Using the resources at the Wright Center and Tisch Library’s expertise in library research, excellent resources in science education and information literacy have be made available to 6-12th grade teachers, their students, and Tufts University students and professors. Our strategy for fostering a strong collaboration stems from our past associations and communications prior to this proposal. This collaboration employs unique components of basic scientists, science education specialists, science educators, and library professionals who will combine expertise to create an integrated program. Regina Raboin, Zach Smith, Christine Kittle, Scott Battaion( year one), Thom Cox (second year), Miriam Allman, Eric Chaisson and Hee-Sun Lee have co-directed this project. Mr. Smith and Ms. Raboin have overseen the daily management, coordinated all activities, organized meetings, created content and kept the participants apprised of progress and activities. Both have worked to manage the support of the project and integration with web and curricular resources. Ms. Kittle and Mr. Battaion and Mr. Cox have directed and continued to develop the Climate Change Education Center work. Dr. Chaisson and Ms. Allman have advised and worked with Mr. Smith and Ms. Raboin on all aspects of the program. Dr. Lee and Mr. Smith have worked with the teacher advisors and developed an assessment tool.
Senior Staff
Dr. Eric J. Chaisson is Director of the Wright Center for Science Education at Tufts University and Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Research Professor of Education. Dr. Chaisson's research involves working with teachers to develop novel curricula to excite teachers and instruct students in science, mathematics and engineering. He has worked with computer animators and teachers together to create The Arrow of Time and other programs.
Zach Smith is the Program Coordinator at the Wright Center. A former Wright Fellow and middle school earth science teacher, he is also an instructor for the New England Science Center Collaborative on climate change topics and has contributed materials and expertise to the National Science Olympiad and the National Science Teacher Association. He is the author of Glaciers, Climate, and the Landscape, available free through the Wright Center web site (www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center) and developed nine week-long workshops on climate change topics. He also has Antarctic field experience as a member of the 2000-2001 US International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition (US ITASE) and participated in the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP).
Dr. Hee-Sun Lee is an assistant professor in the Education Department at Tufts University. Her Ph.D. is in science education focusing on developing and conducting research on theory-driven, inquiry-based science curricula, developing valid and reliable assessment instruments to measure inquiry learning, using authentic practices of scientists for student inquiry in K-12 classroom settings, using technological tools to enhance students' inquiry-based learning, and scaling locally successful curricular projects to culturally and ethnically diverse settings.
