“I believe with all my heart that we need to start with our young people.”
-Barb Fritz, Biology Faculty at Anoka-Ramsey Community College

Biology faculty members of Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s (ARCC) Cambridge Campus illustrate how the college can integrate and collaborate with the communities in East Central Minnesota by assisting K-12 teachers with science instruction.

“They (biology faculty) could just stay inside their classrooms but this group has a passion for science,” says Dana Irgens, ARCC Director of Academic Planning and Program Development. “They continually show how important teaching and learning is to them.”

The group that Irgens refers to includes Instructors Phil Anderson, Barb Fritz, Mary Januschka and Brad Wold. This group has formulated new ideas and taken action to meet community outreach/collaboration goals set by the college’s strategic plan.

Science Workshops for Elementary Teachers
Fritz and Anderson teamed up last spring to propose an initiative to college administrators that provided an opportunity for college instructors and elementary teachers to collaborate. The main focus of the proposal was to emphasize the incorporation of scientific inquiry and critical thinking into their curricula. Teachers are revising curriculum to focus more strongly on scientific inquiry in the elementary classroom and receive a $500 stipend.

“We understand the pressure that teachers are under,” says Fritz. “They are pressed for time and state standards have demanded a focus on reading and math. Now that the state has added a science requirement, training in the area of inquiry and critical thinking will help to prepare and meet the state standards.”

A strategic initiative proposal committee and President Pat Johns of Anoka-Ramsey Community College accepted the proposal and chose to fund the collaboration project. Participating teachers are practicing inquiry and focusing on the history and nature of science in collaborative workshops at the Cambridge Campus. Teachers are revising curriculum to focus more strongly on scientific inquiry in the elementary classroom and a $500 stipend.

Elementary teachers from three area schools have already participated in two workshops and third is scheduled for January. The participating schools include, Isanti Intermediate School, the School for All Seasons, and Cambridge Elementary School.

“The teachers who took part in the science workshops with Barb and Phil are now in contact with the college faculty, asking questions, finding ways to be more effective with the science instruction time that they have,” says Mark Ziebarth, Principal of Isanti Intermediate School. “I have noticed more students outside, taking samples. It’s good to see science taking a hands-on approach.”

The workshops are operating at capacity and feedback has been positive. Mary Januschka has joined Barb Fritz and Phil Anderson and the three of them are involved in site visits at area schools, and designing workshops including a summer workshop offering so more teachers may participate.

Mentors in Action
Another example of community collaboration is the college’s Concurrent Enrollment program which allows high school students to take college courses at their high school. These courses are taught by qualified high school faculty who work with college faculty as mentors.

This fall, Centennial High School, Circle Pines, is offering a college-level environmental science course taught by Rich Bragg. To get a taste of the college experience, ARCC Biology faculty invited the 30 enrolled students to the Cambridge Campus for a tour and field-learning opportunity at the Spirit River Nature Area and trail system.

“Students really enjoyed it,” says Bragg. “Seeing the aquatic and prairie eco systems fit perfectly into our textbook instruction. The hands-on learning makes the greatest impact and we don’t have those opportunities here. The professors that took the time to show the students around were very informative. I hope to do it again next year!”

Other high schools that partner with ARCC to offer Concurrent Enrollment courses are Annandale, Cambridge-Isanti, Chisago Lakes, Fridley, Kimball Area, North Branch, Princeton and Rush City. Concurrent Enrollment courses are currently offered in the following disciplines: art; biology; economics; English; math; music; physics; political science; psychology; sociology; Spanish and speech.

For more information on Concurrent Enrollment contact Dana Irgens at 763.433.1822 or email. If you would like more information about the collaboration project, contact Barb Fritz at 763.433.1804 or email. A web site featuring the collaboration project is currently being constructed.