Eileen O'connor, Ph
Eileen O'Connor, Ph.D.
I. Education
1994-1997State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany
Ph.D., Educational Theory and Practice; Curriculum, Instruction and Design; Instructional Technology and Science Education; Dissertation Topic : Students' Use of Atomic and Molecular Models In Learning Chemistry; Distinguished Dissertation Award
1976-1981Polytechnic University of New York (formerly Polytechnic Institute of N.Y.)
M.S., Civil Engineering/Environmental Health Science; Minor in Management
1965-1969The College of New Rochelle
B. A., Biology Major, Chemistry Minor
II. Employment
July 2004 – present: Empire State College (ESC) (State University of New York) / Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) ; Assistant Professor (see section IV for details on courses taught, beginning on page 4)
Responsibilities include: developing and implementing teacher education, pedagogy, science-education, and science-content courses within this alternative certification graduate program in New York State; developing and maintaining working partnerships with high-needs schools; admitting students in conjunction with partner school districts; developing and using technology and telecommunication to network ESC MAT students and partner school districts; supporting ESC MAT students in their initial two years of teaching – both through courses and observation visits and through online supports; developing a web portal (funded through the “Transitions to Teaching” grant from the Department of Education) for teacher education, school partnerships; working with ESC MAT faculty throughout New York State in collaborative, distance relationships; developing a course in field meteorology that will use a weather station and data probes to generate projects that would have K12 applications (will serve as a pilot for similar technology/science projects in chemistry, biology, and physics).
Research focus: What personal and institutional supports create the development of effective teachers in high-needs schools? What incremental steps are needed for new science teachers to personally embrace and promote effective uses of technology in their classrooms?
2001- June 2004 Interactive Learning Solutions: Director of Professional Development and Online Programs. (see section V for details on institutes and workshops conducted, beginning on page 8)
Developed instructional programs and supported a number of professional-development and school-improvement endeavors in the New York State Capital Region, including: the technology-and-science focused professional development of teachers at the Thomas O’Brien Academy of Science and Technology, a magnet school within the Albany City School District (provided over a two-year time span); a program for mathematics / science teachers that began with NYS test item analysis and then engaged teachers in a dialog about assessment results, instructional improvement and needed professional development; mathematics institutes with follow-up year-wide support for several school districts that exposed teachers to research-based, student-centered approaches to mathematics emphasizing the creation of explore mathematical relevance within the local school environment and culture; online technology skills development with classroom-integration project development that were delivered to school districts and/or licensed to districts for their own implementation (PowerPoint, Word, Access, Excel, FrontPage, Excel for Statistics); online professional development program of an extensive program for middle school mathematics for the Questar BOCES; the design of a mathematics tutoring program for the Questar BOCES that used an innovative combination of in-person inquiry mathematics activities and virtual mathematics communities.
Supported materials development for a Local Systemic Change Initiative – “Assessment in the Service of Standards-Based Science;” this K12 science education program in the NY Capital Region is developed by University at Albany and funded by the National Science Foundation.
1999 – 2001 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education (CIPCE) -- Assistant Director (see section IV page 6 for details)
Responsibilities included: instruction of K12 teachers on the use of technology for facilitating student-centered learning (in K12 schools, in workshops, and in online instruction); development of an online in-service teacher-education program – program development included: instructional design, content creation, online instructional-material development, delineation of the qualifications for future online course mentors, and the definition and implementation of the technology infrastructure for these courses; instruction of K12 administrators in educational uses of spreadsheets for understanding student-performance data; development of technology-in-learning proposals for K12 school-districts and education programs.
Summer 1999, 2000, 2001 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – Masters of Natural Science Education
Faculty Member teaching the Introduction to Technology in the Master’s program that involves high-school science and mathematics teachers in a collaborative inquiry-based program of technology curriculum-development centered around the Internet, application programs and computer-based labs.
Spring 1999 RPI / Troy-Riverfront Consortium
In-school technology consultant who helped elementary school teachers and their students integrate technology into instruction and learning. Worked in Elementary School 2 in Troy.
1997-presentState University of New York, Albany; Adjunct & Part-Time Faculty (see section IV for details on courses taught)
Adjunct / Part-time Faculty - graduate and undergraduate courses: Educational Telecommunications (online course through the SUNY Learning Network (SLN)); Teaching of an Academic Discipline: Science; Computers in Mathematics and Science; Spreadsheets in the Analysis of Classroom Data; Teachers in Context (taught both online and in-person); Teaching and Learning (focused on the education psychology aspects of instruction across all K12 discipline areas); Research Methods for the Education; Research Seminar (online course through the SLN)
1998-2002 National Science Foundation (NSF) Program Evaluator (external evaluator) for several higher-education NSF programs:
The STEMTEC (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Teacher Education Consortium) project in western Massachusetts. The STEMTEC program supported higher education faculty in their efforts to incorporate newer education theories into their classroom instruction. The program evaluation involved interviewing higher education faculty and participating in meetings and planning sessions with the Principal Investigators to provide formative and summative evaluations of their project.
