Extended Classroom for Enhanced Learning (EXCEL)

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Faculty members in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University (ISU) are establishing an instructional program and a classroom dedicated to bringing the capabilities of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) into elementary and secondary classrooms. The goal of this program is to enhance student and teacher understanding and learning of the microscopic world around them. With the development of the Internet and remote-controlled SEMs, a unique opportunity now exists to facilitate children's access to extremely expensive, technologically advanced equipment via inexpensive Internet connections. The classroom will consist of an environmental SEM fully connected to the World Wide Web and the Internet. A summer training program involving present and pre-service teachers at the elementary and secondary levels will be conducted, instructing them on how to use the SEM in the classroom. Teachers will develop the lessons, which will vary in content and SEM access, depending upon grade level. Classroom teachers will receive instruction in the SEM's use and capabilities through a series of summer workshops. During the school year, pre-service elementary and secondary teachers who are specializing in science and mathematics will facilitate the classroom investigations.