UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 5
October 3, 1996
New Math, Science Center will benefit K-12 teachers

     Anew center at the University of Delaware will assist
Delaware's  K-12 mathematics and science teachers throughout the
state as they face the challenge of helping their students meet
new state standards in both curriculum content and pupil
performance.
     The new Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center is
part of a more general commitment by the University to strengthen
its partnership with the state in support of public education.
     "The University wants to do its part," Provost Mel
Schiaveilli said, "to help Delaware's schools prepare for the new
standards in science and mathematics and to provide assistance to
Delaware's teachers."
     This year, the development of the new center will be
overseen by the deans of the colleges of Arts and Science,
Education, Human Resources and Urban Affairs and Public Policy,
but it is anticipated that next year it will be administered in
the proposed new college formed by the reorganization of the
colleges of Education, Human Resources and Urban Affairs and
Public Policy. Beyond its college affiliation, the center will
coordinate with mathematics and science educators and content
specialists throughout the University.
     Kathleen Hollowell, the acting director of secondary
mathematics in-service programs, will be reassigned to the new
center and serve as its director and key resource person in
mathematics. Barbara Duch, currently a teaching consultant in the
University's Center for Teaching Effectiveness, will serve as
interim associate director and key resource person in science.
     According to Hollowell, the Mathematics and Science
Education Resource Center will have two principal functions.
     "We will be an information center for mathematics and
science education activities, both within the University and
throughout the state, and we will plan and offer a professional
development program for K-12 mathematics and science teachers,"
she said.
     Through the new center, Delaware teachers will have access
year-round to the latest curricular materials, the latest
software and technology and the latest assessment tools, as well
as to expertise in all these areas. Professional development
programs will be scheduled so that teachers can attend easily
(some will be held in public schools) and will be sequenced so
that teachers can begin at a point appropriate to their
experience and their pupils' needs.
     Already for this fall, the Mathematics and Science Education
Resource Center has planned integrated mathematics and science
workshops for middle and high school teachers that will expand
their knowledge and classroom use of graphing calculators, motion
detectors and other environmental sensors. These will be offered
in both northern and southern Delaware.
     Other activities during this start-up year will include
publishing a newsletter for K-16 mathematics and science
educators and sponsoring special events, such as statewide
conferences for science and mathematics teachers and mathematics
and science fairs for their students. Hollowell and Duch also
will be creating an advisory board for the center, including key
individuals from the University and the public education
community, as well as public and nonprofit agencies and private
organizations interested in improving mathematics and science
education.
     In addition, this fall, they will develop other programs
with faculty and staff who are interested in mathematics and
science education. "These activities are based on successful
professional development models used in recent mathematics and
science in-service programs offered by the University," Roberta
Golinkoff, interim dean of the College of Education, said.
     "The goal is to develop an agenda of useful activities that
will foster a stronger relationship between the University and
Delaware teachers," according to Mary Richards, dean of the
College of Arts and Science and chairperson of the University's
Steering Committee for Math/Science Education. "Through these
programs, the teachers can renew and upgrade their capabilities
while University faculty and staff can help improve the quality
of K-12 science and mathematics preparation."
     "Building on its direct assistance to teachers throughout
the state, the Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center
will collaborate with local school districts, the Department of
Public Instruction and other agencies and organizations
interested in the continuing improvement of mathematics and
science education in the state," Dan Rich, dean of the College of
Urban Affairs and Public Policy, said.
     "In funding the University's request of $297,000 to support
this new center, the governor and the General Assembly recognized
the need for enhanced professional development for K-12
mathematics and science teachers and the University's proven
capability for providing effective and innovative professional
development programs," he added.
     The Mathematics and Science Education Resource Center will
be located in Pearson Hall.
                                             -Mary Helen Callahan