University of Pittsburgh School of Education

School of Education

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Jennifer Cartier - Projects

 
Picture of Jennifer Cartier
Jennifer Cartier
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
5523 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
PHONE: 412-648-7248
EMAIL: jcartier@pitt.edu
  • The Pittsburgh Partnership for ENERGizing Science In Urban Schools
    This is a three-year collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Public School District. It is funded by the NSF Office of Graduate Research and provides opportunities for doctoral students in the natural sciences and mathematics to work with area elementary and middle school science teachers for one year. The goals of the project are: 1. Strengthen coherency in PPSD science curriculum by identifying “big ideas” underlying curriculum units and brainstorming ways to highlight the development of these ideas across investigations. Examples of big ideas are: the particulate nature of matter; the flow of matter and energy in ecosystems, etc. 2. Provide opportunities for Fellows to interact with elementary/middle school students, participate in co-planning of science lessons and activities, and contribute to ongoing science education efforts at their partner schools. 3. Provide a forum for Teachers and Fellows to critically examine science ideas and curriculum materials and share new knowledge and instructional strategies. 4. Create a sustainable model of PPSD—University partnership for the purpose of continuing to strengthen science teacher professional development, graduate student learning, and, ultimately, the learning experiences of PPSD students. (More Information...) [http://chemed.chem.pitt.edu/gk-12/]
  • Pittsburgh Public Hands-On Science Study
    This longitudinal study of how teachers implement hands-on instructional materials in science was funded by the National Science Foundation. Summary of the results: There is little time in an overstuffed elementary curriculum for sustained exploration of robust science concepts. Hands-on science kits are intended to increase emphasis on exploratory experiences and decrease the sheer number of facts students are expected to learn. However, many elementary teachers lack the necessary content knowledge to engage their students in rich discussions around the concepts underlying such explorations. In this study, we sought to promote effective use of kit materials by engaging six urban public school teachers in "critical materials implementation"–a process that focused on critiquing Full Option Science System (FOSS) materials and planning for instruction that emphasized Big Ideas, Talk, and Tools (BITTs) within and across investigations. Using a BITTs lens to critique, supplement, and reorganize curriculum materials deepened teachers' knowledge of science concepts and prompted important changes in their practice. Based on classroom observations, written lesson plans, interviews, and surveys, we found that after 6 months in the study, teachers (1) employed more varied representational tools to help students recognize empirical patterns; (2) pushed students to refer to specific representations to describe and discuss trends in data; and (3) provided 4.5 times more opportunities for students to construct explanations for natural phenomena.