Julie A.Y.
Johnson
Fall 08 and Spring 09
PHYS
1050 Survey of Classical Physics:
This is a fairly new course that is in its third year. It is intended for elementary education
pre-majors. The purpose of the course is
to cover physics content that will give students the background they need to
understand the physics that they will encounter in the upper division science
methods course and in their elementary school curriculum. The course this year
uses a combination of traditional lecture and the active learning model. I enjoy working with our elementary education
pre-majors; they are an enthusiastic and diligent group of students.
PHYS
1104 Descriptive Astronomy: I am
also teaching Astronomy. This is a fun
course to teach. It covers the history of Astronomy, the solar system, stellar
birth, evolution, and death, galaxies, and the structure, formation and
evolution of the universe.
SECOND LIFE:
Lately, I’ve been exploring the educational sites in Second Life, an
online virtual world. Second Life has a
steep learning curve, and I have a long way to go. I’ve found some great sites, though—even some
that I’ll be able to use in class, especially Astronomy, which lends itself
easily to visual information. My
favorite area by far is the SciLands. If
you work or play in SL, check out the Exploratorium’s exhibits, NASA/JPL’s
TEACHER ED AT NCC: In addition to teaching classes, I am part of
the teacher education program at Normandale.
Normandale has had an influx of elementary education pre-majors due to
our 2+2 cooperative program with
TEACHER ED GRANT: In August of 2005, Normandale was awarded a
three year grant from the National Science Foundation that lends additional
support to our elementary education initiatives. This grant follows a one year
planning grant from NSF that concluded in June 2005. The main purpose of both of these grants is
to strengthen the math and science background of all of our elementary
education pre-majors and to encourage them to choose a math or science middle
school specialty. The planning grant
allowed us to establish an “Education Training Academy”, or EdTrAc, supported a
half time staff person dedicated to our teacher education program, and
supported the development of new course work in math, science, and technology. The current grant continued the support for
EdTrAc. It has allowed us to establish a
tutoring program in math and science to encourage high school students with
high math and science ability to choose a teaching career, and to establish and
strengthen partnerships with area schools.
We are currently completing our work on this grant, but hope to submit
another NSF grant proposal (October 08) for support to expand our education
program.
STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND
MATH) SCHOLARSHIPS: I am the principal
investigator on a National Science Foundation grant that provides scholarships
to high potential, financially needy students in the fields of computer
science, computer technology, engineering, and mathematics. A second NSF grant extends the scholarship to
the science disciplines (Biology, Chemistry.
For more information on these “SciMath” scholarships, along with
eligibility requirements and application instructions, please visit Financial Aid’s
“scholarships” web site and choose “Scholarship Opportunities”, then either
New or Current and Returning Student Scholarships. Scroll down (pretty far) to SciMath
Scholarships.
DRUDGERY:
Lastly, I am also the “coordinator” of the Physics and Engineering
Department. This means I get to do extra
paperwork and go to extra meetings.
Somebody has to do it……
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