b'Magnet School: alternative school in AmericaShardajia McCloudSponsor: Dr. Lucia Lu, Department of Initial Teacher Preparation and ServicesThe alternate form of schooling I chose is the magnet school system. A magnet school is a public institution that focuses on the development of specific skills, offering special programs and classes to students to focus on. In this public-school system students must take an entrance exam to be admitted into the institution. These schools offer specialized curricula such as STEM, performing arts, or special instructional approaches geared to academic achievement. These schools are established outside zoned school boundaries. Initially established to encourage white families to move into urban areas to promote integration, magnet schools have been prevalent since the 70s. Their offerings attract more variety of students contributing to a wide range of diversity within its walls. Magnet schools are based on the assumption that every student does not learn the same and that it would be beneficial if there was an organizational structure that allowed students to learn in those areas at which they excelled as well as broadening their knowledge in other areas as well. Magnet schools have recently made their way into more urban areas as a way to diminish the issue of transportation for students in these areas, promote more diversity, and improve scholastic standards.A Comparison of Traditional Science Pedagogy to Active Learning ExperiencesJarrett BroadieSponsor: Dr. Leslie S. Jones, Department of Biology, Department of Initial Teacher Preparation and ServicesPeople tend to teach the way the way they were taught, and as a biology major about to begin teaching high school, I would have been very likely to lecture. Since 1995, TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) has highlighted the disappointing performance of U.S. students (https://nces.ed.gov/timss/). Our traditional science education exemplifies the didactic or lecture-based approach, leaving students disinterested and unmotivated. Thus, science educators have introduced a variety of reforms as they look for better ways to teach. Inquiry-Oriented pedagogy was designed with the idea that laboratory exercises, interactives, and hands-on learning tools would be motivational when employed as precursors to the delivery of scientific information. This research compares learning experiences of students simultaneously or sequentially taking both traditional lecture and Inquiry-Oriented, Activity-Based science courses taught by the same professor. Analysis of qualitative data obtained in face-to-face interviews revealed student preferences for nontraditional learning experiences. Students comment that inquiry orientation improves their experiences, by removing immobile, passive notetaking and replacing it with an exploratory perspective and active learning. After conducting this research, even though I understand that this teaching style involves more effort, I am convinced that employing it will make me a better biology teacher.54'