EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERISTY STEM INITIATIVES STEM CONFERENCE MAY 2010

1. EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERISTY STEM INITIATIVES STEM CONFERENCE MAY 2010

2. Key elements of our center Advancing the support of math & science education at all levels, K-16. • Long term commitment • Maintaining focus • Capacity building • Sustainability • Leveraging resources • Credibility with stakeholders • Evaluation and benchmarking of results

3. PROFESSIONA DEVELOPMENT Critical Elements: • Engaged various stakeholders • Used outside reviewers • Shared program vision • Clear expectations of what students and teachers should be doing in science classrooms • A focus on student learning • Use research-based review tools

4. Five Ingredients for Successful Community Collaboration • System Reform • Data-Based, Evidence Driving • Community-based Engagement • Sustained Investments in What Works • Visionary Leadership

5. Partnership-driven, with significant engagement of STEM faculty Teacher quality, quantity, and diversity Challenging courses and curricular Evidence-based design and outcomes Institutional change and sustainability KEY FEATURES OF ETSU’S MATH SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS

6. Partnership Collaboration East Tennessee State University Eastman Chemical Company MSP Science Project. Niswonger Foundation Nuclear Fuels Services, Inc. Morrell Motors National Science Foundation Local School Systems Wal-Mart Foundation NN Ball and Roller, Inc.

7. Partnership Collaboration

8. Do We Have Any Results? Analysis of early data from one of our current Math Science Partnership programs shows 5-12 science students proficiency rising in conjunction with new educational approaches.

9. Summer Workshop Pretest and Post-test Results

11. Middle School Level

12. 71.4% 28.6% 2% High School Post-test Biology Gateway Exam

13. Impacts of Partnership Projects Trained over 1100 teachers of K-12 science and math Directly impacted approximately 60,000 students Involved over 75 partner schools in the 16 school districts of UETEC Gains in teacher content knowledge Gains in student achievement Improved teaching strategies Increased student achievement Increased funding for science supplies & equipment for the region’s schools ETSU Arts & Sciences faculty visiting schools on a regular basics

14. “Education, Infrastructure, and Research” NSF-Advanced Technological Education (ATE) NSF-Talent Expansion in STEM (STEP) HHMI-Science Education Grant, Symbiosis ETSU and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum NSF-Graduate Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) MSP Science Project Eastman Mathlete Project Niswonger Math Project The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (NSF) Nuclear Fuels Services Math Project NSF, HHMI and State funded interdisciplinary programs

15. What are we learning? • STEM faculty engagement with K-12 is resulting in increase awareness of the importance of the STEM faculty encouraging STEM students to consider teaching as a career path • K-12 teachers learning from STEM faculty; STEM faculty learning from teachers • Enhanced student leaning • Our programs are making new contributions to the STEM education literature • K-12 STEM education requires long-term solutions---there are no quick fixes

17. SYMBIOSIS Implementation of a Model Curriculum Across Biology and Mathematics Dr. Karl H Joplin Department of Biological Sciences ETSU Stem Conference, ETSU May 2010

18. SYMBIOSIS PROGRAM OBJECTIVES To create the structure, for the full implementation of the SYMBIOSIS curriculum. To expand the publications of scientific articles and science education articles describing the creation, methods and materials of the outcome of our program. To continue with and expand the assessment program in order to address how the students are benefitting from the program by creating and administering a new pre-post test to our ‘standard’ Introductory Biology for Majors as the control for the proposed full implementation of the new curriculum.

19. Curriculum Implementation Each semester’s Biology and Math material will be taught using the SYMBIOSIS integrated material, but as co-requisite, coupled courses

20. Symbiosis I – Biology and Statistics Module 1 Introduction to Biology as a Science Module II The Cell Module III Mendelian Genetics Module IV DNA Replication Module V Genomics Module VI Allometry and Isometry

21. Symbiosis II Biology and Calculus Module VII Population Genetics (microevolution) Module VIII Phylogenetics (macroevolution) Module IX Population dynamics (Demography) Module X Community Ecology species interactions Module XI Behavioral Ecology Module XII

22. To create the structure, for the full implementation of the SYMBIOSIS curriculum The eight currently identified facets of the program are:

23. Symbiosis III- Organismal Biology and Math Module XIII Membrane transport Module XIV Energy Pathways Module XV Excitable tissues nerves and muscles Module XVI Reproduction Module XVII Development and Gene Expression Module XVIII Bioinformatics

24. In an attempt to link and weave the modules together there will be an underlying theme. The 7 Characteristics/Properties of Life: 1) Cells and Organization 2) Energy Use & Metabolism 3) Response to environmental changes . Regulation & homeostasis 4) Reproduction , Growth & Development 5) Evolution Other threads include:  Variation & Diversity

25. Basic Initial Format: Biology Attributes Quantitative Aspects: Mathematics and/or Statistics Links Focal Questions and Chapter Preview Fundamental Concepts Connections (theme & threads) Summary Case Studies / Data analysis

