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，并扩展到附近的郊区和农村学区。第一步是成立一个由学术界和业界代表组成的咨询委员会，并成立一个课程检讨委员会。该委员会审查了奥斯汀社区学院（ACC）教授的生物技术入门课程，并提出了修订建议，以便它能够成功地适应高中。高中教师正在奥斯汀的四所高中开设生物技术试点课程。暑期研究所扩大了合格教师的储备。该学院是一个为期三周的经验，根据教师的经验有三个入口点。来自地区大学的职前教师与新教师一起进入第一周，与在职教师相匹配。这项培训为在职教师在奥斯汀的家庭校园教授生物技术做好了准备。教师得到了生物技术中心的支持，这是一个以工具包形式提供设备和试剂的“借阅图书馆”。这些工具包由ACC的生物技术实习生维护，并应教师的要求提供给校园。暑期学院的职前教师带着工具包前往他们匹配的教师教室。随着网络的扩大，无法建立中心的学区正在学习如何使用手头的材料来教授基于项目的课程。该项目的一个重要成果是学生进入生物技术课程和行业的管道。

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.