CSTL - History

Center for Science Teaching and Learning
PO Box 5697
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5697
Phone: (928) 523-7160
Fax: (928) 523-7953

History of the Center

A Brief History of the CSTL

From its inception in the early 1980s, the vision for a Science and Mathematics Learning Center was to provide a “place” (laboratory/classroom) and an administrative structure for leadership for the improvement of science and mathematics education in the schools of Arizona. The Center was envisaged to be the coordinating unit for K-12 science and mathematics teacher preparation at NAU and for programs developed collaboratively with K-12 teachers to provide professional development in science and mathematics education.

2008-2009

During the summer of 2008 the Center came under the auspices of the College of Engineering, Forestry and Natural Sciences as an academic unit. In 2008 the Center began to administer $3.4 million granted over five years to establish an undergraduate certification program at Northern Arizona University for secondary science and mathematics teachers. Modeled after the highly-successful UTeach program designed at the University of Texas at Austin. NAUTeach aims to increase secondary science and mathematics teacher graduates in Arizona who are well prepared to teach and will tend to stay in the teaching profession. In Fall 2008, two Associate Clinical Professors – Master Teachers, Deb Wolf and Dave Thompson were appointed to implement the freshmen NAUTeach classes that year. A NAUTeach web site went live in mid-2008. During Spring semester 2009, the Center’s professional development staff conducted well-attended workshops for Arizona science teachers covering the topics formative assessment classroom techniques, teaching inquiry and using inquiry to teach science and how to support science in your school workshop. In the Fall of 2009 the CSTL welcomed Jennifer Claesgens, Assistant Professor in Science Education, Abby Rice, Master Teacher at North Valley campus, and Kristen Moorhead, Master Teacher at East Valley (Tempe) campus.

2000-2007

The challenge of responsibilities spanning two colleges offered opportunities for increased collaboration. Since Dr. Newsome’s arrival, the center staff have worked with the content departments to revise the secondary science methods courses while maintaining the center’s prominent role in professional development in Arizona. In July 2003, the center was renamed as the CSTL under the umbrella of the College of Education (COE). With the reorganization came a more narrow focus on science education, the addition of three joint appointments of science education faculty (in Biological Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Teaching and Learning), the return of the responsibility for the science methods courses to these faculty and the center staff. In addition, the center reorganized its professional development staff lines, and created a CSTL position dedicated to the advisement and recruitment of secondary science teachers as well as offering services in the design and evaluation of programs related to science education.

1998-2000

Dr. Ebert-May left NAU in 1998 and the interim leadership of the center was turned over to Dr. Henry Hooper, then Vice-Provost for Research and Graduate Studies. Staying true to the original vision of the center to coordinate efforts in science education across the university, the position of director of the SMLC was tied to the newly funded J. Lawrence Walkup Distinguished Professorship in Science Education. With joint appointments in the Department of Biological Sciences and Instructional Leadership in the Center for Excellence in Education, Dr. Julie Gess-Newsome was hired into this redefined position in July 2000.

1989-1998

Drawing on these early strengths and commitments, in 1989, Dr. Gordon Johnson of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Dr. Ray Tamppari of the Department of Biological Sciences, joined together to create the Science and Mathematics Learning Center (SMLC). With their NSF-funded Middle School Science Program and its offshoot, the Secondary Science Teacher Training Program, a new era of science education began at NAU. Dr. Henry Hooper, then Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Graduate Dean, pointed out the opportunity for cooperation among the various science departments. In an effort to take advantage of the science education reform movement, NAU hired Dr. Diane Ebert-May with a joint appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences as the new director of the Science and Mathematics Learning Center. Working with a NSF grant to revitalize undergraduate biology courses, Dr. Ebert-May expanded the scope of the center and added professional development staff who brought with them grants of their own and made it possible to offer professional development programs in science and mathematics around the state. With these changes, coordination of secondary science methods courses was returned to the departments

Center for Science Teaching and Learning

PO Box 5697
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5697

Phone

: (928) 523-7160

Fax

: (928) 523-7953

Mailing Address

:
Building 20, Rm. 105
115 W. Ellery St.
Flagstaff, AZ
86011-5697

Northern Arizona University - Center for Science Teaching and Learning

CSTL - History