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Chancellor Fingerhut Releases $3.2 Million to Fund Improving Teacher Quality Projects
Focuses on math and science professional development programs across the state
For Immediate Release, February 26, 2008
COLUMBUS—Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut today announced the release of more than $3.2 million in Improving Teacher Quality Program grant funds awarded to 24 projects that focus on mathematics and science education improvement programs throughout the state.
Funded under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program provides competitive grants to public and private colleges and universities in order to form partnerships with high‐need schools and school districts to increase the academic achievement of all students by improving teacher, instructional paraprofessional and principal quality. Each funded program will support sustained and intensive high‐quality science and mathematics professional development to ensure that teachers will provide challenging learning experiences for their students.
“Higher education has a responsibility to elevate the quality of teachers that are educating the next generation of Ohioans,” Fingerhut said. “By bringing collegiate faculty in academic and educational disciplines together with elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers and principals, we are creating the best teachers for Ohio.”
The 24 funded projects, at 17 of Ohio’s colleges and universities, will provide an opportunity for more than 3,000 teachers to participate in a 2‐ to 5‐week summer program that emphasizes a hands‐on, inquiry‐based, problem‐solving approach to teaching and learning science and mathematics. Program activities focus on Ohio Academic Content Standards, Performance Standards, and Ohio Achievement Test Outcomes and incorporate substantial follow‐up activities throughout the subsequent academic year.
This year, a 17‐member review panel of experts representing all levels of science and mathematics education evaluated 41 proposals from 22 colleges and universities. The competitive nature of the Improving Teacher Quality Program dictates that the proposals encourage positive change in teachers, principals, and curriculum at the pre‐college level and increase student achievement with the intent that the projects will become models of good professional development that can be scaled‐up, replicated, and disseminated widely throughout the educational system in Ohio.
Listed below are the 24 Improving Teacher Quality Program Awards for FY‐2007, indicating title of project, amount of award, name, address, phone number, and e‐mail address of project coordinator, grade level, and discipline (S = Science, M = Math). Awards are listed alphabetically by institution.
07‐01 The Akron Global Polymer Academy Science Partnership
$60,728.00
Dr. Katharine D. Owens
Dr. Carin A. Helfer
The University of Akron
Department of Curricular
and Instructional Studies
Akron, OH 44325‐4205
(330) 972‐7437
kowens@uakron.edu
chelfer@uakron.edu
4‐5, S
07‐08 Physical Science by Inquiry Program for Teachers in Grades K ‐ 5
$67,480.00
Dr. Robert J. Endorf
University of Cincinnati
345 Clifton Court
P O Box 210011
Cincinnati, OH 45221‐0011
(513) 556‐0530
Robert.Endorf@uc.edu
K ‐ 5, S
07‐03 Teaching Meaningful Mathematics in Science Using Best Practices
$77,062.00
Dr. James Van Keuren
Ashland University
401 College Avenue
258 Schar
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Ashland, OH 44805
(419) 289‐5377
jvankeu1@ashland.edu
4‐8, M/S
07‐09 Physical Science by Inquiry Program for Teachers in Grades 5 ‐ 12
$98,680.00
Dr. Robert J. Endorf
University of Cincinnati
345 Clifton Court
P O Box 210011
Cincinnati, OH 45221‐0011
(513) 556‐0530
Robert.Endorf@uc.edu
5‐12, S
07‐07 Research‐based Inquiry Physics Experiences I (RIPE II)
$136,679.00
Dr. Tracy Huziak‐Clark
Dr. Stephen Van Hook
Bowling Green State University
529 Education Building
School of Teaching and Learning
Bowling Green, OH 43403
(419) 372‐7363
thuziak@bgsu.edu
PK‐3, S
07‐13 Problem Solving and Critical Thinking with Discrete Mathematics, K‐8
$148,918.00
Dr. Atif Abueida
Dr. Paul Eloe
