Teachers as Research Partners: Testing A Problem-Solving Curriculum Model that Integrates Mathematics and Science

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This proposal seeks to bridge educational research and classroom practice through the establishment of collaborative partnerships among university educational researchers and practicing middle school classroom science teachers. Expected results include (a) enhancing the expertise and professionalism of middle school science teachers in the state of Texas, and (b) producing a field- tested model for the development and integrated mathematics and science problem-solving curricula. There are three major objectives of the project: (1) to plan, design, execute, and evaluate a project that develops and enhances teachers' abilities to teach science; (2) to design, filed test and revise a prototype of a model for the development of middle school problem-solving curricula; and (3) to evaluate the model's effectiveness in answering research questions that pertain to the teaching and learning of science. Texas teachers will be involved at two levels. Three master teachers specifically chosen because of their areas of expertise in mathematics, science, and computers, will collaboratively execute all aspects of the project, including workshop teaching to other teachers and collaborative research with university researchers; and 30 pilot teachers, chosen from a pool of teachers throughout the state of Texas, who will receive instruction, write and field test the prototype, and assist in the research activities of the project. The significant of the project is that it provides a mechanism for interpreting research data and their cognitive worth within the context of good science teaching. Cost sharing is equivalent to 2.0% of the NSF award.