Deaf Culture & Science Instruction: A Web Site and a Wiki Dr. Chad E. Smith

Agenda  Introduction  Basis for the Web Site & Wiki  Deaf Scientist Corner: A Web Site & Wiki  Video-based Science Experiences Dr. Chad E. Smith 2 Oliver Heaviside

Need for Deaf Culture in Science Work of Dr. Harry Lang, et. al through publications such as COMETS Silence of the Spheres Deaf Persons in the Arts & Sciences Silence of the Spheres Deaf Persons in the Arts & Sciences Each of these references is readily available to those with college-level reading abilities. Dr. Chad E. Smith 3 Sir John Warcup Cornforth

Basis for the Web Site & Wiki Deaf Persons in the Arts & Sciences By Harry Lang & Bonnie Meath-Lang 151  Biographies of 151 Deaf / Hard of Hearing Adults  Written on a college reading grade level  Limited numbers of images  Appropriate for post-high school population Dr. Chad E. Smith 4 Ruth Benedict

Cultural Issues in Science A variety of cultural issues can be addressed with science courses:  Most of the scientists were not culturally Deaf  Each scientist had a personal perspective on his/her hearing status as related to his/her work  Some viewed being deaf as a positive, and others as a negative Dr. Chad E. Smith 5 Annie Jump Cannon

Cultural Issues in Science Cultural Issues in Science (cont.)  Many faced discrimination because of their deafness and/or gender [Benedict, Leavitt]  First deaf president of two hearing universities came from the pool of scientists [Barnard]  Some were homeschooled due to being labeled ‘dumb’ or ‘unable’ at school [Edison, Tsiolkovsky]  Two have earned the Nobel Prize [Nicolle, Cornforth] Dr. Chad E. Smith 6 Harold Conn

Educational Issues in Science  A variety of educational issues can be addressed with science courses: teachers of the deafinterpreters  Remind students that many of the scientists worked without teachers of the deaf or interpreters  Web site provides links to schools for the deaf and colleges / universities worldwide that scientists attended  Scientific fields are not limited to 2 or 3 subject areas Dr. Chad E. Smith 7 Robert Weitbrecht

Deaf Scientist Corner Web Site What is it? A collection of interactive biographies of famous Deaf scientists Why was it created? Teach multiple science content areas Emphasize that Deaf students can obtain careers in science Motivate student to pursue science endeavors Dr. Chad E. Smith 8 Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Dr. Chad E. Smith 9 The Web Site Homepage

Why a need for such a site?  Currently no accessible, credible detailed biographies available online for K-12 students  Most biographies written on a grade reading level above where our students read  Little to no multimedia content available to clarify content Dr. Chad E. Smith 10 © Nobelprize.org Henri Nicolle

Web Site Features  Themed icons to indicate subject area  Search by subject or scientist  35 scientists  3 rd to 6 th grade reading level Dr. Chad E. Smith 11 Frederick Barnard

Reading Grade Level Scientists were impressed by him. However, he was poor so he decided to get a job. He started teaching math. He had a lot of ideas for creating a flying machine but he didn’t have the money to make it. He dreamed about flying into space. He dreamed that people would live on other planets. He wrote about his dreams in books. He would even put bugs in little boxes and attach them to kites so they could fly. mathbugs Dr. Chad E. Smith 12 Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Henrietta Swan Leavitt

Web site features (cont.) Visual Support Elements Throughout: Pictures Sign Videos Content Videos Hyperlinks Dr. Chad E. Smith 13 Charles Bonnet

Visual Support Examples Visual support was used to enhance the experience and try to help students better understand each scientist. Dr. Chad E. Smith 14Pictures Schools for the Deaf Universities Example: Schools for the Deaf Universities Example: Frederick BarnardFrederick Barnard Sign Videos Difficult Words Science Vocabulary Sign Vocabulary Example: Example: microscopemicroscope Hyperlinks Educational Experiences Elaboration on topics Citing electronic property Example: Example: TsiolkovskyTsiolkovsky George Dougherty

The Experience Students will be able to actively experience the discoveries of the Deaf scientists found within the Web site. Gideon Moore: Gideon Moore:BrushiteBrushite Tilly Edinger: Tilly Edinger:Dinosaurs & elements of her youthDinosaurs & elements of her youth Henrietta Swan Leavitt: Henrietta Swan Leavitt:Brightness of starsBrightness of stars Henri Nicolle: Henri Nicolle:Lice & TyphusLice & Typhus Thomas Edison: Thomas Edison:One of his original light bulbsOne of his original light bulbs Dr. Chad E. Smith 15 Tilly Edinger

Suggestions for Using the Site science courses  In science courses to correspond with subject content Deaf Culture  In Deaf Culture courses as educational & scientific role models reading courses  In reading courses, as low reading level / high- interest level content  Use with the wiki to get additional teaching ideas & video experiments Dr. Chad E. Smith 16 Thomas Edison

Deaf Scientist Corner Wiki What is it? A collection of interactive resources by and for teachers of students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing Why was it created? Provide teachers resources for math & science instruction Allow teachers to communicate and share resources Motivational tool for teachers Dr. Chad E. Smith 17 Gustaf Ekeberg

Dr. Chad E. Smith 18 The Wiki Homepage

Why a need for such a wiki?  Currently no online resources available to educators for teaching such content.  Biographies correlated to Texas Science Standards  Video science experiences tied to scientists  Teachers can post suggestions & ideas for teaching the content Dr. Chad E. Smith 19 Leo Lesquereux

What should be posted?  Resource Web sites  Interactive Web sites  Videos demonstrating experiments  TEKS objectives that relate to the scientist  Lesson Plans  STEM content (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)  Cross curricular units that incorporate the scientists and the science Dr. Chad E. Smith 20 Charlotte Angas Scott

Example Resources Available  PowerPoint presentation on earthquakes & plate tectonics PowerPoint presentation  How-to Video on creating invisible ink messagesVideo  Applet demonstrating lunar & solar eclipses Applet  Links to science experiment directions Links  Kid-friendly science concepts explanationsscience concepts explanations  Lesson plan links for teachers Lesson plan  Graphic organizers Graphic organizers Dr. Chad E. Smith 21 Gerald McCarthy

Making a Science Experiment Video  Keep it simple  Identify the file type  Can create videos without students’ faces  Sign and/or caption videos Dr. Chad E. Smith 22 Harry Lang or

Example Video Here is an example video of an experiment that could be done from the wiki: Temperature changes and chemical reactions Dr. Chad E. Smith 23 Olaf Hassel

Where to go from here? Teachers are needed to:  Create additional videos  Join wiki and post resources  Encourage others to join & post  Use the sites and make recommendations Dr. Chad E. Smith 24 Robert Aitken

Web Access Deaf Scientist Corner Deaf Scientist Corner Wiki Dr. Chad E. Smith 25

Additional Web Resources Wikis Signs for school Wiki: We’re currently looking for teachers to participate in a wiki tool that focuses on content-area signs. Dr. Chad E. Smith 26

Contact Information Dr. Chad E. Smith Director of Deaf Education Texas Woman’s University P.O. Box Denton, Texas Dr. Chad E. Smith 27 Contact Information: