Specific Aim / Goal: A few sentences on the educational goal/outcome for my students.

First of all my students are highly visual. They respond better to learning materials presented to them on the LCD projector, documentary on TV and short presentations in form of skits. With this in mind my main aim is to depend less on the use of textbooks, tests and other printed materials and move towards performance based learning and assessment.

In addition, I intend to use audio equipments like CD players so that they can record lectures which they can listen to at their own time and also for playing back pre-recorded textbook information that come with core subject textbooks.

I cam to Bryn Mawr College with the goal of obtaining an education that would enable me to be a successful high school chemistry teacher.  In my first three years, I completed a chemistry major.  So fascinated by the science I failed to take more than two education courses. 

The K-12 Summer Institutes are a great program with their achievement evidenced by the numerous returning participants.  Clearly, the participants’ expectations are either met of exceeded or they would not return.  Another significant success, was the continuing engagement of participants involved in multiple institutes this summer.  This indicates that each institute significantly different material. 

Despite the different topics they addressed, there were some themes common to all the institutes.  They all advocated an interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approach to education.  Each of them discussed and incorporated the use of computers and technology in the classroom.  These themes are consistent with those stated for the institutes on Serendip. 

The Science as Interactive, Interdisciplinary Inquiry Institute went very well. There was a diverse group of presenters including a Bryn Mawr College English professor, a current institute participant, and three Bryn Mawr College Biology professors.  The topics discussed varied from obviously relevant to those requiring more reflection.  This permitted participants to connect the concepts of interactivity, interdisciplinarity, and inquiry.  All of the presentations were engaging, interesting, and relevant.  The participants made excellent use of this material and produced an impressive body of work.  (Much of which is available on Serendip.) 

Barack Obama's speech in Denver, 29 August, 2008, excerpted with annotations
(see Paths to Story Telling as Life)

through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.

That’s the promise of America – the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility – that’s the essence of America’s promise.