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In order to continue and extend the "cascade
effect" of the professional development, the
project will develop materials for broad
dissemination, primarily via the Internet.
The activities to meet this goal will
proceed in parallel with the Professional
Development activities and will incorporate
the experience of the implementation of the
materials with Professional Development
Specialists, with Professional Development
Associates, and with K-8 science teachers.
 Under the guidance of the University of
Albany (US) faculty and research assistants,
the PDSs have been developing concept maps
representing the science content contained
in the Science and Technology for Children (STC)
units. In the process of constructing
concept maps, the PDSs have come to
recognize how certain key ideas in the units
are conflated, leading to the possibility
that students might develop misconceptions
without skilled teachers who can help them
make essential distinctions. Correlating
the principles contained in their maps with
the New York State Science standards has
helped identify science required by the
Standards that is not contained in STC
units. This information will help teachers
add the principles to STC Units at
appropriate places.
The concept maps have been presented to
teachers, who have found them as useful
representations of science content in the
STC units. The teachers who have been
introduced to the process of making concept
maps to date see great potential in map
development as a learning tool for their
students.
Vicky Kouba, Director | Mary Van
Benschoten, Project Coordinator |
