HR: 11:35h
AN: ED51D-06 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Evaluation of Teacher Research Programs
AU: * Young, M
EM: jyoung@dakotacom.net
AF: MJ Young & Associates, 55 E. Rudasill Rd., Tucson, AZ 85704 United States
AB: Science education reform advocates students learn science the way it is done. But, few science teachers get the experience of "doing science," so are not well acquainted with scientific inquiry. Several programs for teachers have been conducted that bring teachers into laboratories to work with scientists. Over several years evaluating such projects, (e.g., the Department of Energy Teacher Research Associates Program, Fermilab's QuarkNet program and the National Optical Astronomy Observatories' Teacher Leaders in Research-Based Science Education program) common elements that make the programs successful have emerged. ("Success" means teachers provide students with authentic scientific inquiry experiences.) Common elements include some form of follow-up after the initial research experience, constructive interactions with research scientists, and providing teachers with a global view of how the specific research they are doing fits into a larger picture. Evaluation of these programs has included obtaining multiple perspectives from scientists, teachers and their students, data on classroom implementation, and data on changes in classroom practice as a result of teachers engaging in a research experience. The evaluations provide insight into how best to provide formative and summative feedback for such programs, how scientists can most effectively provide teachers research experiences, and factors that promote transferring knowledge into the classroom to best address science education reform.
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting