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<font face="Palatino">Tim Zimmerman<font face="Palatino">, </font>Visiting
Assistant Professor of Cognition and Education<br>
CS WEDNESDAY NOON TALK, March 12 in the ASH Lobby<br>
<br>
"Making the case for better non-formal educator preparation"<br>
<br>
Abstract: Considerable time, energy, and research funding is
expended on preparing K-12 teachers for their role as educators in
our compulsory, “formal” classroom-based educational system. Yet
these are not the only educators we encounter throughout our
lives. Rob Semper, Executive Associate Director at the
Exploratorium museum in San Francisco, often cites the statistic
that we spend 10% of our lives in “formal” educational settings.
Of course, as he notes, this means we spend 90% of our lives not
in “formal” educational settings, often interacting with people in
educator roles such as museum docents, tour guides, environmental
educators, and natural and cultural resource interpreters. And
yet, few of these educators have taken courses in learning theory
or pedagogical practice. I argue that providing theoretical
grounding and pedagogical practice for non-formal educators is
crucial to improving learning that happens outside classroom
walls. In this interactive talk, we’ll explore examples,
collaboratively generate connections to ideas in cognitive
science, and consider the role Hampshire College can play in this
important arena.<br>
<br>
Biographical: Timothy (Tim) D. Zimmerman received a B.S. in
biology and marine biology from the University of Massachusetts,
Dartmouth, an M.S. in marine biology from the College of
Charleston, and a Ph.D. in science education from the University
of California, Berkeley. He researches ocean and environmental
science learning in non-school contexts (museums, outdoors, etc.)
and its relationship to environmental decision-making. Tim
combines qualitative, quantitative and design-based research
methodologies to study learners as they move across
informal-formal learning context boundaries. When not in the
office, you can find him exploring outdoors, hiking with his
partner and daughter, rock climbing or making beer at home.<br>
<br>
In The ASH Lobby <br>
A light lunch will be available at noon</font><br>
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Paula Harmon, Administrative Assistant <br>
<div class="moz-signature"><small> School of Cognitive Science <br>
Hampshire College<br>
893 West Street Amherst, MA 01002 <br>
phone: 413.559.5502 <br>
fax: 413.559.5438 <br>
<a href="http://cs.hampshire.edu">http://cs.hampshire.edu</a></small>
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