SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGY EDUCATION

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The goal of the proposed project is to contribute to the improvement of science education at the precollege level by providing a high quality inservice program in the biological sciences for teachers, which capitalizes on the rich human and physical resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This goal will be addressed through the Summer Institute for Biology Education. The project under the umbrella of the Center for Biology Education will have four components: 1) the expansion of the offerings that presently exist, by the development of new modules in a number of different subject areas, 2) the development of an animal oriented biology program, 3) the expansion of a teacher leadership program, and 4) increasing the opportunities for teachers to participate in scientific research. It will build upon the extensive organizational and programmatic experience of the existing programs. It will be structured around several modules of one to two weeks in length, each having 15 to 20 participants who will be given academic credit and stipends from outside funds for accommodations and travel expenses. The new subjects to be developed include a track on Health and Disease, Alcohol and Drugs, Neurosciences and an animal oriented biology program. The animal oriented biology program will assist teachers to develop a solid understanding of biological concepts which will enable them to better prepare their students for healthy and productive interrelationships with animals. This will be done through actual opportunities to study living animals with the intent to make it possible for these teachers to translate these learning experiences offered, directly into classroom activities. A critically important aspect of the Summer Institute for Biology Education is the concept of developing teacher leadership to work in partnership with the university to improve biology education. Each year, and for each module of the Summer Institute, one or more teachers will be selected to be the lead teacher for the module. The lead teacher will be the liaison person between the Institute staff, lecturers and the teacher participants. During the academic year the lead teachers will assist the project in recruiting participants, organizing activities in the local community and school district and serving as a link to other teachers in their region of the state. The proposed project will help address the issue of the lack of experience and knowledge about the scientific process by increasing the opportunities for teacher to participate in scientific research in university research laboratories.