Educational Issues & Needs in Pre-College Programs

Robert W. RidkyUniversity of Maryland

AGI Academic - Corporate Associates ConferenceFebruary 28 -March 2, 1999

Educational Issues & Need in Pre-College Programs

Discussion Points: reasons for National Science Standards and

accompanying change

new career opportunities for students

new models, new opportunities for teacher preparation

professional, academic, governmental and corporate

partnerships

new professional opportunities for geoscience faculty

Introduction (1-27)Science Teaching Standards (27-55)Standards for Professional Development (55-75)Assessment (75-103)

Science Content Standards (103-209)Program Standards (209-227)System Standards (227-233)

National Science Standards:Content Standards - “ what students should

know and be able to do ”

“Now, for the first time in our nation’s history, we have a call to action, a dramatic call for change, and one that specifically states that all students, at all grade levels, should receive earth science instruction.”

National Research Council

Science Content Standards:

K-4Properties of Earth MaterialsObjects in the skyChanges in Earth and Sky

5-8 Structure of the Earth systemEarth’s historyEarth in the solar system

9-12Energy in the Earth systemGeochemical cyclesOrigin and evolution of the Earth systemOrigin and evolution of the universe

Science Content Standards

Science as Inquiry Physical Science Life Science Earth Science Science and Technology Science in Personal and Social Perspectives History and Nature of Science

{above content applied to k-4, 5-8 and 9-12 levels of instruction}

Content Standards also include: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should develop understanding of:

Personal and community health Population growth Natural resources Environmental quality Natural and human-induced hazards Science and technology in local, national, and global

challenges

An Educational Agenda...

“Teaching is the essential profession, the one that makes all other professions possible. Without good teachers, the highest standards inthe world will not ensure that our childrenare prepared to be the nation’s future scientists, or productive citizens ... More than ever before in our history, education is the fault line between those who will prosper in the neweconomy and those who will be left behind.”

Secretary of Education William Riley

From the National Academy of Sciences...

“ Individual faculty members should recognizeand promote the rewarding career of teachingfor their young science majors. Although largely unexplored, teaching is the one area where people who can communicate the excitement of science can make a major contribution to the nation.”

Bruce AlbertsPresident, NAS

Summit for America’s Future

At Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, President Clinton, Colin Powell, ex-presidents, 30 governors, 90 mayors, scores of CEO’s and hundreds ofvolunteers made a commitment to marshal a vast corps of individuals to work 2 million young people by the year 2000. AmeriCorps is born

Teacher Preparation

“Congress and the U.S. Secretary of Education has urged the nation’s colleges and universities to strengthen teacher preparation, suggesting that the guidelines from the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future be followed”.

Community Update, U.S. Dept.of Education January, 1997

Teacher Demand

“ In the next decade, The United States will need to hire more than two million teachers to handle huge enrollment increases, and toreplace an aging teacher workforce ready to retire ”.

Shaping the Profession that Shapes America’s Future Office of Postsecondary Education, 1998

What Matters Most:Teaching For America’s Future

“This Commission starts from the simple premise: Recruiting, preparing, and retaining good teachers is the central strategy forimproving our schools. ... Research confirms that teacher knowledge of subject matter is anall important element of teacher effectiveness.”

Report of the National Commission onTeaching and America’s Future, 1996

Teaching bounces back

Sources: The American Freshman; American Council of Education; University of California, Los Angeles

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

'77 '80 '85 '90 '95

10.2%

Highest interest in decades10.2% of college freshmen last fall said they were interested in going into elementary or secondary education. That’s the highest percentage in two decades.

7.2%

Number of Earth Science Teachers

Year Total U.S. Biology Chemistry Earth Science Physics ‘88 52,231 - - - 21,143 8,908 ‘91 67,151 - - - 19,074 10,022 ‘95 281,465 73,576 28,857 38,494 19,766 ‘96 322,602 74,005 29,593 39,476 20,254 ‘97 319,566 63,315 26,789 35,701 18,375 ‘98 371,768 58,390 25,836 32,818 17,887

Year Biol % Chem % Earth % Phys % sum94-95 73576 46% 28857 17% 38494 24% 19766 12% 160693

95-96 74005 45% 29593 18% 39476 24% 20254 12% 163328

96-97 63315 44% 26789 19% 35701 25% 18375 13% 144180

98-99 58390 43% 25836 19% 32818 24% 17887 13% 134931

Number of Earth Science Teachers cont’d...

Secondary Teacher Certification

In 1987, the median number of credits required for secondary certification in science fields, including earth science, was 24; in 1995, the median was 30 credits.

State Education Policies:Results of a 50-State SurveyCouncil of Chief State School Officers, 1995

TEACHFORAMERICA

The national teacher corps of outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teach. Each year ~ 1000 corps members reach more than 100,000 students.

Math & Science Initiative - Goals:

• attract more of the nation’s most talented math & science majors to commit two years to teach• provide excellent math & science teachers to some some of the most under-resourced schools in the country• develop a cadre of leaders who will work throughout their lives to improve quality of math & science education

TEACHFORAMERICA, cont’dIndustrial Partnerships (example Anderson Consulting)

If accepted by both programs, candidates defer their Anderson job offers until two-year teaching commitment is completed. Corps members will then begin employment at their pre-determined salary level and location.

TEACHFORAMERICA, cont’d

Where do the applicants come from?Colleges with highest numbers… (top 20 institutions)

Univ. of Michigan (68) UNC-Chapel HillUniv. of Virginia Brown UniversityUniv. of Wisconsin-Madison Univ. of Calif.- BerkeleyCornell University Harvard UniversityDuke University Univ. of Mass.AmherstNorthwestern University Univ.of Cali.- Santa CruzYale University Indiana Univ.- BloomingtonBoston College Syracuse UniversityGeorgetown University Columbia UniversityUniversity of Texas-Austin Stanford University (23)

Putting Uni Back in University

“ Any weaknesses in teacher training, cannot be blamed solely on colleges on education. It’s

an all-campus responsibility.”

David G. ImigChief Executive Officer

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

Undergraduate Geo Programs (representative)

Geoscience core courses12-14 courses; 45-50 credit hrs.

Supporting science/math requirements7-8 courses; 22-26 credit hrs.

Fundamental Studies 3-4 courses; 9-12 credit hrs.

Distributive Studies* 9-12 courses; 27-36 credit hrs.

Other “electives”/advanced courses*3-4 courses; 9-12 credit hrs.

(approx. 112-136 hrs.)* potential for teacher education program

Benefits of Establishing a Discipline-based Earth Science Teaching Program

Opportunity to effectively respond to National Science Standards

Enhance, more broadly and generously, public literacy in the earth sciences

Provide career opportunities for our Geoscience majors

Increase department enrollment and campus visibility

Direct Faculty Benefits Enhances awareness and consideration of issues

relating to teaching and learning

Presents new opportunities for professional and career involvements

Active and constructive response to the broader role of the professoriate

Epilogue

“The National Science Education Standards describe a vision and provides a first step on a journey of educational reform… At this point, the easy portion of the journey is complete; we have a map.”

“Recognizing the challenge these Standards present, we

encourage students... teachers... parents... legislators... scientist and engineers business and industry to use the Standards to help with guidance

and resources for developing high-quality programs.”