Psychology and Human Factors News

Margo Woller-Carter, who is a PhD Student in Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors, was just accepted to this year’s summer workshop at LearnLab. She will work with the Intelligent Tutoring Group in preparation for development of the “RiskLiteracy.org online intelligent tutor” that is the focus of her dissertation.

“LearnLab, is an NSF Science of Learning Center (SLC) at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh. The LearnLab Summer School is an intensive 1-week course focused on creating technology-enhanced learning experiments and building intelligent tutoring systems.”

The Research Experiences for High School Teachers Conference will take place on June 27, 2014. Apply now and receive a stipend for participation. Develop your knowledge of engineering, engineering careers, and “Wood-to-Wheels” (W2W) biofuels.

Learn more at Current Institutes, Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences.

Lake Superior Celebration
6-8 pm, Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Michigan Tech’s Great Lakes Research Center

The community is invited to the Lake Superior Celebration at the Great Lakes Research Center. The event, hosted by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI), is FREE, family-friendly, and open to all.

SCHEDULE (202 GLRC)
6:30-7 pm Welcome & overview of Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI)
LSSI video (7 min)
LSSI Teacher/Student Presentations
7:00-7:30 pm Wildflowers of the UP by Bob Wild, Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
7:30-8:00 pm Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative PBS video (20 min.)

View the PDF Flyer.

Learn more at the Western Upper Peninsula Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education (WUP Center).

Earth Day at Michigan Tech Today

A new PBS video will be aired at the celebration. It features local participants in the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. The event is free and open to the public and all are welcome. The Lake Superior Celebration is sponsored by the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and Michigan Tech’s Western UP Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Earth Day was started in 1970 to help raise awareness, channeling the energy of the anti-Vietnam War protest movement to help bring environmental issues to the forefront. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin was inspired to establish Earth Day after witnessing the aftermath of the massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, in 1969.

Read more at Tech Today, by Erika Vichcales.

Joan Chadde was in Detroit recently leading field trips to the forests of Belle Isle for 350 Detroit students (grades 5-9) from nine Detroit Public Schools as part of the Urban Forest Stewardship Project and a forestry teacher workshop. Both were funded with an $80,000 grant from the US Forest Service to provide teacher training and increase middle/high schools students’ knowledge, stewardship and interest in natural resource careers.

From Tech Today.

EPDIS Engineering, Life Sciences and NGSS
Summer 2014
July 14-25, 2014
August 4-6, 2014
Engineering Applications in Biological Sciences

Deadline: May 2, 2014

There is an opportunity for people who have participated in a Michigan Department of Education grant previously to join the cohort of 19 teachers who are participants in the grant.

The Educators’ Professional Development Institute Series (EPDIS): Engineering, Life Sciences and NGSS is focused to support and deepen teacher content knowledge and content pedagogy of practicing teachers.

View the Application, Brochure, Schedule, and Contact information at the Current Institute page of Teacher Professional Development in the Department of Cognitive and Learning Sciences.

Engineering Applications in Biological Sciences

Participant guidelines:

1. Michigan teacher certificate, grades 5-12
2. Previous participation in a Michigan Department of Education Improving Teacher Quality Grant project awarded to Michigan Tech

Benefits to joining the cohort of teachers in the current EPDIS:

1. Books, supplies, housing, meals and tuition funded plus a stipend for the 4 graduate credit ENG5400 summer institute July 1425,
   2014.
2. Books, supplies, housing, meals and tuition funded plus a stipend for the 1 graduate credit 3DPrinter Workshop tentatively August 46,
   2014.
   (participants will assemble and learn to operate an open source Delta style 3D Printer to bring back to use in your classroom.)

Roles and responsibilities of the grant participants:

1. Complete ENG 5400 course & 3DPrinter workshop.
2. Submit all pre/post evaluations for yourself and evidence of project related student learning.
3. Assist in all components of program evaluation and assessment, including SAMPI Classroom Observations.