University of Dayton
300 College Park
Dayton, OH 45469‐2316
(937) 229‐2016
Atif.Abueida@notes.udayton.edu
K‐8, M
07‐15 Science in the Schoolyard
$99,061.63
Dr. Roxanne Sorrick
Hiram College
Education Department
P O Box 67
Hiram, OH 44234
(330) 569‐5273
sorrickr@hiram.edu
PK‐5, S
07‐20 Conceptual Biology for Teachers of Grades 6‐12
$126,365.00
Dr. Donald Gerbig
Dr. Claudia Khourey‐Bowers
Kent State University
P O Box 5190
Tuscarawas Campus/Biological Sciences
Kent, OH 44242‐0001
(330) 308‐7484
dgerbig@kent.edu
cmkhoure@kent.edu
6‐12, S
07‐17 OPERATION PHYSICS for Middle
School Teachers
$135,900.00
Dr. Lisa A. Donnelly
Dr. Stanley Christensen
Kent State University
P O Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242‐0001
(330) 672‐0614
ldonnell@kent.edu
physprof@juno.com
4‐9, S
07‐21 SUNBEAMS ‐ Students Understanding the Natural‐world by Broadening the Education and Application of Math and Science
$88,970.40
Dr. Beth Clark‐Thomas
Malone College
515 25th Street NW
School of Education
Canton, OH 44709
(330) 471‐8221
bcthomas@malone.edu
Pre K‐K, M/S
07‐18 Conceptual Chemistry for Teachers of Grades 4‐9
$143,367.00
Dr. Claudia Khourey‐Bowers
Dr. Christopher Fenk
Kent State University
P O Box 5190
Stark Campus
Kent, OH 44242‐0001
(330) 244‐3422
cmkhoure@kent.edu
cfenk@kent.edu
4‐9, S
07‐22 Marietta Academy for Excellence in Math and Science Education
$195,874.00
Ms. Elaine O'Rourke
Marietta College
215 Fifth Street
Education Department
Marietta, OH 45750
(740) 376‐4663
Elaine.Orourke@marietta.edu
K‐8, M
07‐23 Across the Curriculum Environmental Science to Attain Ohio Elementary School Academic Content Standards and Achievement Test Outcomes
$226,786.00
Dr. Richard E. Lee
Dr. Robert G. McWIlliams
Miami University
212 Pearson Hall; Department of Zoology
Oxford, OH 45056
(513) 529‐3441
leere@muohio.edu
mcwillrg@muohio.edu
K‐6, S
07‐28 Modeling Instruction for Physical Science and Chemistry in Ohio
$160,431.00
Dr. Kathleen Harper, Dr. Andrew Heckler,
Dr. Ted Clark
The Ohio State University
1040 Physics Research Building
191 West Woodruff Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292‐1525
harper.217@osu.edu
heckler.6@osu.edu
9‐12, S
07‐24 iDiscovery: Sustaining Professional Development Through Web‐based Learning Communities
$298,066.00
Dr. Terry McCollum, Dr. Christopher Myers,
Dr. R. Hays Cummins
Miami University
The Discovery Center; McGuffey Hall Room 408
Oxford, OH 45056
(513) 529‐1686
mccolltl@muohio.edu
myersca@muohio.edu
K‐12, M/S
07‐35 Better Mathematics Through Literacy
$139,897.00
Dr. Timothy McKeny, Carolyn R. Ervin,
Dr. Linda Rice
Ohio University
McCracken Hall 344
1 University Drive
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593‐0160
ervinc@ohio.edu
mckeny@ohio.edu
K‐3, M
07‐26 Advancing Ohio's Physical Science Proficiency 2008‐09
$299,970.00
Professor Arlyne Sarquis
Miami University‐Middletown
4200 East University Blvd.
Middletown, OH 45042
(513) 727‐3278
sarquiam@muohio.edu
PK‐9, S
07‐36 Grade 7‐8 Math Teaching & Learning Collaborative
$143,523.00
Ms. Rena Allen
Ohio University ‐ Southern
1804 Liberty Avenue
Ironton, OH 45638
(740) 533‐4550
allenr@ohio.edu
7‐8, M
07‐37 Mathematics and Science Coordination Teams (MaSCoT)
$121,633.00
Dr. Danielle Dani, Dr. Robert Klein, Dr. Diane Gut,
Dr. Terry McCollum
Ohio University
252 McCracken Hall
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593‐4438
dani@ohio.edu
kleinr@ohio.edu
7‐12, M/S
07‐43 Physical Science and Life Science Professional Development Project for Grades 6‐11 Teachers
$133,550.00
Dr. Nephi Thompson, Dr. Melissa Schen,
Dr. Beth Basista, Dr. Jim Tomlin
Wright State University
248 Fawcett Hall
Dayton, OH 45435
(937) 775‐4951
nephi.thompson@wright.edu
melissa.schen@wright.edu
beth.basista@wright.edu
ames.tomlin@wright.edu
6‐11, M/S
07-39 QUANT: Quantifying Uncertainty and Analyzing Numerical Trends
$112,862.00 Dr. Gregory D. Foley, Dr. Laura Moss
Ohio University
117 McCracken Hall
Athens, OH 45701-2979
(740) 593-4430
foleyg@ohio.edu
9-12, M
Contact: Michael Chaney, Chief Communications Officer, Ohio Board of Regents
Office: 614-752-9480 Cell: 614-633-5909
Email: mchaney@regents.state.oh.us
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