GP-EXTRA: Fostering Interest in Earth Science Teaching Through the Reflective Practice of Science

GP-EXTRA：通过科学的反思实践培养对地球科学教学的兴趣

• 批准号: 1701007
• 负责人: Heather Petcovic
• 金额: $ 36.59万
• 依托单位: Western Michigan University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-07-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1701007&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: GP; EXTRA; Fostering; Interest; Earth

PART 1Earth Science plays a key role in the nation?s security and welfare. Finding energy and mineral resources, protecting water quality, preparing for the impacts of a changing climate, and keeping citizens safe from hazards such as floods and earthquakes are essential to the nation?s quality of life. In order for young people to choose career paths in Earth Science, they need well-prepared teachers who reflect the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of our nation. These teachers should be able to effectively convey both the important concepts in Earth Science, and how Earth scientists gather and interpret information. Our project tests the idea that the best way to engage children in the knowledge and practices of geoscientists is for their teachers to have direct experience with scientific research. This project will create a 10-week summer program in which 8 undergraduate students per year gain direct experience in conducting scientific research and in translating this research experience into classroom lessons. Students majoring in science or in K-12 education from Western Michigan University, Lake Michigan College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College will gain experience in four interwoven components: (1) Learn Science ? a two-week introduction to surface water quality and lake systems, (2) Practice Science ? a six-week water quality investigation in a local urban lake, (3) Teach Science ? two weeks of teaching preparation and practice with master teachers, followed by two weeks of supervised teaching in a middle school summer camp, and (4) Think Science ? ten weeks concurrent with other program components in which students learn about how Earth Science is practiced by scientists and how they might best teach these practices to children.The ultimate goal of this project is to better prepare a diverse future Earth Science workforce. We expect that participating undergraduates will go on to impact thousands of K-12 students during their teaching careers, contributing to the nation?s scientific literacy and inspiring some of these children to become Earth scientists. Additionally, this project explicitly recruits students of color and women from all participating institutions as a means for increasing the diversity of the Earth Science education workforce. Finally, if this project is highly effective in preparing future teachers, we intend to advocate for this model to be adopted across our university and across the country. PART 2As states in the U.S. adopt the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), or adopt NGSS-inspired state standards, Earth Science takes a more prominent role across K-12 grades. Diverse and well-prepared teachers become ever more critical to expanding participation in the geoscience workforce. The best way to engage children in the knowledge and practices of geoscientists is for teachers to self-identify as geoscientists, which can be achieved through authentic experiences with scientific practices such as asking questions, gathering and analyzing data, and justifying claims with evidence. This project will create a 10-week summer program in which elementary and secondary science education undergraduates from Western Michigan University and two regional community colleges gain direct experience in conducting scientific research and in translating this research into classroom lessons while being guided through reflection of the work. Cohorts of 8 students per year will gain experience in four interwoven components: (1) Learn Science ? a two-week introduction to surface water hydrogeology and lake systems, (2) Practice Science ? a six-week water quality investigation in a local urban lake, (3) Teach Science ? two weeks of mentored teaching preparation and practice followed by a two-week mentored teaching experience as summer camp instructors, and (4) Think Science ? ten weeks concurrent with other program components in which students learn about the nature of science and scientific inquiry, reflect on their research experiences, design lessons to be taught at the summer camp, and reflect on their teaching experience. Because authentic research, teaching, and reflection on Earth Science research and education will be coupled, the outcome of this program will be that elementary and secondary science teachers will self-identify as geoscientists just as strongly as they do as teachers. Through this integrated approach, we will improve future teachers? knowledge of content, skills, and scientific practices in surface water hydrogeology and geochemistry, improve their ability to design and carry out a field- and laboratory-based investigation, increase their understanding of the context of the scientific method, improve their skill in designing and teaching lessons to middle school students, and improve their knowledge of classroom practices of science and how to use these to inspire more young people into careers in earth and environmental science. Ongoing external evaluation will provide data informing the project team as to whether we are meeting program goals, and where the program may be improved. As they go on to a career in teaching K-12 science, each of the 24 undergraduate students expected to participate in this program will collectively impact thousands of children. By self-identifying as a scientist and displaying comfort with scientific thinking and experimentation, they will be able to make their own students more comfortable with science and hence increase the chances that they will consider scientific career paths thus enabling our program graduates to inspire future geoscientists. Discussion of careers in the geosciences and related fields will be an explicit part of this program. Additionally, this project explicitly recruits students of color and women from all participating institutions as a means for increasing the diversity of the Earth Science education workforce. We anticipate that this program will also impact other pre-service teachers through interactions with peers. Finally, we will disseminate our program model and best practices as identified through evaluation so that key aspects can be adopted at other teacher preparation institutions.