Contact:
- Tamara Holmlund Nelson, 麻豆传媒 Education, 360/546-9663, tnelson@vancouver.wsu.edu
- Dave Slavit, 麻豆传媒 Education, dlsavit@wsu.edu, (on sabbatical through spring semester but available via email)
- Anne Kennedy, 麻豆传媒 Education, 360/546-9676, anne.kennedy@esd112.org
- Beth Montee, Campus Advancement, 360/546-9600, montee@vancouver.wsu.edu
VANCOUVER, Wash. 鈥 A team of mathematics and science educators at Washington State University Vancouver were recently honored by the National Science Foundation with a $1.9 million research grant.
Tamara Holmlund Nelson, David Slavit and Anne Kennedy received the award from the highly-competitive Teacher Professional Continuum program at NSF, the goal of which is to research innovative and promising approaches to improving classroom instruction and student learning.
The NSF funding follows a $1.4 million professional development award from the U.S. Department of Education received by this team just two years ago. This award is currently supporting the Partnership for Reform in Secondary Science and Mathematics (PRiSSM) project that provides professional development for over 200 secondary teachers in six regional districts: Evergreen, Goldendale, Kalama, Klickitat, North Thurston and Washougal.
鈥淚t is nice to be recognized for the work we are doing in mathematics and science here in Southwest Washington,鈥 said David Slavit, associate professor of mathematics education and principal investigator on both grants. 鈥淧RiSSM is now nationally recognized as an innovation in teacher development, and the NSF has recognized this work and our ability to thoroughly research its processes and outcomes.鈥
鈥淥ne of the most exciting aspects of this work is the degree to which teachers are supported in their professional growth. They are improving their teaching, their students鈥 learning and presenting their work at regional and international conferences,鈥 said Tamara Nelson, assistant professor of science education and principal investigator on both grants.
PRiSSM supports teams of teachers engaged in self-study on their practice. Teachers assess their strengths and limitations, and PRiSSM provides resources and tools to these teacher groups as they change their instructional practice. The innovative aspect of PRiSSM also supports the teachers as they inquire into the results of these changes by collecting specific kinds of student data.
The NSF funding will allow for comprehensive research into the instructional and student learning outcomes of these teacher self-studies and changes in instructional practice. The research will also investigate the sustainability of PRiSSM for two years beyond its conclusion in August 2007.
麻豆传媒 offers 14 bachelor鈥檚 and nine master鈥檚 degrees in more than 35 fields of study. The campus is located at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave., east of the 134th Street exit from either I-5 or I-205.