Voices of AMSP Reflective Conference Schedule

7:30-8:30	Registration and Continental Breakfast Atrium
8:30-8:45	Introductory Remarks Deauville Room
8:45-9:00	Welcome by President Lee T. Todd, Jr., University of Kentucky  Deauville Room
9:00-10:00	General Session — AMSP In the Beginning Deauville Room Panelists: Alan DeYoung, Professor, University of Kentucky; Denise Wilburn, Educational Supervisor, Anderson County, TN; Larry Prichard, former Superintendent, Carter County (KY) Schools, Moderator-Mark St. John, Inverness Research Associates
10:00-10:15	Break
10:15-10:45	Concurrent Session I Ballrooms A, B, C, D
10:50-11:50	General Session — AMSP Context and Connections Deauville Room Panelists: Pam Salyer, Instructional Supervisor, Johnson County, KY; Damon Rasnick, Former Superintendent, Dickenson County Schools, VA; Steve Henderson, Education Consultant, Richmond, KY; Moderator-Mike Howard, Mike Howard and Associates.
12:00-1:00	Lunch Atrium
1:00-1:35	Concurrent Session II Ballrooms A, B, C, D
1:45-3:00	General Session — The AMSP in the National Perspective Dr. James E. Hamos, Program Director, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation
3:00-3:15	Break
3:20-3:55	Concurrent Session III Ballrooms A, B, C, D
4:00-4:45	Concurrent Session IV Ballrooms A, B, C, D
5:00-6:00	Reception Deauville Room
Dec. 3-4 Continuous	Posters on Display New Orleans Room

 

7:30-8:30	Continental Breakfast Atrium
8:30-9:00	Concurrent Session V Ballrooms A, B, C, D
9:05-9:40	Concurrent Session VI Ballrooms A, B, C, D and Deauville Room
9:45-10:30	General Session — External Support in the Rural Context Deauville Room Dr. Mark St. John, President Inverness Research Associates, AMSP External Evaluator
10:30-10:45	Break
10:45-11:15	Concurrent Session VII Ballrooms A, B, C, D
11:20-11:50	Concurrent Session VIII Ballrooms A, B, C, D
12:00-1:00	Lunch
1:00-2:00	General Session — AMSP Conference Reflective Panel Deauville Room Panelist-Marilyn Carlson, Arizona State University; Mil Duncan, University of New Hampshire; Keith Smith, Edvantia, Inc., Moderator-Lois Adams-Rodgers, Council Chief State School Officers
2:00-2:15	What next? Deauville Room
2:15-2:30	Conference Photo
2:30	Adjourn

 

Ballroom A:

Got PEP?                                         
John Byrd, Anderson County Schools, TN

This presentation provides an overview of Anderson County Schools AMSP Partnership Enhancement Projects (PEP grants) that had the following challenging, but at times invigorating objectives:  1) shrink the isolation between math and science teachers and provide quality thinking time; 2) develop an improved critical eye for evaluating experimental designs; 3) practice scientific writing skills including data summaries; 4) identify/develop specific lessons incorporating math and science; 5) offer opportunities for math and science teachers to team teach lessons.

Ballroom B:

An Examination of My Own Practices in the Elementary School      
Nicole Lockard, Anderson County Schools, TN

As a result of the knowledge I gained while working on these grants, I was able to build my knowledge of content and pedagogy in the areas of math, science, technology, and literature, in addition to learning strategies of how to integrate these topics as parts of the big picture in my classroom. 

Ballroom C:

Voices from Vanceburg: The Influence of AMSP Programs on Teaching and Learning at Lewis County Middle and Lewis County High Schools
Sara Poeppelman & Shawna Voiers, Lewis County High School, KY        
                                   
The positive impact of AMSP programs on curriculum, assessment and instruction in this rural northeastern Kentucky public school will be highlighted.

Ballroom D:

AMSP Changed My Life
Robert Arts, Pikeville College

An overview of my 5+ year involvement highlighting information from institutes, college course redesign, and dissertation research.

Ballroom A:

Using Unit Development to Plan Curriculum
Sandy Belcher & Beverly Owens, Lebanon High School, Lebanon, VA

During this presentation we will present how to develop a unit from what we learned as Appalachian Teacher Partners and how this impacts planning curriculum.

