2008 Awards Program Sponsors
Carolina Biological Supply - sponsor for
Award I & Award V
Delta Education - sponsor for
Award IV
Frey Scientific - sponsor for Award
II
ASTE Member Awards:
ASTE makes available three awards, Awards I, II, and III outlined below that recognize the personal achievements and professional contributions of its members. For each award, an ASTE member who is cognizant of the qualifications of the nominee may make the nomination. The nominator should inform the nominee about the award nomination, and nominators must follow guidelines in preparing nomination materials. The responsibility for the preparation of documentary evidence rests with the nominator. The nominator should compile the documentary evidence, convert it to pdf files, and post to a Web site by June 15th for eligibility (notifying the Awards Chair of the URL), for the award to be considered in the following year. If the nominator does not have access to electronic posting, all files should be sent as pdf files to the ASTE Awards Chair, by June 15th, in order for the nomination to be considered. On the ASTE Web site we post the purpose of each award, the recognition provided, the details of eligibility, and the scoring criteria. It is important that all stated criteria be specifically addressed in the nominating letter. The supporting letters should address the criteria with which each supporter is familiar. For each award, the ASTE Awards Committee makes the selection based on an overall and categorical point system. The judging criteria are shown below.
Award I (Two Levels) - Outstanding Science Teacher Educator of the Year.
The purpose of these two awards (Level One: Ten or Fewer Years in Science Education, and Level Two: 10+ Years of Career) is to recognize the individual achievements and contributions of persons in their first ten years of career and those beyond ten years. Each Award I recipient receives a plaque, $1,000 cash award
provided by Carolina Biological Supply, and a tribute in the awards issue of the Journal of Science Teacher Education. Documentation may include, but is not limited to, the following types of information: competency in teaching, development of science teacher education programs, research activities, science curricula development, leadership in science education, and leadership outside of science education. At a minimum, nominators should post electronically the following: nomination cover letter, nominee's vita, and letters of support from three colleagues. The nominator must send the URL to ASTE Awards Chair, Dr. Penny J. Gilmer at gilmer@chem.fsu.edu by the June 15th deadline. If the nominator does not have access to electronic posting, all files should be sent as pdf files to the ASTE Awards Chair, by June 15th, in order for the nomination to be considered.
Score sheet criteria for Award I, Level I
Score sheet criteria for Award I, Level II
Award II - Outstanding
This award honors and encourages ASTE members who support and encourage pre-service and in-service science teachers and/or new science teacher educators entering the profession. It also seeks to recognize the valuable contributions of mentors to the profession of science teacher education. Recognition comes in the form of a plaque, $1,000 cash award
provided by Frey Scientific
and a tribute in the awards issue of the Journal of Science Teacher Education.
Outstanding mentor's accomplishments in contributing to the professional development of science teachers and teacher educators are evidenced by: assisting in the application of research to practice in science teaching; encouraging participation in professional associations related to science teaching; encouraging contributions to the knowledge base of science teacher educators; and providing opportunities for their professional growth. Recommended documentation includes, but is not limited to: a) letters of support from mentees fully explaining why the nominated mentor should receive the award; b) conference participation (e.g., co-presenting with new inductees); c) other forms of professional development (i.e., new course development, in-service workshops, demonstrated initiatives in working with science teachers, etc.); and d) letters of support from colleagues. At a minimum, nominators should electronically post the following: nomination cover letter, nominee's vita, and letters of support from three colleagues. The nominator must send the URL to the ASTE Awards Chair, Dr. Penny J. Gilmer at gilmer@chem.fsu.edu by the June 15th deadline. If the nominator does not have access to electronic posting, all files should be sent as pdf files to the ASTE Awards Chair, by June 15th, in order for the nomination to be considered.
Score sheet criteria for Award II
Award III - Honorary Emeritus Membership.
Election as an Honorary Emeritus Member is the highest recognition within the power of ASTE to confer. Any science educator who is retired (or is in the last year of his/her career) who has demonstrated a distinguished career in teaching, research, and service to ASTE and in the area of education of teachers in science is eligible for this award.
Nominations for Honorary Emeritus Membership shall be proposed in writing by at least ten active ASTE members supported by appropriate biographical information including the nominee's curriculum vita. The nominator should electronically post the nomination letter and the supporting letters and send the URL to the ASTE Awards Chair, Dr. Penny J. Gilmer at gilmer@chem.fsu.edu by the June 15th deadline. Upon recommendation of the Awards Committee, the Chair will forward the results to the Board of Directors. Nominees, upon receiving endorsement of three-fourths of the Board of Directors voting, shall be declared elected. No more than five individuals will be elected to Honorary Emeritus status in a single year. In recognition of this honor, the dues of Honorary Emeritus members shall be waived, all rights and privileges of an active member shall be maintained, a plaque will be presented at the Annual ASTE Meeting, and a tribute will be printed in the awards issue of the Journal of Science Teacher Education.
Score sheet criteria for Award III
Award IV – Innovation in Teaching
Science Teachers.
This award seeks to encourage the development and
dissemination of new designs for courses and curricula, new instructional
methods or approaches, and other types of innovations in the pre- or in-service
education of teachers of science. Papers may deal with practices for the
preparation of elementary, middle school, or secondary teachers. A cash award of
$1,000 is made possible by
Delta Education. The ASTE Awards Committee
bases its selection of the award-winning paper on evidence of effectiveness,
clarity of communication, research/theory base, possibility for
replication/expansion, and response to recognized weaknesses.
Score sheet criteria for Award IV
Award V – Implications of Research
for Educational Practice.
Papers submitted for this award should identify a persistent and recurring problem in the practice of science teacher education. The paper should develop strategies to resolve the problem based upon a comprehensive synthesis of relevant research that interprets theory and research for practice. A cash award of $1,000 is made possible by Carolina Biological Supply Company. Papers will be judged on the problem, rationale, documentation, synthesis, implications, and quality of writing.
Score sheet criteria for Award V