Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science,
Mathematics and Environmental Education
2001-2002
Annual Report
Download the MS Word Paginated version
The
Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education,
has offices in the Copper Country Intermediate School District and on Michigan
Technological University’s campus. The center provides services to 21 school
districts and their communities in
Baraga, Keweenaw, Houghton, Ontonagon and Gogebic counties. The center
strives to develop scientifically literate and environmentally committed
citizens, scientists and community leaders for the 21st century
by providing
innovative and quality programming for students, teachers and the community.
Ø
387 teachers participated in
6479 hours of professional development offered by the center.
Ø
52
teachers participated in the Earth Science Teacher Training Initiative, which
provided knowledge and resources to implement the Earth Science Content
Standards in the classroom.
Ø
55
teachers participated in the Educator’s Science and Mathematics Institute
Series to help teachers develop standards based classroom teaching units.
Ø
26,388 students participated
in the center’s programming.
Ø
864
students participated in 60 after school science and math classes in 20
elementary buildings.
Ø
437
students and teachers in grades 4-9 participated in the Western UP Science
Fair.
Ø
2507
students and parents participated in Family Science and Math Night Programs
Ø
11,797
students participated in 250 classroom presentations, assemblies and field
trips.
Ø
97
elementary and middle school students participated on 10 FIRST LEGO League
teams.
Ø
Placement
and training of 13 graduate students in 11 school districts to assist teachers
in curriculum
alignment and development.
This report is organized around the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education Three-Year Strategic Plan for 2000-2003. The Strategic Plan identifies six service areas: Leadership, Professional Development, Student Services, Curriculum Support, Community Involvement, and Resource Clearinghouse. In each service area—the goals and quality indicators are described. Descriptions of strategies used to accomplish these goals and indicators of the effectiveness of the work are also presented.
|
|
Focus of Leadership Services for 2001-2002
1. The Center
will influence policy for mathematics and science education in the region,
state and nation, by actively participating in the Michigan Mathematics and
Science Centers Network.
|
Strategies:
Ø Center staff gathered input
and assess needs of school districts using many strategies both formal and
informal.
Ø Center staff maintained a website and email listserves to
provides teachers and administrators with information on programming at the
Center, professional development, grant opportunities, educational research and
policies.
Ø Center staff worked collaboratively with community
organizations, various departments at Michigan Technological University and
school districts to coordinate programming and leverage resources.
Evidence:
|
·
Information from the
formal needs assessment was used to develop the strategic plan for center
programming. · The center was able to obtain funding and resources to enhance programming. · Teachers and administrators in the service area were more aware of the educational programs offered at the Center and from other organizations. |
Professional
development programs addressed a need for strategies to engage students in
inquiry-based activities using higher order thinking skills that provide
connections to the real world. Student
programming engaged students in inquiry-based activities, promote
environmental stewardship and explored careers in math and science related
fields. Family
Science and Math Night Programs addressed a need for encouraging family
participation in the education of their children. Established
a resource clearinghouse to address the need for access to scientific
equipment and standards-based science and mathematics curricula. The
Center obtained National Science Foundation funding to recruited MTU
students to conduct after -school science classes in 20
elementary schools and provide curriculum support in the classroom. The
center worked collaboratively with MTU Education Department to fund and
implement the Educator’s Science and Mathematics Institute Series. The
participation of students in Center programming increased from 13547 in 2000-2001 to 26, 388 in
2001-2002. |
In
addition to the leadership activities above, the Western Upper Peninsula Center
provides leadership by maintaining expertise in state and national initiatives
in mathematics and science education, by helping districts implement
mathematics and science curricula, and by sharing important information with
local schools. To promote the
improvement of mathematics and science education both regionally and state
wide, Center staff have also participated in the following committees, task
forces or presented at the following conferences.
Committees
Michigan
Rural Systemic Initiative Advisory Board
Michigan
Mathematics and Science Centers Executive Board
Michigan
State University’s Extension Advisory Board
Keweenaw
Community Foundation Advisory Board
Regional
Principals’ and Superintendents’ Meeting
Regional
School Improvement Committees
Presentations
National
Science Teachers Association National Conference
Metropolitan
Detroit Science Teachers Association Conference
North
American Association of Environmental Educators Conference
State
of the Lakes, Great Lakes Conference
|
|
Focus of Professional Development Programming for 2001-2002
|
Strategies:
Ø
Development
and implementation of programs to address the need for strategies to engage
students in inquiry-based activities using higher order thinking skills, and
provide connections to the real world.
Ø
Development
and implementation of programs that give teachers the tools and resources to
implement the Michigan Content Standards and integrate science and mathematics
into other content areas.
Ø
Development
and implementation of programs that focus on the development of standards-based
classroom teaching units and encourage teachers to share innovative ideas with
other teachers.
Professional development was delivered in many ways,
depending on the identified needs in the service area. Two primary formats included: (1) single
events, lasting from a portion of one day to several consecutive days, focused on
a particular topic, skill, or issue, and (2) multiple session events, either a
series of sessions with a single focus or a sequence of sessions, one building
on the previous one, conducted periodically over a several week/month period.
Table 1: Participants Receiving Professional Development
|
|
|
Reported Gender** |
Position |
|||||||
|
Participants |
# of Indiv. |
Total Hours |
Males |
Females |
Admin |
Math Tchrs. |
Science Tchrs. |
Tech Tchrs. |
Combined Subject |
Other or Unknown* |
|
Pre-K |
7 |
84 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
1 |
|
Elementary |
141 |
1,684 |
29 |
112 |
5 |
|
1 |
1 |
134 |
|
|
Middle/Jr. High |
26 |
566 |
13 |
12 |
|
4 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
|
High School |
71 |
1,102.5 |
45 |
26 |
|
18 |
16 |
4 |
|
33 |
|
Others* |
142 |
3,042 |
33 |
62 |
4 |
13 |
15 |
2 |
16 |
92 |
|
Total |
387 |
6,478.5 |
121 |
218 |
10 |
35 |
43 |
8 |
156 |
135 |
* Other includes persons who work across
grade levels, are not teachers or administrators, or did not indicate position.
** All individuals did not indicate Gender.
|
|
|
Math
|
Science |
Technology |
Integrated M/S/T |
Other |
Total |
|
|
|
Events |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pre-K |
Hours |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
# Participants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Events |
|
5 |
|
4 |
|
9 |
|
|
Elementary |
Hours |
|
15 |
|
33 |
|
48 |
|
|
|
# Participants |
|
92 |
|
61 |
|
153 |
|
|
Elementary |
Events |
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
& |
Hours |
|
|
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
|
Mid/Jr.
High |
# Participants |
|
|
|
11 |
|
11 |
|
|
|
Events |
1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
Mid/Jr.
High |
Hours |
1.5 |
1.5 |
|
1.5 |
|
4.5 |
|
|
|
# Participants |
7 |
4 |
|
10 |
|
||