HR: 0800h
AN: ED51A-0124    [Abstracts]
TI: Providing Authentic Research Experiences for Pre-Service Teachers through UNH's Transforming Earth System Science Education (TESSE) Program
AU: * Varner, R K
EM: ruth.varner@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Furman, T
AF: Pennsylvania State University, Department of Geosciences, University Park, PA 16802,
AU: Porter, W
AF: Elizabeth City State University, Dept. of Geological, Environmental, and Marine Sciences Campus Box 971, Elizabeth City, NC 27909,
AU: Darwish, A
AF: Dillard University, Dept. of Physics, New Orleans, LA 70112,
AU: Graham, K
AF: University of New Hampshire, Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Bryce, J
AF: University of New Hampshire, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Brown, D
AF: Louisiana State University, Dept. of Geography and Anthropology, Baton Rouge, LA 70803,
AU: Finkel, L
AF: University of New Hampshire, Dept. of Education, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Froburg, E
AF: University of New Hampshire, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Froburg, E
AF: University of New Hampshire, Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Guertin, L
AF: Penn State Delaware County, Earth Sciences, Media, PA 19063,
AU: Hale, S R
AF: University of New Hampshire, Joan and James Leitzel Center for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Education, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Johnson, J
AF: University of New Hampshire, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Von Damm, K
AF: University of New Hampshire, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, Durham, NH 03824,
AU: Von Damm, K
AF: University of New Hampshire, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Durham, NH 03824,
AB: The University of New Hampshire's Transforming Earth System Science Education (UNH TESSE) project is designed to enrich the education and professional development of in-service and pre-service teachers, who teach or will teach Earth science curricula. As part of this program, pre-service teachers participated in an eight- week summer Research Immersion Experience (RIE). The main goal of the RIE is to provide authentic research experiences in Earth system science for teachers early in their careers in an effort to increase future teachers` comfort and confidence in bringing research endeavors to their students. Moreover, authentic research experiences for teachers will complement teachers` efforts to enhance inquiry-based instruction in their own classrooms. Eighteen pre-service teachers associated with our four participating institutions - Dillard University (4), Elizabeth City State University (4), Pennsylvania State University (5), and University of New Hampshire (UNH) (5) participated in the research immersion experience. Pre-service teachers were matched with a faculty mentor who advised their independent research activities. Each pre-service teacher was expected to collect and analyze his or her own data to address their research question. Some example topics researched by participants included: processes governing barrier island formation, comparison of formation and track of hurricanes Hugo and Katrina, environmental consequences of Katrina, numerical models of meander formation, climatic impacts on the growth of wetland plants, and the visual estimation of hydrothermal vent properties. Participants culminated their research experience with a public presentation to an audience of scientists and inservice teachers.
DE: 0800 EDUCATION
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0810 Post-secondary education
DE: 0830 Teacher training
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting