Sylvia Oliver

Health Research and Education
Program Models for Enriching K-16 Science, Math, and Technology Education

Students working in a laboratory

Washington State University Spokane CityLab focuses on three areas of research from which program models have been developed. An elementary science enrichment model has been designed to increase teacher understanding of the nature of science and the inclusion of inquiry tenets into their programs. Preliminary research on the elementary model indicates an after school enrichment program results in enhanced student interest in science and greater teacher understanding of, and experience with, inquiry teaching approaches. CityLab is now seeking support to expand the program to underserved populations (e.g., rural American Indian communities) to determine efficacy of a dissemination model and long-term impact of this type of professional development for elementary teachers.

A high school inquiry inclusion model has been developed to assist faculty in implementing education innovations. This model focuses on inquiry teaching strategies and assessment design. The model implements content-focused research topics (e.g., cancer research), to prepare high school biology teachers to effectively deliver information to students about cancer biology, adolescent risk factors, and current cancer research. The hypothesis is that teachers will gain the content knowledge and inquiry teaching skills needed to infuse information about cancer and related laboratory investigations throughout their year-long biology courses. This model is also being used to develop an education program for adolescent substance abuse.

A community college transition model assists science and math faculty in implementing inquiry teaching strategies, with special focus on programs for pre-service education students. CityLab is developing programs to evaluate inquiry-focused professional development programs for community college science teachers to improve the quality of science instruction for students articulating from two-year to four-year institutions.

Contact Information
Sylvia Oliver, Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Health Research and Education Center

Washington State University, Spokane
PO Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495

Telephone: 509-358-7635
E-mail: olivers@wsu.edu

Health and Life Sciences

Sylvia Oliver

Dr. Sylvia Oliver received her doctorate in genetics and cell biology from Washington State University and conducted research on the early stages of breast cancer prior to her appointment as director of laboratory operations on the WSU Spokane campus. Currently, she is assistant director of the Health Research and Education Center (HREC) at WSU Spokane; an adjunct faculty member in the Science, Math, Engineering, and Education Center (SMEEC) at WSU Pullman; and director of WSU Spokane CityLab. Under Dr. Oliver’s direction, CityLab has received nearly $650,000 in private, state, and federal support. The program has directly served hundreds of teachers, and has directly and indirectly benefited thousands of students throughout the U.S. and Canada. Dr. Oliver is also co-founder of a biotechnology company, Bio-OriGyn, that develops biomedical products to enhance cell function. She holds eleven patents through the company.

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