The Power of Regional

GK-12 Meetings

General Benefits1. “…offered useful ideas from which everyone could

benefit…” (Vanderbilt)

2. “It was a great team-building experience.” (Georgia Tech) “[We…] felt both a sense of camaraderie and common

purpose with others across the region …. and a sense of pride…” (Emory Univ.)

The Power of Regional

GK-12 Meetings

General Benefits (continued)3. “It made me realize that the impacts of what we’re doing

are much bigger than my small classroom” (Univ. Florida)

“We appreciated knowing we aren’t working in isolation” (Univ. Georgia)

4. “Hearing NSF’s overarching vision firsthand made me more appreciative of the profound importance of programmatic details (Georgia Tech.)

The Power of Regional

GK-12 Meetings1. Regions have unique attributes & challenges

• support of education

• state standards

2. Collaborative ventures are easier to

establish (e.g., Listserv; FSU/UF GEMS initiative)

The Power of Regional GK-12 Meetings

3. Regional meetings can better involve teachers and fellows.

4. Regional meetings can become self- perpetuating. (If you build it, they will come!)

SPICE (Science Partners in I nquiry-based Collaborative Education) is a three-year project f unded by the National Science Foundation to f oster inquiry-based learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Gainesville's under-resourced middle schools.

I ts collaborators come f rom a disparate set of departments, colleges, centers, and schools at the University of Florida, who are teamed with three middle schools and the Alachua County School Board. (Click here f or a list of participants.) Graduate Fellows will work in the classroom with teachers to guide middle school students on an exploratory quest about Ecosystem Health and Sustainability.

Lots of information here

http://spice.ees.ufl.edu

“Do one thing every day that scares you” (Eleanor Roosevelt)