Increasing Expertise in Earth Science Education

增加地球科学教育方面的专业知识该奖项正被用于开发和试验一项新的科学硕士学位计划，该计划旨在为中等水平的科学教师提供一种机制，使其有资格获得地球/空间科学学科领域的认可，并根据不让一个孩子掉队立法的要求成为“高度合格的”教师。这一新的学位课程将包括在线、课堂和实地经验的结合，将主要为密歇根州的实践教师服务，这些教师：1)目前教授地球/空间科学，但在非专业教学；或2)目前教授另一门科学，但有兴趣在未来教授地球/空间科学，或3)有兴趣获得更高的学位，以获得更多的职业机会。该学位课程和组成该课程的课程都是采用“后向设计”程序开发的，这将使该课程与国家教师培训标准和国家学生学习内容标准和基准保持一致。作为该课程的一部分，正在开发两门新的在线地质学/地球科学核心课程和一门以实地和课堂为基础的关于人类影响的课程，并将其与现有的实地和课堂地质学课程以及现有的在线科学教育课程相结合，以设立新的理科硕士学位。在为期两年的试点期间，将有6名教师参加该计划。他们的学费是通过这个奖项赞助的，因为他们将在新学位课程和课程开发和实施的过程中提供批判性反馈。最终，该项目将通过学费实现自给自足。预计该学位课程将成为培养高素质地球科学教师的全国典范。对该项目的评估将决定该项目在增加密歇根州高素质教师队伍的规模和有效性方面的潜力，以及它向其他州转移的潜力。

Increasing Expertise in Earth Science EducationThis award is being used to develop and pilot test a new Master of Science degree program designed to provide a mechanism for secondary level science teachers to qualify for subject area endorsement in Earth/space science and become "highly qualified" as required by the No Child Left Behind legislation. This new degree program, which will consist of a combination of on-line, classroom, and field experiences, will be developed primarily to serve practicing teachers in the State of Michigan who are: 1) currently teaching Earth/space science but are teaching out of field; or 2) currently teaching another science but are interested in teaching Earth/space science in the future, or 3) interested in working toward an advanced degree to qualify for enhanced professional opportunities. The degree program and the courses that make up the program are being developed using a "backward design" process that will result in alignment of the program with the State Standards for Teacher Preparation and the State Content Standards and Benchmarks for student learning. Two new on-line geology/Earth science core courses and one field- and classroom-based course on human impacts are being developed as part of this curriculum and integrated with existing field-based and classroom-based geology courses and existing on-line science education courses to create the new M. S. degree. Over the two-year pilot period, 6 teachers will participate in the program. Their tuition is being sponsored through this award, as they will be providing critical feedback on the new degree program and courses as they are developed and implemented. Eventually, the project will become self-sustaining through tuition fees. It is expected that this degree program will serve as a national model for preparing highly qualified Earth science teachers. Evaluation of the project will determine the program's potential for increasing the size and effectiveness of the highly qualified teacher workforce in Michigan and its potential for transferability to other states.