Building Awareness:  Needs, Opportunities, and Best Practices in Pre-Service Education

ASP, Baltimore, Sept 18, 2006

Session Evaluations

This session was (Highly Interesting to Me=1; Not Interesting to Me = 5):
Results were 9 (1)        3 (2)     1(4); almost all participants found the session highly interesting or interesting.

This session was (Highly Useful to Me=1; Not Particularly Useful to Me = 5):
Results were 5(1)         3(2)      3(3)      2(4); while the majority of participants found the session highly useful or useful, there were some who found it less useful.

What was the most valuable thing you learned in this session?

• Can use pre-service teacher education as model for training ta’s in large university service courses
• Existence of PET and other pre-service resources
• I am just learning about the issues of pre-service teacher “training”; this was a valuable eye-opener
• Some valuable pre-service teacher programs
• Interaction with “professionals” and the rest of us who have range of experiences
• How pre-service functions; problems face — on all levels
• Program @ UC Davis was very interesting
• Mentored induction program that is increasing teacher retention
• Organization was superb — intro, “case study”, focus group, wrap up—so important — great moderation, esp. note to ask questions rather than pontificate
• Other people’s experience
• Resources presented
• An interesting model for teacher preparation that seems to effectively address both the content and pedagogical knowledge of future teachers
• The different approaches to teacher training can have a big impact
• Astronomy still needs to make in-roads into teaching/education departments.

What information presented in this session is still unclear to you (or was missing)?

• All my questions were answered — thanks! / Good Job / none
• Details in improving the pedagogy of instruction for pre-service teacher programs
• How can a NASA E/PO program connect to / enhance/ contribute to the kinds of programs presented here?
• Bit too much powerpoint
• Strategy toward developing a “common” earth/space science course for pre-service students
• It was not discussed how to connect these ideas to in-service workshops (vs pre-service curricula) but that wasn’t the purveyance of the session
• The path to credentialing, what tests, courses, etc. are required
• I’m wondering how this preparation model at WWU aligns with certification requirements in Washington state & why a pre-service Spanish teacher would need so much science?  Just curious about that.

What does the presenter need to know to improve before he or she makes this presentation again?

• How do you mitigate “science phobia” and the questions on the flyer — can we directly address them?  That’s what got me here
• This was the only 90 min session I attended that deserved the 90 min — very good
• Can’t think of anything — good job / Good Job
• Start with discussions, not presentation
• Survey the audience to see who was here—pre-service faculty vs. prof or pre-service vs. in-service, certified vs. not, etc.

Additional comments (on back)

• Would love to help implement (we have active preservice outreachc in Phys & Astro Dept) but can’t do everything.  Will share this info w/preservice faculty