The Copernicus Project
University of California, Riverside
Graduate School of Education
Partnership Building & Pathway
Modeling for Science Teachers
The PRIME Conference
March 6, 2009
Linda Scott Hendrick, Ph.D.
www.copernicusproject.ucr.edu
‘Linda Scott Hendrick: Principal Investigator
‘Athena Waite: Co-Principal Investigator
‘Jocelyn Edey, Co-Director
‘Steve Gómez, Co-Director
‘Cathy Lussier, Co-Director
‘Raymond Hurst, Education/Business Liaison
‘Ryan Shiba
‘Kenisha Williams
‘Jacquelyn Rodriguez
‘Monica Esparza
‘Gloria Newman
A Pop Quiz
‘Nicolas Copernicus is
– a.) a new hip hop artist
– b.) a relief pitcher for the Dodgers
– c.) the scientist who defined
“out of the box” thinking
…500 years ago
– d.) the new lottery scratcher
Project Goals & Objectives
1. Early identification of diverse future
science teachers as well as established
science teachers at the:
• community college level (future teacher)
• teacher preparation level (teacher in training)
• novice & veteran teacher level
Project Goals & Objectives
2. Create & implement high quality,
focused teacher preparation &
advanced professional development for
identified:
• future science teachers
• new & veteran science teachers
Project Goals & Objectives
3. Create continued, sustained, mentored
support for new & veteran science
teachers through partnerships
Project Outcomes
‘ Increase the number & diversity of
science teachers
‘ Cultivate deeper science subject matter
knowledge & expert pedagogy
‘ Improve significantly students’ science
achievement
The 5 E Model and State and
National Content Standards
‘ Engage
‘ Explore
‘ Explain
‘ Elaborate
‘ Evaluate
Implementing Project Goals
The Copernicus
Project
Partners
Copernicus Partners
‘ Institutions of Higher Education:
– 4 Four-Year Institutions
– 4 Community Colleges
‘ 8 School Districts
‘ Riverside County Office of Education
‘ Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
The Developmental
Teacher Preparation
Continuum
Building a Teacher
Education Pipeline
‘Science Blended Programs have been
be developed at 4-year partner IHEs to:
– Offer “early deciding”students an enriched
“blended” undergraduate science major
– Include early professional field experiences
– Provide a “fast track” to classroom teaching
– Allow transfer to partner 4-year IHEs
through an articulated community college
curriculum
Building a Teacher
Education Pipeline
‘Provides one ‘Teacher Education
Program Specialist’ at each partnering
community college
‘Conducts transfer workshops for student
course-taking advisement
‘Works with community college
counselors to place students in paid
summer internships in university
laboratories
Community College Counselors
‘ Teacher Education Program Specialists are provided at
each partnering campus.
‘ Provide early field experiences.
‘ Arrange transfer workshops & advisement for participation
in the Science Blended Program.
– Easy transfer to 4-year IHE’s through articulated curricula
– Fast track to teaching
‘ Paid Community College Internship (CCI) experience
Community College Science
Summer Internships (CCI)
‘ 4 Partnering Community Colleges
‘ CC Students
60 participants
‘ 2 Weeks
Community College Science
Summer Internships (CCI)
‘ Students live in dorms, experience campus life,
network w/ other future teachers.
‘ Students provided:
– campus admission & transfer information
– financial aid resources
– teacher credential program information.
CCI Lab Experience
‘ Science faculty create & deliver hands-on
science activities.
‘ Examples:
• organic solar cell fabrication
• water quality engineering
• invasive species
management
CCI Skills & Teaching
‘ Students taught pedagogy:
–
–
Learning styles
Strategies for
English language learners
& special needs students
‘ Students taught
technology
& presentation skills
‘ Students practice skills
& share knowledge w/ peers
CCI in Action
The Copernicus Project
‘Community College Internship
Program Outcomes for Community
College Students
CCI Outcomes
‘ Pre-test & Post-test surveys
‘ Pre-test & Post-test results indicate significant (p=.05)
– Increased interest in university transfer
– Increased interest in teaching
‘ Follow-up Surveys
– 50% respondents have now taken an education class
– 75% now confident that they will become a teacher
CCI - Student Feedback…
“I valued the labs and lectures, they ran
smoothly & were centered around the
students’ needs.”
“Dr. Hoddle’s entomology lab was very
impressive & professional. The pedagogy
was very useful & insightful!”
“I valued the knowledge that I have gained
through this experience. It has been a great
learning experience & a very fun process.”
Science Summer Institutes (SSI)
Science Summer Institutes (SSI)
‘ High School & Middle School teachers
‘ Partner w/ High School students
‘ 2-week Summer Science education
‘ Topics
–
–
–
–
Year 1: Biology
Year 2: Chemistry
Year 3: Earth Science & Physics
Year 4: Elementary Science
through literacy (elementary
teachers)
‘ Mentor site visits throughout the year
‘ 2 follow-up sessions
You are here
Standards
Pacing
Guides
HELP
Inquiry
learning
SSI – Goals and Content
‘ District administrators and teachers collaboratively select
standards-based content
‘ Pedagogy demonstrated and practiced in hands-on
experiences
‘ Teachers develop new inquiry-based lesson plans
(5 E Model – Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, & Evaluate)
‘ Technology skills developed and integrated into lesson
presentations
SSI – Goals and Content (cont.)
