STEM Educators Take Tech Awards
Seven educators from throughout the United States were recognized in the annual NSTA/Vernier Technology Awards last week for their use or planned use of data collection technology in enhancing their STEM teaching efforts.
The winning educators were:
Elementary School
Judy Heitkamp, Prairie Elementary School, Worthington, MN, for her plans to use data-collection technology with her fourth-grade students to study how humans can affect the quality of the water supply in their community.
Middle School
Nicole Anderson, Berkeley Preparatory School, Tampa, FL, for developing an innovative cross-curricular activity that connects biology, mathematics, and engineering using robotics and sensors.
Cynthia Ollendyke, Peters Township Middle School, McMurray, PA, for her plan to have students use probeware to determine whether the area behind the school is environmentally healthy.
High School
Steve Ahn, Abingdon High School, Abingdon, VA, for his plan to have his students use GPS and sensor data to predict the type of underlying base rock along the Virginia Creeper bike trail.
Stephen Biscotte, Cave Spring High School, Roanoke, VA, for creating a physicians-in-training program, in which he uses physiology sensors to incorporate real-world experiences into his anatomy and physiology curriculum.
Deborah Carder, Fruitvale High School, Fruitvale, TX, for her plan to have students do water-quality testing on the retention ponds located on school property.
College
Brian Geislinger, Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, AL, for his project in which introductory astronomy students used a light sensor to measure small variations in light intensity as a "planet" orbits a star in a model solar system he created.
Vernier Software & Technology founders David and Christine Vernier presented the annual NSTA/Vernier Technology Awards last week at the NSTA Conference in Philadelphia.
Winners were chosen by an NSTA-approved panel of science and technology experts, and each received up to $3,000 in total prizes, including $1,000 cash, up to an additional $1,000 in reimbursement for personal expenses incurred while attending the NSTA Conference and awards banquet, and $1,000 in Vernier products to aid their respective efforts.
For further information on the 2010 winners and for entry requirements for the 2011 NSTA/Vernier Awards, visit the Web page here.
About the Author
Scott Aronowitz is a freelance writer based in Las Vegas. He has covered the technology, advertising, and entertainment sectors for seven years. He can be reached here.