Laboratory Chicago 2020: The Symposium

Creating a vision for the future of high school science instruction facilities

The Field Museum of Chicago, Founders Room
Chicago, IL June 11/12th 2004

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has committed $25-30 million of capital improvement funds over the next five years to refurbish high school science laboratories. It’s clear that this won’t be enough; estimates indicate that an additional $90 million over the next five years will be needed to completely refurbish every high school science laboratory. Laboratory Chicago 2020 is the cam-paign to ensure that all CPS high school students have the opportunity to learn the science that they’ll need to be productive citizens of their community, the city of Chicago, and the world.

As its kickoff, Laboratory Chicago 2020, in conjunction with the Teachers Academy for Mathematics and Science (TAMS), will convene a symposium in June 2004 to address the question: “What should the high school science laboratory of the future look like?” The consensus of experts will be used to inform the architecture, design, technologies and fundraising work of Laboratory Chicago 2020.

The Symposium will be attended by a relatively small group of invited guests. The setting is de-signed to create a collaborative working environment, where all guests are encouraged to partici-pate openly in facilitated discussions.

DAY 1
8:30 am – 8:45 am
Welcome and Introduction
Michael Lach, Director Science Education, Chicago Public Schools
Ian Robertson, Chair, Laboratory Chicago 2020 Symposium

8:45 am – 9:15 am
Keynote Presentation (Download Presentation - 4.70MB)
Michael Turner, Director of Mathematical and Physical Science, National Science Foundation The role of science and science education in our society

9:15 am – 12:00 pm
Session 1: What science do our students need to know?
To begin, we will hold a conversation about our overreaching goal and lay the groundwork for rest of the symposium. We’ll discuss how national scientific organizations describe the body of knowl-edge that students should know and be able to do, and then hear from representatives from uni-versities and the corporate world to validate these claims

9:15 am – 10:15 am
The views of ‘consumers’ of high school graduates on what science skills and capabilities they need them to possess.
Patrick Antony, The Boeing Company (Download Presentation - 486KB)
Dennis Roberson, Vice Provost, Illinois Institute of Technology
Donald Wink, Professor of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago (Download Presentation - 15.9KB)
TBA, BP

10:15 am – 10:35 am
Break

10:35 am – 12:00 pm
Panel Discussion: What science do graduates from Chicago High Schools need to know?
Moderator: Steve Mitchell, Executive Co-Chairman, Mayor’s Council for Technology Advisors
Michael Turner, Donald Wink, Dennis Roberson, BP

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Lunch

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Session 2: What is the latest thinking on how to teach science effectively?
In this session, participants will discuss with experts what is known about how students come to understand science, and what the research is telling us about future. Presentations will be followed by facilitated discussion. Selected audience members will then break into groups to respond.

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Research on Science Learning and Teaching
What does current research say about the most effective ways to teach science in the Chicago High School?
Norman Lederman, Professor of Science Education, Illinois Institute of Technology (Download Presentation - 143KB)

1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Curriculum Development
What does current research and practice say about the most effective sorts of curriculum design? What are their implications for the Chicago High School science laboratory experience?
Louis Gomez, Professor of Learning Sciences, Northwestern University
Daniel Edelson, Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and Computer Science, Northwestern University (Download Presentation - 341KB)

2:30 pm – 2:50 pm
Break

2:50 pm – 3:35 pm
Science Teaching Practitioners
What does our practical experience tell us about the most effective ways to teach science?
Jim Stankevitz, Science Teacher, CUSD District 200 (Download Presentation - 597KB)
Anna West, Biology and Chemistry Teacher, DuSable High School (Download Presentation - 232KB)
Ray Lesniewski, Department Chair, Chemistry Teacher Jones College Preparatory High School

3:35 pm – 4:15 pm
Breakout groups

4:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Breakout group responses

6:00 pm – 10:00pm
Laboratory Chicago 2020 Campaign Launch Dinner
Cocktails and Dinner in the East Dining Room, Metropolitan Club, 67th Floor, Sears Tower, 33 South Wacker Drive.
6:00pm – 7:00pm Cocktails, remarks by Arne Duncan, CEO Chicago Public Schools
7:00pm – 10:00pm Dinner

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DAY 2

8:00 am – 8:45 am
Session 3: How can technology be used in a high school science labora-tory?
In this brief introductory session, we’ll examine the difference between learning in the physical world and learning through virtual models and simulations. What activities could take place in vir-tual or simulated space? What must still take place in the physical world?
Dennis Liu, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Download Presentation - 1.25MB)
Donald Wink

8:45 am – 9:45 am
Proposing a Framework
We will define the beginnings of a way to frame how new technologies will change what can be done in the science laboratory of the future. Our proposal will be discussed by the group. We pro-pose that new technology will impact science education by enabling a number of new capabilities:

• 1. Science Text and Lectures
• 2. Management and interpretation of Large Data Sets
• 3. Simulations
• 4. Mobility
• 5. Multi-partite Collaboration
• 6. Data Collection and Acquisition
• 7. Visualization

Michael Lach will present this framework and open to the group for debate. (Download Presentation - 2.18MB)

9:45 am – 10:00 am
Break

10:00am – 11:15 am
Session 4: What infrastructure developments are on the horizon that will impact our work?
In this session, we’ll hear about new educational, information and multi-media technologies, and current thinking on teaching lab design, architecture and facilities that will impact the ways we teach students about science. Each presentation will be followed by Q&A.

10:00 am – 10:20 am
Educational Technology
How might current thinking about the role of educational technology impact the design of high school science laboratories?
Dennis Liu, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

10:20 am – 11:00am
Information Technology Industry
What emerging technologies have the potential to enhance the science learning in high schools sci-ence laboratories?
Mary Cullinane, School of the Future Technology Architect, Microsoft (Download Presentation - 789KB)
Jim Vanides, Philanthropy and Education, Hewlett Packard (Download Presentation - 734KB)

11:00 am – 11:15 am
Laboratory Architects
How might recent advances in high school, university and industrial laboratory design impact the design of high school science laboratories?
TBA, HOK Architects
TBA, OWP/P Architects

11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Lunch

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm
Session 5: What is the current state of science instruction and facilities in CPS?
In this session, we’ll describe the current state of student performance in mathematics and science in CPS, the infrastructure in use by students today, current renovation projects, capital programs, technology usage, and teacher preparation. Each presentation will be followed by Q&A. (Download Presentation - 5.71MB)

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm
High School Science Teaching And Learning
What is the current state of high school science teaching and learning in Chicago’s Public Schools?
Martin Gartzman, Chief Officer, Mathematics and Science, Chicago Public Schools
Michael Lach

12:45 pm – 1:00 pm
Information Technology
What is the current state of technology infrastructure and educational technology in CPS high schools?
Robert Runcie, Chief Information Officer, Chicago Public Schools
Sharnell Jackson, Chief e-Learning Officer, Chicago Public Schools

1:00 pm – 1:15 pm
Facilities
What is the current state of high school science laboratories in CPS? What are the current plans to renovate CPS high school science labs?
Sean Murphy, Capital Renovations, Chicago Public Schools

1:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Break

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Session 6: Pulling it all together. What infrastructure do we now think we need?

Overview
In this session we’ll build on all the prior sessions to propose the specific new ideas for lab designs and technologies that will be explored further after the symposium. We will facilitate breakout groups, with all guests invited to provide comment, insight and direction on the future of CPS High School Science Laboratories.

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Closing Remarks
Ian Robertson
Michael Lach

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