Support Program for Instructional Competency in Astronomy (Project SPICA)

天文学教学能力支持计划(SPICA)项目为对教授天文学感兴趣的教师提出了一个统一的国家支持计划，通过为期四周的密集暑期学校，每年培养一支由32名专家高中教师组成的骨干队伍，为期三年。这些机构将为参与者提供各种必要的经验，让他们为准备不足的小学、初中和高中教师举办短期研讨会。该项目遵循美国物理教师协会建立的物理教师资源代理计划的模式。在暑期研究所，与会者将听取那些参与当前光学、无线电和X射线研究、建造下一代观测仪器以及开发指导未来天体物理研究进程的理论模型的科学家的演讲。教师也将能够与这些科学家进行非正式的交谈。参与者将使用光学和射电望远镜进行工作。教师将接受最新科学教育方法的培训，并将亲身体验之前由STAR项目、劳伦斯科学馆和教育发展中心开发的各种天文教育材料。他们将学习如何最有效地与那些在他们自己的年级以外的级别授课的人合作。这些专家教师将以“变革推动者”的身份回到他们的家乡学校。他们将在参加工作坊后的三年内，在自己的家乡举办地方、地区和区域天文教育工作坊。该项目不仅将评估学院参与者的经验，还将评估他们的研讨会的有效性以及由此对学生学习和态度的影响。该机构将分担该项目的费用，约占国家科学基金会要求的34%。

The Support Program for Instructional Competence in Astronomy (SPICA) project proposes a unified, national support program for teachers interested in teaching astronomy by developing a cadre of 32 expert high school teachers each year for three years through intensive summer institutes each of four-week duration. The institutes will provide the participants with a variety of experiences necessary for the participants to give short workshops to less well-prepared elementary, junior high and high school teachers. This project follows the model established by American Association of Physics Teachers as the Physics Teacher Resource Agent program. At the summer institutes, the participants will hear presentations from those scientists who are involved with current optical, radio and x-ray research, building the next generation of observational instruments, and developing the theoretical models which will direct the course of future astrophysical research. Teachers will be able to talk with these scientists informally as well. Participants will work with optical and radio telescopes. Teachers will be trained in the latest science education methods and will have hands- on experience with a wide range of astronomy education materials previously developed under Project STAR, the Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Education Development Center. They will learn how to most effectively work with those who teach at grade levels other than their own. These expert teachers will return to their home schools as "agents-of-change." They will conduct local, area and regional astronomy education workshops in their home areas during the three years following their workshop participation. The project will evaluate not only the institute participants' experiences, but the effectiveness of their workshops and the resultant impact on student learning and attitudes. The institution will cost-share the project in an amount which represents about 34% of the National Science Foundation request.