, and phone number
in the event we need to reach you.

Enrollment is on a first come first serve basis with a maximum of 50
participants.

Comparing Approaches to Raising Questions - Inquiry Activity - Day 2 RET 2010

RET2010

High Tech Tools and Toys Laboratory Northeastern University

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Materials World Modules Teacher Training – BioSensors or Biodegradable Materials

WHEN: (W,Th,F) 23,24,25 June 2010

WHO: Middle and High School Science Teachers
WHERE: Bellingham High School, 60 Blackstone Street, Bellingham, MA 02019
EARN: Teacher Stipend of $225
WHAT: U. S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center in partnership with the Center for Advancement of STEM Education (CASE) will present the highly rated Material World Module (MWM) Training for teachers at Bellingham High School. We are looking for teachers to participate in this three-day training program that will include a unique opportunity to be mentored by top notch scientists for the US Army Natick Soldier Systems Laboratory.


Choose from either Bio-sensors or Biodegradable Materials. Each teacher will receive a MWM Teachers Edition Kit and 24 student manuals to support integration in the classroom. Materials World Modules offer hands-on learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for middle and high-school students. The modules focus on creating materials used in the real world, such as sports materials, composites, concrete, food packaging, smart sensors, and nanotechnology. You will experience inquiry and design skills to take back to your classrooms as a teaching strategy. For additional information on MWM: http://www.materialsworldmodules.org/.
OPTIONAL GRADUATE LEVEL CREDITS: Two Graduate Level credits will be awarded through Framingham State College for a fee of $140. Teachers interested in this option are responsible for the college credit fee. Please note, if you have previously taken an MWM module for graduate credit you will not be eligible to apply for the credits a second time. You will receive additional information on this option with confirmation of your registration.

ENROLLMENT: Please email your registration information to Megan O’Brien at: megan.obrien2@us.army.mil (please copy bonnie.parri@us.army.mil) PLEASE INCLUDE: Name, address, email address, school, subject and grade level taught, module preference (Biosensors or Biodegradable Materials) and phone number in the event we need to reach you.

ENROLLMENT IS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

RET at Boston University

Dear K-12 Teacher,

I am contacting you about an NSF Research Program for Teachers (RET).
In late May BU received a commitment from NSF to support a site--very good news, but it also came very late. We are contacting you now hoping that you or a colleague might be interested and able to participate this summer.

The site would support 4 teams of teachers -- comprised of a novice STEM or pre-service teacher teamed with a veteran teacher. The program will take place June 28 through August 6th M-F from 9-5.
There is a all a pre-service workshop June 23-24 and 3 callback sessions during the academic year. Participating teachers will receive $1000/wk. for each week in the lab and $200/day for the pre-workshop and callback sessions.

If you are interested, please visit the website:
http://www.bu.edu/lernet/ret to apply and for more information. The attached pdf flyer spells out the RET requirements and benefits.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions after you look over the material. We're very excited to offer this summer professional opportunity and hope you can join us.

best regards,
Cynthia Brossman (cab@bu.edu)

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Machine Science is pleased to announce a summer professional
development workshop for middle school and high school teachers who
are interested in using iSENSE, the Internet System for Networked
Sensor Experimentation. The iSENSE system lets your students do
hands-on science with sensor probes and electronic data collection,
and then upload, share, and interpret their data at the project's web
site (http://www.isenseproject.org).

The three-day workshop will take place June 28, 29, and 30, on the
campus of UMass Lowell. It will provide an opportunity for an
in-depth, hands-on experience with the iSENSE technology. Teachers who
attend the workshop will be eligible to receive loans of the iSENSE
data-collection equipment, as well as in-person support for classroom
iSENSE use. Professional development points and in-service credit may
be available.

More details and a registration form can be found here:
http://isenseproject.org/events.php?id=3

Please note that we are happy to waive the $25 registration fee if you
send us a brief letter from your principal supporting your
participation. Also, UMass does have some funds available for hotel
stays (first come, first served) if you want to make a mini-vacation
of it -- Lowell can be quite nice in the summer!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I hope to see you there!

Best regards,

Sam Christy
Executive Director
Machine Science Inc.

(This is not a NU program)