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Session 2480

Constructing Knowledge Networks in Middle School Classrooms

Teresa Larkin-Hein, Sarah E. Irvine, Andrea I. Prejean, & Mary Anne Lesiak American University Washington, DC

Abstract

Providing opportunities for K - 12 educators to further their use and understanding of current technologies in the classroom has never been more important than it is at present. This paper will explore ways that university faculty members can work with K - 12 educators with relevant information and hands-on experiences to develop and enhance their use of technology in the middle school classroom. An interactive workshop for 15 middle school teachers provided for a model by which participating teachers could experience constructivist teaching and learning strategies first-hand. Throughout the workshop, teams of teachers worked to prepare an integrated, technology-based lesson using materials from science, mathematics, as well as the language arts. Highlights of the curriculum developed for the workshop will be presented and results of a questionnaire given to the teachers will be shared. Finally, observations made by the workshop leaders will be discussed in order to assist other university faculty interested in modeling a similar program for K-12 teachers.

I. Introduction

Through a Dwight D. Eisenhower Faculty Development Program award, a multidisciplinary team of faculty members and graduate students from American University hosted a workshop on the American University campus for a group of 15 middle school teachers from the District of Columbia Public Schools during the summer 2000 session. Teams of three were identified with most teams including a science teacher, a mathematics teacher, and a language arts teacher. Where possible, teams consisted of teachers from the same school. A portion of the resources developed for the workshop can all be found at http://www.american.edu/IRVINE/ike/.

The weeklong, interactive workshop provided an opportunity for participating teachers to experience constructivist teaching and learning strategies first-hand. During the week, teams of teachers worked to prepare an integrated, technology-based lesson using materials from science, mathematics, and the language arts. Careful attention was given to following the national content-standards developed for each of these areas of the curriculum. In the section that follows, highlights of many of the workshop activities are outlined.

Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2001 American Society for Engineering Education

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Irvine, S., & Lesiak, M. A., & Prejean, A., & Larkin-Hein, T. (2001, June), Constructing Knowledge Networks In Middle School Classrooms Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--9037