Illinois Mathematics & Science Partnerships Comprehensive Needs Assessment Illinois State Board of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education is coordinating opportunities for K-12 mathematics & science teachers to expand their own content expertise in mathematics, sciences & engineering through the NCLB Title II, Part B Program. Your assistance in providing insight into the professional development needs of Illinois teachers will be most helpful in the designs of the Illinois Mathematics & Science Partnerships that will be funded in Illinois. The following statements associated with content & teaching needs were taken from the Illinois Content Area Standards. Your anonymity is assured; you will only need to include your current grade level teaching assignment, county of your school, years of experience, & listing of endorsements. This survey is being administered by the Public Opinion Lab & e-Learning at Northern Illinois University.

Please rate the items below from 1 (lowest priority) to 4 (highest priority), according to your own interests for inclusion in your own professional development for your certificate renewal plans. Response Key   1 Lowest Priority   2   3   4 Highest Priority     Professional Development Needs to Improve Teachers CONTENT Knowledge   Mathematics: I would like to focus on:         1     2     3     4     a.  Knowledge & sense of numbers   b.  Knowledge & application of measurement   c.  Knowledge & sense of algebra   d.  Knowledge & application of geometry   e.  Knowledge & application of probability, descriptive & inferential statistics   Mathematics & Science: I would like to focus on:         1     2     3     4     a.  Knowledge of the process of reading & how to teach reading in the content areas of mathematics & science.   Science: I would like to focus on:         1     2     3     4     a.  Knowledge & application of scientific inquiry   b.  Knowledge of the concepts, principles & processes of technological design   c.  Knowledge & application of the concepts that explain the cell, molecular basis of heredity, & biological evolution   d.  Knowledge & application of the concepts that describe how living things interact with each other & with their environment   e.  Knowledge of the nature & properties of energy in its various forms, & the processes by which energy is exchanged and/or transformed   f.  Knowledge & application of the concepts that describe force and motion & the principles that explain them   g.  Knowledge of the dynamic nature of the Earth resulting from natural processes   h.  Knowledge & application of concepts that explain the composition, structure of, & changes in the universe & Earth’s place in it   i.  Knowledge & application of accepted practices & implications of science in contemporary & historical contexts   j.  Knowledge of the interaction among science, technology & society   k.  Knowledge of the major unifying concepts of all sciences and how these concepts relate to other disciplines   Professional Development Needs to Improve Teachers Core Teaching Knowledge   I would like to focus on:         1     2     3     4     a.  Understanding how individuals grow, develop, learn, provide learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.   b.  Understanding how students differ in their approaches to learning & creating instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.   c.  Understanding instructional planning & designs instruction based upon knowledge of the discipline, students, the community & curriculum goals.   d.  Applying an understanding of individual & group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, & self-motivation.   e.  Understanding & using a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.   f.  Using knowledge of effective written, verbal, nonverbal, & visual communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, & supportive interaction in the classroom.   g.  Understanding various formal & informal assessment strategies & using them to support the continuous development of all students.   h.  Understanding the role of the community in education & developing & maintaining collaborative relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, & the community to support student learning & well-being.   i.  Being a more reflective practitioner who continually evaluates how choices & actions affect students, parents, & other professionals in the learning community & actively seeks opportunities to grow professionally.   Technology Integration:         1     2     3     4     a.  Using appropriate instruments, electronic equipment, computers and networks to access information, process ideas & communicate results. Please answer the items below to help us better understand the needs of educators in various areas in the State of Illinois. What choice below best describes your current content assignment? Science     Math     Both     Other     Please check all grades below that you teach on a regular basis. Kindergarten 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th     6th     7th     8th     9th     10th     11th     12th     Please check all current endorsements you hold. Secondary Mathematics     Biology     Chemistry     Earth & Space Science     Environmental Science     Physics     Early Childhood     Elementary     K - 9     How much money do you spend out of your own pocket each year for classroom math materials? None     Up to $50     $50 - $99     $100 - $149     $150 - $199     $200 - $249     $250 - $499     $500 or more     How much money do you spend out of your own pocket each year for classroom science materials? None     Up to $50     $50 - $99     $100 - $149     $150 - $199     $200 - $249     $250 - $499     $500 or more     How much money do you spend out of your own pocket each year for math professional development? None     Up to $100     $100 - $199     $200 - $299     $300 - $399     $400 - $499     $500 or more     How much money do you spend out of your own pocket each year for science professional development? None     Up to $100     $100 - $199     $200 - $299     $300 - $399     $400 - $499     $500 or more     Years of teaching experience: This is my 1st year     1 - 5     6 - 10     11 - 15     16 - 20     21 - 25     26 - 30     31 - 35     More than 35     Select the county your school is located in: A thru G Select Adams Alexander Bond Boone Brown Bureau Calhoun Carroll Cass Champaign Christian Clark Clay Clinton Coles Cook, Chicago only Cook, other than Chicago Crawford Cumberland DeKalb DeWitt Douglas DuPage Edgar Edwards Effingham Fayette Ford Franklin Fulton Gallatin Greene Grundy H thru M Select Hamilton Hancock Hardin Henderson Henry Iroquois Jackson Jasper Jefferson Jersey JoDaviess Johnson Kane Kankakee Kendall Knox Lake LaSalle Lawrence Lee Livingston Logan Macon Macoupin Madison Marion Marshall Mason Massac McDonough McHenry McLean Menard Mercer Monroe Montgomery Morgan Moultrie O thru W Select Ogle Peoria Perry Piatt Pike Pope Pulaski Putnam Randolph Richland Rock Island Saline Sangamon Schuyler Scott Shelby St. Clair Stark Stephenson Tazewell Union Vermilion Wabash Warren Washington Wayne White Whiteside Will Williamson Winnebago Woodford

Important: Please review your answers before clicking the Submit button. You will not be able to change your answers once your questionnaire has been submitted.

Administered by the Public Opinion Lab and eLearning Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois For questions regarding this survey, contact p20@niu.edu