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"Although all subjects add value to public education, science is perhaps the most essential, and under-appreciated, component of public education. Science is not essential because it comprises a great body of facts; instead, science is essential because it is, as Carl Sagan argued, a 'way of thinking'." |
History. School Science & Technology (SST) was initiated by Dr. Wallace Dominey in 1997 to improve science instruction in Houston area public schools.
A partnership quickly developed with Aldine ISD, a large, urban, majority historically underrepresented minority school district in the Houston area. This partnership, the Rice University/Aldine ISD Science Collaborative (RASC), was awarded a “Special Recognition” partnership award from the Texas Governor’s Conference on Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education in 2002.
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Recent. School Science & Technology now serves hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers in the Houston area and beyond. The program has grown to include science and technology teacher professional development for grades K-12, and technology support and web-based applications for teachers. There are currently 25 full time science specialists supporting science instruction in Aldine ISD as a continuation of a partnership with SST. The eLearning website, http://Learn.Rice.edu, now has more than 5000 users! An additional website, www.TAKScopes.com now provides curricular resources to elementary teachers across the state.
SST is one of the more than twenty Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching. In addition, SST serves as university sponsor for the Metropolitan Association for Teachers of Science.
A large scale systemic program for improving elementary science instruction in Houston ISD was initiated in 2006-07 in Houston ISD, the
Rice University Elementary Model Science Lab at Sanchez Elementary. This innovative, one-of-a-kind program trains 80 teacher Interns one full day each week throughout the academic year in science content knowledge, best practices for science teaching, and teacher mentoring and leadership skills. With financial support from ConocoPhillips, this Lab program was expanded to reach teachers from throughout the greater Houston area in 2008-09. The ConocoPhillips Rice Elementary Model Science Lab program is located in Spring Branch ISD at Treasure Forest Elementary.
Goals. The goal of SST is to create a science and technology learning community for teachers by providing long-term, sustained teacher professional development in science content, pedagogy, systemic school reform, and technology. The ultimate aim is to assist science teachers in ensuring that all students have authentic science learning experiences in public schools and that technology is fully integrated into instruction.
Success. Program evaluation research indicates success not only in improving teacher science content knowledge and teacher practice, but also in translating these improvements into improved student science achievement. SST data has been used in state legislative hearings on the value of science teacher professional development.
"In my more than twenty years in this district, School Science & Technology is the only program that has increased student achievement in science"
M.B. (Sonny) Donaldson, former Superintendent, Aldine ISD
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