TEEMUP Workshop Exemplary Partnerships Session I PreService Teacher Programs

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TEEM-UP WorkshopExemplary Partnerships Session
IPre-Service Teacher Programs
Creating and Nurturing Durable and Productive
Collaborations

• The Penn State University
• March 4, 2004

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Creating the PartnershipTypes of Collaboration

• Co-development of a project, product or event
• Finding common ground between, or merging,
  existing projects, products or events
• Enhances outcomes for all partners
• (not just concurrent or coexisting activities)

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Successful Collaboration

• Collaborations that have meaning, duration and
  impact are those where each collaborator has a
  clear contribution and commitment to a shared
  vision
• Contributions vary in nature they may be an
  expressed need to be met or a resource to offer
  can be either what is brought to the activity
  and/or what is derived from the activity
• The contributions or contributors may vary in
  their levels of centrality to the effort

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Examples

• ENGR/SCIED 497F Fundamentals of Science,
  Technology and Engineering Design
• Developed in 1998-99
• Interactions among physical concepts, applied
  scientific processes, engineering design
  principles and associated technologies
• Modules Structures / Machines / Circuits
• Enrollments Expanded to 4 sections per year,
• grew from 20 to 112 students annually over 5 yrs.

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Examples, continued

• Integration of pre-service education majors in
  engineering design and project courses
• First-Year Introduction of Engineering Methods
  and Design
• First-Year Seminars Toy FUNdamentals and
  Toys for Technology Exploration
• Senior Capstone Design projects
• Inclusion of education, business and other majors
  to emphasize broader aspects, considerations in
  design (includes Engineering Projects in Public
  Service)
• Creative approaches to student assessment/contribu
  tions are required

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Examples, continued

• Curriculum development by engineering students
  (GK-12 graduate fellows)
• Piloting in curriculum and instruction courses
  and as part of outreach to schools
• Creates early exposure/disposition for
  collaboration between pre-service scientists
  engineers and pre-service teachers
• Fosters a comfort zone among those in different
  academic and professional cultures/content areas
  in higher education
• Develops familiarity with working in school
  environment with teachers and other professionals

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Examples, continued

• Research assistants from Education engaged in
  educational assessment for engineering courses,
  curriculum
• Provides real setting for scholarship/research
  and helps educators understand technology-focused
  educational objectives
• Helps engineers see basis for educational theory
  and underpinnings of pedagogical research (as
  compared to outreach)
• Examples of research projects
• Measures/evaluation of learning outcomes
• Mapping to professional expectations, industry
  needs
• Integration of ethics, global and intercultural
  aspects
• Retention and diversity studies

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Examples, continued

• Action Potential Program
• A real-world laboratory for creative learning
  experiences
• Opportunity for pre-service teachers to lead
  teams of elementary and middle school students
  during week-long summer programs
• Opportunities for Junior Mentors from high school
• Topics
• Wizards World of Potions When Worlds Collide
• Crime Scene Investigators
• Mission to Mars

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Examples, continued

• Math Achievement in a New Technology Context
• Creative collaboration between Engineering
  Entrepreneurship program and Math Education
• Focus on demonstrating math application to
  cutting-edge technology fuel cells and hybrid
  car performance, micromachines and medical
  devices
• Fold examples back into 400-level education
  courses allows focus on content as well as
  methods for achievement in diverse settings

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Caveats and Lessons

• Work towards coordinating infrastructure build
  on early successes, draw in other projects and
  opportunities, share successes to avoid
  reinvention
• Build durable person-to-person partnerships
  players who understand each others perspectives
  and constraints (standards, budgets, time, other
  priorities)
• Constitute a network of established partnerships
  between the University and schools that can be
  drawn upon in for various projects
• Recognize / reward efforts of all collaborators
  as part of workload
• Vision partnerships will be an expectation, not
  the exception