A Biotechnology Curriculum and Teacher Education Project for High Schools

该项目培训教师，并在奥斯汀独立学区的每个高中校园开设生物技术课程，并将其扩展到附近的郊区和农村学区。第一步是成立由学术界和业界代表组成的谘询委员会，以及成立课程检讨委员会。该委员会审查奥斯汀社区学院（ACC）讲授的生物技术导论课程，并提出修订建议，使其能够成功地适应高中。高中教师们正在奥斯汀的四所高中开设一门试验性的生物技术课程。暑期学院扩大了合格教师的数量。该学院为期三周，根据教师的经验有三个入门点。来自地区大学的职前教师与新教师一起进入第一周，与在职教师匹配。这项培训为在职教师在奥斯汀各地的校园讲授生物技术做好了准备。学校还设立了生物技术中心，作为设备和试剂的“借阅图书馆”，为教师提供支持。这些工具包由ACC的生物技术实习生维护，并应老师的要求送到校园。暑期学院的职前教师带着工具包前往他们对应的教师教室。随着网络的扩展，无法建立中心的学区正在学习如何使用手边的材料来教授基于项目的课程。这个项目的一个重要成果是为学生进入生物技术项目和行业提供了一条管道。

PROJECT SUMMARYThis project trains teachers and puts a biotechnology course in each of the high school campuses of Austin Independent School District, expanding into the suburban and rural school districts nearby. The first step is the establishment of an Advisory Committee composed of academic and industry representatives, and the establishment of a Curriculum Review Committee. This Committee reviews the Introduction to Biotechnology course taught at Austin Community College (ACC), and makes recommendations for its revision so it can be successfully adapted to the high schools. High school teachers are presenting a pilot biotechnology course in four Austin high schools. A Summer Institute expands the pool of qualified teachers. This Institute is a three week experience with three points of entry depending on the teacher's experience. Pre-service teachers from area universities, entering the first week with novice teachers, are matched with in-service teachers. This training prepares inservice teachers to teach biotechnology on their home campuses throughout Austin. The teachers are supported by the establishment of a Biotechnology Center, a "lending library" of equipment and reagents in the form of kits. These kits are maintained by biotechnology interns from ACC and delivered to the campuses at the teacher's request. Pre-service teachers from the Summer Institute travel with kits to their matched teachers' classrooms. As the network expands, school districts unable to establish Centers are being shown how to use materials-at-hand to teach project-based curricula. An important result of this project is a pipeline of students entering biotechnology programs and industry.