The New York State Dwight D. Eisenhower Science Inquiry Program
for K-8 Teachers, Community School Districts 13,15, and 17

(teachers, click here for suggested experiments to try in your classroom!)

Funded by the New State Department of Education, the program focuses on increasing the qualifications and skills of K-8 school teachers on the provision of high quality science instruction that is aligned with new York State's Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Learning Standards in their classrooms. Teachers spend two semesters in the program - fall and spring. The program is now in its second year.  In the fall semester, the program is co-taught by Professors Rebecca Dyasi (P I and Science Educator) from the School of Education and Hannia Lujan-Upton (Scientist) from the Chemistry department. In the spring semester the program is co-taught by Professors Rebecca Dyasi, and Anthony DePass from the Biology department as the scientist. Professor James Allan from the Mathematics department is called upon both fall and spring semesters to deepen the mathematical ideas and concepts embedded in the teachers' work.

The grant employs Professor (Dr.) Wilma Heckler to provide support to teachers in their implementation of science inquiry into their classrooms. Each participant receives six earned credits (3-science education credit in the fall semester and 3 Biology credits the spring semester) toward a master’s degree for licensing purposes.
Dr. Becky Dyasi (left) with Dr. Hannia Lujan-Upton (right) supervising a participant's experiment.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM:
  • Deepen and increase participant understanding of, and capabilities in science inquiry as a continuing search for meaning in, and explanation of observed phenomena and as a strategy for exploring commonly available materials
  • Deepen and increase participants' investigation skills -such as their ability to formulate researchable questions, carry out investigations directly, collect, organize, and interpret data -that lead to answers to their own questions about natural phenomena
  • Build participant knowledge and comprehension of current ideas and  literature in the learning of science inquiry and technology in elementary and middle schools
  • Cultivate participant knowledge and abilities to create and maintain a classroom as a community of young science inquirers.
  • Expand each participant's resources for response to and confirmation of the child's inquiry as a result of the participant's own explorations and experiences
  • Provide opportunities for collaborative work among participants as examples of working in leadership roles with colleagues.
  • Relate program content to the New York State MST Learning Standards;
  • Support practice of skills in the program in participant classroom and in work through reflective analysis of participant’s report and through classroom visits;
  • Create a critical mass of teachers in selected high needs schools in CSD13,15 and 17 who are educated in the implementation of inquiry approaches to the teaching and learning of science;
  • Develop and nurture inter-discipline faculty partnerships as well as CSD and university partnerships for meaningful educational purposes.