26. IBMS 1530 A Sample Chapter: Conditional Probability http://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/documents/Prod_Book_Stat__Sample_Conditional_Prob.pdf This text is being used Spring 2010 as text for Statistics 1530 Section 13 Introduction to Statistics in Biological Context Edith Seier and Karl H Joplin Table of Contents http://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/documents/Prod_Book_Stat_Table_Content.pdf

27. IBMS 1910 A Sample Chapter: Enzyme Kinetics http://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/documents/Prod_Book_Cacl_Sample_Enzyme_Kinetics.pdf Introductory Calculus for Biology Michel Helfgott and Darrell Moore Table of Contents http://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/documents/Prod_Book_Calculus_Table_Content.pdf

28. HHMI / SYMBIOSIS related Publications • Submitted for Publication to CBE • The SYMBIOSIS Experience: From Flies and Bees to Introductory Math/Biology Curriculum. Joplin, Depelteau, Miller, Helfgott, Seier, Jones, Kumar, Knisley • SYMBIOSIS II: Implementation of a Model Curriculum Across Biology and Mathematics at the Freshman Level. Depelteau, Joplin, Miller, Govett, Helfgott, Seier, Jones, Kumar, Knisley • Developing Student Collaborations Across Disciplines, Distances, and Institutions Knisley , Behravesh • Strategies for mentoring interdisciplinary undergraduate research Godbole, Karsai, D. Knisley, J. Knisley, Yampolsky List of Published Articles & Articles Accepted for Publication see SYMBIOSIS website: http://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/product/publication.aspx

29. SYMBIOSIS Websitehttp://www.etsu.edu/cas/symbiosis/default.aspx

30. Assessment Study • Fall 2009 and Spring 2009 • Biology 1 2 classes @ main campus, 1 class @ Kingsport • 60 question pretest • 10 questions @ mid semester • 10 questions @ final • Biology 2 2 classes @ main campus, 1 class @ Kingsport • 20 question pretest • 10 questions @ mid semester • 10 questions to be given @ final

31. Assessment Statistics Data collection, Rausch analyses, computation of scale scores, and statistical tests (t-tests, ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, Normalized gain) will be used to determine students’ changes in content knowledge. The Rausch item analysis will be used to allow the calculation of a scale score for a more meaningful and rigorous comparison of student abilities as measured with this particular test. Other parameters include a pre- and post-course surveys such as the SURE III, SURE Follow Up Survey, CURE projects of the Grinnell Model

32. New Collaborations A working group between ETSU’s Departments of Biological Sciences and Digital Media has been established to develop figures and animations for biological processes for use in the modules, the textbooks, and for e-learning.

33. Other Grants submitted • In Collaboration with IQB • In Collaboration with Digital Media

34. To maintain a strong relationship between the Departments of Biological Science and Mathematics & Statistics by: • conducting regular SYMBIOSIS meetings • holding bimonthly IQB meetings/seminars • writing collaboratively • ongoing learning of each others fields • To keep the SYMBIOSIS website current and updated

35. Some Other ETSU STEM Initiatives Anant Godbole, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

36. Beyond the Math-Biology Partnerships Graduate STEM Fellows in the Classroom (NSF-GK12, $3M, 5 years); Two-Year/Four-Year Partnerships to strengthen Math-Science curricula for prospective K-6 teachers (NSF-ATE, $1.25M, 5 years); Scholarships for prospective High School math and science teachers (NSF-Noyce, $900K, 5 years); Research Experiences for Teachers (NSF-REU, $70,000, 2 years)

37. The NSF-GK12 Program Science First! This is a collaboration of ETSU (Math&Stat, Chemistry, Biology, Geology) and Johnson City’s North Side Elementary School, a signature school of Science, Technology and Mathematics; Project PI is Gordon Anderson, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Co-PIs are Aimee Govett (Curriculum and Instruction); Anant Godbole; and North Side’s Sharon Pickering and Valerie Orfield Evaluators are Scott Eddins and Deb Hemler

38. Science First! Central to the project are nine graduate students (Fellows) receiving MS degrees in Mathematics, Biology or Chemistry; The Fellows work with teachers to bring the excitement of scientific discovery to the science classroom; Teachers and Fellows earn a generous stipend and have a travel allowance. Even kindergarteners are exposed to what “real scientists do” as they conduct research. Honing Fellows’ communication skills is an important project expectation/outcome.

