Professional Development When and Where You Want It

Intro Slide

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NSTA Web Seminar II:

Investigating Safely

Flavio Mendez

Flavio MendezProgram Manager

Symposia and Web SeminarsNational Science Teachers Association

http://institute.nsta.org

Agenda:

1. Introductions

2. Tec-help info

3. Web Seminar Tool Training with Examples

4. Web Seminar Presentation

5. Evaluation

6. Chat with the presenters

Let’s do a poll question!

Is this your first Web Seminar?

http://institute.nsta.org

Al Byers Assistant Executive Director

Government Partnerships and e-Learning National Science Teachers Association

http://institute.nsta.org

Jeff LaymanTec Support NSTA Institute

703-312-9384jlayman@nsta.org

National Science Teachers Association

Jeff Layman

Screen Shot

Let’s do a poll question!

Who is in the audience?

http://institute.nsta.org

Top line, from right-to-left:

1. Top, right-corner, small square: minimize/maximize tool palette

2. Highlighter

3. Stamps

4. Clear and shaded geometrical figures

Where is everybody?Use a stamp to pinpoint your location in the world

Where is everybody?Use a stamp to pinpoint your location in the USA

Top line, from right-to-left, (cont.):

5. Arrow head and tail (on/off)

6. Diagonal line (continuous or dotted): (arrowhead and tail work together with line)

7. Levels of shading from max to min.

8. Paintbrush

9. Clear button

10. Undo

Teaching Science Safely

Terry Kwan

Juliana Texley

John Summers

A Seminar to Encourage Exciting,Inquiry-based Science In an Environment of safety

Part II: “The Kitchen Sink”

Poll Question:

What is your area of responsibility?

A Positive Approach to a Safer School Environment

requires→ teamwork

→ planning

→ up-to-date knowledge of best practice

(not a crystal ball!)

A review of the last seminar:

Critical Factors!• Space

• Storage

• Housekeeping

• Facility design

• Inventory control

• Content Preparation

Planning for Success

- The facilities must match the curriculum.

- The activities must be appropriate to the facilities.

- The entire school team—teachers, administrators, special needs staff, and non-instructional personnel—must work together to make safety a priority.

Research Shows that Space Is the

#1 Factor in accidents

→ Administrators must realize their

obligations. → Teachers must

modify while they wait for help.

You must only store the

minimum of what you need, and only in the

most appropriate

storage facilities

Poll Question:

Where are your chemicals stored?

Inventory Control

• Keep only what you need

• Keep MSDS on everything you have

• “Neither a borrower nor a lender be”

• Use only bonded, reputable disposal firms.

Housekeeping Is a Major Safety Factor

- Failure to keep a clean classroom can be a serious safety hazard.

- The paths to your safety equipment must be clear.

- Storing too much is a great fire hazard.

- If you don’t need it, give it away or dispose of it (properly).

Slide and research from Dr. Sandra West Moody sw04@txstate.edu

“It Takes a Whole Village to Keep a Science Classroom Safe”

- Teachers are content and safety experts

- Information must be shared with all non-instructional staff

- Administration must see safety as a shared responsibility and first priority.

Don’t forget liability is shared too: Bush v Oscoda Area Schools '81MI (250 N.W. 2nd 268, 1979)

Safety for All includes:

→ Full (immediate) inclusion for all students → “A special set of eyes for barriers” → Shared responsibility with special staffs

Is this room appropriate for all students? Trace the path the wheelchair will go to get to the safety

shower.

Every science

room needs → hot and cold

water → Eye wash

→ fire protection → good

ventilation None of these are

useful if they aren’t maintained.

It’s not enough to just have them there, what else?

Which of these fires might happen in your classroom?

Safe Environments Include After-School Staff

• Every classroom needs biohazard disposal

• This can include slides, broken glass, used tissues, cultures, etc.

• These special disposal containers can be made from milk containers.

You can make your own containers

Security Is a Vital Priority

• Storerooms should have dedicated keying systems (preferably electronic.)

• Make sure that former staff members and substitutes do not have keys.

• No students in storerooms—ever!

Poll Question:

What should be done after discovering a condition that affects the safety of an activity or activities?

Standard (Universal) Precautions are for

everyone

Every practiceshould be conducted

under the assumptionthat a pathogen

could be present.All staff should have

regular training.

In every classroom, we have an obligation to minimize contagion.

• Warm water and soap, plus lessons in hand washing

• No activities that create contagion risks

• Never import pathogens into a classroom

Keep Up With Your Field: Biology

In biology, that means no cell or tissue labs, no blood labs, no mold or bacterial cultures (unless the students are very skilled and the culture vessels are securely sealed!)

Keeping Up with Your Field: Chemistry

• Microchemistry activities minimize risk, supplies, and disposal costs.

• No explosions—under any circumstances, with any equipment.

• Never bring stock bottles into classrooms.

Keeping Up with Your Field: Earth Science

• Use only appropriate tools (No air tools, power saws without specific training)

• Watch for polluted soils

• Watch for asbestos

• Eye protection for

shattering objects

Contact Lenses?

• The issue of contact lenses is one where “experts” sometimes disagree.

• Contact lenses can be protected from splash by goggles, but may absorb fumes.

• If an activity generates fumes, consider whether you need to do it!

What’s Legal? Safety

It’s perfectly legal to ask students to dress professionally in science labs:

• No hanging clothing• No unprotected

“piercing.”• Shoes• Tied back hair

Wanted: Sick or well?

• Gerbils have been shown to be the vector for giardia, salmonella and E. coli in children.

• Guinea pigs and rabbits have persistent dander.

• Watch for common allergens– Carpets– Molds– Latex gloves– Peanuts

Keeping Up with Technology

• Make sure that the appropriate electrical connections are present

• Don’t improvise• Have GFIs and safety

shutoffs.

Types of Negligence

• Malfeasance– Doing that which should not have been done

• Misfeasance – Improper performance of a lawful act

• Nonfeasance– Failure to do what should be done

Live Long and Prosper

• Document your precautions

• You are responsible for your assistants

• Maintain classroomsecurity

• Watch the Internet• Be mindful of good health practices.

How do you “live long and prosper?”

• Document your own training (beginning today)

• Document your directions to class (and who received them)

• Document the modifications you make due to your facilities.

Methods to Support your Community

• Arrange a web seminar or online course for all the stakeholders in your school community—including the facilities staff and administration

• Provide the best new literature including that from NSTA

National Conference on Science Education, Anaheim, CA

NSTA Symposia: • NASA: Stars, Planets, Life and the Universe

• NASA: Preparing for the Journey to Space: Energy

• NOAA: Coral Ecosystems

• NSTA Press: Energy: Stop Faking It!

• NSTA Press: Uncovering Student Ideas in Science

NSTA Web Seminar

Evaluation

http://institute.nsta.org/survey/ISsurvey2.asp

Upcoming NSTA Web Seminars: • Returning April-June

• 10 new Web Seminars

• http://institute.nsta.org

6:30 PM Eastern Time