Reflections from the end:

The Black Hills Science Teaching Project, after almost 4 years of implementation, has provided over 29,600 hours of professional development through an average of 75 days of training per year. About 70% of the professional development focuses on science content, with the balance spread between the areas of pedagogy, leadership, inquiry, and the integration of science with math and language arts. We are currently serving 430 teachers. The average number of hours of professional development for eligible classroom teachers is just over 70 hours. The original project involved 8 school districts, but we recently added two more, thus expanding our area of influence.

The Center for the Advancement of Math and Science Education (CAMSE) plays a lead role in driving systemic reform in western South Dakota. The Center houses an excellent materials center providing science modules and other materials for checkout to area schools. Currently, districts are charged a nominal fee for use of the modules. The long-term plan is to charge a higher rental fee that reflects the actual cost of refurbishment. The collaboration between the Center located at Black Hills State University and the school districts supports the BLAHST project in all aspects of improving science education.

The implementation of inquiry-based instructional materials (primarily FOSS with some STC and SEPUP) has been relatively successful. The teachers have enough modules available, either through district purchases or checkout from CAMSE, to teach two modules a year. Middle school teachers lagged in implementation of the modules, but now that more materials are available, they are enthusiastically piloting and purchasing them as funding allows. Initially BLAHST staff concentrated on providing support at the classroom level for implementing kits through coaching and team teaching. Now that teachers are using kits, they don't feel that this assistance is as essential.

A Student Assessment Project started during the 2001-2 school year and is continuing for an additional two years. This project measures student growth in all sixth grade classrooms in the project. Analysis of the data from the initial year indicates a positive correlation between the number of hours that a teacher has participated in project PD and their students' gains on the assessment instrument. Two classroom observations are conducted each year using the Horizon protocol, and again there is a positive correlation between the rankings on the protocol and hours of PD.

Lead teachers were originally identified in the districts. Most of these teachers continue to serve as advocates for science reform. Many of them help facilitate project-wide workshops, especially those that are module-based. The training of lead teachers is ongoing, with special 4-day sessions offered each summer for those wishing to develop or refine their skills in providing professional development.

A couple of factors hinder the success of the project. Districts are facing budget cuts due to declining enrollments, and this limits both the number of modules they can purchase and the number of teachers who can attend professional development opportunities on school days. The priority on reading and math due to "No Child Left Behind" is also making it more difficult for teachers to find time to teach science.

BACK

NEXT