Enhancing the Teaching of Project-Based Science

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The aim of this proposal is to use project-based science as a vehicle to improve science teaching and learning so that students will become more knowledgeable, thoughtful, and motivated to learn science. The staff of the project will work collaboratively with upper elementary and middle school teachers to meld the theoretical and research based knowledge of university faculty with the professional teaching knowledge of teachers. Because of an interest in the problems and potential of project-based science for different types of students, half of the participating teachers will be drawn from schools which service a substantial number of low-income, minority, and high risk groups. The project will result in the development and dissemination of a variety of enhancement materials for teachers who want to use project-based science instruction. These support materials will be based on the detailed accounts of problems that teachers face and the solutions they devise as they implement project-based science. They will include central components of successful project design and implementation such as illustrations of key events like introducing the project and instructional strategies in the life cycle of a project. The materials will be expressed through a range of media from written documents to a computer-based hypermedia project support environment that will allow the teachers to search and use information to implement, modify and generate projects.