SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION PROJECTS

ENRICHING THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF PRE K-14 TEACHERS

University

  • Center for Careers in Teaching (CCT) provides comprehensive academic advisement for Cal State Fullerton undergraduates planning careers in teaching elementary, middle, or high school, or special education; academic counseling support to future teachers currently attending one of our partner community colleges and who plan to transfer to Cal State Fullerton; and information and support for the Freshman Future Teachers program, offered through Freshman Programs.  Contact: Chris Renne, Elementary and Bilingual Education
  • Project Guiding and Preparing STEM Students (GPS2) is a two-year initiative collaborative project with Santa Ana College and Fullerton College to increase the number of Hispanic and other low-income students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering or mathematics; develop model transfer and articulation agreements between partners and Cal State Fullerton, and increase the number and quality of secondary math and science teachers. Contact: Chris Renne, Elementary and Bilingual Education

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

  • Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is a 12-acre non-profit nature preserve, located in the heart of Modjeska Canyon adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest. It is owned and operated by California State University, Fullerton and its College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. In addition to serving as a research center for Cal State Fullerton students, faculty and others, Tucker is open to the public to enjoy and learn about the local wildlife and natural habitat in the Southern California canyon area.
  • Center for Advancement of Teaching and Learning in Math and Science Education (CATLMSE) focuses on five major issues in science and math education, including recruitment and preparation of science and math teachers; cyberlearning to improve math and science teaching and learning; advancement of research on teaching and learning in science and math education; enriching the professional development and experiences of teachers; and program evaluation on science and mathematics education. Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • Talent Expansion in Science and Technology – An Urban Partnership (TEST-UP) is a collaborative program among three large Hispanic Serving institutions to increase the number of STEM transfer students and STEM AA degrees and baccalaureates through improved advisement, guidance, and mentoring opportunities; improved support facilities; improved student learning; and the development of an intern program. Contact: Steve Murray, Dean, CNSM

College of Education

  • SchoolsFirst Center for Creativity and Critical Thinking in Schools promotes educational approaches and methods that infuse the arts, science and technology as central components in school curriculum. The center serves as a catalyst and focal point for faculty and student research, as well as a resource for educators to develop and disseminate effective models promoting creativity and critical thinking. In addition to offering professional development for practicing teachers and student teachers, future plans for the center include hosting a Web site that will enable teachers to network and share innovative curriculum and teaching methods, and holding exhibitions and conferences to promote the center’s goals. The center also will be sponsoring an online journal and engaging in school and community collaborations. Contact: Teresa Crawford, Elementary and Bilingual Education
  • Professional Teaching Development Center (PTDC) serves as a regional focal point and resource provider for accomplished teaching in California. Based on widely accepted core propositions and standards developed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the Center provides extensive support to teachers in their pursuit of National Board Certification. The Center also provides support to schools and districts that seek to embed National Board processes into their program improvement efforts. The Center aims to improve student learning through an emphasis on improving teaching quality. Contact: Mark Ellis, Secondary Education
 
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry:
  • Partnership for Remote Instruments to Study the Structure of Matter (PRISSM) is a California collaborative whose members include several predominantly undergraduate institutions, community colleges and high schools. Harnessing the power of end-to-end cyberinfrastructure to provide control of specialized scientific instruments from remote locations, and building on existing programs and expertise, PRISSM aims to improve educational quality and student opportunities at the undergraduate and secondary levels in learning about and researching molecular structure. Contact:  Katherine Kantardjieff, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Summer Research Experiences for undergraduates (REU), supported by the National Science Foundation, REU supports a ten-week summer undergraduate research program at CSUF. The goal of the program is to provide chemistry and biochemistry research experience and to encourage students to pursue further education and ultimately careers in chemistry and biochemistry research. Contact:  Richard Deming, Chemistry and Biochemistry.
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Scholars Program allows biology, chemistry, biochemistry and mathematics majors interested in biomedical sciences to immerse themselves in two years of in-depth laboratory research experiences with faculty members. The emphasis of the program is students who might be interested in entering doctoral programs including MD/PhD, and those who are exploring what it would be like to have a career in research. Secondary Teachers are also included.  Contact:  Maria Linder, Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Department of Geological Sciences:

  • Project WEST (Workshop for Earth Science Teachers) is funded by the Anaheim Union High School District.  Lead by Galen R. Carlson and assisted by Suzanne Bowers of Buena Park High School, this project provides five full day workshops during summer of '07 followed up by 4 full day workshops. Contact: Galen Carlson, Geological Sciences
  • Project FIST (Field Investigations for Science Teachers) is funded by AUHSD and CESME to provide an eight-day field trip for AUHSD teachers, MATS students/teachers, and two CSUF geology majors who will become teachers.  Contact: Galen Carlson, Geological Sciences

Department of Mathematics:

