Building on 5 years of experience...
...with the Master of Chemistry Education Program (MCEP), a collaborative initiative of the School of Arts and Sciences Department of Chemistry and the Graduate School of Education initiated in 2000, the Master of Integrated Science Education (MISEP) was developed as a new masters degree program for middle grades science teachers in the Penn Science Teacher Institute (Penn STI). The MISEP, a new collaborative initiative of the School of Arts and Sciences Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Mathematics, and Physics & Astronomy and the Graduate School of Education was offered for the first time in summer 2005. New cohorts were accepted through Spring 2009. NO NEW Cohorts are being accepted at this time.
Features common to both degree programs were...
... the goals of increasing the content knowledge of science teachers, changing the teaching and learning methodologies used in science classrooms to research-based promising pedagogical practices, and enabling each participant to become a science education teacher-leader in their school or district. Of course the overriding goal is to increase the interest in and learning of science by all students.
… the program structure of 10 courses in MISEP, 8 of which are science content and 2 of which are science education, with each course specifically designed for middle grades (5 - 9) science teachers. Course Descriptions.
… course completion typically done over 26 months -- 3 consecutive summers and the two intervening academic years. Examples of Class Schedules are found here.
… the additional degree requirements of an electronic portfolio (web site) allowing each participant to demonstrate their growth and change as a learner, a teacher and a leader; a comprehensive content examination after the completion of the ten courses; and as for all Penn master's degrees, a written research paper which for the MISE degree is a Capstone Project; typically completed in time for a December degree.
… cohort classes of 20 teachers that begin the MISEP each June. However, as of Spring 2009, NO NEW cohorts are being accepted.
… the philosophy of “No Teacher Left Behind” by providing accessibility to the MISEP courses through lower Penn graduate tuition rates and scholarships, and for Core Partner district teachers, additionally providing stipends and parking permits. Program Costs links to further information.