BRAIN to High Schools

描述（由申请人提供）：明尼苏达大学神经科学系和课程与教学系与圣保罗公立学校和Anoka-Hennepin学区联合提议开发、实施、评估和传播一个结合神经科学和探究式教学的模范高中生物医学科学教育项目。这个名为BRAIN（将神经科学的资源、活动和探究带入高中）的项目将结合大学的专业知识和地区教练的专业知识，以促进对神经科学及其相关问题的理解和应用，并将其纳入高中科学课程。我们建议开发、实施、测试、评估和传播一个为期两年的暑期教师学院（BrainU 101和BrainU 202），目标是来自明尼苏达州两个最大学区的高中科学教师和地区教练。在9-12年级，2004年MN科学标准现在要求理解神经系统是如何维持体内平衡的，这是一个适合高中生成熟的复杂概念。因此，这些研究所的内容重点将是神经科学，包括对认知、学习、情绪、临床试验过程和自主神经系统如何调节体内平衡的理解，重点是探究教学法。该项目将扩展先前培养中学科学教师的成功模式，在学校建筑和学区内灌输生物教学实践，以支持培养更高层次的思维和探究技能。本提案提出的教育研究问题是这种深入的教师神经科学和探究性训练如何影响学生的学习。提出了一种准实验设计，以比较教师和学生的知识和态度，以及探究实践的使用。参与的教师和他们的教室将在参加BrainU研究所之前和之后进行比较。参与的教师和他们的教室将与未参与的教师进行比较。此外，参与高中的MN MCA-II科学测试的标准化学生分数将与未参与高中的学生分数进行比较，并根据社会经济变量进行匹配。通过参加培训和在职经验

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Minnesota's Department of Neuroscience and Department of Curriculum and Instruction in conjunction with the St. Paul Public Schools and Anoka-Hennepin School District propose to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a model high school biomedical science education program combining neuroscience and inquiry-based instruction. The project, BRAIN (BRINGING RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES, & INQUIRY IN NEUROSCIENCE) TO HIGH SCHOOLS, will combine University expertise with that of district coaches to promote enhanced understanding and application of neuroscience and its health-related issues into high school science curriculum. We propose to develop, implement, test, evaluate, and disseminate a two-year sequence of summertime teacher institutes (called BrainU 101 and BrainU 202) aimed at high school science teachers and district coaches from the two largest school districts in the state of Minnesota. In grades 9-12, the 2004 MN Science Standards now require an understanding of how the nervous system maintains homeostasis, a sophisticated concept appropriate for the maturity of high school students. Thus, the content focus of the institutes will be neuroscience, including an understanding of cognition, learning, emotions, the clinical trial process and how the autonomic nervous system regulates homeostasis, with an emphasis on inquiry pedagogy. The program will expand a successful model previously developed for training middle school science teachers to inculcate biology teaching practices within schools buildings and districts that support developing higher order thinking and inquiry skills. The educational research question posed in this proposal is how does this in-depth teacher neuroscience and inquiry training affect student learning. A quasi-experimental design is proposed that will compare teacher and student knowledge and attitudes, and use of inquiry practices. Participating teachers and their classrooms will be compared before and after attending the BrainU institutes. Participating teachers and their classrooms will be compared to those of non-participating, within district biology teachers. In addition, standardized student scores on the MN MCA-II Science test from participating high schools will be compared to those from non-participating high schools, matched for socioeconomic variables. By participating in the training experience and in in-service follow-up, district coaches will themselves be trained to assume leadership roles in maintaining the content and pedagogy resident within their districts. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE (provided by applicant): The University of Minnesota's Department of Neuroscience and Department of Curriculum and Instruction in conjunction with the St. Paul Public Schools and Anoka-Hennepin School District propose to develop, implement, evaluate, and disseminate a model high school biomedical science education program combining neuroscience and inquiry-based instruction for high school biology classrooms. The educational research question posed is how does this in-depth teacher neuroscience and inquiry training affect student learning. A quasi-experimental design is proposed that will compare teacher and student knowledge and attitudes, and use of inquiry practices.