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Information Technology in Science

Information Technology in Science Center for Teaching and Learning (ITS)

Changing the relationships among scientists, educational researchers, and teachers

The Information Technology in Science (ITS) Center for Teaching and Learning is a partnership between the College of Science and TLAC Department of the College of Education at Texas A&M University. The National Science Foundation established the center in October 2000 (the only one in Texas) through a grant that was developed and administered by the Texas Engineering Experiment Station. It offers an interdisciplinary graduate program that seeks to replenish the nation's supply of science and mathematics education specialists through team-led, learner-centered opportunities involving scientists, mathematicians, education researchers and education practitioners.

The ITS Center has three goals:

Production of education specialists through a program of study focused on the interaction between scientists and mathematicians, education researchers and education practitioners.
Creation of new knowledge through research on the impact of information technology on learning and teaching science and mathematics.
Development and dissemination of quality professional growth experiences structured around the impact of information technology on learning and teaching science and mathematics.

The mission of the ITS Center is to fundamentally change the culture and relationships among scientists, educational researchers and teachers by engaging them in the use of information technology to learn about:

how science is done;
how science is taught and learned;
how science learning can be assessed;
and how scholarly networks between scientists, educational researchers, teachers and students can be developed.

Led by scientists and educators, the management team is comprised of distinguished faculty and researchers at Texas A&M University. It includes colleagues from the life, physical and earth sciences and education, as well as a prominent national advisory committee. The ITS Center promotes the concept of a team experience. The Center features researchers, educators, master teachers and students from a vast array of disciplines collaborating on the use of information technology to transfer current science research into the classroom.

Other key partners involved in the ITS Center include the Charles A. Dana Center, University of Texas; Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi; the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History; the Rural Systemic Initiatives in Texas; and the various NSF urban systemic initiatives and programs in Texas.

The research conducted by the ITS Center, including published articles and working paper by faculty and graduate students, is presented to the public for review (http://its.tamu.edu). The center functions as a source of information pertinent to science and education faculty, school administrators, teachers, and parents and is available in the form of practitioner research, research-to-practice notes and related publications.

The ITS Center offers several different options for those interested in the Science Education Specialist Program, including a certificate program and a degree program, unique to individual educational interests. Because of NSF funding, ITS Center participants benefit from a variety of financial support that is dependent upon their level of involvement with the program.

For more information about the Information Technology in Science (ITS) Center for Teaching and Learning, visit http://its.tamu.edu or contact Dr. Cathy Loving at cloving@tamu.edu.