Information Technology Group (ITG)

The science education laboratories at the Graduate School of Education, UCSB, are part of an initiative to create state of the art pedagogical practices, curriculum, and research in science education. These laboratories are intended to serve three functions. The first function is to serve the Teacher Education Program. The multiple subject (prospective elementary teachers) and single subject (secondary science teachers) students need opportunities to create, investigate, and pilot science lessons that involve students in the process of scientific investigations. To accomplish this goal the science education laboratories need to be furnished with the equipment and materials that foster the generation of inquiry-based science experiences as called for in the National Science Standards.

The second function of the science education laboratories involves ongoing research of UCSB faculty with community teachers. Currently faculty members of the Graduate School of Education are involved in participatory research from the elementary through university level. These projects involve co-constructing science lessons and experiments and investigating the value of the experiences these lessons afford students in actual classrooms. These projects have had a technological focus including the use of microcomputer-based data acquisition and analysis software.

The third function of the science education laboratories involves collaboration among science-based outreach projects, faculty in education, and community members. A number of science based projects will have access to these facilities to conduct teacher in-service and outreach to students. Among the collaborators will be Center for Quantized Electronic Structures (QUEST), the South Coast Science Project (SCSP), and Science Partnership for School Innovation (SPSI). In addition, joint projects have already begun that involving teachers, students, and UCSB faculty, including projects with the Marine Science Institute and the Geology department.

The Science Lab offers:

• 4 PCs (400 MHz Pentiums)
• 8 Mac G3 Towers

Each system is provided with the basic setup: Internet access, Word Processing, Excel, PowerPoint and email.