Science Learning throughEngineering Design (SLED)

Teacher OrientationSaturday, May 21, 201110:00am – 2:00pmHall for Discovery and Learning ResearchPurdue University

This project is supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant #0962840

Welcome and Introductions

Purdue SLED Team

(Clockwise from 6:00) Brenda Capobianco, Todd Kelley, Keith Bowman, Chell Nyquist, Jim Lehman, Johannes Strobel, Gabriela Weaver

Welcome to the SLED project!

What is SLED?SLED, Science Learning through

Engineering Design, is a partnership project of Purdue, four Indiana school districts, and community partners designed to help improve students’ science learning in grades 3-6.

The SLED project is supported by the National Science Foundation through its Math Science Partnership program.

SLED PartnersPurdue Colleges of

Education, Engineering,Science, Technology

Discovery Learning ResearchCenter

Lafayette School Corp.Tippecanoe School Corp.Taylor Community SchoolsPlymouth Community SchoolsCommunity Partners

SIA, Duke Energy, Plymouth Foundry, etc.

Targeted MSPNSF’s Math Science Partnership (MSP)

program supports linkages of higher education institutions with schools and other partners to improve K-12 mathematics and science education.

Targeted partnerships study and solve issues within a specific grade range or at a critical juncture in education, and/or within a specific disciplinary focus in mathematics or science.

Goal of the SLED PartnershipOur aim is to increase grade 3-6 student learning of science by developing an integrated, engineering design-based approach to elementary school science education.

Why Engineering Design?Indiana’s elementary science

standards now address elements of engineering design.

One basic rationale from the standards:“As citizens of the constructed world, students will participate in the design process.”

New Indiana Academic StandardsStudents will learn to use materials and tools safely and employ the basic principles of the engineering design process in order to find solutions to problems:Define a real world problem and list criteria for

a successful solution.Design a moving system and measure its

motion.Design a prototype that replaces a function of a

human body part.Apply a form of energy to design and construct

a simple mechanical device.

SLED Partnership Objectives

1. Create a partnership of university engineers and scientists, teacher educators, school teachers, school administrators, and community partners to improve science education in grades 3-6 through the integration of engineering design in science teaching and learning.

2. Enhance the quality and quantity, and diversity of in-service and pre-service teachers prepared to utilize engineering design as a means to teach science through authentic, inquiry-based, multi-disciplinary, design projects.

SLED Partnership Objectives3. Adapt, refine, and test existing

project- and design-based curricular materials/tasks, and where necessary develop new ones, to support the teaching of elementary science through authentic, inquiry-based, multi-disciplinary, design projects.

4. Generate evidence-based outcomes that contribute to our understanding of how teachers teach science through the engineering design process and how young students effectively learn science concepts through design-based activities.

Key SLED ComponentsAdaptation and/or development

of elementary-appropriate engineering design activities◦Faculty design teams have been

working throughout the academic year to create design activities for the classrooms

Key SLED ComponentsIn-service teacher professional

development and support◦Summer Institute◦Follow-up professional development◦Work with disciplinary faculty◦SLEDhub online community and

resource repository

Key SLED ComponentsPre-service teacher preparation

◦Special section of elementary science methods course focused on design

◦Linkages between pre-service teachers and SLED participating schools and teachers

◦Pre-service teachers in summer institute

Key SLED ComponentsResearch and dissemination

◦Research will address three key aspects of the project: the partnership, teacher implementation, and student learning.

◦Dissemination will include presentations at professional meetings, writings about the project, media exposure, and use of the SLEDhub site.

SLED OutcomesSLED hopes to generate: new research on the understanding of how

teachers teach science through the engineering design process and how young students learn science through design-based activities;

a library of tested, design-based curricular materials to support teaching science in grades 3-6; and

a prototype for high quality teacher professional development in engineering design for pre-service and in-service elementary educators.

Implementation TimelineYears 1 and 2

◦Development and integration of engineering design-based activities for grades 5 and 6.

Years 3 and 4◦Development and integration of engineering

design-based activities for grades 3 and 4.Year 5

◦Expansion of the partnership and integration of engineering design-based activities for grades 3 – 6 in all schools.

Expectations for TeachersParticipation in summer institute,

academic year integration, and other associates activities for at least one year.

Academic year integration will consist of implementing at least two (one fall and one spring) design-based activities in your classroom.

Other activities include: follow-up sessions, participation in online community, and research participation.

BenefitsYou will receive a stipend for your

participation in the project.You will receive PGP points for

participation in the summer institute and follow-up professional development.

You will have an opportunity to apply for a mini-grant for your classroom.

You will have fun!

More about SLED Research

SLED ResearchSLED research will examine how

teachers teach with design and will examine the impact of design activities on students’ learning of science, understanding of design, ability to apply design and inquiry skills, and ability to connect and transfer scientific concepts.

SLED Research Partnership Partnership factors that affect

teachers’ use of design in their classrooms

Administrative support Impact on participating scientists

and engineers Use of the SLEDhub online

community

SLED ResearchStudents (gr 3-6)

Students’ conceptualizations of design

Students’ learning of science Students’ ability to link scientific

concepts in the context of an engineering design-based task

SLED ResearchTeachers (gr 3-6)

Teachers’ conceptualizations of design Teachers’ implementation of design-

based science tasks and use of design-informed pedagogical methods

Teachers’ challenges and solutions Teachers’ collaborations Teacher’s reflections on design and the

implementation of design practices

External Evaluation by Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP)

To ensure fidelity to program objectives, the SLED Partnership Leadership Team enlisted CEEP to monitor and evaluate program objectives through:◦Designing pre, post, and follow-up surveys

to gauge teachers’ implementation of core SLED curriculum;

◦Ensuring that survey responses reflect the 4 objectives of SLED;

◦Monitoring the implementation of SLED objectives into participants’ classrooms over the course of the grant.

