- Dana Veron
- Associate Professor
- MADE CLEAR
- http://www.madeclear.org/
- University of Delaware, Delaware State University, MADE-CLEAR
- Pat Harcourt
- http://www.madeclear.org/
- Project Manager
- MADE CLEAR
- http://www.madeclear.org/
- MADE-CLEAR
- Colleen Leithren
- Owner
- MADE CLEAR
- http://www.madeclear.org/
- inxiFay
Public Discussion
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Gerald Kulm
Senior Professor
Hi. Thanks for the overview. How does your approach to teacher development add to our knowledge about inservice or preservice teacher education. Are there other overlooked or under-emphasized areas of science that are also important (or more important)? Why choose climate change among all of these?
Dana Veron
Associate Professor
We chose climate change because it is a pressing issue for our society, and because it is now a topic that is included in the Next Generation Science Standards. We would like to help prepare the pre-service teachers to teach about climate change – a topic that they have not necessarily had in their academic preparation. This effort is part of a larger project focusing on improving climate literacy across our two states (madeclear.org).
Jane Jackson
Is this done in a “science methods” course for secondary education? If so, how many 50-minute class periods do you suggest?
Dana Veron
Associate Professor
Good question! In our larger research project, we are working to embed climate change content and modeling of activities into regular “science methods” courses. But there is not a lot of wiggle room in the curriculum. So, as Colleen describes, the workshop featured in this film takes place over 1 1/2 days. This would probably be equivalent to 4-5 50-minute class periods since some of the activities like ice breakers and lunch could be skipped.
Colleen Leithren
Owner
Hello,
While I defer to Dana Veron regarding some of your questions, I can provide some background information. This model is a professional development workshop presented to pre-service teachers that occurs in addition and separate from any course.
Over the course of several years and refining of the workshop based on feedback, a model emerged that includes two stages. The first, is a full day workshop which includes instruction with hands on activities and a follow up evening session. One of the workshop activities includes students learning how to write lesson plans. The students are then charged with completing their lesson plans over the course of two weeks and return for a short evening session where they present to an audience that includes both pre-service and in-service teachers who provide vital feedback.
Brian Drayton
Good project!
A couple of questions:
1. Do you include information about (the science behind) some of the key local/regional effects of climate change, esp on the biota?
2. Given the rapid evolution and complexity of news and research, how are you helping them deal with it all, as well as with the emotional side of climate change?
Colleen Leithren
Owner
Hello Brian, thank you. The researchers chose focused material due to the limited time frame they had with the students. They also covered claim-based reasoning and instructed the pre-service teachers how to find reputable resources online.
Michelle Perry
Researcher
Thanks for sharing your video. What is one challenge and success encountered when developing this program?
Colleen Leithren
Owner
Thank you Michelle. One challenge faced by the researchers early on in designing the model was how to bring the pre-service teachers up to speed on climate change in a one day workshop. The first workshop was mostly all lecture and they quickly realized through feedback from the students, it was too much information. Thus, the researchers chose focused material and and more hands on activities which had a lasting impact with the students.
One success would be the vital feedback the students had from in-service teachers who attended their presentations. Their candid thoughts and observations regarding the lesson plans were well received by the presenters.
Jeffery Seitz
This is a very interesting idea. Could the materials that you are developing be incorporated into an Earth Science course that preservice teachers take?
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