Retirees Assisting Science Education

Don Rea, AAAS/SSE

Judi Wilson, San Joaquin County Office of Education

Christos Zahopoulos, Northeastern University

AAAS Annual Meeting, February 16, 2006

The Challenge

• Improvement of K-8 science education is critical – NRC report - Taking Science to School: Learning

and Teaching Science in Grades K-8 (http://newton.nap.edu/catalog/11625.html)

– U.S. Science Dominance Is the Wrong Issue (A. I. Leshner, Science 8 October 2004: Vol. 306. no. 5694, p. 197)

A Response

• Over 1.3 Million science and engineering retirees• Value of retirees in K-8 classrooms validated - TOPS,

RE-SEED

Agenda

• Judi Wilson - TOPS (http://www.edserv.sjcoe.net/tops/)

• Christos Zahopoulos - RE-SEED (http://www.reseed.neu.edu/)

• Don Rea - AAAS/SSE Science Volunteer Program

(www.seniorscientist.org/volunteer)• Discussion

Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science

Sustainable program for K-12 science education improvement

since 1993 in northern California

Partners retired scientists, engineers with elementary schools

A True Partnership

• Partners concept is important

– Scientist/Engineer– Lead teacher at school site– Classroom teachers

No prescribed curriculum. Enhancement, not replacement.

Lessons aligned to standards and state adopted materials for grade level and school.

Hands-on labs reinforce classroom study

What is taught?

What do Partners do?• Volunteer at one school for 6-8 hours per month over

course of one school year• Develop and deliver lessons with input and assistance

of teacher. (e.g., properties of magnets/electricity)• Set up labs (students explore/discover properties)• Use scientific language and methods• Model and provide info on science careers• Offer family event for parents/students

Teacher Impact

• Promotes teaching of MORE and BETTER science

• Teacher has "science mentor“ for content ???’s• Offers assistance in getting and setting up

equipment• Enhances--doesn’t replace--professional

development

• TOPS teaches students and teachers!

A Well Established History of Success

• 13 years of successful operation

• Operating in 5 counties in northern California

• Currently in 35 elementary schools

• Approximately 62,000 hours of student/scientist contact per year

Program Costs

• Annual cost per school $1400

• Plus administrative costs for sponsoring district/agency

• Cost per school includes training for Partners and Lead Teachers

• Includes library of check out materials.

Why is TOPS so Successful?

• Teaching, not entertainment• Depth---one year assignment

– Know the students– Teach to students level

• Ongoing Training for Partner and Lead Teacher

• Lead Teacher at school site and ongoing support from both Scientists and Educators

Benefits of TOPS• Retirees are largely an untapped resource• Teachers learn science• Improved science learning for students with

increased interest.

Survey Results From 13 Lead Teachers

• Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree

• Beneficial for required assessments? 4.54

• Want scientist/engineer in my classroom? 4.85

Survey Comments

• Sometimes science is a “hook” to get kids interested in school and lessons .

• ….she will be doing three hands-on activities: making anemometers and barometers, a molecule model, and the human body. All directly tied to standards

• …able to introduce students to areas of science and hands on lessons that a classroom teacher might not have access to

More information available upon request

Teaching

Opportunities for

Partners in

Science

Judi Wilson jwilson@sjcoe.net

Connie Oliver coliver@sjcoe.net

Retirees

Enhancing

Science

Educationthrough

Experiments &

Demonstrations

Director: Christos Zahopoulos, Ph.D.

Northeastern University

www.reseed.neu.edu

Quality Teaching Matters“Some recent studies also have found that

teacher quality accounts for a greater amount of the variance in student achievement than do variables such as the racial composition of schools or students’ economic levels.”

“Educating Teachers of Science, Mathematics and Technology”, NRC 2001

Quality Teaching Matters

“Research shows that assigning teachers to teach courses that are not trained to teach has a negative effect on student achievement”

Science & Engineering Indicators 2002 – Ch.1 p. 36

The RE-SEED Solution• Trained retired science and engineering

professionals provide in-classroom support to middle school science teachers, offering inspiration to students and helping them acquire an in-depth understanding of the science concepts and their applications.

