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University of Pennsylvania Science Teachers Institute
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) School of Arts and Sciences Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Mathematics, and Physics, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Education (GSE), is establishing the Penn Science Teachers Institute (Penn STI) in a major effort to engage in the development and retention of highly qualified science teachers in middle and secondary grades. The Penn STI, managed through the Department of Chemistry, provides content intensive master degree programs for developing content, pedagogy, and leadership skills for science teachers. This Institute is aimed at the mid-Atlantic region and 20 area schools/districts in the mid-Atlantic region.

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Project Contributions

A Science Lesson Plan Analysis Instrument for Formative and Summative Program Evaluation of a Teacher Education Program
"In evaluating the success of teacher development programs, measures of teaching practice that are valid, reliable, and scalable are needed. We have developed, validated, and piloted the Science Lesson...
Teacher Change and Student Learning: What Works?
The University of Pennsylvania's MSP project involved intensive, content-based professional development designed to change both teacher content knowledge and teaching practices as well as to ensure broadly defined student success.…
Sustained, Content-Based PD: Knowledge Generated from the PennSTI
This paper addresses the following claims: "A. Intensive, sustained professional development changes teaching strategies, enhances teacher content knowledge, and improves student achievement . B. Increased use of inquiry (standards-based instruction)…
The Penn Science Teacher Institute: A Proven Model
"The University of Pennsylvania's Master of Chemistry Education (MCE) program graduated five cohorts of approximately twenty teachers between 2002 and 2006. One year after the teachers in the last cohort…
The Effect of University Science Faculty Beliefs on Teaching Practices across Contexts
"As a central component in efforts toward increasing student interest in scientific studies and careers, the milieu of university science teaching is an important current focus of study; teaching reform...
Development and Use of a Science Lesson Plan Analysis Instrument for Evaluating Teacher Practice and Informing Program Instruction
"This paper describes the development and use of an instrument for analysis and evaluation of teacher-submitted multi-day lesson plans. Lesson plan analysis is complementary to teacher survey and classroom...