Westminster College Announces Summer Teaching Academy

Westminster College and the Grable Foundation of Pittsburgh are sponsoring the third annual Summer Teaching Academy, June 21-24 from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in the Drinko Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning located on the second floor of the McKelvey Campus Center.

Educators can choose from one of three programs in the area of history/social studies, mathematics/computer science, and environmental education. 

Taking a Stand in History is taught by Dr. David Twining, associate professor of history at Westminster College.  This workshop focuses on the History Day 2006 theme, Taking a Stand in History.  "We will use traditional historical accounts, primary documents, film, and literature to explore this theme," Twining said.  "We will focus on 20th century heroes such as Churchill, Roosevelt, Gandhi, Mandela, and King, attempting to understand the roles that these individuals played in changing the course of history in the recent past."

Wild and Wet Environmental Education is taught by Dr. Patrick Krantz, assistant professor of education at Westminster College, and facilitators from the Pennsylvania Departments of Education and Conservation and Natural Resources.  Project WILD and Project WET, two nationally recognized-environmental education programs, are the focus of this workshop.  "Project WILD uses wildlife issues to explore a broad range of conservation and natural resources topics, and Project WET focuses on water quality and watershed management issues," Krantz said.  "Both curricula include resources and activities that may be incorporated into all subjects areas from grades K-12," Krantz said.  "We will also explore recycling at Westminster's Outdoor Laboratory, and visit an acid mine remediation site."

Discrete Mathematics is taught by Westminster College faculty Dr. Warren Hickman, professor of mathematics, and Dr. John Bonomo, associate professor of computer science.  This workshop will focus on selected discrete mathematics topics suitable for high school and possibly middle school instruction. The material covered will be mostly applied in nature, but more abstract mathematical concepts will be considered as well. Potential topics include modeling systems with recurrent relations, basic combinatorics and probability, modeling with graphs and trees, Boolean algebra and basic circuit design, analysis of algorithms, and basic proof techniques. The exact topics covered will depend upon the interests of both the instructors and workshop participants.

Registrations are due by Monday, May 30, and the $100 fee is payable by June 13.  Contact Dr. Samuel Farmerie, professor of education emeritus, at (724) 946-7053 or e-mail farmersa@westminter.edu for more information.

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