Network of Educators and Mathematics

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Network of Educators and Mathematics Science
Experts (NEMSE)

• Association of Colleges of Illinois
• Grant Proposal
• Amy Benish, MBA
• July 9, 2005

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Abstract

• NEMSE involves the collaboration of math
• science educators and experts currently
• practicing in the field to
• Enhance content knowledge of math science
  educators through participation in an online
  forum
• Foster networking relations among and between
  educators and content experts

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Justification

• Problem
• A significant number of middle and
• high school educators lack the
• content knowledge in the subject(s)
• they teach
• A large percentage of new teachers
• leave the profession shortly after
• being certified
• Teacher turnover rates are highest in
• high poverty and urban districts

• Solution
• Utilize experts in the field to increase
• the level of content knowledge among
• math and science educators
• Disseminate current information, from
• experts to educators, and discuss
• real-world applications of content
• knowledge
• Offer professional development
• opportunities and resources to support
• new teachers
• Provide an online environment to allow for
• communication among participants from
• any location at any time

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Description

• Organizations
• University of St. Francis, Joliet, IL
• Joliet Public Schools District 86
• Joliet Township High School District 204
• Argonne National Laboratory

5
Description

• Objectives
• Offer professional development opportunities for
  math and science educators in Joliet Publics
  Schools District 86 and Joliet Township High
  School District 204.
• Create an online network of math and science
  educators and experts currently practicing in the
  field.
• Create a website containing math and science
  resources that can be utilized by educators,
  teacher candidates, and middle and high students.
  
• Increase the use of real-world math and science
  examples, pertaining to current practices and
  applications in the field of math and science, in
  middle and high school classrooms.

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Timeline-Phase I
7
Timeline-Phase II
8
Timeline-Phase III
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Budget
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Budget Justification

• Personnel
• Facilitator
• Develop the WebCT online forum and NEMSE website
  
• Recruit experts and educators to participate in
  the forum
• Carry out the project evaluation
• Maintain the project budget
• Create public relations materials
• Experts
• Respond to educator questions
• Provide resources for classroom use
• Attend the Celebration Dinner to meet the
  educators

• Supplies
• Public relations materials
• Brochures
• Letters
• Postage
• Other
• Educator requests for classroom equipment
  pertaining to math and science.
• In-kind contributions from the University of St.
  Francis will fund
• NEMSE luncheons to recruit experts
• Visits to schools to recruit educators
• Celebration Dinner

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Evaluation

• Objective One Offer professional development
  opportunities for math and science educators in
  Joliet Publics Schools District 86 and Joliet
  Township High School District 204.
• Met through the recruitment of math science
  educators in Joliet Public Schools District 86
  and Joliet Township High School District 204
• Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU)
  will be made available to educators participating
  in NEMSE

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Evaluation

• Objective Two Create an online network of math
  and science educators and experts currently
  practicing in the field.
• Monitor the online forum to determine the
  activity level of participation
• Attendance at the Celebration Dinner will also
  indicate the level of activity in the program

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Evaluation

• Objective Three Create a website containing math
  and science resources that can be utilized by
  educators, teacher candidates, and middle and
  high students.
• A counter will monitor the use of the NEMSE
  website
• Survey of educators in Joliet districts will
  measure popularity and effectiveness of website
  for classroom use
• Survey of College of Education student teachers
  will measure their use of the website

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Evaluation

• Objective Four Increase the use of real-world
  math and science examples, pertaining to current
  practices and applications in the field of math
  and science, in middle and high school
  classrooms.
• Pre- and post- surveys will of educators
  participating in the NEMSE program will measure
  the use of real-world math and science examples
  in the classroom before and after participation
  in the online forum

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Conclusion

• NEMSE provides an environment of dialog and
  shared resources among educators and experts in
  the math and science field.
• Through NEMSE, content enhancement and
  professional development of educators in the math
  and science field will occur.
• Sustainability is possible beyond initial
  start-up through the support of USF

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Contact Information

• Amy Benish, MBA
• University of St. Francis
• Email abenish_at_stfrancis.edu

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Bibliography

• Improving Results Transforming the Teacher
  Profession in Illinois. (2004) Committee of the
  Commercial Club of Chicago Task Force on Teacher
  Preparation an Initial Professional Development.
  Chicago, IL
• NCA Study Team Report The Impact of Technology
  in Learning and Teaching. (2002) North Central
  Association Commission on Higher Learning
• Stronge, J. H., (2002). Qualities of Effective
  Teachers. Alexandria, VA ASCD.
• WebCT website. Retrieved 7/1/2005 from
  http//www.webct.com/
• Whitehead, B. M., Jensen, D.F.N., Boschee, F.
  (2003). Planning for Technology. Thousand Oaks,
  CA Corwin Press.