Image Test
07.11.11 0 Commentsposted by: pmooney
“Tools of the Mind”
02.11.10 1 Commentposted by: pmooney
My wife, Linda, and I have been reading Nurture Shock, a book first recommended to me by Anne Zakas. (I’ve asked Anne to order copies for all the NDeRC Graduate Fellows.) This book has many interesting chapters: the judicious praise of children, the reasons why children lie and the reasons teenagers argue with their parents.
I just finished reading Chapter 8, Can Self-Control be Taught?. This chapter tells the story of an educational approach to developing executive function (self-regulation) in young children, preschool and kindergarten. The approach, “Tools of the Mind“, was developed at Metropolitan State College at Denver. Through play and other activities children learn to evaluate their own work and to focus on the task-at-hand. They are challenged to reflect on their performance if they stray from the agreed-to-play/activity. The children become competent at managing their mental activity and behavior rather than automatically responding to their environment. In short, the children learn to focus. I wonder if this approach could address the distracted behavior we too often see in children?
You can read more about this approach at:
http://www.mscd.edu/extendedcampus/toolsofthemind/index.shtml
Indiana Science Summit
02.04.10 0 Commentsposted by: pmooney
Yesterday I participated in the Indiana Science Summit at the Lily Corporate Center in Indianapolis. This was a wonderful event held at a wonderful location. The Lily Corporate Center located just south of Downtown Indianapolis is a beautiful complex inside and out. As you approach the main building there is a huge – 25m diameter – fountain spraying water some 15m into the air. Yesterday the water was dyed blue in anticipation of the Colts’ Super Bowl appearance this Sunday. Inside the building was bright and open and immaculate. The carpeting was plush, the tile was glass-like and the furnishings were tasteful.
The event was attended by about 250 educators and those interested in fostering better science education including representatives of industry. At the meeting a vision for K-12 science education in Indiana was presented. The vision includes the following:
1. An inquiry approach based on recent science education research
2. New science standards – reducing the number from dozens per grade level to 4
3. Several weeks of professional development for educators to prepare them for the new approach
4. Centrally maintained and distributed kits to support the inquiry activities
5. On-site (at the school) assistance to help teachers implement the approach
Similar approaches have been implemented in about a half-dozen states. These states realized substantial gains in student interest and performance in science. Students are asked to investigate a system, talk to their classmates about their findings and to reflect in-writing about what they have learned. This approach also results in gains in other areas of the curriculum including language arts.
Collaborating in this effort are I-STEM, the Indiana Department of Education, the National Science Resource Center and several major Indiana corporations including Eli Lily and Company and BioCrossroads. The effort locally was spearheaded by our colleagues at NISMEC. Our NISMEC colleagues (Gordon Berry, Joe Bellina, Karen Morris and Beth Marchant) were in attendance and I took the opportunity to congratulate them on behalf of NDeRC. The Summit represents a significant milestone for them: their vision for K-12 science education was made public and embraced by those attending.
You can find-out more about the Summit and these ongoing efforts by visiting: http://indianascience.org/
Partnering for Eduacation and Research Forum II – Observations & Reflections
02.03.09 0 Commentsposted by: pmooney
On Saturday, January 24, 2009 NDeRC was pleased to host some 200 K-12 STEM 
teachers and parents at Notre Dame’s Jordan Hall of Science. The purpose of the forum was to foster vibrant STEM community and rich STEM culture among the parents, teachers, NDeRC Graduate Fellows and other Notre Dame STEM practitioners.
1. Observations and images that stick in my mind:
a. The participants seemed to be engaged in the small group discussions organized by grade level (K-8) and by subject (9-12). At least three or four groups kept meeting past the scheduled end of the session.
i. The small group of a dozen chemists exchanged e-mail addresses. (NDeRC Graduate Fellow Annette Raigoza facilitated this process by collecting the participants’ e-mail addresses at the end of the small group discussion and later distributing them by e-mail.)
ii. Marilyn Nash of IUSB, a member of the math group and a facilitator of NDeRC’s Introduction to Pedagogy Seminar, reported that:
There were high interest levels in finding an avenue for local math teachers and others to meet for further conversations and dialogue on mathematics and classroom related concerns, hopes and dreams for their students and all involved. My sense from the small group session on Saturday is that there is an interest and a need to create a place and space for additional gatherings.
b. The participants enjoyed eating lunch in the Reading Room at Jordan Hall. The sunlit room was packed: participants had occupied all the seating and were sitting in small groups on the floor. Nobody seemed to mind. The conversation was animated and complemented the sunlight in filling the room.
c. The Digital Visualization Theater was filled to capacity (136) during the first showing. About 40 participants attended the second showing. Participants strolled through the Museum of Biodiversity in 
comfort. This year’s format, two half-hour sessions for the DVT and the Museum of Biodiversity, seemed to work better than last year’s format, one 40-minute session.
d. Prior to the first session a number of Notre Dame STEM practitioners were engaged in several conversations in the Galleria area. These practitioners were from several science disciplines and from the offices of the Deans of Engineering and Science.
e. The last session, the All Forum Discussion, had the following features:
i. Most of the remarks were made by participants in the southern third of Room 105.
ii. There was considerable discussion (15-20 minutes) on how to secure funding for classroom infrastructure, equipment and materials. This surprised me as I had thought that there was sufficient funding in place for these items in most schools.
iii. The discussion on collaboration among the participants centered around the means of collaboration – wikispaces. When a remark was made about the transparency and right-speech necessary for collaboration the room was quiet. I had expected the participants to stand and give the speaker a rousing applause. The participants seemed cautious about embracing the challenges of these remarks.
2. Overall impressions of the forum:
a. My overall impression of the forum was that the participants were very engaged. They seemed to lose themselves in the moment.
b. I was impressed by the very large number of small conversations that took place prior to the start of the
forum and during lunch (unstructured times). I was glad to have helped provide the occasion for these conversations.
3. Questions the forum raised for me:
a. Should we foster the collaborative dynamic that seemed to be present during the small group 
discussions? If so, how?
b. What role should NDeRC; Graduate Fellows, K-12 Faculty and Coordination Team; play in fostering vibrant STEM culture and rich STEM culture in the coming year?
4. Further comments and reflections:
a. I want to use and foster the use of the michianastem.wikispaces wiki during the next couple of months to see what becomes of the wiki (culture) and of the people that interact through it (community).
b. I want to explore/foster parental participation in STEM culture. I think the message to K-12 students will be that STEM culture is not just for the classroom anymore.