Stevens Institute of Technology: CIESE Professional Development for Teachers

Interviews with Stevens faculty on the value of training K-12 teachers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

For more information, please visit our website: http://www.stevens.edu

An engineering and innovation camp for 26 middle school students from Hoboken was held from June 27 through July 1. Students were challenged to create innovative solutions to an assortment of engineering activities, including building a jet toy, a wind turbine, pinball mechanism and tower and glider construction. This program was sponsored by a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring awarded to CIESE and administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Approximately 70 grades K-12 mathematics and science teachers participated in professional development from July 18 through July 29. C-TEAMS (Curriculum Topic Study to Enhance Achievement in Mathematics and Science) is a NJ Department of Education-sponsored Mathematics and Science Partnership program. The partnership includes Stevens Institute of Technology, St. Peter's College, and a regional network of 18 public and non-public local education agencies (LEA). The goal of the program is to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and understanding and use of the NJ CCCS by classroom teachers. Partner schools/districts include: Bayonne, Clifton, Hackensack, Hawthorne, Jersey City, Keansburg, Morris, Paramus, Saddle Brook, Secaucus, Weehawken, West Milford, All Saints Academy and Marist High School in Bayonne; Rising Star Academy, St. Augustine's School, and St. Francis Academy in Union City and St. Nicholas School in Jersey City. This is the second year of a three-year program focusing on mathematical topics of algebra, functions and modeling and science topics of matter, energy, force and motion. Each teacher receives books and materials to bring back to their classroom and receives monthly visits by CIESE staff to assist in implementation in their classroom.

With support from the Mathematic & Science Partnership program of the National Science Foundation, CIESE, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's National Science Resources Center, held a Science Education Institute for Leadership Development and Strategic Planning from July 25 through 29. The program is geared to school district leadership/board members at partner schools in the PISA2 project which include: Bayonne, Camden, Jersey City, Hoboken, Lakewood, Margate Morristown, Princeton, Red Bank, Saddle Brook and West New York, as well as the Mustard Seed School in Hoboken. During the five days of interactive presentations and workshops, district leadership teams (1) developed a shared vision of effective science learning and teaching; (2) participated in a school system simulation about systems change theory; (3) learned about research on student cognitive development and motivation; (4) addressed five core components of an effective school system; (5) benchmarked best practices with other districts and states; and, (6) developed a five-year strategic plan for the district science program.

• Category

  Science & Technology