T he North Carolina Leadership Network for Earth Science Teachers (NCL NEST) seeks to improve earth science education in secondary schools across the state. By training teachers and providing resources, the project promotes investigative field studies in which students collect real data on the ground, in the sky, and in the waters outside their classrooms. NCL NEST is a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation.
For the Newcomer
Introduction
Project Description
Personnel
FundingI magine
- your students collecting and analyzing earth science data--from the school grounds, from nearby streams, from the sky. . .
- your students building their own tools--telescopes, weather stations, water samplers. . .
- your students making maps--of the campus, of the night sky, of weather patterns. . .
T hen, consider participating in the North Carolina Leadership Network for Earth Science Teachers (NCL NEST). Through the project, you will work with another teacher to develop an Earth Science Action Plan for your school or school system. The plan will help you teach your students geology, oceanography, astronomy, and meteorology through field-based activities, most of which can be done on or near the school grounds.
in-residence, expenses-covered instruction in content and field techniques
Description of Project
T he North Carolina Leadership Network for Earth Science Teachers (NCL NEST) links secondary school teachers and university faculty in a statewide, five-year effort to improve secondary earth science instruction. The network also benefits from the state's education and industry resources.
N CL NEST trains teachers in three-week summer institutes with extensive follow-up work. Institutes are taught by faculty from the host university and a master teacher from a school within the region. Each of the six institutes will train up to twenty-five teachers. The state's Centers for Math and Science Education aid in recruitment, administration, and logistical support.
Schedule of Summer Institutes
Year
University
Center
Location
1995
Pembroke
1995
East Carolina University
Greenville
1996
Chapel Hill
1996
Charlotte
1997
Appalachian State University
Boone
1997
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee
T he project seeks to promote investigative field studies in secondary schools. NCL NEST gives workshops for institute instructors to explore investigative learning and evaluate the mechanics and benefits of learning by doing. Then, in the summer institutes, instructors coach teachers in both the content and processes of the earth sciences. Instructors foster skills and attitudes that the teachers need for conducting field studies on school grounds. NCL NEST provides generic field activities suitable for many schools (e.g. mapping and sky observations) and resources for conducting those studies. For the lucky teachers who are able to take students off campus, the project also provides information about and field experiences at regional sites suitable for student field work.
S pecific goals include:
1. Developing professional-quality, observation-based manuals and text and other materials that can be used by teachers in strengthening their earth science curricula.
2. Increasing the content background of earth science teachers in North Carolina and introducing the use of field-based, hands-on instruction in the secondary school earth science curriculum.
3. Developing a network of teachers, scientists, and school system personnel committed to improving earth science education in North Carolina.
F ollow-up work is underway with our 1996 participants. Both groups from the Piedmont have met twice last fall, including the NCSTA meeting, and once this spring. Project staff members are visiting teachers at their schools to help them implement Action Plans written during the summer institutes.
Participants in our 1995 institutes reconvened three times during the 1995-96 school year--in October, November (at the North Carolina Science Teachers' Association meeting), and March. These meetings emphasized field studies, leadership, and progress on Action Plans. These 1995 teachers met for a three-day workshop in July at the coast, with work divided between content and leadership. Their last scheduled meeting was at the 1996 NCSTA meeting during which several gave presentations. We hope that ties among participants will be strong enough to inspire teachers to organize subsequent meetings on their own.
W e are now planning the 1997 institutes in Boone (June 22-July 11) and Cullowhee (July 7-July 25). We are currently accepting applications for those institutes.
E valuation of the project is being conducted by Horizon Research of Chapel Hill, NC.
Home!
How To Apply
For the 1997 institutes, contact:
- Nancy West or Cindy Copolo
- Center for Math and Science Education
- Campus Box #3500
- University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500
- (919) 966-5922
Personnel
- Instructors
- Dr. Suellen Cabe
- Department of Geology & Geography
- UNC--Pembroke
- Pembroke, NC 28372
- (910)521-6478
- Dr. C.Q.Brown
- Geology Department
- East Carolina University
- Greenville, NC 27858-4353
- (919) 328-4391
- Dr. P. Geoffrey Feiss
- Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences
- The College of William and Mary
- P.O. Box 8795
- Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
- (757) 221-2470
- Dr. Andy Bobyarchick
- Department of Geography & Earth Sciences
- University of North Carolina--Charlotte
- Charlotte, NC 28223
- (704) 547-4264
- Dr. John Callahan
- Geology Department
- Appalachian State University
- Boone, NC 28608
- (704) 262-2127
- Dr. Virginia Peterson
- Department of Geosciences and Anthropology
- Western Carolina University
- Cullowhee, NC 28723
- (704) 227-7268
- Master Teachers
- Mr. Robert Byrd--Pembroke
- Scotland High School
- Mr. Robert Larrick
- Smithfield-Selma High School--Greenville
- Ms. Flo Gullickson--Chapel Hill
- Southwest Guilford High School
- Ms. Carolyn Elliott--Charlotte
- South Iredell High School
- Ms. Linda Eller--Boone
- Wilkes Central High School
Ms. Susan Deal--Cullowhee
- Franklin High School
- Principal Investigators
- Dr. Russ Rowlett
- Center for Math & Science Education, CB#3500
- UNC--Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500
- (919) 966-5922
- FAX (919) 962-0588
- Dr. P. Barry Hounshell
- School of Education, CB#3500
- UNC--Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500
- (919) 962-1395
- Project Staff
- Housed at the Center for Math & Science Education
- CB#3500
- UNC--Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3500
- (919) 966-5922
- FAX (919) 962-0588
- Project Director
- Dr. Cindy Copolo
- Curriculum Coordinator
- Ms. Nancy West
- Professional Writer
- Ms. Mary-Russell Roberson
Funding
This project is funded by the National Science Foundation for five years. Seed money was provided by the UNC Bicentennial Commission.
Updated November 18, 1996. Send comments to Nancy West