Outreach Programs: Massachusetts
Watershed Integrated Sciences Partnership (WISP)
- General Information
- Principal Investigators (*contact person): Robert F. Chen (PI)*, William E. Robinson, Michael Shiaris, Hannah Sevian, and Marilyn Decker
Address: University of Massachusetts-Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125-3393
Phone: (617) 287-7491
Email: bob.chen@umb.edu
URL: http://www.wisp.umb.edu/
Grade Level: Middle School
Disciplines: Geosciences, Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Sciences - Program Summary
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The University of Massachusetts Boston (UmassBoston) is partnering with three school districts to place cohorts of ten graduate students (“Fellows”) with ten middle school science teachers each year. All Middle Schools are located within the Neponset River watershed. This watershed provides the common theme (experiential framework) to contextualize curriculum content derived from already developed science instructional systems. Using a natural boundary (a watershed) as an integrating theme demonstrates to students that communities of diverse socio-economic backgrounds have many commonalities and natural connections.
Given the ready availability of high quality science instructional systems, our idea is not to develop a new curriculum or instructional system, but to apply concrete examples and specific experiences to the existing science programs in the schools. The Program is developing a learning community of Fellows and Teachers who are partnering to connect classroom experiences to the outside world. By using experiential examples from the playground, students’ backyards, and their neighborhoods, the Program facilitates Teachers and students gaining a deep understanding of a wide variety of science concepts using the environment as an integrating context. Fellows serve as resources to Middle School Teachers, directly assisting them in the classroom, researching items of curriculum content, developing classroom demonstrations and field exercises, assisting them in better understanding the science content of the curriculum, and helping them gain proficiency in the use of science materials and equipment purchased by the school systems.
This GK-12 project is forming a collaborative learning community between UMassBoston and local school districts that will continue with ongoing programs such as a Masters of Education in Environmental Science, continued involvement of pre-service teachers in local schools, and professional development programs. The WISP Program is being evaluated internally by a science education faculty member and his doctoral student and externally by the Educational Development Center. It is expected that Fellows will become better educators and will remain involved in educational outreach throughout their scientific careers, that middle school students will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for science and math, and that Teachers will gain content knowledge and enhance their ability to teach science curricula.
- Funding Agency
- NSF
