The Center for Science and Environmental Education (CSEE) was established at Delta State University in 2000 to provide science education and environmental education outreach services by DSU faculty and staff to residents, schools, and other organizations within 19 counties in the northern Mississippi Delta (Bolivar, Carroll, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Leflore, Montgomery, Panola, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica, Washington, and Yazoo). Since its inception, CSEE has served as an important link between scientists and science educators at Delta State University, and K-12 teachers and administrators in the region.
To fulfill this mission, CSEE has been charged with the responsibility of coordinating existing science and environmental education programs offered by DSU and formulating and implementing new programs that address these areas. This will ultimately lead to development of a comprehensive, sustainable support system for improvement of precollege science and environmental education in the Mississippi Delta. Current programming focuses on conducting professional development workshops in science and environmental education for preservice and inservice teachers, providing materials to support science curriculum implementation in K-12 classrooms, and developing environmental field trip opportunities for students.
CSEE facilities including six ponds, a greenhouse, and office/lab building are located on a 10-acre parcel of land north of the Delta State University campus in Cleveland, approximately one-half mile south of Merigold, Mississippi.
History
Development of CSEE was based on the results of a formal needs assessment that was conducted during the 1997-98 academic year. Members of a random sample (stratified by level taught and school location within the Delta) of Mississippi Delta educators who teach science were asked to respond to items on a needs assessment instrument that was designed (1) to provide information regarding the extent of need for an entity such as CSEE, (2) to collect respondents’ perceptions of the existing impediments to hands-on, inquiry-oriented science instruction in Delta schools, (3) to catalog on-going environmental education programs in Delta schools, and (4) to provide an opportunity for respondents to share their ideas about the direction of science and environmental education in the Delta.
Field Trip Opportunities
The CSEE field laboratory in Merigold allows visiting school groups to investigate in a hands-on manner various aspects of wetland ecology. Since collecting and observation equipment such as nets, samplers, viewing boxes, and microscopes are available at CSEE, students have access to tools for performing field-based investigations that focus on utilization of higher order thinking skills. To plan a class field trip, contact CSEE Director Dr. Eric Blackwell at 662-846-4247 or eblackwell@stfpaddington.com
Equipment Loan Program
CSEE maintains equipment and materials suitable for use in the K-12 science classroom. For information about what is available and how to check out materials, contact CSEE Director Dr. Eric Blackwell at 662-846-4247 or eblackwell@stfpaddington.com
Check-out of topic-specific teaching “kits” is not availble at this time.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Joseph Bentley
Center for Science and Environmental Education
Division of Mathematics & Sciences
Delta State University
Cleveland, MS 38733
662-846-4240
jbentley@stfpaddington.com
