An Experimental Teacher Education Program in Elementary Science

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The University of Wyoming will implement a new teacher preparation program for prospective elementary teachers in the state. A major feature of this project will be the development of three new sequential, five-hour, introductory science courses that will be required for elementary education majors and appropriate for other nonscience majors. These courses will be developed by teams of scientists from the biology, chemistry, physics, and geology departments around integrating themes. Many of the accompanying laboratory experiments in each course will use a learning cycle approach. Other features of the new program are seminars for the preservice elementary teachers on teaching methodology that will focus on cooperative learning and the learning cycle approach, and early and continuous field experiences. By scheduling the field experiences and seminars concurrently with the science courses, prospective teachers will be given the opportunity to adapt the science presented in the introductory science courses to the teaching of science in the elementary schools. The project also includes workshops for preparing mentor teachers who will use both cooperative learning and the learning cycle approach in their elementary school classrooms, and who will be observed by the prospective teachers during their early field experiences. The University of Wyoming will participate in sharing 13.5% of the cost of the project.