In review

Current Funded Projects

Developing PCK in Environmental Education (2008-2009)
     Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Mr. Mark Bloom have been funded by the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants to conduct professional development in environmental studies for 20 high school teachers in the Fort Worth area.

Elementary Teachers Developing PCK in Outdoor Education  (2008-2009)
     Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Mr. Mark Bloom have been funded by the Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants to conduct professional development in environmental studies for 20 elementary school teachers in the Fort Worth area.

Recent Funded Projects

Increasing Pedagogical Content Knowledge and Nature of Science Using Contemporary Issues in Biology (2007-2008)
     Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Mr. Mark Bloom have been funded by the Dana Center at UT to conduct professional development in biology for 20 teachers in the Fort Worth area.

Increasing Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Skills Using Contemporary Issues in Biology (2006-2007)
     Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Mr. Mark Bloom have been funded by the Dana Center at UT to conduct professional development in biology for 20 teachers in the Fort Worth area.

Developing Content and Pedagogy for Earth/Space Science. (2006-2007)
    Dr. Molly Weinburgh (TCU) and Ms. Lisa Bellows (NCTC) have been funded by the Dana Center at UT to conduct professional development in Earth/Space science for 8th grade teachers in north Texas.

TCU Teaching Fellows (2006)
    Dr. Judy Groulx and Dr. Molly Weinburgh worked with 20 teachers in the Fort Worth area to investigate new ways of supervising and mentoring student teachers.

Professional Development for Biology Teachers: Contemporary Issues in Biology (2005-2006)
    Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Mr. Mark Bloom have been funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grant to conduct professional development using the Biology Module developed at TCU.  Twenty-five teachers were recruited to attended a three-week summer workshop to learn more about how to incorporate contemporary issues into their biology courses.  They have continued to meet at TCU during the academic year. Dr. Judy Groulx is the external evaluator.

TCU Teaching Fellows (2005)
    Dr. Judy Groulx and Dr. Molly Weinburgh worked with 20 teachers in the Fort Worth area to investigate new ways of supervising and mentoring student teachers.

Biology: Opportunities for Learning and Teaching (2004-2005)
    Dr. Ray Drenner, Mr. Mark Bloom, and Dr. Molly Weinburgh were awarded a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Teacher Quality Grant to conduct professional development using the Biology Module developed at TCU.  Fifteen teachers attended a three-week summer workshop to learn more about how to incorporate contemporary issues into their biology courses.  They continued to meet at TCU during the academic year. Dr. Judy Groulx is the external evaluator.

TCU Teaching Fellows (2004)
    Dr. Judy Groulx and Dr. Molly Weinburgh worked with 20 teachers in the Fort Worth area to investigate new ways of supervising and mentoring student teachers. The project resulted in 20 TCU Teaching Fellows who will help supervisor student teachers. The project was funded by the TCU Research and Creative Activities Funds.  Data collected during the project resulted in a presentation for AERA 2005.

Biology Module: Contemporary Issues in Biology (2004)
    This project is funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency. Dr. Molly Weinburgh and Dr. Ray Drenner are writing curriculum entitled "Contemporary Issues in Biology" for the professional development of biology teachers in Texas. The curriculum module builds on the non-major course in biology that Dr. Drenner developed.   

    The curriculum module is based on our belief that students of all ages learn more when big ideas in science are connected with real-life applications. We are using two features that have been found to be most helpful in engaging students: (1) using articles from the popular press to stimulate a "want to know" from students and (2) conducting inquiry-based lab exercises using the Internet. Dr. Bambi Bailey of Midwestern  State University is the external evaluator.

    Six biology teachers from Fort Worth ISD are working with the project as the Biology Advisory Team. In addition, members of the biology department at TCU are helping with the project. The Train-the-Trainer model will be used in order to for as many people as possible to be able to use the curriculum.  For more information contact me or go to www.contemporaryissues.tcu.edu.

Bransom-Hommel Water Project (2003-2004)
    This project is funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.  Eighteen teachers from Bransom Elementary School and Hommel Elementary School are participating in a year-long professional development project on water issues. The project is modeled after the Decatur Math/Science Project. 

     During the summer, teachers attended a two-week workshop at TCU.  Dr. Ray Drenner (biology), Dr. Mike Slattery (geology)  and Dr. Molly Winburgh (science education) used lectures, field trips, and laboratory activities to help the teachers increase their content knowledge. The teachers learned about water cycling & availability, xeriscaping, phosphates & eutrophication, the human body & water, rivers & stream, watersheds & aquifers, and wetlands. They visited the Fort Worth Water Treatment Plant, Fort Worth Sewage Treatment Plant,  Trinity River, Eagle Mountain Reservoir, and Dr. Drenner's research ponds. They engaged in activites, such as building a water tower in the lab, calculating their personal water use using their water bills, designing a schoolyard that is environmentally friendly, and creating a model lake for observing stratification, to help introduce them to inquiry-base teaching. Dr. Judy Groulx is the external evaluator.

    During the academic year, the teachers will work with Dr. Weinburgh to plan new lessons.  They will use the plan/teach/ debrief model to help change science teaching.

Certificate of International Education (2002-2005)
    This project is funded by the US Department of Education under the Funds for Improving Post-Secondary Education division. Three US universities (Texas Christian University, Georgia State University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and three European universities (Malmoe University in Sweden, Liverpool Hope University College in England, and Hanzehogeschool Groningen in The Neatherlands) have collaborated to develop an international experience for students that will lead to a Certificate of International Education.  Students participating in the program take two additional courses at their home institution and then spend 15 weeks at the hosting institution.

    Three TCU students are interning in European school this fall and three students from Europe are interning in Fort Worth area schools.

Older Funded Projects

Decatur Math/Science Project (2000-2003)
    This project was funded by Eisenhower Higher Education Funds and was conducted in Decatur, Georgia. The project was funded for three years and included approximately 45% of the elementary teachers in the district. Lynn Hart was co-PI on the project and Jane Carriere, Math/Science Coordinator, was the third member of the team.  The Decatur Math/Science Project used the Reflective Teaching Model as the framework. An intensive summer institute was followed by a year-long period of planning, teaching, and debriefing about math and science lessons.