Google Science Fair Experiment - Extended

Check out all of the Web 2.0 tools on this site:  "'Cool Tools for Schools'."

A New Year and a New Appreciation for EiE

Wow!  What a start to the year 2011 I have had....gone are the days when I came back the first week of January and have a quiet week of organizing emails and files in order to prep for the 'spring rush'.  Instead these past two years my calendar shows a full week of professional development inservices and teacher collaboration opportunities during that first week of January.  I credit dedicated teachers who want to start the new year with a renewed focus on teaching in ways that ensure all students are learning. 

And with that thought I am inspired to write about the experience I had co-facilitating with Nannette today!

Today Nannette and I had the pleasure of planing an all day Engineering is Elementary kit training session targeting the CSI/OSO mini-grant teachers but including the new education leader for the Cedar Rapids Science Station and a classroom teacher who wishes to embed an EiE unit within her elementary science class.  We used the Professional Development Guide which was developed by the authors of the EiE program, the Boston Museum of Science.  It was a very helpful guide and allowed us to focus on the following important goals for the day....

EiE Goals:
Goal 1:  Increase children’s technological literacy.
Goal 2:  Increase elementary educators’ abilities to teach engineering and technology to their students.
Goal 3:  Modify the educational systems to include engineering at the elementary level.

Inservice Goals:  EiE Professional Development activities are designed to support educators who will use the EiE curriculum materials by developing their:

• knowledge of the structure and types of learning activities within one EiE unit as a model for all EiE units;
• confidence in teaching engineering;
• understandings of engineering as a career field, and of the Engineering Design Process (EDP), including how to apply the EDP to solve technological problems;
• appreciation for the types of teaching approaches and learning experiences that best serve engineering education.

Today we will:

• Develop a common definition of science, engineering and technology and how they relate to each other.
• Review the objectives of EiE units and the common 4-lesson structure.
• Experience the Engineering Design Process found in all EiE units.
  .

Essential Question(s):  How can implementing EiE units help students see themselves as engineers?

To accomplish these goals, Nannette and  I modeled all 4 lessons PLUS the prep lesson in the EiE kit titled:  Catching the Wind:  Designing Windmills.  In this unit the story focuses on Leif and his friend/cousin Dana learning about mechanical engineering as they using the EDP (Engineering Design Process) to catch the wind to help save Dana's fish (think windmill and paddle wheel).

If you want to learn more about EiE - please watch this embedded video from the Museum of Science in Boston....

Nannette,  as a friendly reminder can you draft a Google Form to collect feedback from our participants?  You might want to use the VAST Academy feedback questions as a model and then please add two open ended questions.

1. +  = please share what worked well today/ what supported your goals for attending / what aspects of the day that specifically helped you meet the goals established for today.
2. Delta = please share what changes you would recommend help the facilitators plan for the future.

When you finish the draft of the Google Form; please share it with me and I will offer feedback.

Thanks for sharing this opportunity to co-facilitate this EiE kit training with you and with the teachers!

Carol Dweck, Growth Mindsets and Motivation

Rockwell Collins - STEM Video Contest

Wednesday Found me Wondering and Whining (Just a little)

Some days I don't know how my colleagues tolerate my constant complaints about feeling exhausted following this strange bout with Shingles.  Just when I think I am back in the saddle the horse decides to give me a toss and add a kick to boot.  Again I must reflect on the wisdom of my elders and I can hear my grandfather say "this too shall pass".

Okay... on with the real reason I am blogging tonight.... over the past three days I have had ample opportunities to talk to teachers and administrators about science and formative assessments.  I sense a real mindset shift happening.  As Carol Dweck says on her website;

"In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort. They’re wrong.

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. Virtually all great people have had these qualities."

If you are curious about your own mindset, may I recommend that you take Carol Dweck's quiz by clicking on this link:  http://mindsetonline.com/testyourmindset/step1.php

The reason I thought of blogging about this today is also related to the fabulous conversations we had today at the Corridor STEM Initiative (CSI) Out of School Opportunities meeting.  Nannette and I posed a question to the group to seek their input on the goals to embed Engineering within school science.  We had many excellent contributions from the members of the groups; including the following comments:

• Ann (ISU Extension) stressed that we emphasize the need to link after school STEM opportunities to the school science and math curriculum to help build strong connections between the two.
• She further stressed a need for quality professional development for the after school care providers to ensure they were both aware of how their STEM programs supported the concepts students were learning in school ending by stating "after all they are the same kids".
• MaryLou (Work Place Learning Connection) emphasized the importance of showcasing STEM careers at the moment students were expressing appreciation and enthusiasm for the STEM activities (such as Designing a Windmill) they were engaged in experiencing.
• Jenny (Rockwell Collins) stated emphatically that the members of the P-12 Engineering in Education forum need to breakdown the silos between applied and pure science.  Stating these terms don't mean anything to students, parents or engineers.  She also expressed regret that there weren't more business partners attending the forum since they offer the practical perspective between school and career.
• Jenny also wondered out loud why no students were invited to attend the forum.  She encouraged us to reflect the needs of students simultaneously with sharing the needs of teachers.
• Nora (Science Station) wanted to make sure we helped the forum members appreciate that informal eduction builds confidence and helps motivate students to elect to take more math and science.  She also stressed that we need to start showcasing career choices in elementary school; paying attention to the way we package and market careers to make sure our message is geared toward the age of the audience.
• Suzie (GWAEA) suggested teachers encourage students to look outside the school for problems in their community that they could help solve; which requires professional development for all stakeholders.
• And finally an anonymous contribution on the yellow note card said; "I like the idea of 'honoring" the history and what is now being taught that fits or promotes engineering education."

These ideas will be considered and contributed to the entire group as Nannette, Rebecca and I participate in the forum tomorrow.  We were also asked to debrief the OSO committee on the results of the forum.  And what touched my heart was when Dick Whitehead (CCSD Superintendent) and chair of the OSO committee commended me for insisting on a place at the table as he saw the same need I did for practitioners (teachers) to provide input in such an important forum.

To meet that charge; I will end my blog and get some rest to make sure I have all of my mental faculties with me in the morning.  Since I have valued STEM education my entire teaching career; I am as excited to listen and learn as I am to contribute.

Getting Back into the Work Saddle - Slowly

I have heard others describe Shingles and now I know more than I had every wished to know about this virus!  If you are like me, getting a little older, may I recommend you consider seeking out the Shingles vaccine.  I plan to as soon as I am completely virus free as I never want a repeat performance.  Okay - as my Grandmother used to say 'nuff said about that....

Yesterday I spent part of the morning responding to emails and updating my calendar.  And then I had the distinct pleasure of attending an Adobe Connect meeting with two of my favorite AEA consultants - Jason and Tami.  We spent a productive 1.5 hours sharing information about a request to make the ELI resources available online.  I brought institutional memory and little else I am afraid.  But, hopefully the next time we meet I can offer a Mindomo to help all of us better visualize the content of each of the four years of ELI.  For those reading my blog who don't know what a Mindomo looks like or how it can be used; feel free to examine this link (URL = http://www.mindomo.com/) or click here to see one I created to use in a workshop on Teachers' Domain online resources.

Today I accomplished all seven items on my list.  I have a new 'app' on my phone that allows me to make lists quickly.  Nannette - since I know you love new app's why don't you see if you can find this one = Astrid Task for your iPad.  I am curious to know if it is available on both platforms as my phone is an Android version.

Time for some more R and R as I am still a little on the exhausted side of this virus.....