The Indiana Department of Education and the Indiana Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Resource Network (I-STEM) cordially invite you to participate in the Second Annual Indiana Building Awareness for Science Education Symposium on October 27, 2009, from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm (EST), at Century Center in South Bend, IN.
In partnership with the National Science Resources Center (NSRC), we have developed a preliminary strategic plan for science education reform in Indiana. Implementing this plan will require the involvement and commitment of a significant cross-section of stakeholders from communities across Indiana. The Building Awareness Symposium is a crucial step in educating stakeholders about the importance of K-12 inquiry-based science education. read more...
The NSRC, a joint venture of the National Academies and the Smithsonian Institution, has been at the forefront of large scale endeavors to improve the achievement and interest of young people in STEM subjects and careers. The NSRC has worked with corporations, schools, communities, and states, including Alabama, Delaware, and Washington, to enhance science learning in these sectors. The NSRC model has also been used in Indiana in communities such as Evansville, Fort Wayne, and Elkhart. In each case, student learning in science has improved.
The Second Annual Building Awareness Symposium will feature NSRC Executive Director, Sally Goetz Shuler and former Governor Joe Kernan. Sally Shuler will discuss the condition of science education today, and how the NSRC’s research and models for improvement in science education can be applied in Indiana. Other regional presenters will share their successful implementation of the NSRC model in Northern Indiana districts such as Elkhart.
We are seeking to implement systemic change in K-12 science education in Indiana. As a community leader your support and participation are essential to the success of these changes and their consequent impact on the economy and value of life in Indiana.
Sincerely,
William S. Walker III - Executive Director - I-STEM Resource Network
Jennifer Hicks, Ph.D. - Science Curriculum Specialist - Indiana Department of Education
The Program
The symposium is designed to address four critical themes related to the role that leaders, including scientists and engineers, can play in preparing a new generation for study, employment, and citizenship in a high-tech world. Sessions will engage you in focused discussions that will tap your expertise and set strategic directions for your involvement in science education, as well as give you opportunities to network with other leaders who are interested in working in science education:
- Understanding the Breadth and Depth of the Problem
- Examining the Research Supporting Effective K–16 Science Learning and Teaching
- Investigating the Characteristics of Effective K–16 Science Education Programs
- Learning from Leaders Who Are Working to Improve K–16 Science Education Programs in Indiana and throughout the Nation
