Science for Future Elementary School Teachers: Connecting College Coursework to Pre-Professional Experiences

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Science for Future Elementary School Teachers (FEST) joins El Camino College (ECC), Moffett Elementary School, and California State Universities Dominguez Hills and Long Beach in a partnership to (1) link the content taught in two ECC science courses with pre-teaching experiences in the elementary schools; (2) introduce preservice teachers to the use of instructional technologies in science education; and (3) strengthen and sustain an articulated transfer path for future science teachers. Science FEST participants (1) take reformed physical and life science courses targeted for future teachers to develop their knowledge of content and pedagogy; (2) concurrently enroll in a curriculum development course in which they design inquiry-based, technology-enhanced science modules for elementary school students; (3) present the modules in classrooms, informal education settings, and at professional conferences; (4) develop leadership skills by advising and mentoring elementary school students via the After School Science Clubs and field trips; and (5) receive additional support services (academic/career counseling, technology training, transfer admission assistance) to facilitate their transfer into four-year teacher preparation programs. As a result, these future teachers have a stronger foundation in science and instructional technology, experience inquiry-based science, and better understand the integral nature of science in the world. This foundation helps them deliver science content more effectively once they enter their own classrooms.