Mission

The mission of the Christopher Newport University Institute for Science Education (CISE) is to:

• improve the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM disciplines) in all of Hampton Roads;
• develop and promote engaging and interactive ways to introduce and inspire students to pursue careers requiring expertise in the STEM disciplines;
• advance pedagogical research in the STEM disciplines;
• enhance the public’s understanding of science, mathematics and technology and demonstrate their relevance to everyday life.

What's new...

• Randy Caton will offer a one-day Middle School Mathematics and Physical Science Modeling and Simulation Workshop in Virginia Beach with Sharon Bowers on April 11, 2008.
• CISE will partner with NASA to offer an Earth Day event on Saturday, April 26, 2008.
• CISE will offer Camp Invention from 9:00 - 3:30 during the week of June 23-27 for elementary school children. Get a PDF flyer with more imformation and instructions on how to enroll.
• CISE was awarded a Math Science Partnership Grant from the State of Virginia (PEESS) to increase the subject matter knowledge and teaching skills of elementary science teachers.
• PI Dr. Rebecca Wheeler of the English Department at CNU and co-PI Dr. Raj Chaudhury of CISE were awarded a grant from the Virginia State Council for Higher Education to bring together middle school teachers of English and Science to apply Code Switching techniques to students' vernacular grammar and to use Technology Enhanced Learning of Science online units to provide a content, rich, inquiry based curriculum where students write about the science they are learning.
• Drs. Riedl and Flores of the PCSE Department are mentors for the Menchville High School FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics team.
• Current CISE projects include the PEESS and TELES grants from the State of Virginia, FIRST mentoring, iPod educational video production, kinesthetic learning and Squeak educational etoys development.
• CISE has submitted several science education proposals to NSF.