RI High School Teachers and Students take part in

Rhode Island Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (RI ITEST)

Rhode Island College, June 24-28, 2008
(click on either group picture below for full image)
  

As part of the Physics First High School Reform movement in Rhode Island, 50 teachers and 37 students from around the state took part in the first of several science experiences over the next two years.  Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, science leaders from the Concord Consortium in Massachusetts kicked off a 4-day institute on a computational modeling curriculum called "The Science of Atoms and Molecules". For their 120 hours of participation over two years, teachers will receive $1600 in stipends and 4 graduate credits in science from Rhode Island College for their work .

All part of Governor Carcieri's plan for improving secondary science education in Rhode Island, the 6 pilot high schools (East Providence, Cranston West, Woonsocket, Portsmouth, Lincoln and Mt Hope High School (Providence) will share a$100,000 grant from the governor to set up Computers-on-wheels (COW's)  in each school to allow students to share a computer between two students to study the physics, chemistry and biology of atomic interactions.

 37 students from local high schools joined the teachers for the last two days of this summer institute to test the new ideas and find ways to put them into practice during the school year.  A second cohort of 50 teachers will begin the same process in the summer of 09.  The National Science Foundation grant was awarded to the partnership between the Concord Consortium, Rhode Island College and the East Bay Educational Collaborative which will oversee the delivery and implementation of the 3-year program.

Take a ride on a "spaceship" traveling through human hemoglobin , see what atoms would "see" if you were on a ride in a chemical interaction, or if you're feeling really brave, try synthesizing proteins in molecular biology.  All this and more at the Concord Consortium website for the Rhode Island Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers website.  Click the button

Then click on the button in the top right-hand corner marked "RiITEST"