PRCST

Pittsburgh Regional Center for Science Teachers

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The Pittsburgh Regional Center for Science Teachers (PRCST) is a non-profit educational outreach for the School of Education, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Instruction and Learning, and has provided educators, administrators and others with exciting resources and professional development opportunities for twenty five years.

The Pittsburgh Regional Center for Science Teachers (PRCST) professional development focus is on using the instructional strategy "STS by Green Design" to enhance teachers' ability to address multiple standards in one teaching lesson/plan. A special summer institute and complementary workshops throughout the year are open to area teachers and administrators.

The Pittsburgh Regional Center for Science Teachers (PRCST) was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization in 1983-4 dedicated to providing support for area teachers of science, mathematics, and technology through professional development opportunities.

These professional development opportunities have been mainly to help K-12 teachers enable their students to meet the academic standards by:

Deepening content knowledge in the academic areas of science, mathematics, social studies, and language arts (also linkage to humanities and economics).
Building access and skills in the integration of existing materials and human resources. Expanding knowledge of and connections to valuable resources.
Providing knowledge and skills development in the utilization of technology:

Information technology
Laboratory technology and skills
Geology – mapping, GPS

Integrating current learning theory and best teaching practices into models of instructional strategies.
Alignment of classroom work with the standards and assessment anchors through knowledge and practice.
Building ACT 48 Hours opportunities.

For 25 years, PRCST has provided a broad range of programs for educators in the western Pennsylvania area: special topic workshops, skills training, seminars, Science-Technology-Society (STS) Symposia, and programs funded through specific grants. A recent successful program is "Environment and Health: A Systems Approach," an interdisciplinary program tested in area classrooms for three years. Special topic areas include the obesity crisis, air quality, (especially fine particulates), water quality, and climate change. Appropriate resources are provided and, in recent years, programs have been linked to the PA NASA Educator Resource Center, located at the University of Pittsburgh and directed by Jane Konrad. All programs are designed to bring results directly into classrooms through professional development opportunities for teachers - the agents of change - and to help teachers improve their teaching strategies.

PRCST was an initial affiliate of the Triangle Coalition for Science & Technology, and Konrad served on the Board of Directors for many years, chairing development of a successful Volunteer Project and serving on writing committees for Triangle publications.

Jane Konrad, Executive Director
konrad@pitt.edu
Phone: (412) 648-7315
Fax: (412) 648-7081

University of Pittsburgh
5512 Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260