Ballroom B:

Growing Butterflies: Classroom Tools from Collaborations
Julia Jackson, Carter County, KY
Jeremy Miller, Lee County High School, KY
Susan Stringer, Casey County High School, KY
Michelle Phipps, Alvin C. York Institute, Jamestown, TN

Our presentation will allow each of us to tell our story of how being involved with the Appalachian Teacher Partner Program, has given us the tools to help build this path for our students.  We will demonstrate how a variety of classroom tools such as formative assessments, vocabulary strategies, and team building activities have helped our students construct their path.   Our presentation will show how these techniques can be used in high school math classrooms from a collaboration/co-teaching setting to a regular classroom to a calculus classroom. 

Ballroom C:

Incorporating Inquiry-Based Learning in Chemistry and Physical Science Courses at KSU
Kazi Javed & Robert Mania, Kentucky State University

Based on our experience with the AMSP institutes, we have developed inquiry-based course materials and modules for chemistry, physical science, and earth science at Kentucky State University. These courses are serving as required courses as well as electives in the KSU biology and chemistry curriculum.

Ballroom D:

An Empirical Analysis of AMSP
Genia Toma, Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky

This paper estimates the effects of AMSP participation on student outcomes as measured by state standardized test scores in Kentucky.  Using data that match individual students to their teachers, we estimate models that allow us to identify the attributes of teachers who potentially choose to participate in AMSP.  Controlling for the participation in AMSP, we then estimate the effects of that participation on student outcomes. 

Ballroom A:

A Journey Toward Improvement with AMSP
Kellie Wilson and Jamie-Marie Wilder, Lincoln County Schools, KY

An informative session on how Lincoln County Schools are using classroom teachers and Appalachian Teacher Partners, Jamie-Marie Wilder and Kellie Wilson, to share instructional strategies and assessment techniques that improve student learning to math teachers at all grade levels in an effective way.  Session will outline the district's plan for training and also the benefits that both teachers have seen in their own classroom through their AMSP training.

Ballroom B:

Reflections of Challenges and Successes with Synchronous Online Instruction
JoAnn Cady, College of Education, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

An IHE mathematics educator will reflect upon her experiences designing and implementing in synchronous online courses integrated and content and pedagogy.  The session will include a brief outline of the format of the courses, how participation in the courses influenced her teaching practice, her beliefs about teaching mathematics, and her participation in learning communities.

Ballroom C:

Building Teacher Leaders in Mathematics
Teresa Lockhart (formerly with Pike County School System, now with Pikeville College)
Jacquilin Damron (Pike County School System)
Thelma Newsome (Pike County School System)

This session takes a journey into the history of the relationship with the Pike County (KY) School System and the AMSP project.  The funding and support of the program enabled this rural district to train and sustain math leaders and other initiatives after the duration of the grant.  Teacher leaders will describe how the various activities enabled them to not only renovate their own instruction but to assist other colleagues at the same time.

Ballroom D:

An Exploration of Partnership Enhancement Projects Using a Distributed Leadership Framework
Barbara Duncan, University of Kentucky

This qualitative study tells a partial story of several partnership enhancement projects or micro-investment awards during the second round of AMSP funding through the lens of distributed leadership. Interviews and surveys with participants focused on the roles of participants, especially the sharing of leadership roles across institutional boundaries.  

Ballroom A:

Teaching Geometry in University of Tennessee Master of Mathematics Degree Program
Jerzy Dydak, Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

In the early 1960's, with funding from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Mathematics of UTK established a new degree, the Master of Mathematics (MM). Intended primarily for high school teachers (but open to teachers at any level), this degree offers courses with solid mathematical content relevant to the mathematics commonly taught in high school. As part of AMSP, in early 2000's, I was involved in developing online courses for the MM program (M460 Geometry and M509 Seminar for Teachers). This talk is a report on how involvement in AMSP has affected my teaching.

