UW-Stout to educate the next generation of science teachers

Menomonie, Wis. --- University of Wisconsin-Stout has begun accepting students for its new concentration in Science Education within the Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Science program.

The concentration was only an idea a year ago at UW-Stout, and Laura McCullough, Ph.D., of UW-Stout's Physics Department, oversaw the creation of the program.

"The program leads to a Broadfield Science Licensure in Wisconsin, which is a general science teaching license for approximately grades 5 to 10," said McCullough. "The program will have an emphasis on middle school science, as I expect that is where most of the graduates will go."

In the program, students will take biology, chemistry, physics and earth/space science courses for content, in addition to education courses.

One area that makes the UW-Stout concentration in Science Education stand out is the required capstone course associated with the program. The capstone course is a senior-level course where students go back over their years in the program, reflect on their growth and learning, and venture into some of the hot topics in science education. Some of these topics could involve the use of computers in the K-12 classroom, simulations versus hands-on equipment-based laboratories, problem-based or case-based learning, and the latest research on science teaching in journals.

"[The students] will also do a small education research project in the capstone course," said McCullough.

The job market for graduates with a B.S. in Applied Science degree with a concentration in Science Education looks good for the future. The Department of Public Instruction creates a supply and demand report, and the latest such report shows that science educators will be between average and high demand. In western Wisconsin, the demand for general science teachers is above average. A major reason for the creation of UW-Stout's program was due to this demand.

"Overall in the country, we need science teachers," said McCullough. "There's a retirement wave coming, and we already have a lot of people teaching on emergency licenses."

The University expects to run the first course for the concentration in the spring semester of 2006.

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