Irina Lyublinskaya, an Associate Professor of Education, and a former co-director of the College’s Discovery Institute, has recently received a Vernier & NSTA Technology Award in recognition of her innovative use of data-collection technology in the science classroom.
Lyublinskaya received the award, which is co-sponsored by Vernier, a producer of software and technology for math and science teachers, and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), at the NSTA national convention in Boston.
According to Lyublinskaya, her winning project attempted to “develop and implement a set of inquiry-based lab activities that address core [National Science Education Standards] and integrate science and data collection technology with mathematics. Another goal of the project was to develop pre-service elementary teachers’ confidence in teaching science and mathematics and to impact their perspectives and attitudes toward using calculator data collection technology.”
“I feel honored,” says Lyublinskaya. “I have developed these lab activities, used them with my pre-service students and also used them in local elementary schools with 4th grade students, and both groups really enjoyed them. The award assured me that these are good materials. This type of award brings recognition not only to me personally, but to all educators who are like me, working hard to create new materials, to take risk in trying new approaches in teaching, and it feels good to be told ‘you are on a right track, keep doing what you are doing’. [It gives] you energy and motivation to continue.”
Lyublinskaya received $1,000 in cash, $1,000 in expenses to attend the national NSTA convention, and $1,000 in Vernier products. According to the NSTA, “[a] total of seven awards are presented: one award at the elementary level (grades K–5); two awards at the middle level (grades 6–8); three awards at the high school level (grades 9–12); one award at the college level.
Associate Professor Kenneth Gold, Chairperson of the CSI Department of Education, comments, “Irina Lyublinskaya’s award is well deserved. She has an international reputation for innovative use of technology to teach mathematics and science. She has a tremendous publication record on this subject and she works closely with current and future teachers on incorporating technology into their classrooms. She is one of several education professors at CSI whose teaching and scholarship focuses on technology and learning.”
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