2006 marked the final year of a National Science Foundation-funded project to develop an alternative to the traditional two-week professional development institute that is required of teachers who teach CRDG’s Foundational Approaches in Science Teaching (FAST) program. Laboratory School teachers and classes provided CRDG’s Learning Technology and Science sections with the setting to prepare a DVD that provides video, audio, narrated animations, and text showing the use of FAST in the classroom. Five data collection instruments, including a classroom observation protocol, teacher log, teacher questionnaire, and, in a collaboration with Sonoma State University, a student questionnaire and a student assessment were used to collect the data needed to evaluate the DVD as a professional development tool. CRDG is seeking funding to finish the alternative version of FAST professional development and eventually will compare the two versions.
FAST Community Partners
National Science Foundation
Sonoma State University