Redesign of an Earth Science Course for Prospective Teachersto Incorporate Constructivist Theory and Cooperative Learning

一门大学水平的地球科学课程正在重新设计，该课程既招收未来的小学教师，也招收未来的中学科学教师。项目目标是：(1)提高学生对科学，特别是地球科学的理解和欣赏；(2)教授一门课程，使其成为符合州和联邦科学教育标准的良好科学教学的典范。这门重新设计的课程强调建构主义的实践活动，在小型合作小组中进行，把学生——而不是教师——放在关注的中心。它要求对几个重要话题有深入的理解，而不是对许多术语和事实的肤浅记忆。重新设计的课程整合了地球科学的各个分支学科，并强调了统一所有科学的基本主题。该课程将科学与学生的日常生活联系起来，并融入科学史，揭示科学是人类而非外星人的努力。最后，评估要尽可能“真实”，测试真正有价值的东西，而不仅仅是容易测试的东西。课程创新实施前、实施中、实施后的课程评价将检验课程创新的成功与否。研究结果将以发表文章、出版活动手册和教师研讨会的形式在会议上提出。

9455371 Bykerk-Kauffman A college-level Earth Science course, that enrolls both prospective elementary school teachers and prospective secondary school science teachers, is being redesigned. Project goals are: (1) to increase student understanding and appreciation of science in general and the earth sciences in particular; and, (2) to teach a course that serves as a model of good science teaching aligned with the state and federal science education standards. This redesigned course emphasizes constructivist hands-on activities, conducted in small cooperative groups, placing students--not instructors--at the center of attention. It demands depth of understanding of a few important topics, not superficial memorization of many terms and facts. The redesigned course integrates the various sub disciplines within the earth sciences and emphasizes the underlying themes that unite all sciences. The course connects science with students' everyday lives and incorporates the history of science, revealing science as a human, not alien, endeavor. Finally, assessment is as "authentic" as possible, testing what is truly valued, not just what is easy to test. Evaluation of the course before, during and after the implementation of the innovations will test the success of course innovations. Results will be presented at conferences, as published articles, as a published activity manual, and in faculty workshops.