Sponsors• National Science Foundation • Noyce Foundation• IEEE Life Members• United Engineering

Foundation• Massachusetts Department

of Education• Massachusetts Board of

Higher Education• Attleboro Public Schools• Boston Public Schools• Fall River Public Schools• Groton-Dunstable Public

Schools• The House Foundation

• Ray & Maria Stata• The Colbert Family• John & Marilyn Keane• Anonymous• Hewlett-Packard Company • Egan Family Foundation• Fidelity Foundation• Textron • NEBS• Lowell Public Schools• Quincy Public Schools• Hanover Public Schools• Berkshire Community

College

Improve STEM Education in Schools around the country, which will result in a more Scientifically Literate Society, in a Better

Educated Workforce and in an increase in the STEM Pipeline

RE-SEED’s Goal

Program Components

• Recruit Qualified Volunteers

• Provide Customized Training

• Place Volunteers in Schools

• Support Volunteers

What RE-SEED Volunteers Offer

• Increase students' interest in science • Make science relevant to students by bringing real-life

science into the classroom • Increase students' and teachers' understanding of

scientific principles and concepts• Assist students with science projects and science fairs • Build science equipment for school • Mentor students and act as role models

RE-SEED Volunteers

• # of Volunteers Trained > 500• # of Active Volunteers 130• # of Equivalent Volunteer-yrs 1,300• # of Volunteer-hours > 500,000• # of Students > 100,000• Cost/Volunteer/year $1,200• Cost/Volunteer/student/year $14.00• Cost/Volunteer/hour $2.50

Survey of teachers, students, and volunteers

86% of teachers said having a RE-SEED volunteer in the classroom affected students’

interest in science

Students' interest in science

small + effectsubstantial + effect

Percent

100

80

60

40

20

0

14

86

82% of teachers said having a RE-SEED volunteer in the classroom affected students’

understanding of science

Students' understanding of science

small + effectsubstantial + effect

Percent

100

80

60

40

20

0

18

82

67% of teachers said having a RE-SEED volunteer in their classroom had a substantial affect on their own knowledge of science.

Knowledge of science

little or no effectsmall + effectsubstantial + effect

Percent

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

30

67

100% of the teachers would recommend RE-SEED to another teacher?

Recommend RE-SEED to other teacher

yes

Percent

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

100

Would you like to have your volunteer come to your science class next year?

Summary• 88% (86%) of the students reported they want the

Volunteer to return to their class-room next year• 97% (89%) of the Teachers would recommend RE-

SEED to other Teachers (3% in 2003 &11% in 1997 did not answer)

• 90% (97%) of Volunteers will recommend RE-SEED to others (in 2003, 1% said NO, 9% did not answer and in 1997, 3% expressed reservations)

Engineer/Teacher CollaborationIn a recent survey, teachers who have been involved with programs that connect students with scientists expressed overwhelming support for these programs. They said that having scientists work with students provided the students with positive images of science and/or engineers; aroused their interest in science; gave them useful information about science careers; and helped them better understand science content.

(Bayer/National Science Teacher Association - 2001)

AAAS/SSE Science Volunteer Program

Program Initiatives

• Mobilize retirees across the country– Web site, www.seniorscientist/volunteer.org,

structured to support new projects– workshops, meetings, etc.

• Project with Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools (MCPS)

• Enlist societies

– to date - ACS, AIAA, AIChE, APS, APS, ASME, BSA, AIBS, SDB, SN, GSA, ASPET

MCPS Science Volunteer Project

• MOU, signed by AAAS CEO and MCPS Science Supervisor• Initiated in 2005-6 school year with 9 volunteers, in middle

schools only• 17 volunteers in 2006-7 school year, in both elementary and

middle schools• Commitment of at least 20 days per year• Positive feedback from teachers and volunteers• Modest funding requirements, satisfied by AAAS and MCPS

– Significant management provided by volunteers– No subsidies of volunteers’ travel

Requirements for Successful Volunteer Project

• Highly motivated cadre– Scientists, engineers, school personnel

• Motivated local host organization– School district, university, professional society,

etc.• Funding source

– Needs are modest