M.ED in Science in education (1-8). May Lead to professional licensure in Elementary (1-6) or Middle School General Science (5-8) in Massachusetts.

The Science in Education Program is designed for classroom teachers, curriculum specialists, and instructional resource persons responsible for 1-8 science education. The program encourages master's degree candidates to take a hands-on, interactive approach to teaching science. Course modules integrate a science content course with a science pedagogy course in the 11-course, 6-module online sequence.

Prerequisite: Applicants for Elementary (1-6): Massachusetts Initial license in Elementary Education (1-6) or a signed non-licensure agreement.Applicants for General Science (5-8): Massachusetts Initial license in General Science (5-8) or a signed non-licensure agreement.

Course Descriptions

CNSCI 5100 Try Science - In this introductory course on science inquiry participants investigate common everyday phenomena. This course invites participants to “uncover” the complexity of a simple glass of water. They observe physical processes at play in this familiar system and develop scientific "habits of mind." articipants see how scientific principles can be applied to understanding the world around us. The following key physical science concepts are explored: density, displacement, buoyancy, melting, freezing, equilibrium, phase changes and energy transfers.

CNSCI 6102 Investigating Physics: Motion and Forces - Participants extend their understanding of fundamental Newtonian physics concepts through inquiry. They investigate motion and forces through direct observation, analysis of video and by creating and interpreting graphic representations. The historic and cultural contexts from which key physics concepts emerged are examined and the works of Aristotle, Galileo, and Newton are highlighted. Participants apply their new understanding to everyday occurrences in the physical world.

EEDUC 6033 Investigating Physics: Listening to Children's Ideas - In this course participants explore children’s ideas of force and motion by planning and carrying out clinical interviews with children. Through their interviewing experience, participants increase their ability to set aside their own ideas and expectations and pay close attention to children’s ideas. They elicit information from the children about what they think and then analyze interview findings to expand their understanding of how children perceive the world around them.

CNSCI 6100 Biology Explorations in Variation, Diversity, and Adaptation - This course focuses on the biology of grasses, with hands-on investigations of germination and growth, adaptation, co-evolution between grasses and grazers, bio-geography, the domestication of grasses and variation and natural selection. Participants extend their understanding of key biological concepts through inquiry. They investigate various aspects of biological adaptation and apply their new understandings to the real world – both locally and globally.

EEDUC 6131 Biology Explorations: Classroom Facilitation - The pedagogical focus is classroom facilitation. Participants consider how to help students develop scientific ideas and skills. They study video clips of teachers facilitating classroom science to learn strategies for extending students’ experience and scaffolding scientific ideas. In classrooms, participants try various facilitation and questioning strategies. Participants encourage and model the skills and attitudes of science and join their students as co-inquirers.

CNSCI 6101 Earth Science From a New Perspective - This course focuses on concepts central to Earth Science. Participants investigate the Nile River, with inquiry-based investigations of drainage networks, stream flow dynamics, flooding, interaction of climate and the river system, and interaction of the river system and land formations. They learn to use modeling, visualization and analysis tools to investigate the Earth system. This includes the use of data from satellite photographs, maps, boring logs, and stratigraphy, along with computer and physical modeling.

EEDUC 6134 Earth Science: Curriculum Designed for Understanding - The pedagogical course focuses on curriculum redesign. Participants use the Teaching for Understanding framework developed at Harvard University to guide thinking critically about how to shape inquiry-based experiences to achieve deeper understanding of important science concepts. This framework stresses the importance of establishing explicit goals of understanding, engaging students in performances of understanding, that is, experiences that require learners to use the concepts they are learning, and ongoing assessment of their understanding.

CNSCI 7100 Ecology: Organisms, Nutrients, and Environment - The ecology course focuses on the flows of nutrients in ecosystems. Participants investigate aspects of nutrient flows with hands-on studies of the decomposition cycle. They apply ecological concepts to the real world –locally (backyard studies) and globally (satellite data). Participants conduct inquiry-based investigations of plant primary productivity, energy and carbon cycles, decomposition, and related concepts, using a combination of lab and field studies, and satellite images to build data-driven explanations and models of these phenomena.

EEDUC 7115 Ecology: Assessment for Learning - Assessment to support learning is the pedagogical focus of this course. Through classroom case studies, introductory readings and discussion, participants examine the different purposes of assessment (principally formative and summative), then develop and implement assessment strategies. They consider how assessing inquiry skills, conceptual understanding, self- and peer-assessment, and feedback to learners on their progress can advance learning in the classroom. Participants plan a formative assessment into inquiry-based work that is conducted in the classroom.

CNSCI 7101 Engineering: From Science to Design - This course introduces participants to engineering design. The course focuses on the design of structures to resist earthquakes, with investigations of earthquakes, soil and structure response to earthquakes, structural damage in earthquakes, and seismic reinforcement of structures. Participants investigate case studies of earthquakes, and design and build structural models and use a shake table to test them. In their work they explore the relation between design technology and science, with emphasis on forces and motion in physics and earthquakes in Earth science. Through the use of technology and design, participants deepen analytical and problem solving skills.

EEDUC 7117 Engineering: Investigating Equitable Classrooms - The equity course focuses on classroom practices that result in the success of every child learning science. The course asks participants to examine their personal definitions, views, and assumptions about equity in the science classroom. Transcripts of classroom conversations are central in this course. Listening carefully to classroom conversations, teachers identify and examine their assumptions and/or prejudices about science learners and reflect on pedagogical approaches and strategies. Participants design and carry out an independent research project that includes collecting classroom data to answer a question about equity. They use their research findings to develop a plan for changing their classroom practice so that more students will be more successful.