Project Related:

Educational Resources

  • Teacher Workshops

    Grade: 6-12
    Resource: teacher institute

  • Curricula/Literature

    Grade: 6-12
    Resource: life science curriculum

Caltech-Exploratorium Summer Teacher Institute in the Life Sciences

Grant Code: R25RR020457

Funding Years: 08/01/2005 - 07/31/2010

Institution: Exploratorium

Department:

Address:
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA, 94123-1019

PI:
SHORE, LINDA,
Phone: (415) 561-0313
Fax:
Email: lindas@exploratorium.edu

OTHER CONTACT:
KALUMUCK, KAREN,
Phone: (415) 561-0388
Fax:
Email: karenk@exploratorium.edu

Audience

Middle and high school biology teachers; Caltech graduate biology students.

Subjects Addressed

Science content, current research techniques, and imaging tools associated with life sciences research conducted at Caltech. The project explicitly connects this content to the California State Science Content Standards for middle and high school life science.

Project Description

1. Create a national model for professional development that strengthens teacher knowledge of -cutting edge- biology and its applications to the health sciences and biomedical research. 2. Develop new teaching strategies for integrating current science research content and methodologies into the classroom that use hands-on activities developed by CESTI-LS. 3. Develop the leadership skills and capacities of the participating life science teachers so that they can successfully disseminate what they learn to their colleagues. 4. Strengthen student understanding and appreciation for key concepts, questions, and techniques that are the foundation of modern research in the life sciences. 5. Engage Caltech graduate biology students in working to strengthen life science teaching and learning.

Resources for Sharing

Diverse repertoire of classroom biology activities. CESTI-LS will develop a set of innovative, inquiry-rich classroom activities designed to bring modern biology content and research techniques to the middle and high school science classroom.

Dissemination Strategies

1. Exploratorium web publications and on-line resources. CESTI-LS activities and related education resources will be posted on the Exploratorium web site for broad dissemination. 2. Exploratorium Learning Studio. CESTI-LS activities will be cataloged and made available through the Exploratorium-s Teacher Resource Library. 3. Informal and formal science teacher networks. Dissemination of activities through formal presentations at national and state teacher conferences (NABT, CSTA, NSTA, etc) and within both formal and informal teacher networks that lead teachers will form with their peers.

Abstract

The Exploratorium, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) propose to develop the Caltech-Exploratorium Summer Teacher Institute in the Life Sciences (CESTI-LS) for middle and high school teachers, creating a model national program for integrating cutting-edge biological research in fields such as cellular biology, neurosciences, molecular and developmental biology, and genomics and bioinformatics into the middle and high school life sciences curriculum. CESTI-LS will strengthen teachers' knowledge of advanced life science research and develop new ways to integrate research into the classroom using inquiry-based, hands-on activities developed by the teachers themselves in concert with Exploratorium faculty, Caltech professors, and Caltech graduate students. Ultimately, CESTI-LS will strengthen student understanding of research in the life sciences and biomedical fields, and deepen the public's appreciation of the implications of that research for health and everyday life. The five-year program will be developed and implemented in two phases. The first two years, Phase I, will be devoted to formulating and testing the CESTI-LS professional development curriculum and prototype classroom activities in San Mateo County. During the three-year period of Phase II, the Institutes will be open to teachers nationally. Over the five-year project period, CESTI-LS will support 75 middle and high school teachers in a sequential, in-depth, two-year program totaling some 190 hours of training. The curricula, activities, and teaching tools developed through the CESTI-LS will be incorporated into the Exploratorium's teaching programs, on-line teaching resources, and publications programs; and will be disseminated nationally.

Keywords

teacher, cellular biology, neuroscience, molecular biology, developmental biology, genomic, bioinformatics

View the Poster as presented at the 2006
SEPA Program Director's Conference

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