Track 2, GK-12: Let's Explore Applied Physical Science (LEAPS)

“让我们探索应用物理科学”（LEAPS）计划将建立在2002年在UCSB成功建立的GK-12模型的基础上。LEAPS研究生和本科科学和工程研究员将与当地3所初中/中学的科学和数学教师组成跨学科团队，提供以发现为导向的物理科学教学。除了课堂创新，LEAPS还将组织课后科学俱乐部和由研究员和志愿研究生指导的科学博览会项目，并将参加一个“问科学家”的互联网项目。LEAPS家庭科学之夜将在每所学校的家长参与讨论研究员和学生的互动。智力优势：LEAPS计划将创建一个研究科学家和工程师的社区，他们在基于探究的教学，支持性指导和科学技术的有效教学方面具有专业知识。LEAPS将丰富K-12学生的科学经验，通过科学探究和指导研究员个性化的参与。LEAPS将探索大学研究人员成为初中生有效榜样的能力。更广泛的影响：LEAPS教师将获得课堂活动的新资源;帮助指导科学博览会项目，并建立家长参与的机制。LEAPS将与当地3所拥有大量拉丁裔人口的学校合作，为8年级学生提供创新的科学教学。在加州，8年级的科学是所有学生必须参加的最后一门科学课程，因此在他们的大学跟踪路径上非常重要。因此，对学生的指导和角色建模是这个项目的一个重要焦点。制度化的努力将增加教师的参与，发展社区，工业和大学的支持，并培养UCSB志愿者的扩大网络。LEAPS将创建一个新的课程，“科学为公众：沟通和指导”，这将使更大的UCSB社区参与关于科学和科学家的公众看法的研讨会，并指导K-12学校的实地工作。评估将侧重于长期跟踪学生对科学的态度和学生成绩的衡量。参与者将提供关于他们的LEAPS经验的反馈，以及它如何塑造他们的教育和职业发展。计划影响和评估结果将由LEAPS研究员、教师、评估员和PI通过校园通讯、当地媒体、UCSB的LEAPS研讨会系列、专业教育和科学会议上的演讲以及科学教育期刊上的出版物进行传播。

The "Let's Explore Applied Physical Science" (LEAPS) program will build on the successful GK-12 model established at UCSB in 2002. LEAPS graduate and undergraduate science and engineering Fellows will work in interdisciplinary teams with science and math teachers at 3 local junior high/middle schools to deliver discovery-oriented instruction in Physical Science. In addition to classroom innovations, LEAPS will organize after-school science clubs and science fair project mentorship by Fellows and volunteer graduate students and will participate in an "Ask-a-Scientist" internet project. LEAPS Family Science Nights at each school will engage parents in discussion of Fellow and student interactions.Intellectual Merit: The LEAPS program will create a community of research scientists and engineers who have expertise in effective teaching of inquiry-based instruction, supportive mentorship, and accessible communication of science and technology to the general public. LEAPS will enrich K-12 student science experiences through individualized engagement in scientific inquiry and mentorship by Fellows. LEAPS will explore the capacity of university researchers to become effective role models for Junior High School students.Broader Impacts: LEAPS teachers will gain new resources for classroom activities; help with mentoring science fair projects, and mechanisms for engaging parents. LEAPS will partner with 3 local schools with sizable Latino populations to deliver innovative science instruction to 8th grade students. In California, grade 8 Science is the last science course that all students must take, and therefore has great importance on their college tracking path. Thus, mentorship and role modeling for students is an essential focus of this project. Institutionalization efforts will increase faculty participation, develop community, industrial and university support, and cultivate an expanded network of UCSB volunteers. LEAPS will create a new course, "Science for the Public: Communication and Mentoring", which will engage the greater UCSB community in seminars on public perceptions of science and scientists, and in mentoring field-work in K-12 schools. Evaluation will focus on long-term tracking of student attitudes towards science and on measures of student performance. Participants will provide feedback on their LEAPS experience and how it shapes their educational and career progress. Program impacts and evaluation findings will be disseminated by LEAPS Fellows, Teachers, Evaluator and PI's through campus newsletters, local media, a LEAPS seminar series at UCSB, presentations at professional education and science conferences, and publications in science education journals.