University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
2nd Annual
Science, Gender and Community
Curriculum Reform Institutes for Faculty
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS
Application Deadline: December 15, 1997
The University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program,
under the sponsorship of the Division of Undergraduate Education
of the National Science Foundation, invites participation in a 5-day
Institute for curricular reform and development. This is a chance for
teams of faculty from across the country to come together to work
with mentors from the Women and Science Program on projects
designed to improve science and mathematics education for all
students, with an emphasis on addressing issues that often
discourage women and minorities from pursuing study in the
sciences or mathematics.
OVERVIEW: During the five days of the workshop, participants will
have the opportunity to participate in sessions on science teaching,
including a keynote address to be given by Dr. Sheila Tobias. The
majority of time, however, will be allotted for teams to be mentored
on projects in mathematics or science education. These projects
will be proposed by the teams themselves. Team members are not
expected to have put significant time into their projects prior to
coming to the Institute. The workshop will provide a chance for
participants to learn about, or increase their knowledge of, gender
conscious ways of teaching and learning. It will also be a time to
discuss developments in science education in general. Teams
interested in similar projects will work together, and with workshop
mentors, to incorporate this information into their chosen projects.
During the 1997 Institute, groups focused on introductory courses
in the physical sciences, introductory biology, Women in Science
courses, mathematics and computer science, and general education
courses. As one participant described the sessions, "We were able
to build up a lot of momentum during the work sessions, and when
we hit a brick wall there were resources readily accessible to push
us through...it was invaluable!!!" Group topics for the 1998
Institute will be chosen according to the topics of the attending
teams.
GOALS: The most direct goal of the Institute is for teams to return
to their campuses with course revisions or newly developed courses
that they will implement for their students. Teams will also provide
other participants with information and materials about their
projects, so that each participant will receive useable information
for a variety of courses. A secondary goal of the Institute is to
increase the retention of women and minorities in science,
mathematics and engineering classes. As part of that goal, the
Institute will provide a time and place for mathematics and science
faculty of all levels of expertise to discuss and learn about a
common area of interest, and to form networks that extend beyond
their own campuses.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: December 15, 1997
Contact: (920) 424-7414; http://www.uwosh.edu/programs/wis
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University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
Science, Gender and Community
Curricular Reform Institutes for Faculty
DETAILED INFORMATION
BACKGROUND: The University of Wisconsin System includes the two
comprehensive university campuses at Madison and Milwaukee, 11 four
year campuses, 13 two year campuses, and the UW Extension. The
Women and Science program, which is based on the Oshkosh campus,
represents all institutions of the system. It is the goal of the Women and
Science Program to increase the retention of qualified female and
minority students in science by improving educational experiences for all
science students. In the initial four years of the program, visiting
professors (from both within and outside Wisconsin) who are experts on
gender conscious content and pedagogy spent time on UW campuses,
working closely with faculty there to revise courses and spread expertise
in gender and pedagogical issues. The present Institute is intended to
provide such opportunities to all participants.
WHEN: June 13-17, 1998
WHERE: Meeting facilities and housing will be on the University of
Wisconsin Oshkosh campus.
WHO: Teams consisting of three or four faculty and administrators from
any college or university in the U.S. are invited to attend the Institute.
Teams are encouraged to include at least one untenured professor and one
tenured professor. In addition, teams are encouraged to include a course
coordinator, department chair, or other administrator. While an
administrative representative is not required, this Institute will provide an
opportunity to increase administrative support for course development
projects in the sciences. Inter-departmental teams are welcome, and the
dynamics of such teams have proved to be particularly successful. Teams
will be selected to participate in the Institute, according to the criteria
indicated below.
DESCRIPTION: While at the workshop, teams will work with other teams
and with mentors from the Women and Science Program on projects of
curricular reform or development to be implemented upon return to their
home campuses. These projects will be proposed by the teams when they
apply to the workshop. Teams with similar goals will be grouped
together by threes into larger working units; each unit will be assigned
two mentors. This will allow common issues to be handled more
efficiently. In the words of a 1997 team, "The format of the institute also
contributed to our success. You allowed us plenty of time to focus on our
own project while providing excellent information that we were able to
use through leaders and caucuses." By working closely with mentors and
members of other institutions in this way, there will be a chance to
develop strong networks of support which will carry beyond the time
spent at the workshop.
A wide range of projects can be accommodated by the Institute.
While a main goal of the Women and Science Program is to attract and
retain qualified female and minority students in science and mathematics,
it is true that gender- and ethnic-conscious pedagogies are approaches
which improve educational experiences for all students. Suggested topics
include, but are not limited to:
1) revising an introductory course in biology,
chemistry, computer science, engineering, or
mathematics to incorporate gender-friendly content,
pedagogy and/or climate;
2) developing a Women and Science course, or
incorporating such material into science content
courses or the general education curriculum;
3) redesigning introductory biology, chemistry,
or physics laboratory exercises or manuals to be
more open-ended and exploratory;
4) developing an interdisciplinary course at either the
introductory or capstone level; and
5) gaining expertise in a particular gender-conscious
pedagogy (such as cooperative learning, open-ended
labs, or constructivism) for use in any science or
mathematics course.
Workshop leaders will be drawn from a pool of experts from many
disciplines, including biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering,
mathematics, and physics. These experts are leaders and fellows of the
UW Women and Science program, and are drawn from Wisconsin and
the nation.
