Session 1: Seam Summer Science Institute
The Big Picture:  Why are we in this workshop?
Comments added 7/26/03

I.  Summer is way too long and boring without classes (.......not!)

II. Project Seam Gaps: We are trying to help our students succeed!

• 5. Incoming freshman are weak in the use of inquiry and the process skills of:

  • critical thinking
  • experimenting
  • problem solving
  • communicating verbally
  • making inferences
  • communicating in writing
  • predicting

• 7. One reason motivation is low is because students do not see science as a connection to career opportunities
• 8. Students demonstrate general apathy, absence of practical work ethic, and lack of confidence.
• 9. Students are leaving secondary school with a fragmented knowledge base of inert content.
• 11. Students do not demonstrate the ability to use critical reading and writing skills when working with technical material.
• See all the Gaps here!

III. We all want to become better instructors...and get paid to work at improving  :)  !!!

• Also from the Gaps:
• 6. Educator's pedagogical skills at the secondary and post secondary levels have not kept pace with the current pedagogy and educational research.
• 13. Lecture and direct instruction are used too much and ineffectively.
• (Note:  Both of the above apply to the college level too)
• Curiosity about using technology in the classroom...and practical knowledge of how to do it!

Just-In-Time Teaching:

• A way to address those pesky gaps
• Base teaching on inquiry and constructivism
• Incorporate formative assessment into classroom
• Increase student study habits, motivation, technical writing skills
• Take advantage of the benefits of technology on learning

Objectives of this workshop: 
When you leave this workshop you will understand:

• The learning goals behind JiTT
• The importance of uncovering prior knowledge to new learning
• How technology can support learning
• How to use student's prior knowledge to support new learning
• How JiTT can be used to improve study habits, classroom preparation, student motivation.
• How student Warm Up responses are used in the classroom

From our workshop activities you will work on:

• How to use the main toolbars for FrontPage 
• How to make a basic welcome page for YOUR course with images and links
• How to write Warm Up assignments
• How to score Warm Up assignments
• How to create a basic web form (7/26 - further instructions on web forms will follow!)
• Beginning your project for the fall
• (7/26 We will not do this - further instructions on web forms will follow!): How to create a confirmation page

After you get back to school, you will need to:

• Follow up on school-specific technology issues (how to upload to your server, how to specify a location for Warm Up form information)
• Complete your welcome page
• Complete your 3 Warm Up assignments
• Make students aware of course webpage, and assign Warm Ups in appropriate lessons
• Use student responses in your classroom discussion
• Follow up with students to assess JiTTs usefulness in your classroom
• Meet for 1 afternoon in the fall to discuss progress