  • Master of Arts in Mathematics Teaching Emphasis is a content-based program oriented for those planning to teach at the high school or community college levels.  This program also serves as an excellent background for the doctoral degree in mathematics education. Contact: Marty Bonsangue or Armando Martinez-Cruz, Mathematics
  • American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), a national program for students in grades 8-12, is designed to inspire them to have fun doing math and to participate in friendly competitions.  Contact: Scott Annin, Mathematics
  • Mathematics Intensive Summer Session (MISS) serves approximately 32 high school girls each summer for one month, 6 hours per day.  The program is designed to advance the skills and participation of young women in high school mathematics courses. Contact: David Pagni, Mathematics
  • Teachers Assisting Student to Excel in Learning Mathematics (TASEL-M) involves faculty from the Mathematics Department who work with 130 secondary school mathematics teachers, and the principals of four high schools, seven middle schools, and three continuation high schools to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics.  Contact: David Pagni, Mathematics
  • Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) serves secondary schools in our area through the offering of workshops and provision of free diagnostic testing.  Contact: David Pagni, Mathematics
  • Orange County Mathematics Project at Fullerton, funded by the California Mathematics Project, consists of two one-week components serving fifth and sixth grade teachers.  The focus of the first week is on content, specifically, proportional reasoning, patterns and justification.  The focus of the second week is on implementing a curriculum that addresses individual student needs based on data analysis, trends, and anomalies, addressing areas of strength and weakness of student achievement as determined by results of the CST. Contact: Margaret Kidd, Mathematics
  • Early Assessment Program provides opportunities for students to measure their readiness for college-level English and mathematics in their junior year of high school, and to facilitate opportunities for them to improve their skills during their senior year. Contact: Marty Bonsangue, Mathematics
  • Project ExCEL, in partnership with the Fullerton School District, is a project that aims to strengthen mathematics teaching and learning at the 5-8 grade levels. Contact: Marty Bonsangue, Mathematics
  • Santa Ana/Fullerton Mathematics Scholarship supports students who graduate from the Santa Ana Unified School District and come to California State University, Fullerton as mathematics major intent on receiving a teaching credential.  Students receive $300.00 a year while they are receiving their bachelor’s degree. Contact: David Pagni, Mathematics
  • OCMPF (Orange County Math Project, Fullerton) sponsors a Summer Workshop for Math Content and an Institute for planning and further developing PLCs.  Saturday follow up sessions are offered monthly throughout the school year.  This project targets fifth and sixth grade teachers from low performing schools in Orange County.  Contact: David Pagni or Margaret Kidd, Mathematics
  • DCMI (Developing Communities of Mathematical Investigations) is a California Math Science Project that includes an intense summer institute, as well as follow up program in-class coaching to strengthen the content knowledge of fifth-thru Algebra mathematics teachers.  Contact: Lauren Vu-Tran or Margaret Kidd, Mathematics, Andrea Guillaume, Elementary and Bilingual Education

Science Education:

  • Single Subject Credential Program is offered in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics, and provide practicing teachers (K-12) with the opportunity for post-graduate work through the Master of Arts in Teaching Science (MAT-S).   Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • The TaPP (Teaching as a Primary Profession) Programencourages talented biology and biochemistry undergraduates to become highly qualified teachers of both biology and chemistry by providing (1) annual stipends of $10,000; (2) opportunities to engage in research; (3) opportunities to develop pedagogical content knowledge; and (4) a support system that includes science faculty, education faculty, and local master teachers.  Contact: Dr. Barbara Gonzalez, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Subject Matter Preparation Programs are offered in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics as well as those pursuing a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with an emphasis in science through the Minor in Natural Science. Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • Minor in Natural Sciences offers both a single subject and multiple subject teaching credential track.  Contact:  Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • Collaboration for Excellence in Middle School Science (CEMSS) is a collaboration with Anaheim Union High School District, Orange County Department of Education, and other districts to improve teaching and learning middle school science.  Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • The Ocean Rocks! funded by the Whale Tail Grants, is a collaboration with the Ocean Institute and Anaheim Union High School District to provide high school earth science students with experiences at the Ocean Institute. Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • Promoting Resources in Informal Science Education (PRISE) provides paid summer internships in local science education agencies (Ocean Institute, Discovery Science Center, Fullerton Arboretum, Tucker Wildlife Center, Newport Back Bay Science Center, and Santa Ana Zoo) for future science teachers.
  • Fullerton Arboretum Biology (FAB) Science is a collaboration between Science Education, the Fullerton Arboretum, and University Extended Education to provide professional development experiences for K-8 teachers. Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education
  • Student Chapter of the California Science Teachers Association Contact: Megan Tommerup, Biological Sciences

Department of Secondary Education:

  • Foundational Level Mathematics Teaching Credential Program supports students in becoming teachers of middle school and high school mathematics (through advanced algebra).  There is an emphasis on strategies that make mathematics accessible to all learners and on using multiple representations to help students to make connections among mathematics concepts and skills.  Contact: Mark Ellis, Secondary Education
  • Masters of Secondary Education with an emphasis in Teaching Foundational Mathematics (MSE-TFM) is a 20-month program offered in collaboration with the CSUF Department of Mathematics and is designed for experienced teachers of mathematics in grade 4 - geometry. The program supports teachers in building on their knowledge of both mathematics content and mathematics education.  Reflective of the College of Education’s Mission Statement, throughout the coursework there is a strong emphasis on issues of equity in public schooling and teachers’ role in becoming change agents in their workplaces.  Contact: Mark Ellis, Secondary Education
  • Future Teachers Program is a collaboration of Secondary Education, the Science Education Program and Project Tomorrow. This program provides CSU-eligible high school juniors and seniors participating in the Project Tomorrow Science Docent Program. With a 3-unit course, SCED 110.  The Teaching Experience: Exploration. Contact: Vikki Costa, Science Education

Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education:

Department of Special Education:

  • On Track to Teaching is a grant supported scholarship designed to pay up to $5000 in tuition for candidates wishing to teach special education, math or science in Santa Ana Unified School District.  Contact:  Belinda Karge,  Special Education