Science for Every Elementary School Child: The Ball State University/Ft. Wayne Plan

这一领导活动项目将提高韦恩堡地区80名K-5年级公立和私立学校教师的科学能力和教学能力。该项目的主要目标包括开发和评估一个模式，以提高一个学区内所有正规小学教师教授科学的质量和数量。教师教育将在调查性背景下进行；教师在将研究性科学活动纳入自己的教室时将得到咨询支持；随后，带头教师将在自己的大楼内与其他教师合作，并进入韦恩堡社区学校系统和路德教会私立学校系统的36所小学的所有教室。一支由两名优秀教师组成的团队，一名来自K-3年级，一名来自4-5年级，将成为每所学校改进科学教学的催化剂。该项目基于需求评估、试点研究和科学教育文献中的建议。该模式包括大量的成本分担以及与合作校区、大学和当地行业的伙伴关系。领导团队包括科学家、科学教育工作者和学校管理人员。该模式包括制定和支持计划和方案，旨在使该项目的成果在国家科学基金的资助期过后保持不变。此外，还在制定全面记录和传播成果的计划。该项目包括涉及科学和课程开发方面的学术工作的暑期活动，以及在这些暑期活动的基础上开展的一系列整个学年的活动。该模式还包括为管理人员与其学校的教师合作举办的特别讲习班。

This Leadership Activities project will increase the science and the teaching competence of 80 public and private school teachers of grades K-5 in the Fort Wayne area. The project's principal goals include developing and assessing a model for increasing the quality and quantity of science taught by all regular elementary school teachers within a school district. The teacher education will occur within an investigative context; the teachers will receive support in consultation while they incorporate investigative science activities in their own classrooms; subsequently the lead teachers will work with the other teachers within their buildings and reach into all classrooms in the 36 elementary schools in the Fort Wayne community school system and in the Lutheran private school system. A team of 2 excellent teachers, one from grades K-3 and one from grades 4-5, will serve as catalysts for the improvement of science teaching within each school. The project is based upon a needs assessment, pilot study, and recommendations from the science education literature. The model includes significant cost sharing and partnerships with the cooperating school district, the university, and local industry. The leadership team includes scientists, science educators, and school administrators. The model includes the development and support of plans and programs designed to sustain the results of this project well beyond the period of funding from NSF. Plans are also underway for thorough documentation and the dissemination of results. The project includes summer activities involving academic work in science and in curriculum development and a series of activities throughout the academic year that build upon these summer activities. The model also includes special workshops conducted for administrators working with the teachers in their schools.