Ballroom B:

Math and Science Initiatives at Letcher County Central High School
Faye Collier & Regina Donour, Letcher County Central High School, KY

LCCHS' math and science departments share how AMSP has enhanced their respective curriculums.  Professional Learning Communities are used to unpack standards for unit development, to develop common formative and summative assessments, and to use data for development of RTI strategies in the classroom.

Ballroom C:

Reflections on AMSP and the W.I.S.E. Council in Southwest Virginia
Diane Tomlinson & Barbara Willis, Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium

How partnering among projects contributed to wide accomplishments in mathematics and science education improvements in the region.

Ballroom D:

Lenses on Learning: Using Curriculum Topic Study (CTS) to Better Focus on Mathematics
 Jamie Marie Wilder Lincoln County Middle School, KY
Jennifer McDaniel Clay County Schools, KY

Two Appalachian Teacher Partners will reflect on the impact that curriculum topic study has had on both their teaching practices and knowledge of mathematics.

Ballroom A:

Appalachian Aspirations:  A Study of Community Influences on the Post-Secondary Aspirations & Epistemological Beliefs of Rural High School Seniors
Jane Jensen, College of Education, University of Kentucky
 This study explores the experiences of Appalachian high school students making the transition to college.  Using qualitative methods of interviewing and observation that highlight the students' perspectives, this study follows eighteen students from two Appalachian high schools differently located in the political economy of the region through their senior year and on to college.  This research highlights community differences that are often masked or hidden by county level data analysis.

Ballroom B:

Assessment Literacy and the Potential Impact on Student Learning
Kim Zeidler-Watters, PIMSER, University of Kentucky

 Assessment literacy continues to be in the national spot light as an area of importance.  During this presentation participants will learn more about these high yield strategies, the research behind them, the student learning gains that can result, and discuss the implications for professional development.

Ballroom C:

Gaining a Larger Perspective on Education
Kathy Strunk, Anderson County Schools, TN and AMSP Program Coordinator

From teaching within the four walls of a math classroom to coordinating teacher, administrator, student, and parent activities in thirteen districts across two states, my journey with AMSP has been filled with opportunity and challenge. If you have ever zoomed in and out of "Google Earth", you have an idea of what happened to my perspective on the educational profession. This presentation will share highlights from my journey.

Ballroom D:

How The AMSP Master Teacher Program Saved My Career and My Students.
Bob Allen, Sheldon Clark High School, Martin County, KY

At a time when the speaker was considering an early retirement, he became affiliated with the AMSP Master Teacher Project. After attending meetings for two months, he felt revitalized and was excited about teaching. When the ACT and KCCTS scores were released in the fall of 2010, he found that his students had outscored their counterparts at Sheldon Clark High School. This presentation is about how his teaching practices changed which resulted in a positive change in his students learning.

Ballroom A:
Bardstown Partnership Enhancement Project
Julie Caldwell & Melissa Peters, Bardstown Independent School District, Bardstown, KY
Carl Lee & David Royster, Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky

We will describe a collaborative project currently underway involving all of the middle and high school teachers in the Bardstown Independent School District and faculty from the University of Kentucky to improve students' learning of mathematics.  This project is funded by a grant from the AT&T Foundation.

Ballroom B:
A Kentucky Quilt for Science Education
Martin Brock, Department of Chemistry, Eastern Kentucky University

We have learned that reform in science education is a process requiring support and intervention at multiple levels and sustained for long periods of time to have significant impact.  

Ballroom C:
The PD Environment and AMSP Participation
Terry Hibpshman, Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Kentucky
Steve Clements, Asbury University, Wilmore, KY

In 2006, we evaluated whether local or state policies had an effect on school and district participation in AMSP activities.  We interviewed a selection of staff in a number of AMSP-participating districts.  We discovered that although district or state-level policies seemed to have little effect on district or school AMSP participation, the chaotic teacher professional development landscape in Kentucky had a strong effect. 

Ballroom D:
Mathematics Focused Interdisciplinary Place-Based Projects
Steve Beckelhimer, June Harless Center, Marshall University
Michael Little, Integrated Science & Technology, College of Science, Marshall University

The success of West Virginia's implementation of AMSP in several county school districts who have elected to approach mathematics and science through the development of interdisciplinary projects using place will be shared.  These projects align the content of grade level appropriate mathematics and science in the context of the students' location or place. 