The Activity Based Physics Institutes. These summer institutes, conducted by college faculty, used instructional technologies and data-gathering probes to help K12 physics teachers learn more interactive ways to deliver physics instruction. The formative and summative program evaluation involved observing selected institute sessions and analyzing participant projects.
Fall 1997-Dec 1998State University of New York, College at Oneonta -- Faculty Member (see section IV page 6 for details on courses taugh)
Science Education/ Instructional Technology; Student-Teaching Supervisor; Student teacher placement coordinator; Technology-planning participant; Contributor to accreditation planning (National Council of Accreditation for Teacher Education; NCATE) - (temporary position)
1993-1996State University of New York, University at Albany – Teaching Assistant
Various assistantship positions while pursuing Ph.D.: teaching assistant, research assistant (reasoning in science assessment with Drs. Champagne and Kouba); student advisor, admissions advisor, clinical supervisor of student teachers
1991- 1997 The College of St. Rose, Albany, NY – Adjunct Faculty (see section IV for details on courses taught, beginning on page 6)
Adjunct Faculty in courses that included: Introduction to Computers and Application Software; Web Site and Multi-Media Development; General Chemistry Laboratory; Methods of Teaching Science: Secondary
1981-1989IBM Corporation
Corporate contract negotiator: government, science, industry, education – negotiated agreements between the Legal, Business Practices, and Marketing functions in IBM to create contract proposals to IBM large customers
Financial analyst – developed strategic and operational programs to support the staffing and administration of PC direct order centers throughout the country
Technical marketing representative – sold computer and analytical laboratory equipment to IBM customers in the Metropolitan New York area
Marketing programs administrator – developed marketing programs, national seminars, training workshops and promotional and technical brochures that announced IBM
products to its sales forces and its customers
Technical writer – wrote technical manuals that explained the use of IBM computers and analytical lab equipment
1979-1981Technicon Instruments Inc.
Analytical instrumentation instructor – trained Technicon customers on the operation of their laboratory equipment; developed instructional materials and technical documents
Applications chemist – developed application methods that customize Technicon’s laboratory equipment to the needs of its customers
1975-1979Department of Labs and Research, Westchester County
Environmental chemist – tested drinking and waste water in Westchester County, NY
1969-1970St. Ignatius Elementary School, Montana
Fourth grade teacher and K-8 science teacher – taught in the elementary school environment, working with the Native American population in St. Ignatius
Community services coordinator – worked with the youth programs in the school and the community in St. Ignatius
III. Technology Competencies:
Microsoft Office Suite – advanced levels in PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Access
Mathematics / scientific instrumentation: Davis weather station, data probes and computer interface, graphing calculators
Web development and illustration – Dreamweaver, Flash, FrontPage; Adobe Photoshop; Illustrator
Course management software: WebCT, Lotus Notes, SUNY Learning Network, CourseSpace,
IV. Experience
Academic Positions / Courses Taught
(approximately chronological; overlap because teaching in several schools in some semesters)
State University of New York: Empire State College (2004 – present) : Assistant Professor: developed and taught the courses listed below:
State University of New York: Empire State College – Content Course: Earth Science: Topics in Field Meteorology (under development; online course slated for May 2006) Designing a science-content course that will engage students in a student-selected meteorology focus and in the development of a data-gathering, technology-enabled field meteorology study. Students will be required to work collaboratively through the online media with students in other parts of the state. Included among the expected outcomes will be the generation of a weather data project that could have later K12 classroom applications. Use of a variety of resources (from data gathered directly to data gathered through Internet sources to data gathered from the GLOBE project) will be required. This course will be a pilot test for an online, project-focused, data-gathering science approach. After this course has been evaluated and improved, the intention is to bring this model to other areas of science (chemistry, biology, physics, other topics in earth science) in future years. (Initial findings will be presented at the CIT 2006; more information in section V)
State University of New York: Empire State College – Teaching and Curriculum: Science (an online course taught in conjunction with Mentored Teaching (explained below)) Designed, developed, and taught a course that guided science teachers during their actual first semester of teaching in high-needs urban classroom. Teachers created a reference-based one-week in-depth unit then conducted this unit in their classrooms, analyzing the test results, interviewing students, and reflecting of the instructional outcome. A science technology lesson was developed and the classroom results were analyzed. Online discussion allowed this cohort group to provide collegial support during this induction experience.
State University of New York: Empire State College – Mentored Teaching (a blended course – both online and face-to-face) taught in conjunction with Teaching and Curriculum (explained above)) Designed, developed, and taught a course that followed and supported teachers into their first semester in high-needs school districts. This course included: five classroom observation of each student (by O’Connor) and readings and discussions (online and face-to-face) about emerging issues facing new teachers in their classrooms. The course closed with an interview debriefing of each student about their first semester classroom experience.
