#1: Introduction

Originally published on 4/21/2011

With the increasing globalization of our economy, and the increasing need for a scientific and technologically literate population, it is essential that our elementary school students receive an early and meaningful introduction to science. This early start can lead to greater interest and confidence in scientific and technological endeavors as students move through school and determine their future career paths.

This proposal seeks to enable elementary teachers to reach for excellence in elementary school science through Inquiry-based, Standards-based, Problem-based and Cloud Computing Technology-based (ISPT-based) learning environments.
The project represents a partnership between scientists and science educators at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and 20 Grade 3-5 elementary teachers from five nearby school districts: Bristol City, Greene County, Hawkins County, Kingsport City, and Sullivan County. The project will provide a total of 102 hours of ISPT-based professional development (PD) by sponsoring 5 workshops (30 hrs) and 1 summer institute (72 hrs) from August 2011 to December 2012. In addition, the principal investigators (PIs) will have 3 school visits to strengthen the PI-teacher partnerships and support classroom implementation.

The project will deliver high‐quality and research‐based PD to elementary teachers to increase their content and pedagogy knowledge. It also aims to improve the teaching and learning of science in the elementary schools of the region, aligned with STEM progress in TN’s First to the Top plan. The outcomes of the project are directly aligned with the objectives of Tennessee’s STEM Innovation Network: to create a network of regional STEM education partners and stakeholders from the K -12, higher education and education administration. Particularly, the project will build up two instructional infrastructures in preparation for a STEM Regional Hub: (1) A Bank of Human Resource: educating and creating a cadre of knowledgeable and skillful elementary science master teachers and teacher leaders; (2) A Virtual Instructional Hub: building up a web-based instructional resource network in the region. Upon completion of the program, participants will be guided as they establish infrastructures at and between their schools to improve the status of elementary science education in the region and beyond.

The goals of the project are:

1. Participant teachers will demonstrate enhanced scientific content knowledge, advanced pedagogical knowledge and skills, improved pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).
2. Students of participating teachers will engage in science learning through ISPT-based investigation, have increased interest, curiosity and awareness of opportunities in science learning and demonstrate improved science achievement scores.

To accomplish the goals of the project, the project has the following objectives:

1. Teachers will learn advanced and standards-based science content.
2. Teachers will learn advanced and research-based pedagogical methodology.
3. Teachers will implement ISPT-based instructional strategies and model them in their classrooms.
4. Teachers will advance their effectiveness in science teaching aligned with the revised and more challenging state standards as measured by TVAAS.
5. Students will advance their achievement in science as measured by TCAP.