Science Group

     
    Meeting, Wednesday, January 28th, 1998 in the Teacher Center
     
    participants present:
    Dan LaFica, Mark MacNeil, Cindy Carnavale, Ed Kolb, Joe Wilie, Laura Reeves, Bill Hontz, Judy Zeck, Sandy Hawkins, Stan Roman, Greg Knight, Cindy Mattoon, Scott Forbes, Bob McLaughlin, Lelane Hoose
     
    Facilitator: Joe Willie, Naples
    Time Keeper: Greg Knight, BOCES, Geneva
    Recorder and Key Communicator: Dan LaFica, Teacher Center
     
    Demo of Internet and Docushare
     
    We started the meeting with an overview of the Docushare system. Several of the group had accessed Docushare and posted a message in the bulletin board. Dan LaFica set up two Web documents in the science area to demonstrate how this could be used to share internet resources between group members. Some typical science web sites were shown as well as some of the NYSED and US Dept of Ed web sites that might assist us in answering questions about the Standards, Assessment and current time lines.
     
    Lori Leenay will be at out next meeting ( 3-25-98) to continue our Docushare training.
     
    Questions from the group:
     
    When will more teachers have access to Docushare? In order for this process to grow into a collaboration of teachers across districts, grade levels and content areas - it was asked what the intention was to expand Docushare resources to a larger population.
     
    How will we establish content/grade level user groups? It was asked how Docushare could be used to establish content/grade level groupings.
     
    Conference day - regional contact
     
    A discuss ensued as to what direction we might take as to the scope of our progress. Should we try to affect as broad a base of teachers as possible or should we narrow our scope and start with a smaller, more focused population.
     
    BOCES wide activities might be impossible maybe take these activities and develop them of the local level (groups of schools ?)
     
    There continues to be a lot of interest in setting up a structure whereby the teachers of science get
    opportunities to interact with other similar teachers. (Chemistry teacher groups, Middle School groups, Elementary groups, etc.)
     
    The existence of the mentor program at the State level and BOCES support locally via Sharon Bassage should be looked into.
     
    Interest in BOCES wide contact with teachers in a more specific content area/ grade level (Chem, Bio, Phy, etc.)
     
    We discussed some possible specific activities to encourage teachers to particpate across
    district/content/grade levels.
     
    Get some big name to present high interest workshops.
    Look for grant money.
    Set up general program and rotate the subject area.
     
    Propose direction of this group to initiate and coordinate meetings of groups of teachers - set up a structure of contact that consists of "getting together" opportunities - supplemented by online coordination
     
    Grouping by Subject area, K-12 grouping, BOCES wide, District wide, by building, neighbor districts, etc. Coordinating with other content areas (Soc.Stud, Math, Lang Arts, etc.)
     
    We discussed the importance of keeping our eyes open to those skills and content areas that were not specifically science. It was seen as necessary to all of us to make sure that students could read, write, think, and interact with each other - in order for any other possible gains in science were sought out.
     
    Need to incorporate general reading/writing skills into the science curriculum
     
    Many member of the group were asking about a commitment from BOCES, RIC and our individual districts as to our input in the development and participation in future workshop days, summer training, curriculum money, etc.
     
    If this group is being asked to participate in a volunteer mode - then the workshop days planned next year should have time available to teacher directed activities that might result from our present work.
     
    Try to survey the teachers in our home schools as to their willingness to participate: after school, Saturdays, release-time, Superintendents Day
     
    What is the role of the science mentors in the goals of our group?
     
    What do we need to do next ?
     
    Next agenda: March 25, 1998
     
      
     
    Spend some more time hands-on Docushare, Internet
     
    Get mentors, Sharon Bassage at our next meeting.
     
    Share info on computer software used in science instruction.
     
    Bring in "Best of Ideas" to share - ideas, lessons, labs, activities
     
      
     
    Next Meeting: March 25th, 1998
     

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