Los Alamos Women in Science
Northern Chapter of the New Mexico Network for
Women in Science and Engineering

LUNCHTIME TALK SERIES
 
Thursday, January 18, 2001
11:30 am - 1:30 pm, Otowi cafeteria side room C, LANL

TALK at 12:00:
Joanne R. Wendelberger, TSA-1, LANL
Assessment of Year-Round-School and Other Educational Issues

ABSTRACT

In the search for improvement of educational opportunities, well-meaning individuals and groups often seek to implement changes in local school districts. Some current and recent examples of topics that have been discussed and/or implemented in the Los Alamos Public School District include year-round-schools, changes in the mathematics curriculum, common planning time, block scheduling, grade centers, and homework clubs.

Before implementing such changes, it is important that these issues be examined carefully for their impact on students, families, teachers, administrators, and the community at large. While both anecdotal and quantitative evidence from other communities is often interesting and may help identify issues that need to be considered, this type of information may not be directly applicable to the local population.

In this seminar, statistical reasoning tools will be introduced to facilitate scientific evaluation of educational issues. The focus will be primarily on simple, structured thinking processes and awareness of assumptions required to support the use of more sophisticated statistical survey and test methods.

Joanne Wendelberger has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Economics from Oberlin College and Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Statistics from the University of Wisconsin. She has worked as a statistical consultant to the General Motors Research Laboratories and is currently a staff member in the Statistical Sciences Group at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dr. Wendelberger's experience in the educational field includes serving as a math and science instructor in the Upward Bound Program for minority and low-income high school students, as a college-level teaching assistant in remedial mathematics, and as a former board member and president of Little Forest Playschool. Dr. Wendelberger has 3 children, ages 12, 8, and 6, and is active in her local community as a classroom helper, girl scout co-leader, soccer coach, and gymnastics school parent volunteer.

See also the LunchTalk by Laura Crotzer on January 16, giving an alternate view on this important topic for parents of school-age children.

Nonmembers Welcome!  

Sideroom C is reserved from 11:30 to 1:30 for people who like to eat earlier or later, and informal discussion. You are welcome to come for just the talk at noon, and questions are encouraged!

For driving directions to Otowi Cafeteria (TA-3, building 261) at LANL, see: http://www.lanl.gov/tools/maps
(direct link to map showing the Otowi Building: http://nis-www.lanl.gov/cgi-bin/wthi?ta=3&bldg=261).

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LAWIS Lunch-Time Talk Organizer: Robi Mulford, mulford@lanl.gov, 667-7909
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