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Summer Institute for Secondary TeachersJuly 6-10, and August 24-26 2009We are pleased to announce a collaborative effort between Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The Crossing Boundaries Project will provide middle and high school students with knowledge, skills, motivation, and inspiration to use information and communication technologies in addressing biodiversity conservation issues in local and international contexts.
Crossing Boundaries is a year-long professional development experience that entails access to the Crossing Boundaries curriculum, sustained teacher professional development, and a variety of opportunities for students to see scientific and environmental careers in action. Secondary teachers and students will analyze biodiversity conservation issues in their local or regional environment as well as in the Brazilian Amazon and Chiapas, Mexico. We are developing partnerships with scientists and resource managers in both of these international settings and hoping to expand to Kenya in the near future. A range of technology options will enable students to interact with scientists, conservation professionals, undergraduate interns, and graduate students who are working on biodiversity-related research in intriguing international settings. Teachers will learn about geographic information technologies, such as GIS, GPS, Google Earth, Google Maps and communication technologies, such as blogs, wikis and podcasts. These tools create powerful opportunities for teaching, learning and assessment. Science teachers of all backgrounds and comfort-levels with technology are encouraged to apply. The ultimate goal of this project is to help middle and high school students learn science concepts central to the NYS curriculum as they use technology to explore biodiversity conservation issues and see the myriad of careers that make use of information and geospatial technologies to investigate, address, and communicate about environmental issues on regional and global scales.
We invite you to apply for the Crossing Boundaries Institute. During the Crossing Boundaries Institute, teachers will:
Crossing Boundaries teachers are recruited from throughout the Finger Lakes Region. Participating teachers will receive the following:
Crossing Boundaries teachers have the ability to receive academic credit for their participation through a year long, tuition paid, three-credit graduate course at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (EDUC791). Teachers who complete the following receive credit for the course.
Enrollment in the 2009 Crossing Boundaries Institute is limited to 20 participants. Please send the application form linked below to Jim MaKinster at the address listed below or via email. Finally, please let us know if you have any questions. We hope to see you this summer! Application Form (Word) Sincerely, Nancy Trautmann
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©2009 Crossing Boundaries | E-mail |
Teachers of all types of secondary science courses are welcome to apply. We especially encourage applications from those who are teaching courses for students who are characterized as academically-challenged.
The Crossing Boundaries Institute entails a total of eight days of hands-on training at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY divided into two sessions. (Both sessions are required): 
Crossing Boundaries builds on our GIT Ahead project, which has supported over 50 Finger Lakes teachers in a similar manner over the past three years. GIT Ahead has created an effective professional development model that supports Finger Lakes science teachers wishing to use technology in their classrooms. We focus on providing teachers with a supportive and collaborative atmosphere within which they can learn about new tools and find ways to integrate them into existing curricula, including Regents science courses, courses for pre-Regents students, and elective or AP courses. Crossing Boundaries teachers will vary in their experience using technology and the courses they teach (Living Environment, Earth Science, Environmental Science, International Baccalaureate, AP Courses, General Science, etc.). We will work closely with each educator to help them use geospatial and communication technologies in ways that meet their professional goals and fulfill the needs of their students. 
