A Biotechnology Curriculum and Teacher Education Project for High Schools

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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.