Region 14 Mathematics Collaborative Accomplishments in the News!
In this article, recently published in the Abilene Reporter News, teachers discuss how conducting student interviews has positively impacted their math instruction. In October 2008 and January 2009, math specialists and teacher teams from around the state attended a Professional Development Academy hosted by the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching.
Debbie Junk, Ph.D., led each of the two-day sessions about assessing children’s thinking in math using student interviews. Participants returned to their campuses to conduct and videotape student interviews and share with other teachers what they learned about their students’ thinking in mathematics.
Region 14 Collaborative Teachers and Students Discover Asteroids
Through funding from the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, and in partnership with Region 14 Collaborative Project Director John Lineweaver and Hardin-Simmons University Professor Patrick Miller, the 2008 Summer Astronomy Institute alumni have discovered new asteroids during the current IASC Asteroid Search Campaigns conducted over the Internet by Hardin-Simmons University!! Denise Rothrock and two of her students (Ogg & Theiler) from Madisonville Junior High School have discovered two new asteroids. Denise discovered 2008 SE209 that is located 2.9 AU from the Sun and takes 4.9 years to orbit once around the Sun. Her two students discovered 2008 SG209 that is at a distance of 2.2 AU from the Sun and with an orbital period of 3.2 years. Both asteroids are in the Main Belt but 2008 SG209 comes within 0.06 AU of Mars. Stephen Caldwell from Vernon High School discovered 2008 SW151. This Main Belt asteroid is located 2.3 AU from the Sun and has an orbital period of 3.4 years. It has an almost-circular orbit. Many more discoveries are just waiting to be made. The fall IASC search campaign runs from October 1st until December 5th. IASC (International Astronomical Search Collaboration) is an Internet-based educational service program provided at no cost to participating high schools and colleges. It is a collaboration of Hardin-Simmons University, Lawrence Hall of Science (Hands-On Universe, UC Berkeley), Astronomical Research Institute, and Astrometrica. Once again…congratulations to Stephen and Denise & her two students!
Center for Science and Mathematics Education Receives $1.8M NSF Grant
The Center for Science and Mathematics Education has received a $1,860,616 grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the knowledge base of appropriate science instruction for young children. The project, Building BLOCKS for Science, offers a unique opportunity to study the boundary between the science understanding of Pre-K and K-2 children and to build a foundation for subsequent knowledge and skill acquisition. Dr. James P. Barufaldi, Director of the Center for Science and Mathematics Education, and Dr. Mary Hobbs, Coordinator for Science Initiatives with the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, will serve as co-Principal Investigators on the project. Barufaldi and Hobbs are currently co-PIs on a three year NSF grant in the amount of $286,311 to research science teacher empowerment. This project, “Instrument Development for Exploring the Teacher Professional Continuum”, is in its third and final year and focuses on professional development opportunities that empower teachers and which may contribute to teacher retention and ultimately increase student achievement.
