Courses and Materials

Part of the InTeGrate Grand Valley State University Program Model

New Program/Major

Integrated Science (Integrated Science Program )

Instructors: See Project Team
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: Starting Fall 2017
Course Level: 200-400
This Program Change proposes to replace the current Integrated Science (ISCI) Secondary DI Endorsement with a Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education Major. Pre-service teachers at GVSU currently become certified to teach two science disciplines in grades 6-12 after completing a teachable major and a teachable minor in Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science or Physics, plus a major in Secondary Education from the College of Education, and then passing the Michigan Department of Education (MTTC) subject area tests in the two chosen content areas.

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The ISCI Secondary DI Endorsement was originally created as an "add-on" to this initial secondary certification. The additional endorsement requires the completion of a breadth of science coursework across all four science disciplines and a passing score on the Integrated Science Secondary MTTC test, and better qualifies teachers at the middle school level, where there is a more integrated approach to teaching science in courses like General Science, Integrated Science, Environmental Science, etc. However, the ISCI Secondary DI Endorsement also certifies teachers to teach Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics at the high school level, from introductory through AP curriculum. For this reason, the ISCI Secondary DI Endorsement has become a high-demand requirement for securing a 6-12 grade science teaching job in the state of Michigan, as teachers that hold the endorsement can fill a vast variety of positions in a school district. GVSU has awarded 12 ISCI Secondary Endorsements in the last 2 years, and 20 additional students are currently working on completing the endorsement coursework. Most universities and colleges in Michigan now offer this endorsement as a secondary education major, taken either in conjunction with another science major or minor, or as a standalone comprehensive major, as we are proposing here. New Program Proposal Integrated Science Secondary Education Major (Acrobat (PDF) 485kB Oct30 16)

The proposed ISCI Secondary Education major introduces several changes in the curriculum from those required by the "add-on" ISCI Secondary DI Endorsement currently in place (see "Comparison of Current ISCI DI and Comp ISCI Major" document). Briefly stated: 1. Because of the Michigan Department of Education certification parameters, students with the Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education major that pass the ISCI Secondary MTTC Test will be certified to teach all sciences in grades 6-12. 2. Two additional content courses are required in Earth Science, one additional content course is required for both Chemistry and Physics disciplines, and one less course is required in the Biology area as compared to the current endorsement course list. This was done to create a balance of content between the four science disciplines, while addressing all key science concepts in each area at a depth necessary for high school content teaching. 3. The content requirements and rigor of coursework in this Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education major have been carefully evaluated to ensure complete coverage of content taught in grades 6-12, including AP course content. The realities of the Michigan Secondary Education job market are that this endorsement is necessary to get a job teaching science at the secondary level. (see ISCI Second new MTTC grid and NSTA Science Content Analysis Form New Program). 4. The gpa requirement for certification in the Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education major has been raised from 2.7 to 3.0. 5. Three credits have been added to accommodate two new SCI courses in science education pedagogy (see grouped New Course Proposals for SCI 440 and SCI 450). SCI 450 will replace GEO319, a pedagogical content course that is a requirement in the current ISCI Secondary Endorsement. SCI 440 is the new course representing pedagogical content knowledge in physics and chemistry disciplines. 6. In most cases time to graduation and ISCI Secondary certification will be faster with the Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education major, than with the current route of taking a science major, a science minor, and the remaining ISCI Secondary DI Endorsement courses, in addition to the College of Education major (see "Comp ISCI Secondary Catalog Copy" for 4 year coursework plan). In addition, understanding the coursework plan for the Comprehensive ISCI Secondary Education major will be easier for students, and it will be a more visible option for freshmen entering GVSU.

New Courses

SCI 450 Earth and Life Science in Secondary Education (Integrated Science Program)

Instructor: Steve Mattox and Steve Rybczynski
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: Winter 2018
Course Level: SCI 450
Designed to introduce students to evidence based, Earth and life science teaching pedagogy, science education standards, and science safety practices. Students apply these ideas to lesson plan development and facilitation for Earth and life science content. Two Integrate modules will be used. SCI 450 Syllabus of Record (Acrobat (PDF) 98kB Dec2 16)

SCI 440 Physics and Chemistry in Secondary Education (Integrated Science Program)

Instructor: Angie Slater
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: Fall 2017
Course Level: SCI 440
Introduces students to evidence based, physical science pedagogy, science education standards, and science safety practices. Students apply these ideas to lesson plan development and facilitation for physical science content.The Tentative Planning Schedule (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 18kB Nov30 16) provides a good overview of the course along with the SCI 440 Syllabus of Record (Acrobat (PDF) 93kB Dec2 16)

EDI 331 Methods and Strategies in Secondary Teaching (College of Education)

Instructor: Stephen Rybczynski
Term(s) and Year(s) Offered: Fall 2017 and Winter 2018
Course Level: EDI 331

Students are placed in classrooms where they present inquiry-based lessons they develop. They articulate the nature of science and identify and demonstrate how process skills can be incorporated into their science teaching. Students discuss the role of assessment and effectively utilize both formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Students reflect and self-assess the effectiveness of their teaching based on evidence of student learning. Students transition from student to professional. EDI 331 syllabus (Microsoft Word 63kB Nov27 16).

Teaching Materials

Modules Adopted

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Courses and Materials

New Program/Major

Integrated Science (Integrated Science Program )

New Courses

SCI 450 Earth and Life Science in Secondary Education (Integrated Science Program)

SCI 440 Physics and Chemistry in Secondary Education (Integrated Science Program)

EDI 331 Methods and Strategies in Secondary Teaching (College of Education)

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Modules Adapted

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