At Bridgewater State University (BSU), Outreach Education is central to the strategic initiatives in the STEM disciplines. The Chemistry Department has developed and piloted an “Open Lab Night” as a Professional Development (PD) opportunity for middle and high school educators.  The goal is to help build long-term partnerships between regional STEM teachers, and students and faculty in the BSU chemistry department.  In June 2016, a group of 14 STEM teachers (13 high school and 1 middle school) were immersed in a research laboratory experience in the BSU chemistry labs.  Following a discussion on lab safety, the teachers were divided into two chemistry labs, where they worked collaboratively on Project-Based Learning experiments in green chemistry and instrumental environmental analysis.  The teachers collaborated in solving problems, had hands-on access to teaching and research equipment, and were able to network with BSU faculty, students and each other.  Each teacher received a certificate for 6 hours of professional development. Two BSU faculty served as project leaders, and three BSU chemistry students served as “teaching assistants” who worked with the teachers and guided them through the experiments.  The teachers completed an informal questionnaire to determine their expectations and outcomes, frequency of future workshops, and the type of PD activities that would be most beneficial to them. The teachers and project team continued discussions over dinner, and compared notes on the “lives of science educators”.  The participants gave the program an overall evaluation of 4.8/5, and unanimously responded that they would return for future PD opportunities, and bring their colleagues.  This project was supported by the BSU Department of Chemistry and a grant from the BSU Center for the Advancement of STEM Education.

Chemistry open lab night as professional development for middle school and high school educators

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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