Deauville Room:
Access to Algebra, Technology Transfer, and the Emergence of New Partnerships
Paul Eakin, Department of Mathematics, University of Kentucky and PI of AMSP

We discuss the AMSP Access to Algebra program along with its underlying technology transfer philosophy and some of the tools developed to do its work.  Beyond their original purpose, the open, free access to these tools has spawned a large and growing family of dynamic new college readiness partnerships among college and K-12 mathematics faculties in Kentucky.

Ballroom A:

One Teacher's Journey Toward Excellence in Education
Jami Garner, Anderson County Schools, TN

This is the story of the journey embarked on by a first year teacher towards becoming an example of excellence in education.  Five years later, we take a look at the effects of the experiences gained through participation in eight AMSP grants, beginning with four PEP grants in Sci-Math Integration and Elementary Mathematics, followed by Summer Institutes, Online Middle School Math courses, and the AMSP Leadership Institute.

Ballroom B:

AMSP's Impact Continues Through Individual Transformations
Carol Wymer, College of Science, Morehead State University, KY

This presentation will describe the transformation of my teaching, professional interactions, and scholarly activities from plant science research to science education research.  It will also discuss the "Biology for K-8 Teachers" curriculum that was developed through AMSP.

Ballroom C:

Continuing the Mentor Tradition
Dr. Sarah Murray, Centre College, Danville, KY
Dr. Stephen Henderson, Briarwood Enterprises, LLC (formerly Co-PI for AMSP)

This presentation will outline just one of many AMSP stories that has had a lasting and far reaching effect. The presentation will focus on the Mentored Implementation Program as a strategy for supporting implementation of strategies learned through professional development.  In addition, research findings from the Mentored Implementation Program will be discussed.

Ballroom D:

The AMSP Baseline Improvement Sites: Localizing Efforts and Concentrating the Impact of the AMSP
Debbie Owens, University of Kentucky AMSP Program Coordinator

How the AMSP Coordinators work with BIS effected data-driven processes and data evaluation.

Ballroom A:

The Impact of AMSP on the Mathematical Preparation of K-6 Pre-Service Teachers at the University of Virginia's College at Wise — What Do They Really need to Know?
Jennifer Wilson & Michael Potter, University of Virginia's College at Wise

This session will focus on how mathematics faculty involvement in AMSP impacted the development of the Mathematics Concentration for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences, a major designed for students seeking an elementary education endorsement to teach at the PreK – 6 level.  The session leaders will present specific lessons learned from their participation in AMSP Mathematics Summer Institutes and Partnership Enhancement Projects and discuss how AMSP institute methods and techniques have been successfully integrated in the cross-disciplinary training of pre-service teachers at their institution.

Ballroom B:

Using AMSP to Address Issues in Program Evaluation
Xin Ma, College of Education, University of Kentucky

The Appalachian Mathematics and Science Partnership (AMSP) has provided rich opportunities to address many critical issues in education research. In the field of program evaluation, one critical issue that has constantly challenged evaluators is the separation of program effects of simultaneous education projects on program outcome measures. Specifically, when multiple education projects operate in an overlapping or rear-ended manner, it is always a challenge to separate unique project effects on schooling outcomes.

Ballroom C:

Balanced Assessment Practices and Their Classroom Impact
Sabrina Holmes, Tazewell County Schools, VA
Beverly Owens, Lebanon Middle School, Russell County, VA

Balanced Assessment practices can make great gains in student achievements and attitudes. This presentation will detail the gains shown from practicing balanced assessment, student examples of formative assessments, and will give student's testimonials on how balanced assessment in math has made their attitude about their ability to achieve in math improve.

Ballroom D:

AMSP: Opening Doors in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky
Judy Compton, Dickenson, County, VA and UVA-Wise AMSP Regional Coordinator

The UVA-Wise AMSP Regional Coordinator will discuss the lasting impact that the Appalachian Math Science Partnership had on K-16 education in Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky through pre-service teacher enhancements, in-service teacher enhancements, school improvement/program enhancements and bilateral partnerships with local universities and colleges.