State University of New York: Empire State College - Teaching and Learning. (a blended course – both online and face-to-face) Designed, developed, and taught a course that guided pre-service mathematics, science, and language teachers through an analysis of the NYS Learning Standards in their discipline, the development of a well-sequenced, standards-based unit attendant to essential questions, proper instructional planning and educational psychology, an analysis of the relevant NYS assessment, and an initial development plan for classroom management. This course was associated with classroom observations that were submitted and discussed online.
State University of New York, University at Albany. (Spring 1998 – present). Adjunct / lecturer: Graduate program in the Department of Education, Educational Theory and Practice. Courses are listed below:
State University of New York, University at Albany – Educational Computing in the Mathematics and Science Classroom. Designed, developed, and taught a curriculum that covers both the development of instructional materials using computer technology and the discussion of strategic issues surrounding access, implementation, educational standards, and funding for computer technology. Students use educational sites on Internet and develop Web pages, spreadsheets, databases, and presentations that support their instructional objectives. Students are encouraged to continue to grow and to innovate with technology in the classroom. (1998 – present)
State University of New York, University at Albany – Learning in the Academic Disciplines. Designed, developed, and taught a curriculum that engaged students from all academic disciplines in a study of teaching and learning; using educational psychology and standards-based content from each discipline the class worked both independently and collectively to create more effective instruction. (2004)
State University of New York, University at Albany – Teachers in Context. (both online and in-person) In the online version of this course, taught a curriculum that was developed by Dr. Audrey Champagne and that used readings, discussions, and field experiences to have students examine the history, sociology, philosophy, and organizational structure of schools and school districts. In the in-person version, the work of Dr. Champagne was adapted and taught a style to be resonant with this modality. (2002-2004)
State University of New York, University at Albany - The SUNY Learning Network: online graduate course: Research Seminar. Developed online curriculum, instructional objectives and interactions, and conducted the course on ways to develop, conduct, and evaluate educational research. A “theoretical” research project was designed by students as a part of this course. Basic educational statistics were addressed with students examining data using spreadsheets. (2003). Conducted the in-person version of the course, Educational Research, in fall 2002.
State University of New York, University at Albany - The SUNY Learning Network: online graduate course in Educational Telecommunications and Design. Developed curriculum, instructional materials, course objectives and content. Conducted the course during the spring semester 1999; course continued to be conducted by other faculty after 1999.
State University of New York, University at Albany. (Summer 1996). Spreadsheets in the Analysis of Classroom Data. Co-taught the class with a professor in educational statistics. Designed and developed the curriculum and material for the spreadsheets component of the course. Instructed students on the use of spreadsheets in the evaluation and analysis of educational statistics.
State University of New York, College at Oneonta. (Fall 1997-December 1998). Faculty: Science education and instructional technology faculty member. Provided curriculum development and instruction in chemistry, science methods, and instructional technology. Additional responsibilities include: Education program review and modification towards SUNY Oneonta's achieving accreditation through the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE); strategic involvement in the campus technology planning (including membership in two technology steering committees); student advisement; student-teacher placement; and student-teacher supervision, training and coordination. Developed print materials for student-teacher placement and supervision, and Web sites for class materials and for the electronic submission of student-teacher requests. Solicited and secured a grant for a computer pilot-program in science education (where students had the use of a laptop computer during the semester) and a fellowship to develop service-learning projects with Oneonta and local K-12 schools (in these service learning projects, students used the laptop computers). Developed grant proposals for a distance-learning graduate program and for teacher-education networks.
Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Masters in Natural Science Education. Introduction to Technology for Science and Mathematics Teachers (Summer 1999, 2000, 2001). Developed curriculum, technology materials, course objectives and content. Conducted the course during the summer semester. Thirty K12 educators from schools around the United States and beyond were involved in this innovative technology-in-support-of-learning program where they developed collaboratively a virtual math-and-science curriculum. During the process of learning how to bring technology to their students, these teacher participants designed the curriculum, communicating their work through a cohesive and complex web site that adhered to the national science and mathematics standards, promoted student inquiry and communication and encouraged teacher-to-teacher and school-to-school collaboration. Students also worked with spreadsheets, databases and computer-based lab probes. The online work begun this summer will become an ongoing initiative for these teachers during the upcoming K12 academic year, where they will continue to communicate and work together through an electronic collaboration.
State University of New York, University at Albany. (Fall 1996 and Fall 1997 - undergraduate level; Spring 1997 - graduate level). Methods of Science Teaching. Designed and developed a curriculum that integrated the theoretical, scientific, psychological, historical and social foundation of the elementary, middle, and high school science program. Presented science activities and instructional information to the pre-service teachers through lectures, inquiry-type activities, assembling panels of teachers and guest speakers, lesson plan development information, videotaping and critiquing students' lesson plan presentations, workshops with the NYSTEP program and EPA Project WILD program, field trips to the NY State Museum in Albany, and "hands on" computer activities. (Also was the teaching assistant for this course in 1993-96.)