‘ Teachers share and publish new lesson plans
‘ AVID-like high school students partner with teachers
– Learn (pedagogy, science content, campus and credential info.,
etc.)
– Collaborate on science lesson with mentor SSI teacher
– Implement and teach science lesson to 5th grade class
– Develop leadership skills and academic motivation
‘ Teachers develop and implement Action Research
‘ Support and collaboration continue all year long
SSI – Goals and Content (cont.)
‘ University extension
credits available to
teachers
‘ Assist participating
teachers within their
authorized credential area to
earn a ‘degree
authorization’ in Science
(NCLB compliant)
SSI Pre-Post Test Comparisons
‘ Statistically significant increases: (p=.05)
– Teachers’ self-assessment of comfort in genetics
and biology related class activities and topics
– Development of inquiry-based pedagogical and
assessment orientations for students
– Teachers’ use of computer technologies
in class and at home in lesson planning
– Use of PowerPoint, image scanning, virtual labs,
e-portfolios and science internet resources during
lessons and in class
SSI Pre-Post Test Comparisons
‘ Statistically significant increases: (p=.05)
– Perceived ability to reach and motivate all of their science
students
– Perceived capacity to make a difference in students’ lives
– Positive perceptions of their decisions to become a teacher
– Satisfaction with teaching ability
– Value of collaborative meetings with other teachers
SSI Teacher Feedback
‘ “The time in content
area teams was
helpful, I enjoyed
working with teachers
that taught the subject
that I teach. Thanks to
Dr. Ferko for
explaining the labs to
me at a level I can
understand.”
SSI Student Feedback
‘ “I valued getting to
present our lesson
plans to the teachers
and listening to their
thoughts.”
‘ “This experience
made my summer
better, this made me
want to be a teacher,
I have a new respect
for them.”
Evaluation Plan
Components
‘Increased retention of science
teachers
‘Increased teacher training in
technology
‘Effective teaching of science through
literacy in elementary grades
‘Increased student science
achievement
The Copernicus Project
‘Science Summer Institute Outcomes
for Veteran and New Teachers
Science Summer Institutes (SSI)
Enhanced Teacher
Confidence Levels and Higher
Motivation
Science Summer Institutes (SSI)
Statistically significant increases: (p=.05)
---Development of inquiry-based pedagogical
and assessment orientations for students
---Teachers’ uses of computer technologies
in class and at home in lesson planning
---Uses of PowerPoint, image scanning,
virtual labs, e-portfolios, and science internet
resources during lessons and in class
Statistically significant increases: (p=.05)
Science Summer Institutes (SSI)
---Perceived ability to reach and
motivate all of their science students
---Perceived capacity to make a
difference in students’ lives
---Positive perceptions of their
decisions to become teachers
---Satisfaction with teaching abilities
The Copernicus Project
‘Science Achievement Scores for
Students of Copernicus Teacher
Participants
Year 2 – 2006 CCI
California Standards Test,
Biology- Year 1
Year
2
–
2006
CCI
Year 1- State:
+3 % increase
SSI High School 1:
SSI High School 2 :
SSI High School 3 :
SSI High School 4 :
SSI High School 5 :
SSI High School 6 :
+12% increase
+12% increase
+ 8% increase
+ 6% increase
+ 5% increase
+ 2% increase
California Standards
Test, Chemistry- Year 2
Year 2- State:
+4 % increase
SSI High School 1:
SSI High School 2 :
SSI High School 3 :
SSI High School 4 :
SSI High School 5 :
SSI High School 6 :
+20% increase
+11% increase
+8 % increase
+8 % increase
+7 % increase
+7 % increase
California Standards Test,
Earth Science- Year 3
Year 3 - State:
+3 % increase
SSI High School 1:
SSI High School 2 :
SSI High School 3 :
SSI High School 4 :
SSI High School 5 :
SSI High School 6 :
+43% increase
+28% increase
+26 % increase
+26 % increase
+25 % increase
+22 % increase
California Standards Test,
Physics- Year 3
Year 3 - State:
+8 % increase
SSI High School 1:
SSI High School 2 :
SSI High School 3 :
SSI High School 4 :
SSI High School 5 :
SSI High School 6 :
+71% increase
+61% increase
+55 % increase
+49 % increase
+43 % increase
+40 % increase
And that’s just
the beginning:
CoperniKids: helping
underrepresented elementary
school students create a
pathway to a college education
in science.
Training high school students
in our teaching model, then
having them teach science to
5th graders.
Training veteran teachers on
the latest scientific research.
*
Image Description
*
Insert Image
*
Image Description
Insert Image
*
Image
Description
“Our journey has never
been one of short cuts or
settling for less. It has not
been the path of the fainthearted. Rather, it has
been the risk-takers, the
doers, the makers…”
What is Important to You?
For Discussion in Table Groups:
‘Learn
‘Link
‘Leverage
‘Collaborate
‘Next Steps
Report from the Group
Thank you for your participation and interest!