A Standards-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum for Future Elementary School Teachers

跨学科(99)斯威特·布莱尔学院的科学系通过为本科生职前教师开发一套新的理科课程，坚定地致力于加强新教师的准备工作。这些课程，探究式的化学，探究式的生命和地球科学，以及探究式的物理学，满足了弗吉尼亚州联邦对教师资格的新要求。我们新的科学探究课程支持国家科学教育标准，并正在为职前教师提供基于探究和实践教学的最佳实践。该项目建立在对本科科学教育的坚定承诺和科学教师对社区外展活动的承诺之上。此外，我们的项目受到了国家在本科科学改革方面的努力的启发，包括同样关注NSF资助的项目：(1)Steven Fifield，et。等，“在未来小学教师的‘科学学期’中整合以探究为基础的科学和教育方法课程”(国家科学基金会奖，0088527号)，特拉华大学。这是一个基于问题的学习项目。(2)Sally Jean，“项目灵感：职前教师的科学调查；促进和产生基于探究的相关经验”(美国国家科学基金会奖，编号0088646)，基恩州立大学。(3)阿方索·M·阿尔巴诺，“搭建桥梁：布林·莫尔学院的科学教育改革”(国家科学基金会奖，9850090号)，布林·莫尔学院。通过对这些项目的调整，我们正在为任职前的本科教师创建科学课程，以激励他们创造和发现。我们实施这一新课程的目标是为新培训的教师提供可直接转移到NK-6课堂的内容掌握和实践科学经验和活动，并在鼓励开放探究和积极学习的环境中这样做。完成这些课程的学生发展了科学方法论的能力，获得了对科学和科学过程的良好态度，并学习了成为成功的科学教师所需的技能(书面、口头和定量)。

Interdisciplinary (99)The science departments at Sweet Briar College are making a strong commitment to enhancing the preparation of new teachers by developing a set of new science courses for the undergraduate pre-service teacher. These courses, Chemistry by Inquiry, Life & Earth Science by Inquiry, and Physics by Inquiry, fulfill the newly mandated requirements for teacher licensure by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our new Science by Inquiry curriculum supports National Science Education Standards and is modeling for pre-service teachers "best-practices" in inquiry-based and hands-on approaches to teaching.This project is building upon a strong commitment to undergraduate science education and a commitment by the science faculty to outreach activities in the community. In addition our project is informed by national efforts in undergraduate science reform, including similarly focused NSF-funded projects: (1) Steven Fifield, et. al., "Integrating Inquiry-Based Science and Education Methods Courses in a 'Science Semester' for Future Elementary Teachers" (NSF award no. 0088527), University of Delaware. This is a problem-based learning project.(2) Sally Jean, "Project Inspire: Investigations in Science for Pre-Service Teachers; Promoting and Producing Inquiry-Based Relevant Experiences" (NSF award no. 0088646), Keene State University. (3) Alfonso M. Albano, "Building Bridges: Science Education Reform at Bryn Mawr College" (NSF award no. 9850090), Bryn Mawr College. Through adaptations of these programs we are creating science courses for pre-service undergraduate teachers that inspire them to create and discover. Our objectives in implementing this new curriculum are to provide the newly trained teachers with content mastery and hands-on science experiences and activities which are directly transferable to the NK-6 classroom, and to do so in an environment which encourages open-ended investigation and active learning. Students who complete these courses develop competency inscience methodology, acquire a good attitude toward science and the scientific process, and learn the requisite skills (written, oral, and quantitative) to be successful teachers of science.