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PRE-SCHOOL / ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WINNER

Promoting 21st Century Skills Through Science and Engineering Education

Marlene Aviles, Dr. Ercel Webb School #22, Jersey City, N.J.

Augusto Z. Macalalag Jr., Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J.

Program Overview & Partnership Structure

In today’s changing global economy, science and technological literacy are crucial for students to compete in the 21st century1. The widening gap in achievement and low interest in science, engineering, and mathematics between students in the U.S. and those in other developed countries are major concerns. Moreover, a good number of students in the U.S. are being taught by teachers who are lacking the qualifications, content knowledge, and pedagogy to teach science, engineering, and mathematics2.

To address these challenges, the Partnership to Improve Student Achievement (PISA) program provided 47 grade 3-5 teachers in N.J. with high quality science and engineering curricula, classroom- focused professional development, and mentoring designed to address topics in key content areas in science and engineering education. Scientific inquiry and the engineering design process were the two vehicles used in the instructional activities to promote teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge and increase students’ achievement and engagement in science. The partnership included six urban districts in northern N.J., a science center, teacher education institution, and an engineering college. Teachers received 124 hours of continuous professional development including a two week summer institute, one hour monthly classroom support visits (coaching, modeling, curriculum alignment, and planning), and three professional development days during the school year. The project is now in its third year.

The partnership goals are to (1) increase teachers’ content knowledge in specific science topics and engineering, (2) improve the teachers’ notions of scientific inquiry, (3) increase participating teachers’ preparedness in creating, adapting, and delivering inquiry-based science and engineering lessons, and (4) increase students’ content knowledge in specific science topics and engineering.

Program Content

Each year of the PISA program has focused on a different science discipline with corresponding technology and engineering lessons. Elementary teachers who participate in all three years of the program are exposed to higher level content knowledge in each of these science disciplines. The first year was devoted to life and environmental sciences, earth and space sciences in the second year, and physical sciences is the focus of the third year. During the two-week summer institute held in 2009,

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Klein-Gardner, S., & Aviles, M., & Case, J., & Macalalag, A., & Brockway, J., & O'Hara, C., & Asheim, M., & Moskal, B., & Lien, B., & Rutz, E. (2010, June), Best Practices Panel 2010 Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--15696