In this issue: - College of Education - Purdue University

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l o b a
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r e a c h
Brenda Capobianco’s Dutch C onnection
8
By learning diverse
teaching methods
Purdue’s science
education students
can improve
and grow.
n May 2006 Brenda Capobianco, Assistant
Professor of Curriculum & Instruction,
Lauren Schellenberger, and
Megan Grunert—both science education
graduate students at Purdue—will make
the eight hour flight from Indianapolis
to Amsterdam. They are traveling to the
Netherlands for the initial phase of a plan
to establish the Purdue University Science
Education International Collaborative
which will connect Purdue students
with Dutch science teachers and teacher
educators. Together they will share and
discuss ideas, initiatives and methods
and engage in action research.
The Netherlands, known for their tolerance
and their tulips, will offer a rich,
multi-layered experience for Schellenberger,
Grunert, and Capobianco. The
students will conduct classroom observations,
meet with science teacher educators,
trainers and researchers, as well as
visit historic monuments. In addition to
scholarly activities they will learn about
Dutch life and culture through their host
families.
This initial trip emphasizes the “development
of a collaborative, execution
of an intensive research program, and a
formal evaluation for subsequent phases,”
Capobianco explains. By learning diverse
teaching methods Purdue’s science education
students can improve and grow.
Capobiancos collaborative grew out
of a connection established by Jean Peterson,
Associate Professor of Counseling
and Development, with researchers
and teachers in the Netherlands. Once
Peterson learned that she and Capobianco
shared a mutual interest in action
research she invited her to participate.
“When I learned that she was into action
research, and since that is a big emphasis
in Europe these days, I quickly invited
her to get on board, and
she has moved quickly
ahead, establishing solid
relationships with Dutch
contacts and adding new
dimensions to the collaboration.”
reveals Peterson.
She feels the collaboration
is vital to “helping our
graduate students think
outside of the box, and
think ‘bigger,’ and help
them be more than just
followers.”
Capobianco hopes
“the graduate students
gain new knowledge and
understanding of how
Dutch teachers teach science, how educators
prepare science teachers, and how
action research can play a pivotal role in
contributing to this knowledge base. I also
hope graduate students gain an appreciation
for and a heightened awareness of the
Dutch culture and how we can learn so
much from our ‘critical friends.’”
Grunert is eager to participate in the
program. She says, “Having recently
learned about teacher action research, I
think it will be especially exciting to engage
in research while studying abroad. I
think the trip to the Netherlands will provide
me with new and exciting ideas and
experiences that I can bring back and share
with my peers in chemistry education.”
Schellenberger believes that “Graduate
students are in graduate school because
they want to become experts in their respective
fields, and international experience
is necessary in order for students to
really understand their field in a global
sense.” Capobianco hopes both students
gain a global perspective on education.
The aim is to return with greater knowledge
and an understanding and appreciation
of other cultures.
In the future Capobianco hopes to
broaden the program further--expanding
to include faculty and eventually offering
to host Dutch teachers, teacher
educators and researchers at Purdue. “I
hope to gain new knowledge about how
we can build upon our current collaboration
with Dutch science teachers and
science teacher educators. I look forward
to learning more about what issues in
science education are significant to the
Dutch and examine their efforts at addressing
them.“
When their trip concludes they all will
have to find room in their suitcases for
their newly acquired knowledge of teaching
and their memories of their profound
experience in the Netherlands.