For more information, contact Cindy Young, (937) 775-3232.
April 20, 1998
WRIGHT STATE PROFESSOR DEVELOPS
WEB SITE FOR K-12 TEACHERS
State proficiency tests and new science education standards recently adopted by the National Research Council are changing the way science is taught in Ohio's schools. Hands-on learning is replacing drills and memorization in elementary and secondary classrooms.
Ohio teachers struggling to make earth science come alive for their students now have a resource for grade-specific activities. It's on the Internet and was developed by a team at Wright State University. Not only should it help teachers, it can help lead to better test scores for Ohio students.
New science education standards recently adopted by the National Research Council "fundamentally change the way science is taught," says William Slattery, Ph.D., assistant professor of geological sciences and teacher education at Wright State University.
In order to prepare students for the state of Ohio's proficiency exams, which occur at the 4th, 6th, 9th, and 12th grade level, elementary and secondary science education is undergoing a new emphasis. Memorized knowledge about specific classifications such as mammals is not as important as a student's ability to recognize or think through why something belongs (or doesn't belong) in a certain group. The emphasis is on scientific methodology, especially information gathering, performing experiments, interpreting the results, and drawing conclusions. Students' abilities to explain their choices and decisions are more important than their knowledge of terminology.
"For the first time, earth science is taking its place beside physics, chemistry and biology," Slattery says. To help K-12 teachers prepare lesson plans, and in turn help Ohio students prepare for proficiency exams, Slattery and others have developed a web site.
The site, which is part of the university's Department of Geological Sciences web page, allows teachers to access activities geared to all grade levels. It's designed to be easy for teachers. Slattery says when he began as a K-12 science teacher in New Jersey, he was told there were two things he would never have enough of: "time and time."
Activities on the site help students learn about fossils, prehistoric animals, weather, the solar system, earthquakes, global warming and more. The site suggests appropriate grade levels for each activity, and the activities are geared to content on which students will be tested. As a guide to teachers, the site also includes Ohio proficiency outcomes for various grade levels.
The Ohio Department of Education has provided funding for a Wright State graduate student, Cindy Plank, to identify and prepare activities on the site for the next two years. Slattery also hopes to add a chat room where teachers can exchange activities and other ideas. To access the site, go to http://geology.wright.edu/geology/k12/K-12.html.
