Professional Development Opportunities for Educators ... and Learning Opportunities for Illinois' Students!
Purpose
The Center for the Advancement and Renewal of Learning and Teaching in Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (The Center @ IMSA) serves teachers and school systems through professional development programs, and provides mathematics and science enrichment programs for Illinois students.
Background
Through the strong efforts of Governor James Thompson and Nobel Laureate Dr. Leon Lederman, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® was established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1985. IMSA has two legislative charges ... to offer a uniquely challenging education for Illinois students in grades 10-12 talented in the areas of mathematics and science... and to serve the school system of the State of Illinois as a catalyst and laboratory for the advancement of teaching.
IMSA began serving Illinois school systems in the early 1990s through The Center for Problem-Based Learning. In 1997, another center was created at IMSA, The Center for Collaborative Inquiry in Mathematics and Science, to support statewide professional development in mathematics and science. In 1999, these two entities merged to form The Center @ IMSA which serves thousands of students and teachers throughout Illinois and beyond.
Why Does The Center @ IMSA Exist?
Illinois is only one of fourteen states in the United States to boast a premier institution for advanced study in mathematics, science, and technology, serving secondary school students in its residential program and Illinois teachers and elementary and middle school students in its external program.
Through our work with IMSA students and faculty and our partnerships with preeminent scientific and educational institutions, we are able to unite the best knowledge of how people learn with input from the greatest minds in mathematics, science and technology. All this helps to make Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® a leader and exemplar in mathematics and science teaching and learning; we focus on enabling learners to acquire, generate, and use knowledge for the world.
But if all of this knowledge that we are acquiring about teaching and learning mathematics and science was not shared throughout Illinois and beyond, IMSA would not be satisfying its promise nor its possibilities for all teachers and students of our state. That is why The Center @ IMSA exists—to share instructional models and mathematics and science programs that inspire teachers and students and have practical applications for Illinois classrooms.
How We Serve the Teachers of Illinois
For almost as long as there has been an IMSA, we have been sharing what we are learning with other educators. Our work with teachers and school districts focuses on professional development in mathematics, science, and technology curriculum., instructional methods, standards alignment, and measurement of results. Teacher programs are held in the Tellabs Studio for Professional Development on the IMSA campus, at locations throughout Illinois, and online.
Our Team...
- Helps district teams of educators to select materials and create standards-based curriculum and assessments that will match the needs of their students and schools.
- Creates and supports networks of educators who share a commitment to improving science, mathematics and technology literacy.
- Exposes teachers to some of the top minds in mathematics, science, the arts and humanities through dialogs with national and international thought leaders.
- Teaches and supports systemic professional development by working with a critical mass of teachers in a school district over time.
- Guides teachers from Illinois and beyond in acquiring skills in Problem-Based Learning, an educational approach that organizes curriculum and instruction around carefully crafted problems about real-world issues; learners gather and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines in their quest for solutions.
- Helps teachers, school librarians, and learners of all ages to use tools that maximize what the World Wide Web has to offer and to effectively evaluate the information they find.
How We Serve the Students of Illinois
The Center @ IMSA helps Illinois students to discover the joys of learning mathematics and science so they can develop their potential as thoughtful inquirers and responsible stewards of the world's resources. Programs help students consider careers in engineering, computer technology, scientific research, medicine, and other fields. Student programs include Saturday and after-school enrichment programs, and Summer@IMSA.
Become a Partner with IMSA
The Center @ IMSA is always looking for individual, school, district, and corporate and organizational partners to help support our work throughout Illinois and beyond. To discuss how to get involved in any of our grant projects, contracts, events at IMSA, or to be placed on our mailing list, please email the center@imsa.edu or call Kristin Ciesemier at 630-907-5950.
Contact information
email: center@imsa.edu
phone:
630-907-5950
fax: 630-907-5918