News :: Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach

The December issue of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) middle school journal, Science Scope, featured an article by MNPS teacher and CSO Scientist-in-the-Classroom Coordinator, Jeannie Tuschl. As a program coordinator at the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach (CSO), under the direction of Dr. Virginia Shepherd, Ms. Tuschl initiated the Volunteer Scientist-in-the-Classroom Partnership (vSCP) at Vanderbilt University in collaboration with Dr. Patrice Moss-Gray at Meharry Medical College and Dr. Todd Gary at Tennessee State University. Volunteer graduate students and postdoctoral scientists, in partnership with middle school science teachers, bring real-world science into the classroom. The article, "Volunteer Scientist-in-the Classroom Partnership in Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools," can be accessed via the NSTA website, http://www.nsta.org/middleschool/.

For more information about the Volunteer Scientist-in-the-Classroom Partnership access the website at http://www.volunteerscp.org/.

See an article from the front page of the November 23, 2008 Tennessean about the state of science education and how our office is working to improve the problems facing Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, as well as schools in general.

View the article on the Tennessean's website or view a PDF of the article.

All middle school science teachers, grades 5-8, from Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools are invited to apply for the Middle School Science Teacher Mini Grants sponsored by The Vanderbilt Institute for STEM Education (VIStE), a program of the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach. Up to 10 awards will be granted during the 2008-2009 school year with a maximum award of up to $1,000 per grant.  

The grant program encourages innovative approaches to teaching and promotes creative ideas by funding academic projects not supported by school budgets. For more information or to download an application, please visit the program's webpage at http://www.scienceoutreach.org/mini_grants/.

Planning is underway for a Family Science Safari for the Antioch and Cane Ridge Clusters Middle Schools. Invited middle schools include Antioch Middle School, Apollo Middle School, John F. Kennedy Middle School, and Thurgood Marshall Middle School.

This event is hosted by Thurgood Marshall Middle School at Cane Ridge High School on Tuesday, November 11th, from 6:30 -8:30 PM.

Approximately 150 scientists, STEM graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows from Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College, Fisk University, and Austin Peay State University will be conducting hands-on science activities. Students and parents will rotate through approximately six of the activities at 15 minute intervals. All MNPS science teachers and their families are also invited.

Find out more at the Family Science Night webpage.

Scott Merrick, Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach's Teacher-in-residence, has accepted an invitation from conference organizers to speak at this year's Internet2 membership meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference website explains that the "Fall Member Meeting will feature track sessions and demonstrations that highlight innovative uses of advanced networking for research and teaching, as well as the development and evolution of high-performance network infrastructures in support of local to global cyberinfrastructure." Merrick will share the spotlight October 14 on a panel about Virtual Worlds with Margaret Corbit, Cornell University; Ben Fineman, Internet2, Moderator; Merrilea Mayo, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Chris Melissinos, Sun Microsystems; Rob Rothfarb, Exploratorium; and Kathy Schrock, Nauset Public Schools. He will also attend sessions from the event-packed program and network with leaders in information management from all corners of the nation.

The Center for Science Outreach will be offering two new and unique opportunities for science teacher professional development for the summer of 2008. See the "Summer Teacher Workshop " page to sign up today!

Research Tools for Secondary Science Educators

Research Tools for Secondary Science Educators invites secondary science teachers into Vanderbilt science laboratories for four, one-week sessions. These interconnected workshops, funded by Tennessee‘s Improving Teacher Quality program, will focus on science and technology content and tools for the classroom. Each of the first three weeks will focus on a different scientific discipline, with the fourth week covering technology tools. These workshops are open to 25 teachers, while the technology workshop will be open to only 15 teachers.

Managing yoUr Science Classroom Lab Efficiently (MUSCLE)

The Managing yoUr Science Classroom Lab Efficiently (MUSCLE) Workshop offered by the Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach in June 2008 is designed by science teachers for science teachers. It provides instruction and modeling of management techniques specifically designed to improve science teaching at the secondary level. MUSCLE classroom and laboratory management strategies enable teachers to gain instructional time and to create improved learning conditions for all students so they will achieve at higher levels in science.

The one-room schoolhouse is alive again in Arkansas thanks to the Aspirnauts Initiative that was officially launched on April 10, 2007. Students at Sheridan Schools received Apple iPods and Apple MacBooks to use during their up to three hour commute to and from school each day. Their school bus is equipped with wireless internet access, allowing them to email teachers at their school and/or scientists at Vanderbilt University or other schools their class may partner with. See a video from Little Rock's KTHV 11 story on the program (click here to view in Windows Media Player).

The Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS) Outreach Team is offering high school teachers the opportunity to have scientists visit their classroom with a presentation, demonstrations, and a Q&A session for their students. Teachers interested in this opportunity should see the VUIIS Scientific Outreach webpage and contact Dr. Thomas Yankeelov for additional information.

Working with the Center for Science Outreach, Dr. Billy Hudson, biochemist and director of the Center for Matrix Biology, is helping bring 21st Century technology to students in his childhood hometown, rural Grapevine, Arkansas. In the summer of 2006, students and teachers from Grapevine spent a week at Vanderbilt University. They experienced what it is like to work in research laboratories, met with scientists and researchers to learn about and discuss the opportunities and advancements that are taking place on campus, and even got to explore what "big city" Nashville has to offer. On April 10, 2007, the program continues with a preview of its next step, giving students laptops to use for research and homework while riding an internet-connected school bus to and from school each day — up to 90 minutes each way for some children. Though the site is still under construction at this time, the program will be highlighted by the students and teachers at the Aspirnaut Initiative's website soon.

A Summer Workshop for 7^th and 8^th grade science teachers hosted by the Scientist-in-the-Classroom Partnership Program is planned for June 4-15, 2007 at Margaret Allen Middle School. Participants meet daily from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Teachers and science teaching fellows develop partnering relationships as they plan hands-on, inquiry-based activities for the upcoming academic year.