39. What sets us apart Most of the ~130 GK-12 projects nationwide are based in high schools; Most of the nation’s GK-12 projects target several schools in one or more school districts; Most of the GK-12 Fellows are final year PhD students; We enjoy close to 100% participation; Teachers receive 15 hours of graduate content-based coursework

40. Details Communicating science and mathematics research: As the Fellows embark on a very early start to their MS research, they are continually seeking to bring this research to the elementary classroom through teaching, creation of lesson plans, and auxiliary activities such as Math Club. Through these activities, they improve the content knowledge of the teachers they work with. Six hours are spent by the Fellows in the school each week. Some Fellows are working with the Gray Fossil Site staff to create an outdoor classroom at NSE that features a fossil dig for the students, from which they learn elementary paleontology. Creation of innovative course materials: Fellows are currently in the throes of creating Online Resource Centers (ORCs) for use by the teachers as resource materials for their teaching. The ORCs are organized by grade level and learning objectives/strands of the current State Science standards (work on Math ORCs has not yet begun, which is just as well given the new state and Core Curriculum Standards). There will thus be around 150 ORCs when the work is complete. Each will contain new lessons, existing web resources, and activities for classroom use.

41. 2. Research Experiences for Teachers The North Side co-PIs Pickering and Orfield have, in the past, participated in an RET Program. Their original research is being written up for submission RET participants earn 2 months summer salary and travel/supplies monies In the latest RET funding cycle, the partnership with North Side was cemented This summer, Neysa Alexander and Robert Hyder will participate and work on research on OMNIMOSAICS

42. The rationale behind RETs “There are very few absolutes in education, but there’s one thing of which I am absolutely certain: The best high school teachers are those who have a research-like experience in mathematics. ….working for an extended period of time on a hard problem that has no apparent approach or solution has profound effects on how one perceives the nature of the enterprise. Teachers who have done this type of research are much less likely to think of mathematics as an established body of facts than are teachers who have simply taken a set of courses. They are more likely to stay engaged in teaching after they start teaching….. And they are much more likely to organize their classes around large investigations rather than low-level exercises….. An ideal teacher preparation program combines the kind of orchestrated assimilation of the main results in mathematics….with the much messier unstructured explorations that come from working with a mentor and grappling with a research project.” (Al Cuoco, Director of the Center for Mathematics Education at the Education Development Center)

43. 3. The Robert Noyce Project In 2009, the National Science Foundation awarded the Department of Mathematics and Statistics nearly $900,000 in support of the Robert Noyce Scholarship. Virtually all of this money will be used exclusively for scholarships. Each scholarship fully funds potential science and mathematics teachers for their final two years at East Tennessee State University. In particular, the scholarship provides tuition (including summer classes), books, room, and board. The caveat to accepting the scholarship is that the students teach two years in a high-need school district for two years for every year of funding. As there are a number of high-need school districts in our surrounding counties, this is a tremendous boon to not only our students and our department, but to the community as well.

44. Noyce, contd. The investigative team for the Robert Noyce Scholarship is Jeff Knisley, Robert Beeler, Aimee Govett, and Daryl Stephens. Each year, we will recruit approximately eight rising juniors for our six week summer internship. The internship will focus on best practices for tutoring, problems solving sessions, and mentoring students (governor’s school, at-risk elementary and high school students). Six of these juniors will form our first cohort of mathematics teachers. 24 new teachers will be graduated

45. NSF-ATE The NSF-ATE (Advanced Technological Education) Project Tennessee Board of Regents Teacher Preparation Program is a consortium of two universities and seven community colleges. The PI is Jim Kelley from Pellissippi State Technical Community College (PSTCC); co-PIs are Judy Hector from Walters State CC, Maggie Phelps from Tennessee Tech (replaced by Holly Anthony after Phelps retired) and Anant Godbole. ETSU faculty associated with the project have been Godbole, Poole, Norwood, Stephens, Beeler, Seier, Hosler (all Math/Stat); Govett, Barnes, Nivens (C&I), Ho (Chemistry), and Miller, Wild (Biology). There are five project components:

46. NSF-ATE Two or three workshops are held each year at Pellissippi State to share best practices, study NAEP materials, host keynote talks, study emerging standards in math and science, and foster a sense of community among all ~70 faculty participants from nine schools. At ETSU, we followed the example of the dedicated math and science classroom at PSTCC to create the “Habitat,” which was funded by a special $54,000 TAF Grant. Here we have taught MATH 1410, 1420, and 1530, and the Introductory Biology and Chemistry classes to K-6 preservice teachers in a nurturing environment that facilitates team teaching, projects, and the use of technology. The grant has allowed us to purchase materials, supplies, manipulatives, and create displays, while TAF funds have transformed the Habitat into a smart classroom with 20 wireless networked laptops.

47. NSF-ATE AST and articulation: The goals of the project were serendipitously aligned with State goals when the TBR mandated the Associates of Science in Teaching degree (AST) at all community colleges. This degree required all two year colleges to institute a curriculum that had three mathematics classes (which we have required at ETSU for 15 years) and four science classes for K-6 majors. This facilitated new articulation agreements and strengthened existing ones; we have now graduated 2 cohorts of the 2+2 agreement with Walters State Community College, and many students from Northeast State Technical Community College. Standards based instruction and knowledge/implementation of best practices has now transformed all our offerings at ETSU. Special courses have been developed, in Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics (particularly MATH 1530) that permit us to teach innovative sections of general education classes in the Habitat to a audience of primarily K-6 majors.