Featured Fall Classes

Florida's new standards for the teaching of science are challenging, and FSU's Science Education Program is offering some courses this Fall that will help you to hone your teaching to meet these challenges.

Featured Courses

Teaching Evolution and the Nature of Science
SCE 5935 (03), instructor Sherry Southerland (southerl@coe.fsu.edu)

In Teaching evolution and the nature of science practicing and prospective teachers will examine the possible goals of science teaching (understanding/acceptance/belief), particularly within the context of teaching controversial topics. After a thorough analysis of the standards for evolution (both micro and macro) and the nature of science, the class will use local and national resources (content and teaching experts, curricula, websites, activities) to craft lessons that use the nature of science to support the teaching of evolution. Finally, the political aspects of the ongoing evolution controversy will be explored to allow teachers to anticipate future difficulties in addressing the conflicts between science and other ways of knowing.

Making Science Concepts Stick
SCE 5935 (04), instructor Victor Sampson (vsampson@fsu.edu)

Making Science Concepts Stick provides an opportunity for middle and secondary science teachers to learn more about different instructional, metacognitive, and assessment strategies that have been shown to foster students' understanding and retention of key science concepts. Participants will experience how these different strategies work first-hand, read about how and why these strategies work, and design lessons that incorporate these strategies for use in their own classrooms. As part of the course, participants will also learn how to select the most appropriate mixture of strategies for teaching a specific topic within a particular context.

Enhancing teaching through Web 2.0
SCE 5935 (05), instructor Nancy Davis (ntdavis52@yahoo.com)

Research shows that today's students tend to be digital learners and that teachers need to be able to use new technologies to enhance learning. In this class currently practicing and prospective teachers will explore the applications of Web 2.0 technologies (e.g., audio and video podcasts, blogs, wikis, MUVES, social networking services, photo and image sharing, creative commons applications, virtual etc.) to teaching within and across ages and disciplines. Class will meet in both face-to-face and online formats to will appeal to novice and experienced Web 2.0 technology users. Basic computer skills (word processing, saving and transferring files) are prerequisite for this course.

Please visit http://www.coe.fsu.edu/ste/Programs/Science for more information about our graduate programs and other fall classes. Admissions ends July 2008 for Fall.
Contact Leigh Brown (Lbrown@coe.fsu.edu, 645-8316) for questions about admissions.


	STE Home Science Education Home -Faculty -Recent Titles -Current Projects Program -Undergraduate Programs -Graduate Programs -On-Line Master's Degree Program (for practicing teachers) -Get on our mailing list! -National Science Teachers Association -Graduate Students -Middle School Science Support Site			Featured Fall Classes Florida's new standards for the teaching of science are challenging, and FSU's Science Education Program is offering some courses this Fall that will help you to hone your teaching to meet these challenges. Featured Courses Teaching Evolution and the Nature of Science SCE 5935 (03), instructor Sherry Southerland (southerl@coe.fsu.edu) In Teaching evolution and the nature of science practicing and prospective teachers will examine the possible goals of science teaching (understanding/acceptance/belief), particularly within the context of teaching controversial topics. After a thorough analysis of the standards for evolution (both micro and macro) and the nature of science, the class will use local and national resources (content and teaching experts, curricula, websites, activities) to craft lessons that use the nature of science to support the teaching of evolution. Finally, the political aspects of the ongoing evolution controversy will be explored to allow teachers to anticipate future difficulties in addressing the conflicts between science and other ways of knowing. Making Science Concepts Stick SCE 5935 (04), instructor Victor Sampson (vsampson@fsu.edu) Making Science Concepts Stick provides an opportunity for middle and secondary science teachers to learn more about different instructional, metacognitive, and assessment strategies that have been shown to foster students' understanding and retention of key science concepts. Participants will experience how these different strategies work first-hand, read about how and why these strategies work, and design lessons that incorporate these strategies for use in their own classrooms. As part of the course, participants will also learn how to select the most appropriate mixture of strategies for teaching a specific topic within a particular context. Enhancing teaching through Web 2.0 SCE 5935 (05), instructor Nancy Davis (ntdavis52@yahoo.com) Research shows that today's students tend to be digital learners and that teachers need to be able to use new technologies to enhance learning. In this class currently practicing and prospective teachers will explore the applications of Web 2.0 technologies (e.g., audio and video podcasts, blogs, wikis, MUVES, social networking services, photo and image sharing, creative commons applications, virtual etc.) to teaching within and across ages and disciplines. Class will meet in both face-to-face and online formats to will appeal to novice and experienced Web 2.0 technology users. Basic computer skills (word processing, saving and transferring files) are prerequisite for this course. Please visit http://www.coe.fsu.edu/ste/Programs/Science for more information about our graduate programs and other fall classes. Admissions ends July 2008 for Fall. Contact Leigh Brown (Lbrown@coe.fsu.edu, 645-8316) for questions about admissions.