External EvaluationCEEP will employ advanced methodologies to

develop measurable criteria and outcome-oriented data to maximize program adaptability over the course of the grant:◦Aggregating survey data to determine

teachers’ fidelity to SLED program goals and objectives;

◦Holding continuous project meetings and program surveys;

◦Conducting staff interviews to gauge stakeholders’ support for SLED;

◦Implementing long-term strategies to reflect the ongoing nature of the grant.

Evaluation Tasks Year 1Task Timeline

Measure Partner Needs/Satisfaction Summer ‘11

Measure Partner Use/Satisfaction with Cyber Infrastructure

Summer ‘11

Administer/Analyze Teacher Pre-Post-FollowUp Surveys of Institute

Spring, Summer, Fall ‘11

Measure Pre-Service Teacher Comfort Level

Fall ’11

Survey Cooperating Teachers Fall ’11

Interview Participating Teachers Fall ‘11/Spr ’12

Interview SLED Leadership Summer ’11

Measure Student Performance Fall ‘11/Spr ‘12

Research/Evaluation ExpectationsSecure consent (teachers,

parents) and assent (students)Assist in data collection (e.g.,

administer student assessments)Collect student data to inform

your own practiceAssist in dissemination of results

(e.g., conference presentations, publications)

Experiencing Design

Exploring Packaging Design

Completing PaperworkPayee Certification Form (Form

PC)Photo Release Form

Lunch

Summer InstituteJune 13-17 and June 20-24

SLED Summer Institute ActivitiesWeek 1: Engineering design activities

◦Introduce engineering design ◦Try out examples of activities that can be

used to address science content in grades 5 and 6

Week 2: Building curriculum and context◦Field trips to science/engineering sites◦Mini-workshops to build knowledge/skills◦Curriculum mapping and lesson

development

SLED Summer Institute Schedule – Week 1

Monday, June 13

Tuesday, June 14

Wednesday, June 15

Thursday, June 16

Friday, June 17

AMWelcome and introductions Introductory brief design task

AMSLED Design Challenge #1 led by disciplinary faculty team 1

AMSLED Design Challenge #2 led by disciplinary faculty team 2 

AMSLED Design Challenge #3 led by disciplinary faculty team 3 

AMSLED Design Challenge #4 led by SLED team 

PMComplete and reflect on introductory design task  What is inquiry? What is design? Developing a model for engineering design-based science 

PMSLED Design Challenge #1 completion and teacher debriefing 

PMSLED Design Challenge #2 completion and teacher debriefing

PMSLED Design Challenge #3 completion and teacher debriefing

PMSLED Design Challenge #4 completion and teacher debriefing Week 1 wrap-up with focus on engineering design-based science

SLED Summer Institute Schedule – Week 2

Monday, June 20

Tuesday, June 21

Wednesday, June 22

Thursday, June 23

Friday, June 24

AMField experience / trip to research facility / partner (local to school)

AMField experience / trip to research facility / partner (Purdue area) 

AMMini-workshops on selected topics Scientist/engineer panel discussion

AMMini-workshops on other selected topics

AMTeacher finalize curriculum maps and lesson plans

PMMapping curriculum Developing lesson plans 

PM Mapping curriculum Developing lesson plans 

PM Mapping curriculum Developing lesson plans 

PMMapping curriculum Developing lesson plans 

PMPresent and share curriculum maps and lesson plans Submit drafts of implementation plans

PGP PointsThe summer institute will involve

70 contact hours, so it will be worth 70 PGP points if you attend everything.

University credit (at your own expense) is an option if there is interest. However, our tentative plan is to award PGP points only.

What Will You Need?Comfortable clothingSomething to write withCurricular materials from your

school (e.g., textbook, other materials)

Laptop – if you wish to bring your own, we can provide wireless network access

An adventurous spirit!

Things to NoteWorking lunch (and light

breakfast items) will be provided daily except for Monday and Thursday of week 2. Your own your own for lunch on those days.

Monday morning of week 2 will involve a local site visit prior to Purdue activities.

Tuesday of week 2, plan to arrive here about 30 minutes early so that we can board a bus to visit SIA.

Summer LogisticsChell Nyquist

Summer LogisticsParking

◦Red “C Permit” signs (lot behind DLR)

◦White “Residence Hall” signs Not in Purdue Village (next to DLR)

◦

Summer LogisticsHousing

◦Hillenbrand Hall◦Check-in: 4:00-5:00pm Monday◦Check-out: Friday each week

◦Provide Sheets and Towels; refresh daily

◦Dinner provided Monday – Thursday in Hillenbrand Dining Court

Summer LogisticsPayment

◦Receive check in mail approximately 3-4 weeks after conclusion

◦Include stipend and mileage

◦Mileage $0.51 per mile Calculated from school to DLR

Summer LogisticsDining

◦Light continental breakfast and Lunch provided most days

Orientation Wrap-Up

Questions to PonderWhy do you think Indiana has

included the design process in the new science standards?

What barriers do you anticipate you will encounter when integrating design-based practices?

How can teachers cover everything in the curriculum if they use design-based teaching materials and methods?

Questions?

We’ll see you June 13th!