Professional development for middle and high school teachers in nanoscale science and technology

CHED 1617

David Sederberg, dsederbe@purdue.edu1, Lynn Bryan, labryan@purdue.edu2, Nicholas Giordano3, Shanna Daly, sdaly@purudue.edu4, William L. Fornes, wfornes@purdue.edu3, Kelly M. Hutchinson, khutchin@purdue.edu5, Randal Batchelor1, and Eric A. Hagedorn, ehagedorn@utep.edu6. (1) Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, (2) Departments of Physics and Curriculum and Instruction, Purdue University, Lafayette, IN 47906, (3) Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, (4) Departments of Chemistry and Engineering Education, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, Box 378, Lafayette, IN 47906, (5) Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, (6) Department of Physics, University of Texas, El Paso, 500 W. University Dr, El Paso, TX 79968
Classroom incorporation of emerging interdisciplinary science fields such as nanoscience requires professional development. This study reports on the design, implementation, and assessment of two summer professional development (PD) workshops sponsored by the National Center for Learning and Teaching Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NCLT). The goals of the NCLT grade 7-12 science teacher PD workshops and follow-up activities were to: a) provide teachers with opportunities to learn about nanoscience; b) introduce teachers to inquiry-based methods for teaching nanoscience; c) provide teachers with a collection of inquiry-based classroom activities in nanoscience; d) assist teachers in developing their own nanoscience classroom activities; e) assess teachers' implementation of nanoscience instruction into their curriculum. The NCLT-PD design-based approach drew upon a theoretical framework of research findings in the areas of: (a) standards and reform based delivery models; (b) science teacher professional development; and (c) reflection in teacher education. Data collected include 1) teachers' written evaluation of instruction, models and activities, 2) teachers' reflection journals, and 3) focus group discussions. Implications for PD are presented.
 

Advances in Teaching Chemistry at the Nanoscale at the K-12 Level
8:30 AM-11:35 AM, Tuesday, March 27, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N231, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007