Kansas State University

OLATHE -- Kansas State University Olathe and the Kansas Enrichment Network at the University of Kansas are partnering to bring an informal science education professional development opportunity to elementary and middle school teachers, March 14 and 15, at K-State Olathe, 22201 W. Innovation Drive.

The National Partnerships for After School Science training is geared toward teachers of students between the ages of 7-14 years of age. The training targets the "citizen scientist" -- someone who likes science but does not have to be a professional scientist. The workshop is limited to 30 participants. Sessions will be from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, March 14, and 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, March 15. The workshop is free; the registration deadline is Thursday, March 7.

Sessions are inquiry-based presented in a train-the-trainer format. The two days will involve hands-on discovery, mixed with reflection and techniques for training others. Charlie Hutchison from the Education Development Center in Boston will present the keynote address. Hutchison is principal investigator for Taking National Partnerships for After-School Science to Scale, or NPASS2, funded by the National Science Foundation’s Informal Science Education program. He is also principal investigator of the National Partnerships for After School Science, which preceded the Taking National Partnerships for After-School Science to Scale program.

Almost 1,000 after-school program sites in nine states deliver the hands-on, minds-on science and engineering projects of the National Partnerships for After School Science to their students once a week throughout the school year and often into the summer. Sites include 21st Century programs, YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs, community after-school agencies, parent-run cooperatives, 4-H Clubs, faith-based organizations and the Department of Juvenile Services in Maryland.

For more information, visit http://olathe.k-state.edu/professional-dev/ or contact K-State Olathe's Micheal Strohschein, director of K-12 science education partnerships, at 913-307-7342 or mistroh@k-state.edu.