aop1.lablearner.comArchdiocese of Philadelphia | Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Current Program Proposal Components – Additional LabLearner Schools – Online Professional Development – LabLearner Connect – Exploration21 – Neurocognitive Enrichment – Assessment and Continuous Improvement More – A Metric World – Building STEM – Neuropedagogy – Donors Select Page LabLearner in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Welcome to LabLearner’s website devoted to building and improving STEM and STREAM education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Philadelphia currently has 39 labLearner schools. That number has grown quickly since the first LabLearner lab was introduced into the Diocese in 2016. LabLearner is a 100% hands-on complete science curriculum with over a decade and a half of success in hundreds of schools across the country. LabLearner is very closely correlated to the new NY State P-12 Science Standards. For those not familiar with LabLearner, a great amount of program detail is available on our main website lablearner.com . Now that there is a critical mass of LabLearner schools established over the past several years, the Diocese of Brooklyn administration has asked us for our recommendations/proposal for further developing the Diocese of Brooklyn into a nationally recognize leader in STEM/STREAM education over the next several years. We are happy to do so and have developed this website to guide stakeholders through understanding the approach that we propose to take in accomplishing this laudable goal. A schematic representation of our proposal is depicted in the illustration below: In short, there are six major components of the proposal: 1. Additional LabLearner Schools , 2. Online Professional Development, 3. LabLearner Connect , 4. Exploration21 , 5. Neurocognitive Enrichment , and 6. Assessment and Continuous Improvement . Each of these major components of our proposal are explored in further detail in specific sections under theheading of Proposal Components , and are summarized briefly below: 1. Additional LabLearner Schools Only about half of the Diocese of Brooklyn elementary schools currently have the LabLearner program. This section proposes the rollout of LabLearner into the remaining schools over a three-year period. 2. Online Professional Development This section proposes a mechanism for building a very strong and comprehensive STEM program by providing online professional development for all LabLearner teachers over a period of three years. During this roll-out, emphasis will be placed on Science integration (year one), math integration (year two), and finally technology and engineering integration (year three). 3. LabLearner Connect LabLearner Connect is an innovative program whereby individual LabLearner school labs may be digitally connected through a simple telecommunications protocol. LabLearner labs across the Diocese and across the country can work together in real time! The telecommunications portal will also permit various other aspects of distance learning, teacher professional development and other digital opportunities, while building students’ technological experience and skills. 4. Exploration21 Exploration21 is a LabLearner program that has been used for nearly a decade as a ninth grade high school class. Exploration21 is completely digital. All content is online. All data is collected digitally using state of the art wireless scientific probes such as digital microscopes, motion detectors, force detectors, thermometer, spectrophotometers directly into laptop computers or Chromebooks. All homework, student-teacher and student-student communications are conducted digitally as well. 5. Neurocognitive Enrichment LabLearner scientists and neurocognitive faculty collaborators at the Penn State College of Medicine have developed age-appropriate one to two week units utilizing existing LabLearner labs to train students in aspects of neuroscience that are directly applicable to their ongoing learning and development in all academic areas. 6. Assessment and Continuous Improvement This aspect of the proposal is foundational to all of the other components. Accurate and ongoing assessment, both programmatic assessment and individual student assessment, is of vital importance if we wish to build the best STEM education possible. Continuous improvement paradigms have been the engine that drives innovation and progress in business operations across the entire spectrum of modern practice. Many of the same principles and practices used in continuous improvement strategies in other domains will be applied in the Diocese of Brooklyn to achieve the best possible results from STEM education initiatives as well. Sustainability Nationwide, LabLearner schools have proven to be highly sustainable with remarkable program loyalty and retention rates. Ongoing annual costs for the LabLearner program are minimal and mainly include student lab books and minor materials replenishment. Minimal maintenance costs were designed into the LabLearner program from its inception. Sustainable annual costs and comprehensive customer service are two of the many reasons LabLearner enjoys long-lasting relationships with its schools. Of the hundreds of LabLearner schools installed over the past 16 years, only a small handful have discontinued the program – less than 5 percent! Therefore, a striking majority of schools have stuck with LabLearner through many cycles of curriculum review. Consequently, not only has LabLearner delivered on its promise of the highest quality hands-on science instruction available, the system leads to a highly stable and sustainable science and STEM curriculum. As a result, we are proud to say that many tens of thousands of students have taken their valuable LabLearner education benefits into high school science and into their college education and careers! Testimonials Blessed Trinity introduced LabLearner to their students in grades Pre-K to eight over four years ago. This research-based program has definitely changed the overall student opinion of Science. Just a few short years ago; the majority of students did not enjoy Science class. With this hands-on approach our students are interested in Science and eager to learn. Standardized test scores have shown a positive increase in student scores. I strongly believe that this increase is due to the LabLearner program. Linda Milewski, Principal Archdiocese of Philadelphia 2020-03-01T07:51:48+00:00 Linda Milewski, Principal Blessed Trinity introduced LabLearner to their students in grades Pre-K to eight over four years ago. This research-based program has definitely changed the overall student opinion of Science. Just a few short years ago; the majority of students did not enjoy Science class. With this hands-on approach our students are interested in Science and eager to learn. Standardized test scores have shown a positive increase in student scores. I strongly believe that this increase is due to the LabLearner program. https://aop1.lablearner.com/testimonials/48663/ I like science because we do adding more and subtracting stuff out. Emily, Kindergarten Archdiocese of Philadelphia 2020-02-29T01:31:18+00:00 Emily, Kindergarten I like science because we do adding more and subtracting stuff out. https://aop1.lablearner.com/testimonials/48608/ I like pouring stuff into beakers. Gary, Kindergarten Archdiocese of Philadelphia 2020-03-01T08:46:16+00:00 Gary, Kindergarten I like pouring stuff into beakers. https://aop1.lablearner.com/testimonials/48687/ LabLearner makes me feel like a real scientist. Rather than having answers given to me by a teacher or textbook, my lab partners and I run through experimental procedures using real equipment to collect data. After analyzing the data, we discover the answers to questions. It’s the best way to learn! Sasha, Grade 8 Archdiocese of Philadelphia 2020-03-01T08:30:34+00:00 Sasha, Grade 8 LabLearner makes me feel like a real scientist. Rather than having answers given to me by a teacher or textbook, my lab partners and I run...