College of Education and Human Development

Scientists in the Classroom

As part of their course work, the aspiring teachers develop the topic and curriculum for the camp. They then take turns teaching the components. All teaching is problem based and involves inquiry-based learning. For students in this year's CREST camp, the problem involved developing a model car that would complete an obstacle course in the shortest time.

Over the course of the camp, the campers and their student teachers looked at speed, power sources, terrains, weather conditions, and safety. Each experiment and discussion was a building block that brought the campers closer to designing the fastest, safest car.

"Research shows that, in the science classroom, connectivity is a problem," says Sterling, who has a background in chemistry and was a research scientist before coming to teaching. "New teachers tend to teach one thing after another. Instead they need to connect things and build up."

"We also try to teach science that is useful for life," says CREST associate director Wendy Frazier, who has directed past camps. "When students understand the meaning behind the science concept or the technology, they retain the information better and can apply it in a variety of ways."

This was second year that Mollianne Logerwell, PhD Science Education Leadership '09, taught the Science Methods course and codirected one of the camps, which was titled Motor Mania. She came to believe so strongly in the camp experience that she wrote her dissertation on the effects of teaching at the camp on preservice teachers.

"I worked on the research aspects of the camp and quickly saw what a beneficial program it was for teachers and students," says Logerwell. "It is such a rewarding experience to watch preservice teachers transform over such a short time."

Sterling and Frazier say it is a huge paradigm shift for the future teachers, but they are with them every step of the way. "We try to help them envision what science in the classroom can be, and we are there to support them as they try to implement [these practices]," says Sterling. "So they plan [the lessons] and try them out on real kids-and see what works."

The preservice teachers get immediate feedback throughout the experience. After a camp session, they meet with Sterling and the camp directors to talk about what went well and what needs adjusting before the campers return the next day.

"In the beginning, student teachers are nervous about teaching and uncertain of their science knowledge," says Logerwell. "By the end, however, they are full of enthusiasm and confident in their ability to teach science."

Scientists in the classroom

Mason also is participating in the National Science Foundation's Graduate Teaching Fellows in K-12 Education Program (PK-12), which provides funding to engage science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students in teaching. Since its inception in 1999, the NSF program has funded more than 200 projects at more than 140 universities throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Mason is currently the only university in Virginia participating.