Lesley University

Overview

Lesley University’s efforts are aimed at the creation of an instructional module, "Introduction to Computational Science" and its inclusion into Lesley University undergraduate and graduate teacher training programs to provide students with overview of computational science and its importance in science research today. The project goals are to demonstrate the power of computational science as a way of organizing and understanding scientific ideas and to show how models and simulations can be used as pedagogical tools to create powerful, interactive learning experiences.

Partners

Lesley University (http://www.lesley.edu/)

Lesley University Module Development Team 

Description

Currently, the Technology-in-Education Program at Lesley University is the only pre-service education program at the University that requires its students to take a course in computer modeling. The goal is to have computational science formally included in all pre-service education programs at Lesley University.  The intended audience is students enrolled in non-science, non-technology teacher training programs. One product of this project is the development of a module, "Introduction to Computational Science," that will be used in Lesley University undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs. The module will be adopted for use in all teacher education programs as part of the on-going curriculum revisions.  As with K-12 classroom teachers, university instructors need opportunities for professional development to support their learning how to teach science.  A module training and mentoring program for the education faculty will be created and implemented.  In addition, a new full semester online computational science course will be developed and piloted.

The project has two main objectives.  They are to:

• develop modules that will be used in undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs, and in faculty professional development programs.

• create and pilot a full semester online computational science course.

The project team is comprised of faculty from Lesley University School of Education with assistance from consultants at MARINER Project, Boston University, Maryland Virtual High School, and the Shodor Foundation.

Timeline

The goal is to affect systemic change in 3 years:

• Year 1- September 2000 to October 2000

  The development of an instructional module in computational science begins in Year 1.  An administrative process whose goal is for the inclusion of computational science in Lesley University teacher education programs is designed. 

• Year 2- September 2001 to October 2001

  During Year 2, the computational science module is disseminated to interested schools of education, and promotion for the formal adoption of computational science modules into undergraduate and graduate level teacher education programs continues.

• Year 3- September 2002 to October 2002

  A new full semester online course in computation science is developed for a broader range of students.  Professional development for faculty continues as does the administrative work required to incorporate the computational science module in all Lesley University teacher education programs.

Contacts

Dr. Linda Grisham, Principal Investigator
Lesley University
Natural Science Program
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Office: (617) 349-8956
Fax: (617) 349-8169