The
Center for Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
or CSMTE is an interdisciplinary Center that brings together
scholars and teachers from the School of Education and Human
Development, the Watson School of Engineering and Applied
Science, and the Harpur College Division of Science and Mathematics.
The first mission of CSMTE is to explore and provide innovative
approaches to preparing teachers of science, mathematics,
and technology in grades 6 through 12 with a special focus
on girls, students of color, and students who experience
economic disadvantage. An essential element of this work
is to conduct research that will lead to best practices for
preparing teachers in these fields and for enhancing learning
in these fields among children and youth.
For
some time, there have been serious shortages of qualified
teachers in all areas of the sciences and mathematics. Because
of this, our children are put at risk of poor teaching and
limited learning in these essential fields. Various comparisons
within the United States and with other industrialized nations
demonstrate that we are not adequately preparing future generations
to continue the research and development that has made the
United States the world leader in the sciences, medicine,
engineering, and technology. Over the past 20 years, fewer
and fewer American born women and men have chosen science,
mathematics, or engineering as their field of study. Commonly,
college and university professors complain that students
are ill prepared for college level work in these fields.
The challenge is to reverse this trend by providing better
learning opportunities for students who demonstrate a talent
in one or more of these fields and for developing greater
science, mathematical, and technological literacy in all
students.
Another part of the CSMTE mission is to conduct research on the effects
of technology in teaching and learning. For nearly a decade, school
districts have invested thousands of dollars in technology hardware,
software, personnel, and professional development. This investment
has occurred with very little research or evaluation on what differences,
if any, the uses of technology have on teaching performance and learning
performance. We do know that children have learned to use technology,
enjoy using it, and expect to have access to it, but beyond the appearance
that it has changed the way children work, we know little else about
its effects. Thus, it is important for CSMTE to investigate the effect
of technology on teaching and learning paying close attention to
differences among teachers and learners with respect to gender, race
and ethnicity, and the presence of a disability.
It will also be important for CSMTE to conduct longitudinal studies related
to individuals who graduate from the teacher preparation programs
developed by CSMTE. In this respect, CSMTE will develop a series
of indicators on teaching performance to be assessed on an annual
basis. Such a study will enable CSMTE staff to examine the entry
level teaching effectiveness of graduates and their professional
development throughout their careers. These investigations will include
qualitative studies of children taught by program graduates related
to their continued interest and work in the fields of science, mathematics,
technology and engineering. Such studies are ambitious and difficult
to fund, but can be a powerful method for accurately reporting the
effects of specific teacher preparation programs and their eventual
impact on children and society.
