Press Releases

CONTACT: Janice B. Zenter, 207-326-2256

MMA Holds Summer Institute for AP Chemistry and Biology Educators

CASTINE, Maine - Dr. John Barlow, vice president for academic affairs at Maine Maritime Academy (MMA), has announced that the college will offer a Summer Institute for Advanced Placement (AP) educators. Specifically, two courses in the sciences will be taught, both offering Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through the college upon successful completion. Both courses also offer an option for educators to earn two graduate credits through MMA's graduate program.

The programs will include 32 hours of instruction, lab work, and research. Additionally participants will be expected to work approximately 10 hours to complete out-of-class assignments. Instruction in chemistry will occur on the MMA campus in Castine. Instruction in biology will occur on the Schoodic Education Resource Center (SERC) campus at Schoodic Point in Acadia National Park, Winter Harbor. The biology course will be hosted by Acadia Partners for Science and Learning, a non-profit organization that was created by Acadia National Park to manage SERC. Both classes will be taught by Michael Schaab, associate professor of physics at Maine Maritime Academy.

The first course, scheduled for July 5-9, will be held at the Schoodic Education Research Center in Winter Harbor, Maine. Participants will observe and discuss the ecology of tidal communities along the rugged Maine coastline. This one-week intensive study will focus on the organisms and population portion of the AP biology curriculum. The primary concentration will be intertidal ecology with a focus on the description and identification of intertidal organisms, their population dynamics, evolution, and mathematical modeling of these features. The institute is open to all teachers of high school biology seeking to increase their understanding of coastal ecology.

The second course for AP Chemistry, scheduled for July 26-30, will take place on Maine Maritime Academy's campus in Castine. The intensive program will focus on the topics of electrochemistry and coordination compounds. Electrochemistry will focus on the oxidation-reduction reactions involved, balancing half-cell reactions, voltaic and electrochemical cells, and the thermodynamic principles that apply to these types of reactions. The coordination compounds will focus on Lewis acid and base theory, as well as the multitude of applications for these compounds in the AP curriculum.

Both courses provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, teaching practices, and serve as a springboard for the development of a network of collaborating AP Chemistry and AP Biology teachers across the region. Participants will earn 35 contact hours (3.5 CEUs) toward re-certification through Maine Maritime Academy, and an option is available for participants to earn two graduate credits through the college's graduate school.

Complete course overviews, admission, and registration information may be obtained by contacting the respective registrars for each course: AP Chemistry Summer Institute at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, July 26-30, Victoria Blackwood, MMA Department of Continuing Education, 207-326-2211, conted@mma.edu; AP Biology Summer Institute at Schoodic Education Research Center in Winter Harbor, July 5-9, Bill Zoellick, Acadia Partners for Science and Learning, 207-963-2023, bill@acadiapartners.org .Content questions can be directed to Michael Schaab, 207-523-3201, mschaab@mma.edu

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