ANN ARBOR—A new Web-based learning environment called Curriculum Access System for Elementary Science (CASES), a White House awarded program, will help elementary school teachers improve their science teaching skills by providing them with flexible models they can use based on their experience and teaching style.

“Elementary teachers typically need to teach several subjects each day, and often have minimal coursework in science,” said CASES developer Elizabeth Davis, a U-M School of Education professor. “The CASES environment helps them develop their scientific knowledge base.” During a White House ceremony July 12, President Bush recognized Davis for her work in developing CASES. Davis received the Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering—the highest honor the US Government gives to young scientists.

Although pre-service and new elementary teachers will benefit most from CASES, the program in turn allows elementary students to grasp scientific concepts in ways that are easier for them to understand. The program helps new teachers anticipate kids’ ideas about science concepts like light, ecosystems and the water cycle. It also allows researchers to assess the environment in which teachers are working and to design special methods for those teachers. Users of CASES provide relevant background information when they register to use the program. Their use of the environment is logged automatically so that researchers can identify how specific features are used.

The teachers are also observed and interviewed about their teaching. Researchers explore four study areas: Understanding how new teachers learn and teach; addressing specific CASES features and how they affect the way teachers learn; assessing how new teachers learn from other teachers; and understanding the role of how teachers’ work and lives play into their learning. Davis is available for interviews and can be contacted at [email protected] or (734) 647-0594. For information about the U-M School of Education, visit http://www.soe.umich.edu/

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