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Re: 13 Summer Modeling Workshops nationwide



Modeling Workshops have a large and favorable impact on teaching practice.
Last September I polled the teachers nationwide in our Modeling Workshop
Project: 90% of them said that Modeling Instruction has a HIGHLY
SIGNIFICANT long-term impact on their teaching practice. Many teachers
included comments. Here's a short sample, unedited, from one of the 8
workshop series. (All teachers gave permission to quote them publicly.)

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY SITE:
Richard Spitzer, White Mountains of AZ
Highly significant, I think I'm fairly pure as a modeler in physics
teaching. Much less pure in teaching astronomy. I'm trying to make
astronomy a research based class.

David Boyer, Rhode Island
Highly significant. Modeling is the best inquiry based, constructivist
method I have ever come across. I am using this methodology in Chemistry as
well!

Roy Wilson, southern Mississippi
Moderately significant. As a result of the modeling workshops, I do very
little lecture any more. My instruction is very student centered. Thanks.

Brad Katuna, north of San Francisco
HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT. I'm a better teacher after modeling, I like my job
more, I feel the kids walk away with real transferable skills, I feel
better about what I do.

Andrew Kartsounes, suburb of Detroit
Highly significant. I have completely changed my techniques. Numbers in my
classes have risen. We passed a bond for a new high school and not a
planning meeting goes by without someone (usually not me!) reminding
everyone of the need for equipment in science classes and especially
physics. Using modeling theory, I have convinced (I hope) board members and
administrators that I already know how increased technology will be applied
in my teaching and therefore have moved to the front of the funding line.
My department chair relies on me to be able to articulate how technology
can be utilized in science education.

Jay & Anna Zimmerman, Milwaukee WI
Highly significant. Modeling has completely changed the way we teach and we
don't ever see ourselves going back to a traditional approach. Students
have come back from college and thanked us for the approach because of the
excellent preparation they received. One student's physics test average in
a college course was so far above the class he is embarrassed to tell the
other students.

Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics & Astronomy,ASU,Tempe,AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331 <http://modeling.asu.edu>