A comparative analysis: Mississippi EPSCoR and DOEHGP Bioinformatics workshops for teachers

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A comparative analysis Mississippi EPSCoR and
DOE-HGP Bioinformatics workshops for teachers
Funded by the National Science Foundation EPSCoR
(05-589)

• Dr. Sherry S. Herron Tamilselvi Gopal
• Center for Science and Mathematics Education
• Hattiesburg, MS 39401

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Hypothesis Research questions

• Hypothesis
• There will be no difference between the pretest
  and posttest results of EPSCoR and DOE-HGP
  bioinformatics workshops
• Research questions
• Does this workshop contribute to an increase in
  knowledge for the teachers who attend the
  bioinformatics workshops?
• What are participants looking for in these
  bioinformatics workshops for their professional
  development?
• How are their students going to benefit from
  these workshops?

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Methods

• Participants
• Primary site (BSCS) 10 teachers
• Secondary site (First users) 16 teachers
• Mississippi EPSCoR workshops
• 2006 17 participants ( high school teachers and
  college instructors)
• 2007 24 participants (high school teachers and
  college instructors)
• Analysis
• Quantitative Mean comparison of pretests and
  posttests between EPSCoR and DOE-HGP
  bioinformatics workshop
• Qualitative analysis Daily reflections of EPSCoR
  bioinformatics workshop

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Results
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Results
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Results

• Qualitative analysis EPSCoR bioinformatics
  workshops - Daily reflections
• There is a difference between the pretest and
  posttest results of both DOE-HGP and EPSCoR
• There is a difference between the percentage of
  expected lab experience, lecture, receive
  resources, and knowledge about bioinformatics and
  I got responses

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Results
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Results
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Conclusions

• The difference between pretest and posttest
  scores in EPSCoR is higher than DOE- HGP
• 36 teachers are going to apply the acquired
  knowledge and resource in their classes
• 27 of teachers want to learn more in
  bioinformatics
• 23 of the teachers are going to acquire more
  materials
• 14 teachers are going to seek more professional
  development in this area
• Graduate credit hours in biology (BSC 692) or
  CEUs obtained by some participants
• 300.00 for 2006 and 400.00 for 2007 stipend
  provided for the participants
• 5 participants have given staff development
  workshop to their colleagues

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Acknowledgements

• National Science Foundation EPSCoR
• Department of Energy Human Genome Project
• Graduate students Ahmad Shatila Bianca
  Jefferson

2007 EPSCoR bioinformatics workshop
2006 EPSCoR bioinformatics workshop