Saint Martin’s professors receive $78,000 grant to improve math, science
learning in Southwest Washington
Sept. 9, 2005
Lacey – The faculty of Saint Martin’s University
will be working to improve math and science education in four
disadvantaged Washington school districts, with the help of a $78,000
grant from the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Three Saint Martin’s professors will present several
workshops for teachers in the Boistfort and Pe Ell school districts of
Lewis County and the Raymond and South Bend school districts of Pacific
County. The workshops will help elementary and high school teachers
better understand Washington State academic standards for math and
present some methods to help struggling math students, said Saint
Martin’s education Professor Huabin Chen, Ph.D.
Chen said the State provided names of school
districts with fewer resources to help teachers with additional
training.
The workshops also will give participants a chance
to brush up on their math teaching skills, as well as teach some new
ways to use technology in the classroom. Last year, the state awarded
the Saint Martin’s education division almost $88,000 to give similar
workshops in the Hoquiam, Ocosta and Taholah school districts in Grays
Harbor.
Saint Martin’s professors participating in this
program are:
- Huabin Chen, who will be the program
director. A Saint Martin’s faculty member since 1994 and a two-time
nominee for the university’s outstanding faculty award, Chen is director
of education technology programs at the university. He helped write a
$12 million grant for the Olympia School District and a $1.7 million
grant for The Evergreen State College. Chen has a doctorate in
science/environment education from Indiana University.
- Lee Mohler, Ph.D., who will be teaching at
four intensive workshops for high school teachers next summer. Mohler is
a semi-retired Saint Martin’s mathematics professor. He received his
doctorate in mathematics from the University of Oregon.
- Cynthia Petersen, Ph.D., who help teach
workshops and participate in regular monthly meetings with teachers. A
Saint Martin’s professor since 1993, Petersen was the recipient of the
2004 outstanding faculty award and has some 15 years experience in the
special education field. She earned a doctorate in organization,
leadership and multicultural education from the University of San
Francisco.
Saint Martin’s is an independent, Roman Catholic
coeducational college founded by the Benedictine Order. About 1,100
students are enrolled on its main campus and about 600 more in programs
at the college’s extension campuses at Fort Lewis Army Post, McChord Air
Force Base and Olympic College.
Huabin Chen, Ph.D.
Education professor, director of technology
360-438-4344; hchen@stmartin.edu
John DeWeese
Assistant media coordinator
360-486-8857;
jdeweese@stmartin.edu