The Communication in Science Inquiry Project (CISIP) is a five-year National Science Foundation(NSF) Project beginning July 2004 with an award of $2,132,319 to the National Center for Teacher Education, Maricopa Community Colleges. CISIP creates and disseminates professional development materials for science, English, ESL/Bilingual faculty in middle schools, high schools, and community colleges.
The use of CISIP materials contribute to the resolution of a national problem--the acquisition of science content knowledge and the capacity of all students, especially English Language Learners, to learn and to communicate their scientific understanding.
Goal
The goal of CISIP is to create professional development materials in the context of science inquiry for English, science, and ESL/Bilingual faculty to integrate learning principles, scientific genre, structured oral discourse, writing-to-learn processes, and academic language acquisition techniques into their instruction.
Outcomes
• Increased capacity of teachers to learn science content and teach using science notebooks, learning principles, oral and written discourses, scientific genre, and language acquisition techniques.
• Increased student understanding of scientific concepts and capacity to talk and write scientifically with greater fluency and complexity.
• Increased understanding of district administrators and principals about communication in the context of science inquiry.
• Increase the knowledge base with data that show structured communication within context of inquiry increases students’ understanding of science concepts.
Contributing Partners
Michael Lang, Director of Science Programs, Maricopa Community Colleges David Weaver, Physics Faculty, Chandler-Gilbert Community College Pushpa Ramakrishna, Biology Faculty, Chandler Gilbert Community College Dr. Diane Clark, English Faculty, Chandler Gilbert Community College Kaatje Kraft, Geology Faculty, Mesa Community College Dr. Dale Baker, College of Education, Arizona State University Dr. Perry Baker, Biomedical Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale Beth Alsen, ESL/Education Faculty, Mesa Community College Dr. Jerome Shaw, College of Education, University of Santa Cruz, CA Ben Goodman, Science-Technology Teacher, Dysart Unified School District Dr. M. Jean Young, MJ Young & Associates, Tucson, AZ Judy Kook, Program Coordinator, Maricopa Community Colleges