In addition to time spent on the projects, caucus sessions will be
conducted by workshop leaders on topics of interest to all teams. These
might include sessions on gender-conscious pedagogies, assessment, or
other topics suggested by the nature of the team projects.
Follow-up activities to the workshop will include an invitation to
attend and present at the Women and Science retreat in Wisconsin the
following May, electronic discussion groups, and the opportunity to
contract with a workshop mentor to visit the home campus during the
following academic year. In addition, the Women and Science Program
will help to disseminate products and materials created by the
participating teams. Finally, workshop participants will have the
opportunity to become part of the Program's registry of content experts,
who are available to assist at future Institutes or provide consulting
services.
HOW: Interested teams should send an application to the UW System
Women and Science Program by December 15, 1997. This application
should include:
the proposed team members;
contact information for a team liaison;
a letter from the institution's chief academic officer indicating
support for the implementation of the project; and
a 2-3 page description of the project on which the team would
like to work. (Please note that projects do not need to be limited
to suggested topics listed above.) As part of the project
description, the following questions should be addressed:
1) What is the need for the project on your campus?
2) What are the goals and expected outcomes you have
for the project?
3) Are there particular types of activities or assessments
that you would like to include?
4) How do you expect participation in this Institute to aid
you in developing this project?
It is anticipated that most teams will not come to the Institute
with a detailed time-line or background preparation. Therefore, the
project proposals are intended to be brief; a large degree of depth or
detail is not required.
Team selection will be based on institutional support, as well as on the
merits of, and need for, the project.
Application materials should be sent to:
UW System Women and Science Program
Science Outreach Office
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
800 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI 54901.
COST: NSF support will help to cover the cost of the Institute. Home
institutions of attending teams are asked to provide $200.00/team member
(payable upon acceptance), as well as all transportation costs of the team.
For More Information: Contact the Women and Science Program at
(920) 424-7414, or isaacsru@uwosh.edu. Information can also be found
on the UWS Women and Science web page, at
http://www.uwosh.edu/programs/wis.
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University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
2nd Annual
Science, Gender and Community
Curricular Reform Institutes for Faculty
RESPONSES TO LAST YEAR'S WORKSHOP
TEAMS: Teams came to the 1997 Institute from across the country.
Represented colleges and universities included: California State
Polytechnic University, Knox College, SUNY Buffalo, Texas
Woman's University, Towson State University, Trinity College,
University of Rhode Island, University of Southwestern Louisiana,
and Washington State University, as well as several University of
Wisconsin institutions.
REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS:
"We went to Oshkosh hoping to come away with a general
idea of how to set up the experiments and with some
information on how to assess our efforts. We came away
with that and much more; we now have an outline for half
the experiments."
"This was a wonderful week to work on a specific project
and to network with some other institutions about
curriculum issues. It was also a support/safety net' for
those who want to make changes, but feel like they are the
only ones interested."
"The [group] working sessions were the most beneficial
because most of the real work was done there. However, we
wouldn't have made such good progress in the [group]
without some of the experiences/information from the small
group discussions and caucus sessions."
"Faculty need more initiatives like this one. This will have
a great impact on teaching and learning in universities.
Having teams is an important aspect of this; being at
conferences and institutes alone does not carry the same
impact."
"The working groups were great!! Our team leaders were
great! And collaborating with the other projects in our
group was great. They were good because we actually got
time and opportunity to get projects done!"
"...We have developed stronger links between disciplines
which will ensure the success of our project. Very useful
reference material (articles, books, films)."
"We accomplished a lot in our group and I learned about
some exciting new classroom techniques that I plan to try."
"This was a great opportunity! We really appreciate being
included and feel like it was an extremely productive week."
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University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
Science, Gender and Community
Curricular Reform Institutes for Faculty
TRAVEL AND LODGING INFORMATION
Oshkosh is located on the shore of Lake Winnebago, in east central
Wisconsin. It is 20 miles south of Appleton, 90 miles from both
Madison and Milwaukee, and 100 miles from Wisconsin Dells. The
Oshkosh and Appleton airports each provide easy air access into
Oshkosh.
Lodging for the workshop will be provided at no cost in a dormitory
setting on the Oshkosh campus. Rooms do not have private baths,
and not all have private telephones. Showers are reached through
the hall in the lodging area. Participants are encouraged to stay on
campus, in order to take advantage of evening activities with other
participants. However, we are happy to provide hotel information
for those desiring more luxurious accommodations at their own
expense. Meals will be provided on campus for all participants
regardless of their lodging arrangements; special dietary needs can
be accommodated.
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University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
Science, Gender and Community
Curricular Reform Institutes for Faculty
APPLICATION COVER SHEETS ARE AVAILABLE ON
THE UWS WOMEN AND SCIENCE HOME PAGE
http://www.uwosh.edu/programs/wis
Or, attach two copies each of the project description and
administrative letter of support to a cover sheet specifying:
1) Names and Departments/Positions of Team Members:
(Team are encouraged to include both a tenured and an untenured
faculty member)
2) Title of Proposed Project:
3) Contact Information for Team Liaison: (Name, Telephone, Institution,
Mailing address, e-mail address, Fax)
4) Where did you hear about the Institute?
Return to:
UW System Women and Science Program
Science Outreach Office
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI 54901
Application Deadline: December 15, 1997
Contact Information: (920) 424-7414
Dr. Heidi Fencl
Director, University of Wisconsin System Women and Science Program
Coordinator, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Science Outreach Center
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI 54901
920-424-7404